Seoul Dalbit Dongdaemun Guesthouse

TLDR: You get what you pay for, plus the listing was misleading. I chose the cheapest room because the photos made it look decent for the price, but there were several problems. The WiFi didn’t work at all, the room was already damaged when I arrived, and it smelled of smoke. It was advertised as soundproof, but it definitely wasn’t, even though guests were asked to keep quiet. There was also mold and mildew in the bathroom, which felt like a health hazard. Photos attached. I was meant to stay three nights but checked out after one unbearable night. The room almost made me sick. When I asked for a refund for the unused nights, they acted like they couldn’t understand. I hope things improve by the time I come back.

It was easy to get around from here, with Dongdaemun and Dongmyo stations close by and a bus stop nearby too. The shared kitchen has a standard fridge and freezer plus another fridge for fruit and drinks, and a dining table for four alongside two couches. There’s Wi-Fi on every floor. The rooms are on the small side but workable. Mosquitoes can get in because the rooms and floors aren’t sealed.

The room was neat, clean, and comfortable for me as a solo traveler. I didn’t mind there being no receptionist when I arrived at 7 PM, since they’d said check-in was self-service and left a notice on the yellow wall. But there were no useful instructions or clues for getting in. I called, but they didn’t speak English, so I had to ask a friend to call and find out where my key was. Luckily, my friend was free at the time 😅.

An absolute nightmare of a stay. There wasn’t even a duvet, and the bed was dirty. The room had no window, and the towels were tiny. Worst hostel I’ve ever stayed at.