ibis Styles Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong — Attraction in Seoul

This review comes as comparison with 3 other hotels we stayed in Korea and Ibis comes last. Was unexpected as i had high hopes for a 4 stars hotel and knowing the chain but experiencing others hotels i'd say Ibis lacks the most in the korean hospitality.

I give them props for having good customer service when an issue arrised at Check in with our room.

The good things: Location! Can't find any fault here. Plus the hotel is super close to the Airport Limousine station which came in handy in the early morning of our Check out.

Room is very spacious we had no issues having our 2 suitcases open ± the room actually has a small clothes rail with some hangers.

View is great as well overlooking the myeongdon area and Namsan tower.

Quirky layout with transparent windows to the bathroom - they do have opaque windows for the shower part and even a pull up curtain if needed. Toilet is separate

They do have a rooftop bar (which we did not get the chance to see because oh well we are in myeondon after all and with easy access to the trendier areas (itaewon and Heunde)

Laundry services are available at extra charge of 5000won (same price for dryer)(a bit on the pricey side)

The not so good things: Room walls were peeling off. The toilet had a permanent odor which was a bit unpleasant. The bathroom was so compact it was quite hard to towel dry inside.  I did like the quirkiness of it but it was not that practical. Overall feel of the room was that it needed some TLC. Cleaning was ok (2nd day better than the first) Although they give you 2 small bottles of water per day there is no water dispenser in the entire hotel. Of course you can go buy from the shop but being used to free water at every other hotel we stayed and even restaurants it was a bit dissapointing.

Breakfast: With views from the 21st floor the space was nice but also in need of some TLC. Some chairs were so run down. Food was mediocre. None of the hot plates actually kept the food hot. The only hot dish i had were the fried eggs cooked on the spot by the chef. Although the food was comestible haha the usual price - if not in the room rate - is 24000won per person so def not worth it.

They do have gym - 2 treadmills and 1 bike and some dumbells - my boyfriend did make use of it, but not spacious enough if let's say you want to do some yoga or stretches.

For Sauna and the Pool - you need to pay extra 50000 won so we did not feel encouraged to try to use them.

Overall the most disatisfying experience was with Ibis and it was for sure not the cheapest hotel...

*Update: There’s a construction going on right next to the hotel - the horrible pounding sound starts as early as 8 am! Check with the hotel about the noises from the surrounding area before you reserve. —— It's a decent place to stay as long as you know what you want and what you are getting for the price. It's a clean, well-kept, no-frills hotel located in one of the most sought-after locations in Seoul. If you are expecting a luxury, newly gutted hotel with an amazing view and lots of amenities, you will be disappointed. But if you are looking to stay in a central location for a reasonable price in a clean room, this is it.

Cons: -The rooms are small. I'm a petit person and even I feel cramped moving around. -They have a fancy bidet inside a closed compartment in the room but the toilet can smell sometimes unless you have the light-ventilation switch on all the time. I bought an aroma diffuser from a nearby Muji to place it inside and it made a huge difference. -Limited storage space. -No iron, no ironing board. -Walls are thin -- I could literally hear a guy talking on the phone next room. -Very few amenities. Liquid soaps and shower gels are provided but the bottles are hard to use. I bought my own hand wash because I was staying long term.

Pros: -Even though the rooms are generally run-down, they are pretty clean and well-kept. I did the usual test by sliding my fingers on the ledge of the headboard, paintings, etc. Happy to find that there was no dust. -Stable wifi -Nice and committed staff members -THE LOCATION. It's in the heart of Seoul, a 5-minute walk to Myungdong, 10 minutes to Lotte and Shinsege Department Stores. Lots of places to eat and shop. Faces the scenic view of the N Tower. LUFT Coffee, one of the best coffee shops in Seoul, is right next door.

Also a tip: If you are looking to stay long-term, ask the front desk about a long-term package deal, instead of just booking so many nights on their website or on a third-party website. The difference in price is huge and you also get free access to the laundry room...

This is my second time staying at Ibis Styles Ambassador Myeong-dong, part of the Accor group, and I am extremely disappointed with the experience — especially given that this is supposed to be a 4-star hotel under a reputable international brand.||I’m currently on night two of a six-night stay, and what I’ve encountered so far is simply unacceptable.||First, the mug in my room has not been cleaned for two days, despite my request to housekeeping. But what’s even more shocking is that when I checked in, one of the hotel’s complimentary water bottles in the room had clearly already been opened or used. That’s not just a service failure — it’s a serious hygiene and safety issue.||I immediately reported these problems to the staff, but instead of concern or assistance, I was met with indifference and no real effort to resolve the situation. No apology, no explanation — just a cold shoulder. For a hotel under the Accor brand, this level of service is unacceptable.||On top of that, breakfast has been consistently disappointing. Both mornings so far, the coffee machine was either broken or there were no mugs available. This might seem like a small issue, but it speaks volumes about poor management and lack of attention to detail. A hotel breakfast with no coffee — and no staff addressing it — is simply unprofessional.||I returned to this hotel expecting consistency, cleanliness, and service that matches its reputation. What I’ve received so far is far from that — a clear drop in standards, lack of basic quality control, and a disregard for guest experience.||Unless there is a drastic improvement in the next few days, this will absolutely be my last stay here, and I would strongly advise other travelers to reconsider. Accor needs to take a serious look at how this property is being run — because right now, it’s not living up...