LLiang.ZThis was pretty much a self-service guesthouse, which made for an interesting experience.
To be honest, up until I opened the room door, my experience wasn't great: Naver Maps was quite off with the location; the guesthouse is in a mixed-use commercial/residential building, and there's no clear sign outside, so I missed it the first time I walked past. Once inside, I initially didn't notice the notice on the wall by the entrance because the logo wasn't for this guesthouse. After searching for a bit, I finally found a QR code to scan on the wall directly opposite the entrance. The first code I scanned for information entry gave an error. Eventually, I found the correct QR code, registered my details, and received the room number and door code. The hallway outside the elevator also felt typical for a commercial/residential building, with some clutter.
However, opening the door was a pleasant surprise: it was a very modern-style room with an enclosed small balcony, clean and tidy. The room was fully equipped with everything you could need: a large fridge, washing machine, induction hob, kitchenware, tableware, etc., and plenty of storage space. Instructions for some facilities could be found online by scanning a QR code, available in both Chinese and English. For a guesthouse, it met the standards of a hotel apartment, and it wasn't too far from the subway. For the price, it offered great value for money. The check-out process was incredibly simple – just scan a QR code and enter the room number.
Of course, there were also quite a few drawbacks, mainly concerning the manuals for electronic devices. The buttons here are all in Korean, naturally. While the guesthouse's provided guide had corresponding translated instructions for the air conditioner, TV, and washing machine, it was clear from the cover page that these instructions were for the equipment in their Myeongdong branch, whereas the equipment in the Seocho-gu branch where I stayed was quite different.
First, a pitfall was the washing machine. The guesthouse's guide stated the washing machine had a dryer function, and the panel certainly looked like it did. However, the washing machine in my room actually didn't have a dryer, meaning I couldn't dry my clothes after washing them (I confirmed with a translation app that the guesthouse's description was indeed incorrect). There was a wardrobe with a drying function, but its effect was very weak; it was actually less effective than simply air-drying clothes in the air-conditioned room.
Next was the TV. The fact that the remote control model was completely different from the one in the guide was a minor issue; in reality, besides the power button, pressing any other button yielded no response.
These issues were still manageable, as not everyone might have the same needs. However, the WiFi simply wouldn't connect, constantly giving an error. Failing at something so basic is an unforgivable problem.
Checking out requires guests to dispose of their own trash. Yet again, the same problem arose: the trash disposal route described in the guide was not for this establishment. I ended up having to take my trash with me and dispose of it at the subway station.
In conclusion, the value for money is indeed good, but there's significant room for improvement in terms of attention to detail.
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