Staying at SR Hotel in Seoul, Korea
For the second half of our Korea trip, Jen and I stayed at Hotel Karashy's sister hotel SR Hotel located in the Gangseo district / Deungchon neighborhood of Seoul. Although the area surrounding the hotel is more of a business district with major streets and towering buildings compared to our stay at Hotel Karashy which was located on a smaller alley street surrounded by a string of restaurants and convenient stores; our stay was still catered to our needs as travelers.
THE HOTEL
SR Hotel is a premium business hotel offering a variety of accommodations and amenities including a conference room, business lounge, fitness facility, self-laundry service, a cafe and casual or fine dining at their restaurant Amuse. Whether you are a business professional or a leisurely guest, SR Hotel has everything you would need for a satisfying and comfortable stay or for short term meetings and gatherings; the hotel itself is a beautiful mix of a New York City loft style, industrial elements and modern design which is apparent in the exposed brick, cement walls and ceilings, birchwood, steal beams and contemporary art.
There are a multitude of room and suite styles to fit the needs of individuals to families, and no mater which style room/suite is booked, each one exudes an sense of minimalist sophistication and elegance - it's a beautiful marriage or Korean and Western design. Aside from the guest rooms and suites, SR Hotel also has a breathtaking Barbecue Terrace that is perfect for hosting parties, events or small gatherings; and it can also be converted to a suite for a luxurious stay. The Barbecue Terrace is indeed an expansive terrace that has plush patio seating, a large Jacuzzi tub, and BBQ set up; the inside portion of the suite includes a living room (which can also be converted to sleeping quarters) and upscale bathroom. Across the hallway leads to a Family Suite which can be booked alone or in conjunction with the Barbecue Terrace. I wish I had an excuse to stay in the family suite or entertain in the Barbecue Terrace space, it really sets SR Hotel apart with in the hospitality industry and creating the boutique hotel experience since many of the hotels are usual leading chains.
OUR SUITE
Jen and I stayed in a Royal Suite and it was absolutely magnificent. I love how storage for luggage and clothing, the safe, as well as the bidet toilet (is it weird that we got used to the bidet automatically flushing as well as keeping our tushies warm with seat warming action?) were hidden with clever doors that were flush against the wall or cabinet. Our suite had an overhead shower and free standing tub (we can't get enough of the bathtub); and enjoyed using the sitting area space which included a desk and a love seat with coffee table to do our makeup or work on blogposts (also if you are in need of a laptop - there are rentals available). We were taken back by the expansive windows which allowed us to enjoy city views and fantastic natural lighting. The room also includes A/C, complimentary water bottles, 47" LED TV (with Google TV, we definitely binge watched the channels that featured American tv shows), free internet, hypoallergenic bedding, and a hot water pot and coffee beans & tea.
AMUSE RESTAURANT
On our last evening, we were treated to Amuse Restaurant's Limitless Promotion in which you can choose between limitless wine, beer or cocktails (restrictions may apply) along with a two-course meal. Jen and I both decided to select the Limitless Wine option and we could choose between white or red wine (you just bring your glass up to the bar counter and the staff will tell you about the wines and pour your glass); I especially took a liking to the château montlun bordeaux wine but there is such a wide variety to choose from.
We started with a three-tiered stand of yummy hor d'oeuvres including caprese bites, stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped goodness and crostinis; and finished the evening with the best filet I have ever cut into and tasted in my life. It was perfectly cooked, cut like butter and so delicious; pairing well with the side veggies and my red wine. The entire dining experience was intimate and enjoyable; I'm use to hotel dining experiences that may not seem like you're separated from the hotel or have much personality. I like how I felt like I was transported to a small restaurant somewhere in a metropolitan city; and the staff is incredibly nice and helpful.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I can't praise SR Hotel enough for an incredible stay, I would come back time and time again (they have received an 8.5/10 on booking.com and a 4/5 stars on Trip Advisor). Other extremely useful amenities that are offered are the airport shuttle that is complimentary for Gimpo Airport (15 minutes away - Incheon is an additional 30-40 minutes away and the shuttle does not offer service to that airport), the English speaking staff, free international phone service and currency exchange service. SR Hotel has all of the amenities for a great stay, and although it's not closest to the 'tourist' areas it is about a couple blocks from the Balsan Station of the Seoul Metro, and it's also near a handful of yummy restaurants and street food and vendors.
SR HOTEL SEOUL
English: 678-11 Deungchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Korea
Korean: 등촌동 서울 강서구 678-11
Phone: 02-2038-8000
Booking/Reservations:
Getting to SR Hotel
- Line 5 Balsan Station- Exit 3 (5 minute walk towards Hoseo Vocational Training College)
- Line 9 Yangcheonghyanggyo Station - Exit 6 (10 minute walk)
- Line 9 Gayang Station - Exit 8 (15 minute walk)
- Line 5 Balsan Station to and from Gimpo Airport
- Take the Airport Railroad to and from Incheon Airport
Bus: Routes 60, 60-3, 69, 88, 88-1, 300, 601, 605, 642, N26
Incheon - Gimpo Airport Bus: 6003 or 6008 and get off at Balsan Station
Amanda of Feast.Fashion.Faves was not given monetary compensation to compose this post but was given a hotel stay at SR Hotel gratis in exchange for composing and publishing this post. All opinions expressed are of her own.