Arirang Hill Hotel Dongdaemun

Arirang Hill Hotel Dongdaemun Overview

I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to the Arirang Hill Hotel Dongdaemun, I wasn’t expecting much from the exterior. But you know what? Sometimes the best places surprise you, and this spot really grew on me during my stay. The 8.6 rating makes total sense once you’re actually inside, and I can see why people keep coming back to this part of Seoul.

What really struck me about this place is how it manages to feel both modern and comfortable without trying too hard. The lobby has this clean, understated vibe – not flashy, but everything feels well-maintained and thoughtful. The staff actually seemed to care about getting things right, which honestly isn’t always a given even at four-star places. I mean, they remembered my name by the second day, which is such a small thing but makes a difference when you’re dealing with jet lag and trying to navigate a new city. The rooms are solid – good size for Seoul standards, and the beds are genuinely comfortable (I’m picky about mattresses, so this matters). The bathrooms are modern with decent water pressure, though the shower space is a bit snug if you’re on the taller side.

Here’s what I really appreciated though – the location puts you right in the heart of everything without the chaos of being directly on the main tourist strips. You’re close enough to Dongdaemun’s shopping madness that you can walk over when the mood strikes, but far enough away that you can actually sleep at night. The area has this great mix of local restaurants and late-night spots that you stumble across just wandering around. There’s a fantastic Korean BBQ place about two blocks away that the front desk recommended – not touristy at all, just solid food where locals actually eat. The subway connections are easy too, which honestly saves you so much time and hassle when you’re trying to explore different neighborhoods. I found myself using the hotel as a comfortable base to venture out from, then coming back to decompress without feeling like I was stuck in some sterile business district. The whole area has this lived-in energy that makes Seoul feel accessible rather than overwhelming.

Exploring Seoul offers visitors an unforgettable journey through South Korea’s dynamic capital, from its historic Joseon palaces to its futuristic districts and world-renowned Korean entertainment culture.

Arirang Hill Hotel Dongdaemun Accommodations

Reviews of Arirang Hill Hotel Dongdaemun

• Nuno from Portugal (9/10)

  – Spacious room with a sofa, all the standard facilities eg, TV, Wi-Fi, fridge, kettle, tea, etc.
  – Hotel location is quite near to the subway and there's a lot of bus stops around.
  – Hotel area is lively, lot of restaurants, street food, convenience stores, etc.
  – Far from the hustle and bustle from Hongdae and Myeong-dong. We prefer to go to those places only when needed and not be in the middle of it.
  – Hotel offers luggage storage that's was great on last day since we had a red-eye flight.

• Siti from Malaysia (9/10)

  The receptionist was really nice, we got a free room upgrade & the new room had a kitchen. It was equipped with a kitchen sink, a stove, microwave & utensils. It was really spacious too. The bed was huge & comfortable, theres even an extra set of pillows in the cupboard. The room was clean. Most importantly for me the toilet had a bidet. The view was also really great, saw the Lotte tower far off in the distance. On checkout day, we chose to do a late checkout by an hour & paid 10k won which is honestly very reasonable.
  The bus stop was literally right outside the hotel lobby. The hotel is also just a few steps away from the subway exit & the subway itself wasnt one of those huge ones so it was really really convenient. The street behind the hotel has a small fried chicken shop that was open really late at night & it was delicious. Another few steps away there is this area for street food, shopping, photobooths, restaurants, pubs & even claw machine games. It’s really lively at night & the prices are definitely better than hongdae. On another street further up, I even saw a Daiso. So in short, the location was perfect.

• Melissa from Singapore (9/10)

  The location is great its beside the subway station

• Ming from Australia (9/10)

  Location, comfortable room, nice toiletries particularly body lotion and conditioner

• Beatriz from Philippines (9/10)

  Hotel was very close to subway station Line 4 (easy to go to other locations) and also a 5 min walk to airport bus stop (#6011). Room was spacious and clean and I enjoyed my stay a lot! Will book again next time! Gs25 is near, some food and cafe options nearby and a small Olive Young across 👍

• Sarah from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Hotel is located in a student area with loads of restaurants within a stone’s throw from the hotel. The rooms was spacious and clean, with air con and a large bathroom. Despite being located in a busy area, the hotel was quiet during the nighttime, which we very much appreciated. The hotel staff were more than happy to help with whatever requests we had, no matter how small.

• Shuk from Hong Kong (8/10)

  Good location; easy to find and accessible to most of the destinations .

• Stuart from United Kingdom (9/10)

  Location, cleanliness

• Shady from Egypt (9/10)

  Decent and helpfully staff, very good location and clean room

• Patrick from Latvia (9/10)

  Staff was very friendly throughout our stay, facilities and services were easily accessible, very comfy beds and a good view.

Surroundings

Facilities