Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences

The Korean receptionist at the front desk had a terrible attitude during check-in. There was a Caucasian guest in front of me, and after he was done, the Korean man kept his head down, doing something on the computer. I waited for him to finish, but he just kept clicking away without looking up. After waiting for a while, I handed him my passport to check in. It was around 4 PM, and we wanted our two rooms on the same floor. He then started 'processing' our check-in, clicking on the computer for a very long time without any explanation. I must have stood there for at least five minutes. My friend eventually got impatient and asked him why it was taking so long, telling him to 'hurry.' Only then did he say he was arranging the floors. After that, he quickly finalized everything. One room was ready for immediate check-in, and the other was waiting to be cleaned.

The hotel reception is on the 20th floor, offering great views. It's quiet, and the breakfast is plentiful. There's an airport shuttle right outside, and a subway station within walking distance, making it very well-connected. They also have dorm rooms, which are great for friends traveling together. Cheonggyecheon Stream and Gwangjang Market are nearby, along with fried chicken...

Overall, my experience was great. The room was clean and quite spacious, and the soundproofing was decent. The hotel has all the necessary amenities, including excellent fitness facilities and a pool with a great view. The location is very convenient, with subway and bus stations nearby, as well as a direct airport shuttle. The hotel staff were very friendly and helpful; check-in at the front desk was quick, issues were addressed promptly, and housekeeping was thorough.

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.