THE STAY HOTEL MYEONGDONG

This was, without exaggeration, one of the filthiest hotel experiences I’ve ever had. The room looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in weeks—if ever. There were literal yellow urine stains on the sheets and duvet, brown spots on the bedding, and someone else’s hair under the covers. Towels were full of holes and dark grey stains, including the ones they claimed were “fresh.” The bathroom had visible mold, and the ventilation didn’t work, so I spent the night in what felt like a damp, moldy rainforest. Even the air smelled like mildew and neglect. I requested all new bedding—sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers—for the double bed. What I received was baffling: one stained pillowcase and a large sheet that was also stained. That’s it. No duvet cover. No full set. Just more filth. I wiped the floor with a hand towel, using no pressure, and it came up black. That’s not “old dirt.” That’s neglect. I really don’t like hulking out, but this was beyond gross. It was unsanitary, unacceptable, and frankly, insulting. I don’t care how “budget” a hotel is—basic hygiene is not optional. And frankly, I wouldn’t even call this “budget.” The room cost me around $100 USD—not the most expensive, but certainly not cheap given the area and the many better options available. When I brought this up, the front desk staff did apologize and brought me a small gift, but only after trying to justify the state of the room with bizarre and irrelevant excuses: • “The room wasn’t used for two days, so the dirt is old.” • “I just got here,” as if that somehow explained the filth. I asked if he was the cleaner—he said no. So how is that even relevant? That said, I want to be fair: I recognize this wasn’t his fault (per se), and I genuinely hated having to keep bringing things up. I was grossed out, mad, and unable to rest or even bathe—but once he saw the full extent of the situation, his tone shifted. He became very apologetic, and honestly, he seemed like a nice guy. Unfortunately, he was also the one in charge at the moment, so there was no one else to escalate to or resolve things further. This isn’t about being heard, being superior, crashing out, or being adversarial. It’s about the fact that the operational standard here is not just subpar—it’s unclean and hazardous. My concern, and the reason I’m writing this review, is to warn others: once you’ve booked a non-refundable room and checked in, there’s very little to be done if it’s late or you’re stuck. And honestly, it really does pollute the overall experience of Seoul, which is such a vibrant, beautiful city. Again—just don’t do it. There are plenty of clean, charming hotels, guesthouses, and hostels in the area. This one is not worth the risk.

Scam of a hotel. The reviews here about how it smells like sewer and is horrendously dirty are true. The front desk will always claim that there are no rooms to switch and won't refund you even when shown proof of how dirty it is. Location is great if you can stomach the lack of cleanliness.

Location Location Location. You should not expect much with such a great location in a busy area. If you are looking for somewhere to lay your head and walk out immediately into the bustling streets of myeongdong then this is perfect.