Seoul Garden Hotel

I absolutely loved the hotel lobby; it's spacious and grand. The front desk offers Chinese-speaking staff, which made check-in and check-out very convenient. Downstairs, there are many convenience stores and restaurants, making it easy to grab a meal or buy essentials. The hotel facilities are well-established, with plenty of elevators, and luggage storage is free. The main reason I chose this hotel is the Incheon Airport 6015 bus stops directly in front of the hotel, so I didn't have to drag my luggage and transfer to the subway. Plus, it's within walking distance to Mapo subway station, making it very close to popular spots like Hongdae, Gongdeok, and Yeouido.

Last year when I came to Seoul, I also stayed in the Mapo area, specifically at the L'Escape Hotel, which was across from the Garden Hotel. This time, when I was planning my trip to Seoul, L'Escape didn't have the room type I wanted, so I chose the Garden Hotel instead. The location of this hotel is actually excellent; the airport bus stops right outside. However, since I was trying to save money and used my climate card for the airport line, I couldn't take advantage of that convenience. My main reason for choosing it was still the Garden Hotel's location. The hotel is situated between Gongdeok Station and Mapo Station, making transportation very convenient. You can reach most major attractions and commercial areas by subway. Plus, it's not as bustling as the Myeongdong area, so it's much quieter at night. There are also plenty of dining options nearby: various coffee shops, burger joints, pork soup with rice, ginseng chicken soup, ox bone soup, Korean BBQ, sushi restaurants – basically everything you could want to eat. It's also not far from the Seoul Station City Tower. Getting to The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido is also super easy, just two subway stops away. I stayed in a deluxe double room by myself, and I found the size to be perfectly fine. The service was good too; the male receptionist during check-in was very enthusiastic and had a great attitude. I stayed for 5 days, and only one day the cleaning was finished as late as 3 PM; the other days it was done quickly. If I had to pick a flaw, it would be that the decor and furnishings definitely reflect the style of an older star-rated hotel, unlike the more modern L'Escape. There's also a restaurant on the first floor of the hotel, but with so many dining options around, I didn't end up going there.

Terrible! The air vent was directly above my bed, blowing right onto my face. I ended up with a fever that very night. The hotel's AC couldn't be properly controlled; turning it off made the room too stuffy. My room was on the fourth floor, and as soon as you stepped onto that floor, it was noticeably hot, so there's definitely something wrong with the AC. In the middle of the night, my fever got really bad, and when I asked the hotel for a thermometer, they were very impatient. They said they'd leave one outside my door but never did and just left. A huge thanks to Trip.com for patiently communicating with the hotel and helping me coordinate throughout this ordeal. This experience directly led to all my subsequent travel plans being canceled, and I had to return home early.

The hotel's location is quite good; it's very close to the subway station, making it convenient to go anywhere, and there are many restaurants and supermarkets nearby. However, the facilities are very old. The mattress and pillows are on par with what you'd find in a rental apartment in China. If you're on a vacation, this hotel isn't suitable. But if you're just looking to shop and eat, then it's an acceptable place to stay.

The room is spacious, well-equipped, and has excellent amenities. It's conveniently located near Mapo Station (line 3) and Gongdeok Station (line 8), making transportation a breeze. Most attractions are within a 30-minute subway ride, and it's super easy to get to Incheon/Gimpo airports. Plus, the hotel front desk offers Chinese language service.

Satisfied, exceeded expectations. The Airport Express train conveniently stops right at the hotel entrance. There's a convenience store, Olive Young, and Starbucks right outside, which is super convenient. The subway station is just a five-minute walk away.

The Seoul Garden Hotel is an older establishment. It seems like a lot of Chinese tourists book here after seeing reviews, perhaps from 'seniors,' mentioning that some front desk staff speak Chinese, haha! It's also conveniently located; just a straight walk from Exit 3 of Mapo Station, past two small intersections, and you'll spot it. We arrived very late from Busan that night to check in. All the front desk staff processing check-ins were middle-aged men in Hawaiian shirts (I later noticed over the next few days that their front desk seemed to be entirely staffed by middle-aged men, all wearing Hawaiian shirts, haha...). Over at Glad Hotel, it's all handsome young men and beautiful women with sweet smiles – much more pleasant to look at. The staff member who assisted us didn't speak Chinese but could speak English. My son was very tired and tried to sit on a chair. The chair didn't have sound-dampening pads, and he didn't sit properly, so it hit the front desk. I told him to be gentle, as it was noisy. Then, the front desk uncle gave me a disdainful look and said in English, "DON'T PLAY THE CHAIR!" The room had a 1.8-meter large bed. The room wasn't big, which is understandable. However, there was no wet/dry separation, it had an old-fashioned bathtub, and the smart toilet lid would fall off if you touched it. Also, one of the buttons was broken. The cleaning auntie fixed it by banging on it with her fist a couple of times. It was quite clean, though, with no strange odors. The lobby is quite spacious, and the restaurant on the first basement floor is where locals come to dine.

I took my daughter on a trip to Korea, and a friend recommended this hotel before we left. Although the price was a little high, I still booked it. **Transportation:** From Incheon Airport, if you don't have too much luggage, you can easily take the subway. It's very convenient. A subway ticket is around 5,000 Korean won, which is cheaper than a bus ticket. After exiting the subway, it's about an 8-minute walk to the hotel. **Service:** There's a young man at the front desk who can communicate in Chinese. The staff clean the rooms daily and provide two bottles of water in the fridge. Everyone is very polite. **Amenities:** There's a power outlet on the desk that accepts plugs from my home country (only one, see my photo). There's a slow-charging Type-C port by the bed. The room has a mini-fridge, hairdryer, and kettle. The hotel lobby has a self-service currency exchange machine where you can exchange RMB for Korean won (cash only, no Alipay, etc.). However, the exchange rate is slightly higher than at home. **Dining:** Behind the hotel, there's a food street. There are many reviews on Xiaohongshu. I tried chicken soup, Lee Garden, potato and pork bone soup, and tteokbokki. All were delicious. The tteokbokki was very spicy. The portions were generous! **Local Transport:** I used the subway for all my travels (Gongdeok Station and Mapo Station are both accessible); I didn't use buses. Korea has shared bicycles, so those who can download the app might want to try it. Overall, the hotel is good. **P.S.:** Trip.com's service was also good. They helped me communicate with the hotel regarding my booking, which was very helpful.

This was the most satisfying hotel on my trip to Korea. The overall decor is on par with a 4-5 star hotel in China, and the room is very spacious with plenty of functional areas. The bathtub was great for a shower with excellent water pressure. They even thoughtfully provided pajamas. The transportation is super convenient, just a 5-minute walk from Mapo Station. It's very close to Hongdae, Yeouido, and Seoul Station. The best part is that it's in a residential area with a fantastic food street nearby. We enjoyed delicious and affordable potato pork bone soup and Korean BBQ there. The airport shuttle bus stop is right across from the hotel, in front of McDonald's, which is very convenient.