Eugene Hanok Stay — Hotel in Seoul

We were a group of 4 adults, 2 couples travelling around Seoul for a week. We booked a cheap guesthouse in Myeongdong for most of our stay but thought we'd treat ourselves to a nicer place for 2 nights so I booked Eugene's House.||||The man who introduced himself as the male owner asked for payment upfront. We paid and got ready to go out again. In passing he mentioned that the toilet in one of the rooms is not working and he will let us know when it has been fixed. He said we can share the toilet in our room in the meantime. I booked 2 double rooms with private bathroom precisely because we did not want to share. We came back and told him that we're not happy with that arrangement and we asked for a discount. He did not want to give a discount and offered us another room in the house. He said its also a private bathroom. The other couple travelling with us moved to that room. He did not tell us that the bathrooms were outside the house. It is winter in Seoul and it was snowing.||||The property itself is quite quaint. However, the rooms are just disappointing. On his card it says he has a gallery and is a collector. The room is full of antique furniture stacked on top of each other like a stock room. The Korean futons and colourful Korean duvets we used for sleeping were in the middle of the room. There was no place to hang anything. There were no cupboards or desks. There was an old soap bar in the bathroom. I had to ask him for another roll of tissue since there was only half a roll provided. The towels given for showering were more like hand towels. The Korean pillows were packed with rice. It was very uncomfortable and there was no option for softer normal pillows. I found some dead flies on top of the chests and some old hangers.||||He served breakfast from 8-9am. He only had instant coffee. He served platters of different types of kimchi and porridge. We found a hairstrand on one of them. He apologised and said his mother-in-law made it. The kitchen is untidy and filled with random things he and his wife collect. I have stayed in guesthouses/B&Bs before and I prefer that feel over big hotel chains. This one is not homey at all. For what he asks for, 100GBP per night, the service and presentation is very poor. If you want the traditional Korean guesthouse experience, go somewhere else. This guesthouse is not worth the money he asks for. On our last day, I came to speak to him before everyone got up for breakfast. I said I will write an online review and asked him if he would like me to go through it with him. He said no, I can just go...

My wife and I stayed here for 6 nights while visiting Korea and had a fantastic time. The hosts were friendly, kind and helpful. They went out of their to way to make sure we were comfortable and enjoying our stay in Seoul. For example they provided us with an extra mattress and guided us to a local ginseng chicken soup restuarant and helped us order. The rooms were spotless and the traditional mattress on the floor was surprisingly comfortable. The hanok is also in a great neighborhood - it's a 10 minute walk to the Hyehwa metro station and the #8 bus stops 2 mins away that takes you right there. It was really nice to be outside of touristy Bukchon and in a genuine residential neighborhood. The area around Hyehwa station is filled with restaurants and theatres and so is full of good places to eat at night. Be warned though hanok rooms are small and you are sleeping on a mattress on the floor so if you need the amenities of typical hotel a hanok stay may not be for you. But if you are interested in a genuine cultural experience in a place that feels safe and comfortable with wonderful and kind hosts then I'd recommend Eugene's House for sure. The traditional breakfasts of home made pickles and different soups or rice porridge were terrific. Our stay really gave us a unique window into Korean life that we are so...

My wife and I are always on the lookout for off-the-beaten-track experiences wherever we travel and Eugene’s Guesthouse has turned out to be a gem of a discovery. We’ve stayed here on two occasions (three days each) and have totally enjoyed our stays as well as our interactions with the owners. Needless to say, they are as friendly and helpful as they come. The property itself is a 70-years-old renovated Hanok-style home where the owners live with their 7-year-old daughter, Eugene (yes, the guesthouse is named after her!) The owners have updated the electrical and plumbing systems to provide guests with modern amenities, but being such a dated house it retains many of the peculiarities that are unique to traditional Korean homes, e.g. heated floors, small antique-filled rooms, thin mattresses, screen doors and other knickknacks, as well as a beautiful courtyard. We felt out-of-sorts during our first night there (we felt as if we were sleeping in someone’s room/bed!) but that was precisely what we had checked in for—an authentic Korean homestead experience. We chose Eugene’s Guesthouse because of the Hanok homestead experience but we returned (and would return again) because of the owners’ warmth and friendship. We definitely recommend it to anyone with an...