Hotel Tong Andante Insadong, Seoul

The reasons why I choose this hotel are the location of the hotel and the price. It's very convenient to go to Insa-dong, Gwanhwamun, Kyeongbock palace. And the fee is very reasonable. But don't expect clear room and service.

Pros: -Friendly and accommodating staff. I tried not to ask too many questions because they speak minimal English. -Laundry for 6000 KRW (it takes about 4 hours so don't wait till the day you have to leave like I did!) -Very close to the 6002 limousine bus to get to/from Incheon Airport -7-10 minute walk to trains depending on which one you have to take. -Bed was a decent twin size with a comfortable pillow and comforter. -Included a small fridge! -Outlet situation was a little awkward. You can rent a converter (10,000 KRW deposit) but for some reason my cords kept falling off. My cons: -The sink, toilet and shower are all in the same space in the bathroom. If you shower, everything gets wet so I suggest planning your morning routine. Luckily there is a mirror outside the bathroom for you girls that need to do make up. Because the drainage is exposed I believe this is the cause for the sewer smell coming from the bathroom. There IS a small window in the bathroom but lets in a chilly draft in the morning. -The neighborhood itself does not have much attraction but it is centrally located in Seoul that you can reach the other districts by train easily. -I read somewhere that there is a law that prohibits sound proofing in Seoul hotels so maybe that's why it was really loud. You can literally hear everything in the hotel. Footsteps in the morning, conversations in the lobby area, however guests were respectful to be quiet after hours.

Great location. Hotel very nearby MRT.

The room was nice but the sink (which is not located in the bathroom, instead its on a countertop in the bedroom) leaked from both the tap AND the base, so there were 2 leaks whenever the tap was on- leaving 2 big puddles. This seemed ridiculous as if the staff ever used the tap when cleaning the room, they would see this so it should have been fixed. Also, all the fixtures were COVERED with thick dust- like the top of the TV, etc. They would only take a few seconds for the staff to wipe down- I don't get it. Other than that, the room was fine and had a nice layout and design and location is good. The guy who checked me in was nice and friendly. My last gripe is that the room across the hallway from my room had 2 Chinese women who were talking in their loudest voices until about 3am both nights that I was staying there. To be honest, I wouldn't stay here again, too much hassle.

Modern but very, very small rooms. There are bigger and better options for the same price in the area.