K-Grand Hostel Gangnam 1

The hostel is on the second floor with no elevator, so be prepared for the uphill and downhill roads if you're bringing heavy luggage. It's less than five minutes from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 3, near the Kakao and Line flagship stores in Gangnam. The heater worked well, the bathroom was clean, and the pantry had cereal, toast, and other standard kitchen items. Laundry was free, but there was no dryer, so I had to hang my clothes in the room. Overall, it was a good experience.

We only stayed in the first room for about an hour at most, then asked to leave because it was so poorly maintained. It was moldy, and the replacement rooms were moldy too, which made the humidity seem like a building-wide problem. We had to pay for that first night anyway. The front desk guy was the one positive: he really did try to make things right. I still wouldn’t recommend the hotel.

The reception guy speaks English, Japanese, and Chinese fluently, which was a real plus. My room and bedding were clean and tidy, and the thick window screen kept the morning sun out. I’d describe this as a motel, or maybe a two-star hotel, rather than a guesthouse. There’s no lift in the six-storey building, so ask for a lower floor or be ready for the stairs. It’s also right in a market that stays busy even around 3 AM. Drunk businesspeople and massage parlour clerks flirting make it noisy. If you’re there for work, bring earplugs. I mean it.

They’ll swap your towel every day, which was nice. The room was an average size, not tiny or huge, and there’s breakfast too. You can also use the hostel’s pantry to cook and eat whenever you like.