Review: Ibis Ambassador Hotel Myeongdong, Seoul

Located in the Myeongdong shopping district of Seoul, South Korea, the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong provides a budget conscious option for travellers wishing to explore the heart of this bustling East Asian metropolis - but it is not perfect.

The operator of the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong provided one night complimentary to CallumElsdon.com while I paid for the remaining two nights. The property management have not received oversight or editing rights to this article. The first time they see it is once it has been published.

Finding the property

I found it a little difficult to get to the hotel but that is less a problem with Ibis - and more an issue with yours truly. I had landed that morning on my Finnair flight from Helsinki, with minimal entry restrictions I was on the AREX (Airport Railroad Express) to Seoul Central Station within 30 minutes of arriving. From there, it was a transit to the metro Line 4 (Blue) to Myeongdong Station - being sure to take Exit 10.

I took the wrong exit at Myeongdong and walked in the wrong direction, however after 10 minutes I found my way past the many 7-11s and CU stores to arrive at the property.

As an aside, before travelling to Korea download Naver Maps and/or Kakao Maps. Due to Korean Government regulations, Google and Apple do not offer navigation services in South Korea - unfortunately, Naver and Kakao are poor alternatives.

First impressions

The entrance to the property is not located directly on the street but requires to guest to walk down an alleyway. Signage was not the best, but equally once you notice the large red Ibis logo you can’t miss it. The building appears to be quite modern and either new or recently refurbished considering how clean and empty neighbouring units were.

The reception area is located on the 19th Floor of the hotel. Like the rest of the property, it was very clean although a combination of the low ceiling and dark wood made the space feel quite dated despite being a newer hotel. Two members of staff were available at check in and I was able to get into the room very promptly for a power nap that was well needed…

Floors featured a funky looking carpet design which went some way to distract from the darkness of the hallways.

The room

The Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong only offers a standard room with three variations featuring a double, 2 x single or 3 x single beds. Prices are normally the same for a double or twin room while there is a slight increase for triple rooms.

Rooms are compact and functional - with a continuation of the dark wood and red colour scheme from the rest of the property. The bathroom is particularly a testament to the effective use of space by the property owner. With an awkward circular shape, it’s a surprise they fitted in a shower of this size that provides guests enough room to move around. Water pressure and temperature were adequate while I found no issues with cleanliness in this space.

The sleeping area featured a common no-frills design with two bright lamps adjunct to both sides of the bed with power outlets below each of them. No USB charging sockets of any kind can be found here unfortunately. The bed itself is large and more than comfortable for a foreigner considering many hotels in this region tend to opt for hard mattresses. A large television with Korean cable can be found opposite although with few foreign language channels besides CNN.

I slept well at the Ibis Ambassador besides the first night when I had attempted to change the temperature on the air conditioning to be lower but somehow the room became boiling hot. The following day, the cleaning staff had put the A/C back to a position that was more bearable, but I still couldn’t really work out how to use the unit properly.

To the left of the bed is a padded area which fills what would otherwise be an empty space. It is not particularly soft or suitable for watching the television at but it did serve as a good place to lay a suitcase on.

Opposite sits an integrated wardrobe with seven hangers and drawers to store clothes. This is enough for a solo traveller, like me, but more space would be needed for couples or groups visiting for more than two-nights. A safe can be found in the wardrobe for storage of valuables and I found no problem using it.

Finally, a desk is in front on the window. While not having the largest of surface areas, it makes effective use of this space that would not be usable otherwise. Unfortunately, WiFi performance in my room was not fantastic and I struggled to remain connected to a Zoom call with video on. That did give me an excuse to daydream and watch the world outside my window though…

Amenities

As a price-conscious property, the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong offers fewer amenities than higher priced properties. On the 19th Floor, the hotel plays host to a restaurant called ‘La Table’ which offered local and international buffet fare at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Unfortunately, I was not able to sample the buffet breakfast during my stay after the departure time of my trip to the DMZ was changed to 4am and was subsequently cancelled after getting to the border zone!

A small fitness zone can be found on the same floor - although equipment is limited if you are used to going to a large gym. A couple of treadmills and dumbbells complete the selection of kit which would be enough for a basic workout or if you wanted to fit something in on an overnight visit. As I was in Korea for a lengthier period, I paid for a day pass costing around USD 10 at the local Spoany Gym near Seoul City Hall station approximately ten minutes away. This wasn’t cheap but was worth it for a more extensive workout with a vast array of equipment options.

Location and things to do

The Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong is in an excellent location with vast transport links to the Seoul metro system as well as the city’s bus network. You are directly in the heart of the Myeongdong shopping district and close to a vast array of food outlets, including street vendors just two minutes away as well as the stunning Myeongdong Cathedral. Besides times when I went from one side of the city to the other, e.g. to Gangnam, I walked on foot to most destinations making for both an active and healthy method to get to my destination and see things you wouldn’t underground. The hotel makes for a great base to explore this vast city.

Conclusion

This hotel is true to its core value proposition - a well rounded, accessible, and value-driven property with prices as low as GBP 73 per night in a central location. There are few frills here and the token fitness centre could be removed considering the lack of equipment, but one can accept this when you are receiving an exceptionally clean property and easy accessibility to one of Seoul’s bustling districts. The only real downside during my stay was the WiFi which needs major upgrades if that is the usual standard. Providing you are not depending on the property to work from and instead use it as your base for exploring, then you will not go wrong opting for the Ibis Ambassador Myeongdong.