Yeongdeungpo Blvd Hotel

The room and the way the parking issue was handled made this a really upsetting part of an otherwise great Seoul trip. We were treated dismissively at check-in, and the staff refused to take responsibility for parking. When I gave my booking name, they called us “the guy that called for parking(The person who contacted you about parking)” and handed over the key without another word. After an awkward silence, the man just said “go up(Please go)”. We'd booked four days ahead through Agoda. The booking page at that time showed parking, and our room listing didn't say parking was unavailable. We also wrote in the message that we'd be bringing a car. On the day, we called before check-in to ask where to park, and that's when we first learned parking wouldn't be provided. They blamed Agoda and its third-party affiliate for the incorrect listing, saying they had no control over the page, and told us to seek a refund from Agoda. We tried, but Agoda refused, saying it was “against the hotel's policy.” The motel's location is convenient, about a 5-10 minute walk to a bus stop or metro station, with a department store and convenience stores nearby. Still, the building smelled strongly of bleach and mould. Our room had peeling wall paint, spider webs, broken furniture, a mouldy bathroom, and a broken shower hose. The bed was dusty and the pillow stained. A ventilator beside the bed whirred through the night and woke us every few hours. The soundproofing was poor too, and sometimes we could hear screaming from other rooms. The room also looked very different from the photos. There were paintings of faces with big, dead eyes on the walls, and the lamp didn't have a hat. It almost seemed like a different motel. Since there are a dozen other motels right next door, I'd suggest paying a bit more and trying one of those. I understand this is one of the area's cheapest places and is aimed at budget stays, but even at that price, it wasn't worth the frustration or the staff's irresponsibility. Spend another 30-50-100k won on somewhere nicer and make your stay in Seoul worthwhile. This will always be a black stain on what had been a great trip.

From Yeongdeungpo Station, it's about an 11-minute walk, and the room had the feel of a studio with a lot of atmosphere. Heating was comfortable, so I slept warm without getting too hot, and the bathroom was fine for a shower. The bedding looked very clean, although the pillows and sheets had stains that seemed old, which was unpleasant.

I've stayed in the Yeongdeungpo area more than ten times because it's relatively cheap. Before, I was pretty satisfied with the app prices, but this visit shocked me. The room smelled so awful that even with a mask on I nearly threw up. I've never had that happen before. They insisted I couldn't change rooms because of the mold and told me to open the window, saying it was a pool. It was freezing, but I opened it as soon as I checked in. I even wondered if I was getting mold on me. The smell woke me at least 20 times, and I never expected to write a review in my sleep. It was the worst room, and I'll probably remember this as the worst motel ever.

It was just about okay for one night's sleep. The cleaning wasn't thorough, and the bathroom wasn't clean either.