Sinyoung Motel

It's clean and close to restaurants, and the price is low for this area. The motel feels pretty average and could use an upgrade. Don't expect much beyond cleanliness: there's no view or high-tech features.

For this kind of place, the detailed cleaning was surprisingly good: the walls had little dust and the taps were spotless. The room itself was very clean and entirely non-smoking, though the floor felt sticky at first. I found the owner's approach conscientious, including hotel instructions translated into Chinese. They don't clean the room or change sheets daily, but they do take out rubbish and replace towels. Only snacks are available, not proper meals. There was a free coffee machine and cookies on the first floor, though I didn't try them. I had stayed in similar places in Korea without seeing them explicitly called “Motels”; most were simply labeled hotels. I later learned that comparing listings on Naver Maps gave a clearer idea of their actual category. Motel-style rooms here have a light outside the number that stays on when nobody is in the room and goes off when someone is, which made me uneasy about security. The location seemed potentially confusing at first, but turned out convenient. One alley takes you to Daiso, and the underpass at the entrance goes to number 4 on the right, toward the New World Times Square store and the emart on B2 across the street. The other direction leads to the subway. There are lots of restaurants nearby and plenty of people around. Line 1 doesn't accept climate cards for top-ups, so you'll need to use another nearby line. On Line 5, the elevator goes straight to gate level; to go down, you have to switch to the opposite elevator on B5. Booking through Agoda lets you confirm the reservation on the platform. At night there doesn't seem to be anyone at reception, but there's a mobile number to call. Someone is usually at the counter, though you'll need to ask about their hours. I stayed in Standard Double No. 401. The door has no safety lock and locks automatically. To open it, lift the handle. The room was an acceptable size: I could fully open a 29-inch suitcase and fit a 20-inch one by the bathroom door. There's no wardrobe, just hooks on the back of the door. The blade-style heater was new to me in Korea. It was easy to control, but took up space, made me worry about getting burned, and made the air feel dry, so I hung up a large wet towel. One outlet is beside the bedside radiator, so charging there needs care; another is by the dressing table. There's no mirror at the dressing table, but the nearby window is a large, clean mirror with a clear reflection. The fridge was standard and I didn't notice any noise from it. Cups, drinks, and water were inside, but the water wasn't replenished on the first day, only after I moved it. Lighting is bright only at the desk and dressing table. The rest of the room is quite dim, and decorative lights remain on even when the other lights are off. The windows have screens but no light. Noise was noticeable, with running water often audible and piano music playing until midnight every night. The hair dryer was a regular household type. The kettle spout had a thick coating of limescale, so we didn't use it. The key was an old-fashioned, large, stick-shaped plastic one with a standard horn-style lock. The bathroom had no shower curtain and was average in size. The plastic mouthwash cup was scratched, so we left it unused. There's only one hook, above the toilet. The basin tap was very clean, but the water came out extremely slowly. The water temperature and pressure were fine for late-night showers on the first two nights. On the last night, the temperature fluctuated before midnight, and there was no hot water the next morning. We were leaving, so we didn't check whether running it longer would bring hot water. There's no thermostatic toilet. The lights switch off automatically after a set time, so it's best to switch them off and on again before going in.

The location was good, and the shower pressure was the best I had on my Korea trip. But my room was at the very back on the first floor, and the door was heavy, warped, and stuck when I tried to open it. It was dim inside, which felt a little scary since I was alone, lol. There was no plug for the bathtub, so I couldn't fill it. Cleanliness wasn't great, which is why I left fewer stars. One kind touch: a staff member opened the door for me as I was leaving.

The staff were really friendly, and the location was great for the low price. I was a woman and felt fine staying there, but it doesn't have the feel of a Japanese business hotel, and some people might be concerned about hygiene. Maybe it was just my room, but the air conditioner made a strange noise and smell, and the Wi-Fi was weak. For the location and cost, I still think it was worth it.