Sophia Guesthouse

We stayed four nights with our luggage, and the room was clean but far too small for four people. One of us had to sit outside the room. We asked the male owner for a bigger room and he refused. Breakfast had to be eaten in our room because the kitchen was no longer in use, it was full of stuff. At 10 AM he told us to leave, even though checkout was at 11. The garden and the rest of the place were a mess, with four big fridges and piles of unused furniture between the rooms. I first stayed at this hanok in 2018, when the owner's daughter and mother were so nice, and the place was neat and well kept. I liked it enough to bring my sisters in September 2025, but the owner had changed. The location is good, but I don't want to return.

For one night, this could work if you want a traditional Korean room or a backpacking-style stay. The guest house is in a very central spot, the price is somewhat affordable for that location, and breakfast is traditional Korean food. But the rooms are so tiny you can barely fit yourself and a suitcase. There's no room cleaning if you stay longer than one night. They give you plenty of hand towels but no bath towels. The bathroom has no separate wet and dry areas, and there aren't even mats for wiping your feet when entering the house or bathroom. Apart from the location, I wouldn't really recommend it.

The place also operates as a restaurant, and you can smell whatever they're selling. My room was too cold and not in great shape. I asked the host to turn on the heat, but he didn't care, and he was very rude. Breakfast wasn't good either. The location wasn't great: there's a trendy bar right across from the guesthouse, with noise and a small weekend queue. For what it costs, the service didn't make sense to me, especially compared with nice hotels in Korea. I'd suggest another traditional guesthouse or a hotel.

The rooms are on the small side, but they're clean and nice. Staff were great and really friendly, and they bring breakfast right to your room. It made for a lovely first night in Seoul.