Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun

I really did not expect much from this hotel. I knew it was in the heart of Myeongdong which is very expensive and the room was an excellent price (we also received a discount using our Chase credit card), so I figured it would be very bare bones. ||To be fair, there's no decor and the surface/table space is limited, but the room was surprisingly clean and tidy (for some reason I thought it would be grubby but no, it was shockingly clean). ||The staff was surprisingly kind, too. I came down with a cold while traveling so when we arrived at the hotel I was feeling very poorly and it was slightly before check-in, but they were kind enough to rush the hotel room prep and give us our keycards as soon as they could. ||Also, shout out to staff member Ben Park whose customer service was excellent. He was incredibly nice, spoke great English, and helped us book a cab to the airport for the next morning at a very early time (6 am). Thank you, Ben! ||If you're on a budget, I think this is a great hotel. It's no frills but the rooms were very clean and the customer service was great. You also can't beat the location - it was in the heart of downtown!

Great location! Minutes from Insadong, royal palaces and Bukchon Hanok village streets. Close to restaurants. About 15 minute walk to Myeongdong area. Rooms are on the small side but comfortable once unpacked. L'Occitane toiletries. Temp of room controlled by hotel. Crack the window and ask for a fan from front desk. I would not recommend purchasing the breakfast package if you are staying a week. A day or two, it's okay. But selection is limited and does not vary day to day. Very walkable neighborhood. Suggest booking a high floor, temple view room.

Clean & comfortable hotel in a very good area! The rooms are small but they are enough for a few days! You get what you pay for; so it’s a good deal 😀 Would stay here again next time we’re in Seoul!

Convenient location in central Seoul. Rooms Comfortable and buffet breakfast caters for western and Asian tastes! Could not beat the freshly made omelette! Super toilets with extras 😀😉

Housekeeping Took My PERSONAL BELONGINGS Without Permission – Completely Unacceptable We stayed at this hotel for five nights. For the first several days, my personal bath towel was placed in the exact same spot without any issues. Then, on the last day, it suddenly disappeared. Housekeeping took my personal towel without any permission, leaving me unable to shower. To be absolutely clear, we never touched or used any of the hotel’s towels. Every hotel towel was left exactly where it belonged. The towel that was taken was clearly not a hotel towel and did not belong to the property. What makes this even more unacceptable is that the hotel’s own information card clearly states that towels hanging on the towel rack will not be replaced. My towel was on the towel rack the entire time, yet it was still taken. When I contacted the front desk, the response was shocking. First, they offered to give me a hotel towel, which completely missed the point. I brought my own towel specifically because I do not want to use hotel towels. Then, they suggested that I go to a convenience store and buy a new one. This is not a solution at all—a newly purchased towel is unwashed and completely unusable. This whole situation was absurd and infuriating. Taking a guest’s personal belongings without asking is a serious violation of trust. The handling of this issue showed a complete lack of responsibility and respect for guests. I would not recommend this hotel.

This is my second stay at Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun, and il be back for my third stay on Saturday. This hotel has a great location, great staff, reasonable prices, and great breakfast buffet. The rooms aren't huge but they are adequate size. The only drawback is the lack of outlet near a usable/ lighted mirror making hair drying/styling a bit of a pain. Other than that I have enjoyed my stay both times.

If you plan to bring a car, you may want to reconsider staying at this hotel. Despite paying a daily parking fee of 10,000 KRW upfront, I discovered there is a hidden charge every time you move your vehicle more than once per day. This policy was not mentioned by staff during check-in or listed on the parking banners; I only found out because I explicitly asked. When I raised this issue, staff claimed the information was available, yet it was nowhere to be found. Additionally, the garage is extremely cramped, and guests are often redirected to a separate building when it’s full. It is frustrating that the hotel prioritizes paid public parking over guaranteed spots for their own guests. The hotel needs to be much more transparent about these fees and prioritize guest convenience.

Overall stay was ok, nothing exceptional but location and facilites are acceptable. Lily Choi, a receptionist at front desk was less than polite when dealing with a difference in the reservation I made, it looks like she has not been trained on problem solving and customer service as she has a consistent arrogant attitude, very disappointing and not up to the Shilla Hotels standards.