Where to Stay in Seoul, South Korea: Hongdae Guesthouse





Hongdae Guesthouse
159-6 Donggyo-dong Mapo-gu, Seoul 121-816, South Korea
hongdaeguesthouse.com 

In a Nutshell:
Easily accessible by public transport, spacious room with adequate amenities, accommodating staff, and affordable rates

Rating: 4 / 5 


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PROS: 

Location
The building where Hongdae Guesthouse is located connects directly to Hongik University station. It was very easy to get to the guesthouse from Incheon airport - we just took the Airport Railroad Express (AREX) subway line and alighted in Hongik University Station (TIP: the AREX station in Incheon airport only sells single journey tickets for the subway, but you can already purchase a T-Money card from convenience stores at the airport. An initial load of KRW15,000-20,000 on your T-Money card should cover your transportation expenses for a couple of days). There is also a bus stop near the building.

You only need to cross the street and walk a few blocks to get to Hongik University, which is surrounded by plenty of restaurants, clothing shops, cafes and clubs that cater to the college crowd.

Accommodation and Amenities
Our group of 5 reserved the dormitory that could accommodate 6-8 people. There were 3 bunk beds and 2 extra beds in the loft area. The dormitory room was very spacious, with massive windows on one wall that made the space seem even bigger. The staff provided us with a portable heater since it got pretty cold at night. There were abundant electrical outlets so all five of us could charge multiple gadgets simultaneously. The room had a water cooler, so we would refill our water bottles every morning before we headed out. They even provide disposable paper cups! There was also bread and instant coffee for breakfast. The room had a kitchen area but I’m not sure if the stove worked. The WiFi was very reliable (as it should've been - South Korea is known to have one of the fastest internet speeds in the world).


Accommodating Staff
Our initial email inquiries were promptly addressed and reservation was a breeze – they didn't require a deposit or down payment and we only paid upon arrival. The staff provided us with free maps of the city and a member of the staff even drew me his own map with his recommended food places around the area.

Affordability
Because Hongdae Guesthouse is very near the subway and the bus station there was little need for us to take a cab during our entire trip (we just made sure not to miss the last train before the subway closed everyday at midnight). There was also affordable street food right outside the building (there was a bungeoppang stall and one that sold tteokbokki).

CONS
The bathroom, though quite spacious, either wasn't very clean or was just too old and badly needed a renovation. The tiles looked as if no amount of scrubbing could make them look clean again.

My friends who stayed at the top bunk said it got too cold at night, the warmth of the portable heater unable to reach them.


Travel Tip: To assure room availability in your chosen accommodation, it's best to book online before you go on your trip. It also saves you the hassle of carrying extra cash to pay for your accommodation during the trip.

Book your stay at Hongdae Guesthouse via HostelWorld.com here. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awwww, it's cute! So how cold was it when you were there? I hear the snowing just started last week.

Daene | Filipina in Flip Flops said...

Hi Meann! Yes it really was a cute place to stay in! Buti na lang Mabs found it. It was quite cold on our first morning up to the second day. The third day was nice Baguio-ish weather, and then it started to rain on the last day. I hear it's really cold na now. :)

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