Gakwonsa Temple

Location and simplicity.

The staff were all very friendly, kind, and helpful throughout my stay. The hotel itself is relatively old, especially the plumbing. My room was small, but it was a comfortable size for one person. I really appreciated having both a washer & dryer in the room, which made doing laundry convenient. The hotel also has a dedicated laundry floor if needed. There is a gym with a good selection of equipment and a decent amount of space. However, when I visited in June 2026, the A/C wasn't working, so it became quite hot inside. They had a door propped open to improve airflow, but it was still warm. One thing to note is that my hotel bathroom has a notice asking guests not to flush toilet paper, sanitary products, or any foreign objects because the older plumbing can clog easily. If you're from a Western country, disposing of used toilet paper in the provided trash bin instead of flushing it may feel unusual or unsanitary. The bathroom trash can is pretty small, so I had daily housekeeping to empty it, which helped. The bidet in my bathroom wasn't working, and neither was the electrical outlet in the bathroom. Overall, I think the hotel offers reasonable value for the price. However, there are several nearby hotels that cost only slightly more and may provide larger rooms, newer facilities, and plumbing that allows toilet paper which may be preferable if that's what you're accustomed to.

Prime location if you want to shop in Myeongdong. Excellent facilities and amenities. They even allowed us to leave our luggage with them for a few hours after checkout without charge. Checking in and out was very easy and quick--less than a minute each time. The beds and sheets were high quality. My only wish is that there weren't so many lights in the room that stay on all night, i.e., exit light, appliances, overhead light that essentially glows all night. We like dark rooms for sleeping.