Half rest hostel Jongno Insa

AVOID THIS HOSTEL AT ALL COSTS. I’ve traveled extensively and stayed at dozens of places, this was by far the WORST and MOST DEGRADING experience I’ve ever had. • I arrived after a red-eye flight and had a full-day schedule before checking in via self check-in at 11 PM. • I messaged them in advance in early morning to ask if I could use the washing machine before check-in. No response until 5 PM — too late to do laundry. • The worst part: I was changing pants in the room at 11:35 AM. A female staff member suddenly BURST INTO THE ROOM without knocking and YELLED at me for not checking out yet. • When I confronted her later about violating my privacy, she screamed back saying that dorms are “public spaces” and it’s normal for ANYONE (including men) to enter during cleaning hours. What kind of logic is this? A dorm is shared between guests — it’s not a free-for-all. Staff must respect basic privacy when the guests are inside. • Worst of all, a male manager standing nearby started to yell at me, calling me “crazy,” swearing at me in Korean, and shouting “you’re annoying — GET OUT!” It was VERBALLY ABUSIVE, INTIMIDATING, and totally unprofessional. I’ve never been treated like this at any accommodation in my life. The staff were AGGRESSIVE and UNPROFESSIONAL — it felt like dealing with *****, not hospitality workers. This is not a capsule hotel, not a proper hostel, not a safe place for travelers. It’s a converted goshiwon pretending to be a “minimalist stay” — but there is nothing minimalist or decent about their service. They seem to be hiding all local reviews (Google, Naver, Kakao) and only maintaining a positive image on international booking platforms. That alone should raise red flags. Also: • The location is FAR from central Seoul — takes an one hour one way-trip from Gangnam. • Dorm rooms are TINY. No space to open a suitcase properly. • ZERO value for money, ZERO hospitality. As a Korean, it’s honestly shameful that this place charges foreigners for this level of mistreatment. DO NOT STAY HERE.

We really enjoyed our time at this hostel, the location is really good! Easy access to the subway and lots of food options, we did have a toilet that leaked but that didn’t detract from our overall impression, bedroom is quite small but cozy and the free ramen noodles and coffee was a lovely touch 🫶🏼