Seoul is a massive city with many different neighborhoods and hotels to choose from. We had the opportunity to stay at Maui Hotel in Dongdaemun, and wanted to share our positive experience there.
We arrived late into Seoul, and it was well passed midnight by the time we reached the Maui Hotel. Although the front desk closes at 11pm, the staff had left notes out for us with all the information that we needed to check in comfortably.
We were located on the 3rd floor, at the end of the hallway and away from any noise of the elevator and other guests. We had a small, but comfortable room with 2 single beds, a TV, a table, a fridge and a bathroom. The room was separated from the bathroom by an additional door and entrance way, which was great for making it feel like we had a bit more space.
The beds were firm and the pillows were the perfect size. The room was a comfortable temperature and we had a nice duvet for cold evenings, and air conditioning for warm days. The wifi reached our room and was easily accessible since there was no password. The wifi speed was fast enough for us to do all of our work and online calls.
At the end of the hall from where our room was located, there was a water cooler that we could refill water bottles with either cold or hot purified water. Having access to hot water was great because we could make tea all day long!
Breakfast at Maui Hotel is served from 7-10am at Maui Hotel, and although it was basic, it was tasty! We had hard-boiled eggs with toast and a choice of tea or coffee. There were assorted jams for the toast, as well as fresh tomatoes one morning.
When we came downstairs for breakfast after our first night, we were greeted by the receptionist, who spoke perfect English. She was excited to tell us more about the hotel and the area and help us feel comfortable at the hotel, and the friendly staff made our stay very positive.
Maui Hotel is a basic hotel, but it provides all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay, including hot water showers in the rooms, accessible laundry on the rooftop, and easy access to tourist activities.
The hotel is located near to Dongdaemun area and close to 2 different metro stations and many bus stops. It is only a few stops from the city center, and it is easy to get to Itaewon, Myengdong, or many other areas in Seoul. The location has many restaurants and shops nearby, as well as a supermarket to get the basic things you may need while staying there.
We ate a particularly good meal at Everest Nepali restaurant, and would highly recommend checking that out if you’re in the area! Maui Hotel is also located near to the Dongdaemun market where you can go shopping and experience a local Korean market.
There is a pretty steep language barrier in Seoul if you don’t read or speak Korean, and we found the staff at Maui Hotel very willing to help us with anything that we needed, which was relieving considering we don’t speak any Korean!
Overall, we had a great stay at Maui Hotel and would highly recommend it if you are looking for simple but comfortable + affordable accommodation for your stay in Seoul.
*Thank you to Maui Hotel for hosting us while we were in Seoul. As always, all opinions are our own!
