Urban Place Gangnam

The location was the only good thing. The photos show the damp walls, mildew in the showers, and torn towels. My husband even got a plantar wart after using those showers. Horrible and disgusting.

The location and basic setup are why I keep coming back, but the housekeeping is the worst I've seen, even in no-star hotels. One pillow had the kind of sweat stain you'd see in a college dorm. The only bath towel had blood drops and other bodily fluid on it, and there was women's hair on the shower wall and toilet rim. I've stayed here for years, so I really hope they fix this.

I paid just under 100,000 KRW, and for that price the room felt like decent value in a good spot. It's basically a furnished one-room dorm-style space with a kitchenette, but no kitchenware. The bathroom floods after a shower, which might be normal in a Korean home, though I wouldn't expect it at a hotel. It's fairly clean, checking in was easy, and there are lots of restaurants and bars close by.

The location is fantastic, the rates aren't too high, and the staff were kind, courteous, and very helpful. The rest was more mixed. My room looked grubby, with marks and scuffs on the wallpaper, and the underground parking is very tight and twisty. Be careful in a large vehicle, especially if someone is coming the other way. I paid ahead for two breakfasts and regretted it. The fried food was cold, greasy, and limp, and the lettuce was dry and tired. I skipped breakfast altogether on the second morning. Cereal, toast, coffee, and boiled eggs were okay, though. Also, the elevator signs make it confusing to figure out where to check in.