White Linen House

Gangnam may not be the best base for a first trip to Seoul. Major sights like Gyeongbokgung, Myeongdong and Bukchon Hanok Village are in Gangbuk, so getting to them takes extra travel time. Around White Linen House, though, it’s lively: there’s a 7-11 nearby, and lots of restaurants and cafes by the station where local young people hang out. The nearest subway station is about a 10-minute walk. Our room was around 40 square meters and reasonably priced. It’s a simple, large studio, with two beds set side by side to make use of the space, though that arrangement felt a bit cramped. It was generally tidy and had air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and a TV. There’s also a shared kitchen outside the room, handy if you like cooking. There was no daily room cleaning. Fresh towels were left at the door, but we had to sort and dispose of our own trash. The washing machine was useful, but without a dryer our clothes took a while to air dry. Ventilation was limited too, since the room had just one window.

There were plenty of good restaurants close by, a convenience store right across the street, and both the bus stop and Sinsa Station were nearby. That made getting around Gangnam and going straight to the city center easy. The place was comfortable, beautifully designed in a style I liked, and the service went smoothly. The staff were welcoming and helpful. I’d happily stay at White Linen House again and recommend it.

The shower pressure was extremely low. In the freezing weather, I had to bathe under a drip of water. The apartment was also much smaller than the pictures suggested. I’d booked for four adults, but there were only two beds, so one of us slept on the floor and had to pay extra for a blanket and pillow. They should state the floor space. The internet was down for two of our three days. Someone came to fix it, but the first attempt didn’t work, so we had to use our own roaming data. After I complained, they offered to cancel the final night. I’m not sure how that would help when we’d have to pack and find somewhere else at the last minute. The location wasn’t great either, with few food options and quite a long walk to the metro. I paid 250 a night, and believe you can get a decent hotel right in Seoul. Avoid this place at all costs.

We spent 3 nights here, and the location worked well, very near Sinsa station. There’s a 7-11 opposite, and the main road with a large Uniqlo store is close by. Our spacious, clean room had a couch, large TV, small dining table for 4 pax, clean bathroom, small fridge, washing machine and cutleries. A little common kitchen outside had a microwave and a small cooking area with pots and pans. Recommended.