Five Hotel Jongno

The room is on the smaller side and a bit cramped. I could barely open my 24-inch suitcase, and opening two at once was out of the question – I had to do them one at a time. The space around the bed is just enough to squeeze past. It's suitable for one person, but definitely a bit tight for two. The upsides are the great location. There are convenience stores nearby and tons of small restaurants. It's very close to Gwangjang Market and not far from the subway and bus stops. Taxis can also drop you right at the door. It's incredibly convenient for food and sightseeing, and it's surprisingly quiet at night. The front desk staff was very friendly and clearly explained all the important information. Housekeeping cleaned the room daily. In the basement, there's hot water and a microwave, which is handy for instant noodles and such. There's also a WOWPASS machine next to the front desk on the ground floor for topping up or withdrawing cash. Overall, aside from the small room, everything else was quite good. It's a solid backup option.

The location is a bit average, feels like it's next to a hardware store. Eating options are convenient, though. The hotel staff were pretty standard, not particularly proactive. If you're on a tight budget, it's an option.

The hotel isn't far from Jongno 5(o)-ga subway station. Exit 8 has an elevator, but you have to walk quite a bit to get to the hotel across the street. Exit 12 has an escalator and is a bit closer. They clean the room every day. Just a heads up, the hotel doesn't provide toothbrushes or toothpaste, so you'll need to bring your own!

I won't bore you with the details, but just a heads-up: the hotel has a curfew from 2 AM to 6 AM! If you plan on coming back late, make sure to remember the passcode on your room key card that they give you at check-in. They do explain it, but it's easy to miss, and otherwise, you won't be able to get back into the hotel at night.