My man and I arrived in Seoul a few days ago and we stayed at Ramada Hotel Seoul. There were a few hotels that we contemplated, but in the end, we (in fact, my man) chose Ramada Hotel Seoul as it's in the best location for our plan in Seoul. It’s almost in the centre of Gangnam area, just a minute walk from the subway station exit #3.
Getting Around Seoul
So if you are planning on staying in the Gangnam area, staying outside most of the day and using the subway as your main mode of transport, it might be worth considering Ramada Hotel Seoul. It's very close to Shinnonhyeon (신논현) / Gangnam (강남), Shinsa (신사), Abgujeong (압구정) and Samsung Joongang (삼성 중앙) station. And it mostly takes about 30-40 minute subway to major tourist sightseeing areas including Myeongdong (명동), Gwanghwamoon (광화문) and Insadong (인사동).
To be honest, the subway system in Seoul is pretty good so you can easily get away with solely travelling by subway and foot without needing to take a bus or taxi. Even to and from airports, you can just take a subway as it's much faster and cheaper without the need to worry about traffic jams. Just save a subway map and you are good to go. And if you ever get lost in the station though, you can always ask people and they will help you.
If you ever get really lost in Seoul and don't even know where you are, then try look for a nearby subway station by asking people rather than taking a taxi straight away (unless it's after service hours).
여기에서 (yeo gi e seo / from here) 가까운 (ga ka woon / close) 지하철역 (ji ha cheol yeok / subway station) 어디에 (eo di e / where) 있어요 (eek seo yo / there is)?
And if you love Korean skin care, make-up and shopping, here’s the way that you can get even more samples. Always say hi (안녕하세요 /an nyeong ha se yo) in Korean with warm smile when you enter the shop such as Innisfree and Aritaum. And when you are at checkout counter, ask for some freebies by saying 샘플 (sample) 많이 (ma ni) 주세요 (joo Se yo) with a smile. I know Korea is very generous with samples, but you can always increase the potential probability of getting more XD. And don't forget to say thank you 감사합니다 (gam sa ham ni da) to them :).
Ramada Hotel Seoul
Regardless, Ramada Hotel Seoul is pretty old indeed, but it has most of the things that you need including two bottles of water daily, comb, hair dryer, shower cap, cotton pads, ear buds, sanitary bag, gentle hair shampoo, conditioner, body shower gel, body lotion etc. I really loved the fact that the hotel was equipped with gentle shower products along with the little seat in the shower room and Korean bidet.
The shower products were gentle enough that we didn't even need to use the ones that we brought from home. I imagine anyone with any kinds of mobility discomfort including pregnant women will appreciate the little seat in the shower. As you might have guessed, they also have two shower heads: one fixed high shower head for those who like to wash while standing and one movable shower head in a much lower location for those who like to have more control while washing.
They also have a little extra mirror attached to the big mirror in the bathroom, which made my man's shaving more convenient. Actually I used that mirror most of the times when I put skin care and make-up products on my face XD. I was simply impressed with their thoughtful touch here and there in the bathroom considering the price.
The front desk was though just ordinary, nothing special, but the maids were very kind and welcoming whenever we bumped into them. They seemed much older than us but they were still very polite and professional. However, if you are a person who prefers to have breakfast at the same hotel that you stay at, then you probably won't enjoy Ramada Hotel Seoul so much.
You will probably enjoy Shilla Hotel Seoul more if that's the case. Regardless, my man and I were mostly outside trying different dishes during our stay, so it wasn't a big problem for us.
Overall, my man and I enjoyed our first stay at Ramada Hotel Seoul despite of our concern on how old the hotel is. To be honest, their convenient location made our trip more fun and convenient.
Recommendations
- Korean Tax-Free Skin Care Shopping in Gangnam / Shinnonhyeon Station (ft. Burberry/ Aritaum/ Innisfree/ IOPE/ Laneige)
- 7 Luxury Beauty Tools that Boost Efficacy of Your Skincare & Make-up (My Beauty Secrets/ Gift Ideas)
- World's Most Expensive Skincare/ My 10+Years with Best Luxury Beauty (La Mer VS La Prairie VS Sisley VS Chanel VS Guerlain)
- Pet Beds (Orthopedic Memory Foam Bed/ Pet Pad/ Bagel Bed)
- Keeping Your Dog's Teeth Clean and Healthy
