Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences

I've been using Trip.com for over a decade and I don't think I've ever left a bad review for a hotel, but this time I really can't hold back. We stayed for two nights. On the morning of the second day, we pressed the 'clean room' button and left. We came back around 1 PM and the room hadn't been cleaned, so we pressed 'do not disturb' and rested. When we left at 5 PM, we told the front desk to clean the room. The front desk said they intended to clean it in the afternoon but saw the 'do not disturb' sign, so they didn't. We explained that we had pressed the 'clean room' button in the morning, and she said they hadn't started cleaning yet in the morning. Okay, fine. So we asked them to clean it while we were out. The picture below shows what our room looked like when we returned that evening. They literally just threw two towels on the bed. That's it. I've stayed in hotels for so many years, and this is the first time a hotel hasn't cleaned the room. Is this a local custom or a hotel policy? Either way, I'm definitely not staying here again.

This is hands down the most overrated so-called 'five-star' hotel I've ever stayed in. The decor is no different from a budget hotel, the room is quite small, and the bathroom is tiny. If you're even a little tall, your knees will hit the door (the weirdest thing is the toilet and shower share one sliding glass door). There was a sewer smell, and the smart toilet's flush was broken.

The hotel's location is excellent, right in Dongdaemun and very close to Gwangjang Market. The surroundings and views are nice, and they have a swimming pool and gym. It was a very comfortable stay, and the staff are really friendly to Chinese guests!

Facilities: The room was tiny, and the fridge made a loud noise that was really disruptive once everything else quieted down at night. Cleanliness: The sheets weren't clean. On the first day, there were hairs, and they did change them immediately. However, when I came back after going out on the second day, I found they had changed the sheets again, and there was a large stain on them. Environment: The environment was pretty good. Service: After booking, I read some reviews and wanted to cancel because they were so bad. Within just a few minutes, they absolutely refused to let me cancel. After a long argument, I ended up staying, and it was even worse than I expected. The negative reviews aren't isolated incidents; they're the norm for this hotel. Avoid at all costs!

The room was really tiny. Whatever you do, don't buy any package deals, like the one for Petite France – it's incredibly far, like an hour and a half to two hours away, and you can't even get a refund. It doesn't really feel like a five-star hotel; more like a four-star. You can walk to Myeongdong in about 20 minutes from the hotel by taking the underground passage straight from Dongdaemun. But I found Korea to be quite run down, with power lines everywhere. Unless you're a big K-pop fan or love concerts, a trip to Korea can be pretty disappointing. The photo is of a cafe in a shopping area near Dongdaemun. This hotel isn't far from Dongdaemun.