Seodaemun Prison History Museum

This place is designed for maximal discomfort. Bed was hot. Lobby was hot. Everything made too much noise or was too bright in the dorm. The light could be a lot dimmer and one could still see enough. The light in the bed was too bright, and situated at the very back. Hope you are clean in case yiu have to turn it on/off, because you will have to crawl over your bedding. The cabinet was loud and clunky. The curtain only blocked 70% of light or so because it was broken and designed horribly. The bathroom was the worst, because to turn the light on you had to turn the light on outside, open the door and flashbang everyone to get in. Nowhere to hang a bag, barely any room to place clothes. Just a toilet and shower. It was difficult to get dressed with such a cramped room with water all over the walls getting your clothes wet. I found it difficult to get dry inside there. There arent enough slippers available and they are scattered all over the room, so I often got my feet dirty before getting in bed. Why is there no shared shower/bathroom area? I cant understand how it could be cheaper or make any sense to have it in the dorm. Also, they have "breakfast", but its just cereal and peanut butter toast and stuff like that. I appreciated it because I am bulking and want to get lots of calories, but who wants to eat that boring breakast while travelling? My first night was a little difficult to sleep but eventually I slept well, so it can be a practical option.

The staff were all very friendly, kind, and helpful throughout my stay. The hotel itself is relatively old, especially the plumbing. My room was small, but it was a comfortable size for one person. I really appreciated having both a washer & dryer in the room, which made doing laundry convenient. The hotel also has a dedicated laundry floor if needed. There is a gym with a good selection of equipment and a decent amount of space. However, when I visited in June 2026, the A/C wasn't working, so it became quite hot inside. They had a door propped open to improve airflow, but it was still warm. One thing to note is that my hotel bathroom has a notice asking guests not to flush toilet paper, sanitary products, or any foreign objects because the older plumbing can clog easily. If you're from a Western country, disposing of used toilet paper in the provided trash bin instead of flushing it may feel unusual or unsanitary. The bathroom trash can is pretty small, so I had daily housekeeping to empty it, which helped. The bidet in my bathroom wasn't working, and neither was the electrical outlet in the bathroom. Overall, I think the hotel offers reasonable value for the price. However, there are several nearby hotels that cost only slightly more and may provide larger rooms, newer facilities, and plumbing that allows toilet paper which may be preferable if that's what you're accustomed to.

Great service from check in to checkout. Very short walk to the beach, shopping area, restaurants. Easy access to transportation stations. Highly recommended. Surely book again this hotel for another visit.