Hotel La Casa Seoul

We stayed in the East Wing, which had its own elevator and street entrance, and the rooms seemed a bit nicer there. They also gave us the high-floor room we asked for. La Casa felt homey, with an unusual triangular room layout and good amenities. The hotel was clean and in pretty decent shape. The guys at reception were generally welcoming and accommodating. After checkout they stored our luggage and returned it politely, and even told us we'd left some things in a room we no longer needed, though I got a strange look. I hadn't made any special requests to them. One woman at reception, though, wouldn't contact another hotel to ask whether its pool was open to the public. I was shocked when she said, “You speak English, you can call by yourself.” I don't think Seoul is known for great service, so I wasn't expecting outstanding hospitality. We didn't try the rooftop bar, so I can't say if it was worth it. The location is fantastic for good food and shopping around Gangnam, which felt more exclusive to me than Jongno and much better than Myeong Dong, which I found horrible. For a 24-hour Korean-style onsen, The Medi Spa for men or Spa Lei for ladies is a 15-minute walk away. I understand owners in Korea may have a hard time managing staff, as owners elsewhere can too.

The road noise was my one real complaint. Even with every window shut, traffic outside was loud, and they should at least provide earplugs. Still, I rate the hotel five stars mainly for the service and price. One night we borrowed an umbrella from the lobby, then it was stolen or possibly taken by mistake at a nearby Olive Young. I told the woman working the night shift and was worried they'd charge us a lot, but she was kind and said not to worry about it. Thank you to her. The price is very good for such a nice area, close to Sinsa and Gangnam, and the room was bigger than I'd expected compared with others in the same price range.

It's a quiet spot away from Myeong-dong, with lots of cafes and places to eat nearby. There's a nice chocolate shop around the corner. Airport bus 6006 is four minutes away, though it only comes about once an hour. You can also take 6009 from Sinsa Station, around a ten-minute walk.

There’s a climbing gym, bus stop, and convenience store nearby, which is all I need. The staff are nice, the room is okay, and the price is fair. I liked the bed and pillows, and I’d stay here again on my next trip.