Four Points by Sheraton Seoul, Guro

So I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Four Points by Sheraton Seoul, Guro, I wasn’t expecting much from this part of the city. Guro isn’t exactly where tourists usually end up, you know? It’s more of a business district with all these office buildings and tech companies, which actually turned out to be pretty great for me as a traveler. The hotel sits right in the middle of all this corporate energy, and there’s something refreshing about staying somewhere that feels authentically Korean rather than tourist-trap central.

The 4-star rating feels about right – it’s not trying to be fancy, but everything works and the staff genuinely seems to care about getting things right. I mean, the 8.4 rating makes sense once you’re there for a day or two. The rooms are larger than what you’d typically find in Seoul at this price point, and honestly, the beds are surprisingly comfortable. I’m someone who usually tosses and turns the first night in a new place, but I slept like a rock. The bathrooms have that solid, no-nonsense Korean hotel vibe – everything’s spotless, the water pressure is excellent, and they stock decent toiletries (not the tiny bottles that run out after one shower). What really got me was how quiet it stays at night, despite being in such a busy area. You’d think with all the office buildings and the subway nearby there’d be more noise, but the windows do a great job blocking everything out.

The location grows on you once you figure out the neighborhood. Sure, you’re not walking distance from Myeongdong or Hongdae, but the subway connections are actually fantastic – Digital Media City station is right there, and you can get pretty much anywhere in the city without too many transfers. Plus, there’s this whole underground shopping area connected to the station that I stumbled into on my second day… it’s like a little secret world down there with decent food courts and coffee shops where you’ll see actual office workers grabbing lunch, not other tourists. The hotel breakfast is solid Korean and Western options – nothing mind-blowing, but the coffee’s good and they have this kimchi that’s actually properly fermented, not the mild stuff they sometimes serve foreigners. I ended up eating there most mornings because it felt efficient and the staff started recognizing me, which was nice. If you’re in Seoul for business or just want to experience a slice of how regular Seoulites live and work, this place hits that sweet spot of comfortable, reliable, and genuinely local without being inconvenient.