Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun

South Korea , Seoul
SEOUL, 71 Sambong-Ro, Jongno-Gu, 339
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100 reviews shown

10/10

Exceptional

23 Apr 2026

Bradley

Good

10/10

Exceptional

21 Apr 2026

Hector

The hotel offered a comfortable stay with clean rooms and attentive staff. The location was convenient, close to local attractions and dining options. Amenities like free Wi-Fi and breakfast added value, though the gym was a bit small. Overall, a pleasant experience and good choice for both short and extended stays.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Brad

Great hotel in a great location. We were able to explore every night and find new things to do. Very close to a number of subway options which make transport around Seoul so much easier. Would recommend to anyone wanting the convenience of Seoul at your fingertips

Self

10/10

Exceptional

18 Apr 2026

Hanna

clean room, helpful staff convenient location

8/10

Excellent

18 Apr 2026

Esther

The accommodation was good. The bedding good, pillows stinky like oily hair. Otherwise, good location.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

18 Apr 2026

Esther

The accommodation was good. The bedding good, pillows stinky like oily hair. Otherwise, good location.

Self

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2026

Namhee

The breakfast buffet was convenient, but some dishes were old or overcooked. (Cheese, cold cuts, waffles ... were served dried)

Air conditioner was not on according to the front desk, and the room was too warm and stuffy. We were not able to adjust the room temperature while we stayed. The front desk suggested to keep the window open while the city's air quality, pollution, was terrible. Not a safe / ideal stay for a family with kids or sensitive group.

Laundry washer/drier in service room was free but not functioning. We tried twice to wash and dry (wasting hours waiting) and moved on to a local laundromat near by.

The hallway carpet in the hotel was uneven and improperly installed, creating a potential safety hazard. This condition could be especially dangerous for guests using wheelchairs or for young children, as it increases the risk of trips and falls.

The location was very convenient. Easy to access subway lines and a lot interesting places.

8/10

Excellent

12 Apr 2026

Jaime

Breakfast buffet (pay) is pretty good. Many lunch selections and cook to order eggs. Coffee and juices. Closes fairly early during weekday.

8/10

Excellent

09 Apr 2026

Chee Yoon

The hotel was located within close proximity to two subway stations along two different subway lines. This made commute by subway really easy. There were many eateries in the neighborhood too which different food choices which was a plus point.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2026

Anthony

Business

10/10

Exceptional

06 Apr 2026

Xuan Trang Ho

Simple and clean hotel. Rooms are small but we only slept there.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Apr 2026

Kiana

The hotel is located at a very convenient location which is helpful since Seoul is relatively widespread and a decent number of areas can be reached even via walking. For example, the Gyeongbokgung palace is within 12 minutes, Insadong Cultural street within 9 minutes, Ikseondong Hanok street within 21 minutes and even Bukchon Hanok village is within 22 minutes. The subway station is also within 7 minutes if not wanting to walk. The hotel is clean and staff is very helpful. The breakfast buffet was delicious and had a lot of options. I would definitely recommend this hotel.

Family

4/10

Poor

05 Apr 2026

ommer

The hotel is very dated. Have stayed at many 3 stars that were better. There is no world in which this is a 4 star hotel. To top it off AC didn’t work and rooms were 80’F. Only positive was the location; very central and we walked to most places.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

03 Apr 2026

Juan Peng

Dislike the central heating can be very stuffy at night

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

03 Apr 2026

Jan

Don't know

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Mar 2026

Joan

Clean rooms
Friendly staff
Great views

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 Mar 2026

Vicki

Nice, clean hotel in very convenient location for tourists. Free laundry room. Only a couple frustrations: Only way to cool room that got a bit hot was open the windows (or ask for a fan), as it was still the considered the cooler time of year and no AC or way to adjust the room temperature. Also, the restaurant only had bar snack-type food, no meals. And, nothing really vegetarian. So, it wasn't really an option for me for a place to eat if I wanted something easy and quick. No room service, no actual bar area.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

23 Mar 2026

sam

Good hotel with clean rooms and decent staff

10/10

Exceptional

20 Mar 2026

Shimeng

cool

10/10

Exceptional

07 Mar 2026

Kim

A guest close to my room was smoking in their room and staff wasn’t able to find the culprit.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Mar 2026

Simone

Room was great. Great space for luggage, bathroom spacious and big shower space. Great loccitane amenities.

Friends

6/10

Pleasant

28 Feb 2026

Andree

It’s was clean . Taxi service very unreliable

Self

6/10

Pleasant

22 Feb 2026

Christopher

I recently stayed at this hotel and found it to be perfectly fine overall. The location is good and convenient, and I booked the room at a reduced price. However, even with the discount, I’m not entirely sure it was worth the money.

The bed was comfortable and the room was clean, but there was nothing particularly special or memorable about the stay. Unfortunately, the view from my window overlooked pipework and trash at the back of the building, which was disappointing.

Breakfast was fine, decent selection and quality but again, nothing that stood out. Overall, I feel there are other hotels in Seoul offering similar quality for a lower price. Given the reputation of the Shilla brand, I was expecting a bit more in terms of experience and value.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

05 Feb 2026

OH DAE

Staff

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

01 Feb 2026

Bong

Rooms are small. somewhat outdated in comparison of other similar price hotels. Hallways are scratched and needs renovation. Parking is not recommended here. Terrible experience with parking. Overall 6 out 10.

8/10

Excellent

31 Jan 2026

sheila

Good stay, but room is too small

10/10

Exceptional

30 Jan 2026

Yoon

Friendly staff, clean room, however o

8/10

Excellent

28 Jan 2026

Yanghee

Nothing stood out except the location. The room condition, breakfast, and furniture were all mediocre.

The old, noisy bidet needs to be replaced. The woobly bathtub must be fixed, as it poses a safety risk, and the flooring clearly shows an area that requires repair.

The room condition does not meet the standard of care expected for guests. The experience did not live up to the “Shila” brand.

Business_and_leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

19 Jan 2026

Love

All good

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Gihoon

Clean room, Kind staffa

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

gihoon

Clean room, Kind staffs

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jan 2026

Heyhoon

I enjoyed this place to stay. good location and nice ppl.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

12 Jan 2026

Eon

Clean bed setting and room.
I'll stay next trip also.

8/10

Excellent

10 Jan 2026

Ling Ming

Good location in between insadong and Myeongdong. Clean rooms and friendly staff. Good value for money.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Dec 2025

CRAIG PETER

Super helpful staff...went to have a relaxing night of pupus and beer and James served us. We were the last to leave the restaurant but he was so kind not to chase us out of the restautant. He was so kind and pleasant and he always had a smile when he was speaking with us. Went to the front desk for help with restaurants and they printed out a map of nearby places. Checking out, Dahlia was so happy and friendly to assist me. For a single traveller, my room was just the right size for me. However, a room with two beds seemed to be on the smaller side. The atmosphere was very welcoming and warm. The location was perfect walking distance to Insadong, Gwanghwamun Square, The Palace, Hanbok Village, the subway and a lot of eateries.

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

24 Dec 2025

Suk J

Location

10/10

Exceptional

16 Dec 2025

Jeong Ah

They offered fresh awesome breakfast buffet for both western and Asian food

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2025

Gabriela

Great spot, super clean, very worth it!

10/10

Exceptional

13 Dec 2025

YOUNG IL

10/10

Exceptional

12 Dec 2025

Umar

The best central Seoul Hotel for the price and convenience.

Business

10/10

Exceptional

11 Dec 2025

Gabriela

It was a great stay! clean, very good location and very kind staff.

6/10

Pleasant

10 Dec 2025

Teresa

Lobby staff and friendliness of check-in staff were good. The location was optimal esp if using subway it was a quick 7 minute walk from station. Lots of convenience stores around. However, the room was very bare and small. It did have a small nook with hot water maker tea bags and coffee (in a bag similar to tea) and refrigerator which was very nice. The beds were clean and bathroom was tiny. Since I only stayed overnight it was fine but it wasn’t the most comfortable hotel room and I definitely wouldn’t want to stay there for more than overnight because of that.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

09 Dec 2025

Paul

Spotless room, great view, but don't try and get breakfast early, they're very strict on timings.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Dec 2025

Heekwon

Had a quick and comfortable stay at a great location

10/10

Exceptional

03 Dec 2025

DAE HYUNG

All good

10/10

Exceptional

30 Nov 2025

Qunying

The room was clean, bed was comfortable. It is right beside the oldest temple in Seoul, and a few blocks away from the palace and culture street.
Service people are courteous and speaks English.
We enjoyed our stay there.

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

30 Nov 2025

Jonathan

Above basic business hotel.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 Nov 2025

Felipe

Room was spacious and staff was excellent. Great spot to park if you bring a vehicle.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Nov 2025

Eleni

Everything was great.

Business Friends

8/10

Excellent

22 Nov 2025

Keith Thomas

Nice room with a good view

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

18 Nov 2025

hei

So i chose this hotel for the first time to try becvause of all the raving reviews and videos that even korean people on social media posted but there was lowkey disappointment? At first checkin was fine, lobby was classy looking but i get up to my floor and the carpet is a mess. Its uneven and rising in some places, for a decently pricy room that seems a bit lack of attention. Room was nice but not nearly as spacious as ive had for the same place and for nicer quality in Seoul, especially seeing as this is for such a central location for such a well known hotel chain? The complementary washer/dryer is the worst ive used in korea. Dryer ran for 1 hr 30 min on starndard cycle and my clothes were STILL damp... Ive never had this issue in korea, only in Japan so it was disappointing. Overall for the cost of each night compared to competitors in the same central location of gwanghwamun, this was a very lackluster experience. I will not be staying again. Also the 'free duty free' voucher was never given to me even tho i asked about it, and that was the selection for the room that i selected. Not sure what it wouldve been but at least give what yall write is included in yalls room selection. Overall this was a mediocre experience and i will not be coming back to Shilla Stay at least for the gwanhwamun location. it was such a disappointment after seeing all the reviews of the rooms and experience of other people online.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

17 Nov 2025

Kierre

The staff at check in and breakfast were extremely helpful. The room was absolutely amazing. Definitely loved the shower. I was on the 10th floor in this stay (stayed at another Shilla location) and the view was beautiful. Especially at night. Breakfast buffet was okay considering the region and my diet. When I go back I’ll definitely be staying at one of their locations.

8/10

Excellent

17 Nov 2025

JI YOUNG

Yes. The room temperature was good and breakfast was also good and fresh.

10/10

Exceptional

16 Nov 2025

Andrew

Place is safe space for a solo traveller. Staff is really friendly. They pay attention to small details.

Leisure Self

8/10

Excellent

15 Nov 2025

Tae Young

Clean room, amenities, and kind housecleaning staff.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Nov 2025

Ferhun

I had all i needed during my stay.

6/10

Pleasant

08 Nov 2025

IRIS

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 Nov 2025

Sung

Room layout was very brilliant and wise within the small space. Tour package was very attractive, but couldn’t join them. I wish I’ve known earlier.
It might be good to procure at the time of check-in hotel room.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2025

SOO JUNG

Great location and friendly staffs.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Nov 2025

Sung Yeon

Reasonable

8/10

Excellent

03 Nov 2025

frank

Thoroughly enjoyed the food around the area

Leisure Family

8/10

Excellent

01 Nov 2025

Shuhua

Good stay, location is good. Amenity

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Nov 2025

Youngsoo

Breakfast was buffet style with great combination with Korean & Continental. They provided eggs with boiled, scrambled and half boiled which I preferred as well.
Location was so convenient as close to Myeongdong &
Insadong, Gwanghwamoom in walking distance.
The staff speaks good english & I had no issues to communicate as a korean immigrant of 40 some years.

8/10

Excellent

31 Oct 2025

Ian

Good location, easy access to metro. Room clean and tidy, if a little small

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2025

Donna J

The hotel completely lived up to its reputation, the room was immaculate, the staff were warm and attentive, the location was unbeatable, and the breakfast was fantastic.

8/10

Excellent

25 Oct 2025

Yolanda

The room was clean but is not look like in the picture they advertised air conditioned good we didn’t try the breakfast

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

23 Oct 2025

SEUL AE

smaller room than expected but just nice and clean

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

18 Oct 2025

Mindy

Facility felt old and not up to date.

10/10

Exceptional

14 Oct 2025

Jami

Overall I really like this hotel, staff were friendly and helpful and it is convienently located for walking, shopping, dining, and access to bus/subway.

10/10

Exceptional

12 Oct 2025

Youngsoo

Great location! You can walk to Myungdong, Gwanghamoon area which is top tourist spot.
They offer buffet with great choices with Korean & continental cuisine. The staffs were well trained too.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Oct 2025

Jeng Jung

Breakfast was so so.... and too much people for breakfast room in same time.

Business_and_leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Oct 2025

Daniel Lee

It’s okay
But the “fitness center” is out of date machines that gyms in NY hasn’t used since the 2000s
And NO breakfast, you have to pay, other hotels it’s free

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Oct 2025

Sagnik

Hotel is in a great location for both local sights and access to metro lines. Staff were very friendly and profession. The building is a bit dated and worn, and the rooms are a bit on the smaller size, but that didn't bother us. Great value for the price and no complaints from our stay.

Leisure Friends

6/10

Pleasant

29 Sep 2025

Garam

They need to figure out the elevator issue. There is just not enough capacity for the number of rooms and capacity. And I cant understand how they got a 4 star rating without even a bellhop. There is not a single person who can help you with your luggage. Laundry facility has two washers and a single dryer. I found the gentlemen at the front desk courteous and helpful but the ladies were generally the opposite. There answer always being \"yes, but we can't, because blah blah blah\" rather than \"sorry, we are uable to do xyz...but let me see if we can help you in some other way\". It's not about what they can and cannot do, but rather the way they communicate their position in that particular issue. The female staff have a bit of attitude problem.
Location is great. I'd stay there again for that reason but i will have adjusted my expectations for 3 star hotel.

Business

8/10

Excellent

23 Sep 2025

Robert

Clean

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

18 Sep 2025

Seung

Excellent location for my trip,walkable many popular places

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

17 Sep 2025

Lydia

Great hotel, affordable price, prompt service. And clean. Great location and walking distance to many tourist spots. Excellent.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

16 Sep 2025

Christine

Close to transportation and shopping, but only 2 washers and 1 dryer for the whole hotel, and no guest access to microwave.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Sep 2025

Yaily

A fantastic option to stay in South Korea. Super recommended.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 Sep 2025

GIAHNA

Close to subway

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2025

Avista

Great location, very friendly staff (thanks for helping with the taxi bookings!), and clean and spacious room.

10/10

Exceptional

26 Aug 2025

Shaili

I had a wonderful 4 night stay at this hotel. Beds were comfortable, breakfast buffet was amazing and all the amenities were enjoyable. Would recommend and stay here again.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Aug 2025

Best location, easy walk to iconic sites and very near train station. Many dining options in the area.

8/10

Excellent

22 Aug 2025

Jagdeep

Great location

2/10

Poor

12 Aug 2025

Jiyeon

It was dirty and old building

Leisure Friends

4/10

Poor

09 Aug 2025

Marvin

Place is not that far from Myeongdong which is really a good thing. A lot of coffee shops around the area and it’s conveniently next to Starbucks.

That said, the hotel doesn’t have a welcoming ambiance. We stayed 4 nights with fan in our room as the AC is not working. We asked for an extra pillow and was told that they don’t have extra one. Asked for room to be cleaned and all that was done was changed the towels and clean the bathroom. I’m not sure if this is typical for Korean hotels.

Also since we stayed for 4 nights we decided to do some laundry. For that big of a hotel they only have 2 washers and 1 dryer that takes forever to dry. If you happen to be late and someone already doing their laundry, prepare to wait hours to get yours done.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

09 Aug 2025

Michael

Good Stay, No Big Complaints

Stayed here during the summer for about a week with my girlfriend. The hotel is in a good location close to a lot of touristy spots. Service was great and (mostly) speaks English. Our room was cozy and had a great view of the city. They gave us the choice of either a view of the temple with a bathtub or a view of the city with just a shower. They have buffets at each meal time, which is convenient, and the food is just fine.

Some complaints are that the fitness center is kind of small with just a few machines and some treadmills if that's important. They also don't have anywhere to refill water bottles, and they only give you two water bottles a day, but you can run down to the service desk and get more. They do also have a laundry room, but I wouldn't recommend it. They only have two old washing machines and one dryer. If someone is using the dryer, then good luck, and the dryer does not do a great job of drying your clothes. There is a laundromat a five minute walk away though.

I've seen some people complain about the air conditioning not working. Even during the hottest days in the summer, the room was always cool and comfortable. When checking in, the service desk did inform us that they gave us an extra key card, which you need to keep slotted in the room for the AC to work, so some people might have not realized that.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2025

Dion

Breakfast buffet with good food and a wide selection, gym.

8/10

Excellent

04 Aug 2025

Hong

Fairly close to Insadong and the main shopping streets on Myeongdong, as well as Gyeongbokgung Palace.
Room service was just decent, but staff were very helpful and English-friendly. They even held our luggage for about a week when we were out of town!
The hotel is close to a major subway station, which was really convenient.

Leisure Family

6/10

Pleasant

31 Jul 2025

Bailey

Average and expensive for what it is.

Leisure Self

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2025

Amy

Thank you for a great stay. My daughter and I enjoyed our week at your hotel. Definitely plan to return to this location for my next Korea visits.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

21 Jul 2025

Seung Ah

Most of the conditions were great

8/10

Excellent

17 Jul 2025

soyoun

전반적으로 깨끗하고 편안했지만
화장실문이 잠기지 않는 미닫이 그리고 침대에서 중문처럼 생긴 문을 열 경우 화장실이 모두 보이는 구조여서 뭔가 편안하면서 불편한 면이 있었습니다.
^^;;

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

14 Jul 2025

Sang H.

Too dark in corridor inside and outside of the room and entrance of the building.

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

14 Jul 2025

Susan

Wirh only one night in Seoul,I wanted robe able tosre as much as possible. The location was perfect for this - easy walking distance to all the major sites i wanted to visit! My room was very comfortable and modern, and all amenities were great. Staffat the front desk were efficient and friendly, and i was able to leave my luggage after checkout time.

Leisure

6/10

Pleasant

09 Jul 2025

Sang H.

The corridor lighting was not good.
Couldn’t see well coffee pot area and the closet.

Friends_and_family Family

8/10

Excellent

07 Jul 2025

Hwankwon

Lobby is in the 8th floor and elevators are slow (and cant see from the first floor what floor they are at)

8/10

Excellent

30 Jun 2025

Heeju

It was an overall comfortable room with indoor slippers and bath robes. The view was good too. The only thing I did not like was how water kept leaking from the shower booth even though there were no separate slippers for the bathroom. The floor got all watery after every shower, so we had to use one of the towels to constantly wipe it.

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

29 Jun 2025

Carol

Excellent location and friendly helpful staff.

Leisure Partner

4/10

Poor

18 Jun 2025

Helena

This is one of well-known brand hotel (Shilla). Their Bed Sheets and Comforters were very clean. However, the shower head holder were loose and can not hold the shower head properly-almost fell on top of my foot). The grout between tiles in the shower/tub had black molds.

I booked for Duty-free coupon, which I don't need it at the duty-free since they already have a lot of discount going on. would have been better to book with breakfasts.