Our flight from Manila to Incheon International Airport took almost four hours. From the airport, we rode Airport Bus#6015 which took us straight to Myeongdong (last stop). The ride took another 1.5 hours without heavy traffic. I just knew from research that Casa Myeongdong is very near Myeongdong Station but forgot to print out a map for clearer directions. Good thing that Myeongdong Shopping Street is filled with shops and most of them can communicate through Mandarin. We asked them for help and finally managed to find the way. π
Casa Myeongdong in Jung-gu, Chungmuro 2(i)-ga, Seoul is located literally about 20 meters from Exit 9 or Exit 10 ofΒ Myeongdong Station. Myeong-dong is one of the busiest places in Seoul and is among Koreaβs premier shopping destinations. This is where you can find lots of make up, skin care, fashionable items, cool restaurants, and more.
The reception area is at the eighth floor of the building and its design seems more like a boutique hotel. ToΒ check in, I handed out my passport for identity reference and booking voucher (printed from Agoda.com) and deposited KRW 10,000 (refunded upon checkout). The receptionist gave me the key card and guided us to our room on the seventh floor.
Review of Casa Myeongdong Guesthouse and Budget Hotel (Seoul, South Korea)
Ambiance:
Casa Myeongdong’s ambiance and interior design looked neat, stylish, and modern. We stayed in the family room which has two queen-size beds. The sheets were clean and the pillows were okay.Β Amenities included air conditioning, hair dryer, cable TV, desk, mirror, and mini refrigerator.
In the bathroom, there was no separator between the toilet and the shower area. Toiletries consisted of hair shampoo, conditioner and liquid bath soap. We had to buy toothbrushes downstairs from the nearby 7-11 store. It was also quite disappointing that the bath towels provided were smaller than the regular size. They appeared more like a cross between a hand towel or face towel and a floor mat. π
Anyway, we were happy that fast Wi-Fi Internet connection couldΒ be accessed everywhere in the hotel and there were so many routers and hot spots available. Room slippers and bathroom slippers were placed nicely byΒ the door. Maybe because of lack of space, theΒ cabinets for clothes and stuff were positioned under the bed mattress. It was only when we were reviewing the pictures back in Manila when we discovered them. Haha.
Service:
Security at the guesthouse was lenient. The main door would be locked after 11pm, so guests would have to inputΒ the password to enter the guesthouse aside from using the access card for the room door. Reception closes at 10PM and opens at 7AM. ForΒ guests checking in or out before or after those times, giving prior advice toΒ the staff is a must.Β Korean guesthouse staff members know how to speak in English and Chinese. There’s no problem in conversing with them. They were accommodating and friendly in answering our questions.
As part of their terms and conditions, room cleanup wasΒ done only as verbally requested. Changing of bed sheets will incur additional cost.
Food:
We booked the hotel room with free breakfast. Sadly, there’s notΒ much that could be expected and be satisfied about from the complimentaryΒ breakfast. Casa Myeongdong does not serve rice meals or buffet but only cereals, bread with jam, water, milk, orange juice, tea and freshly brewed coffee. While smallΒ bites in the morningΒ may be enough to ease hunger quickly, we still had to go outside for a decent mealΒ that can last us until lunch time. Guests are free to use utensils, plates, cups, bowls and other things in the kitchen/dining area. Microwave and refrigerator can also be used by all.
Price for Value:
When searching for a convenient and accessible budget hotel that’s near the subway station in South Korea, Casa Myeongdong Guesthouse is a nice choice. It’s a small but homey place in Seoul. RoomΒ types offeredΒ are: standard double, economy double, deluxe double, standard twin, duplex twin, triple, cabin-style, and family room. You may check this link out for more details onΒ pricing. We paid about KRW 150,000 per night–divided by four people. All in all, price for value is fair.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
Nice review!
Have never been to South Korea, but seems nice.
I am from India, actually.
Seems like a nice hotel with good basic amenities. π
Thanks! If ever you’re considering Korea in your travel list, this is a good hotel to stay in. The advantage is really the location.
I see. Thanks! π
This place is good.. Will consider staying if go to Seoul, Korea.. Nice and budget..
Yup, once you go down the hotel, a wide variety of restaurants will greet your eyes. Feast on the many makeup boutiques and enjoy Korean street food at the same time. π
Base in your rating, it seems that they have poor quality in terms of giving clients good food for breakfast. 3.3% points its not bad, but they need to improved.
Yeah, well, it’s a guesthouse and not a hotel after all. I think the bad point was that their site did not implicitly advertise that there’s only a few choices of food available for breakfast. We expected more. π
The last time I was in Seoul, I told myself the next time we go here, our base should be in Myeongdong. I hope this place is still open when we do get to visit again.
For sure. Myeongdong is such a cool and upbeat place. π May this part of Seoul live forever.
I like that Casa Myeongdong Guesthouse looks so clean and decent. It’s also nice that it’s really accessible.
Yes, accessibility earns this guesthouse lots of points for us. Traveling anywhere became such a breeze. It also helped that there were signs in English so it’s easy to wander around even without knowing how to speak/read Korean. π
the place looks so homey! I’ll have to bookmark this for future reference. π
I’m sure you’ll like the sleek design. This place is simple yet comfy for a few days of stay in Korea. π
What captured my attention and heart always is the whole set of the certain Hotel which is exactly this Hotel is trying to transmit. Very clean and I love how organize they are. Thank you so much for sharing about this one.
Interesting place. I like how the important basics are covered – clean room, comfortable bed, a nice shower area. I don’t mind not having buffet breakfast in the morning. Cereal, jam, water, juice, and milk will suffice to start your day. At least, you have a reason to explore local food even in the morning π
That’s a pretty neat place to stay in if you’re traveling on a budget. Will keep this in mind when we go to visit!
I think the towels are a turn off. I am a sucker for bigger towels! Nonetheless, if you want to survive in S.Korea in tight budget, I guess I will have to deal with it.
Doesn’t look like really budget hotel actually…Pretty nice ambiance and clean facilities. Thanks for sharing.
This looks neat! Myeongdong is one of my favorite places in Seoul. I want to go back there and I’d probably consider this one. The last time I went to Seoul, we booked in a guesthouse in Hongdae but the owner let us stay in his condo unit that he also rents out to guests. It was awesome because we had the whole unit to ourselves, complete with kitchen and laundry area.
It looks so clean, tidy and very classy as guesthouse. Well, travelers have to select the best of food and environment, and you’ve done it all. Korea is a well-known place to explore.
I liked how clean and stylish these guest house look and very inviting. I have not been to Korea and hope to visit soon.
How much is this in USD per night? Place looks tidy and clean. Thats a must for me. Ive never been to korea so this blog is bookmarked
Being a budget hotel, I guess we can’t expect too much on the breakfast. Most people want to go out and have Korean food maybe?
Oh, for a budget hotel this is nice. I will check this out when I get to Korea.