I fl in from Australia all excited for my Seoul adventure… and immediately got greeted by a monsoon. By the time I dragged myself into The Designers Hotel, I looked less like a traveler and more like a wet mop with luggage.
But here’s where the story gets better: the front desk staff (who, by the way, are always there 24/7 like superheroes in suits) upgraded me for free to a room with two beds. Did I need two beds? Absolutely not. Did I love it? Of course. One for me, one for my soggy backpack. We both slept well.
Then I discovered the laundry room, and wow. Not the sad, coin-operated kind you see in dodgy hostels, but a sleek, modern setup that made me want to do laundry even when my clothes were already clean. After a few spins in that machine, I smelled less like “rainstorm survivor” and more like “functional human again.”
The hotel itself is like a convenience store and a cozy home rolled into one. There’s a parking lot (for the smart people who didn’t arrive on foot in the rain), and a magical little corner that sells snacks, drinks, booze, and ramen. Dangerous combination, because suddenly it’s 2 a.m. and you’re holding a beer in one hand and slurping noodles with the other, wondering how life got so good.
Overall, The Designers Hotel might not have chandeliers and butlers, but it has something better: comfort, practicality, and staff who actually seem to care whether you’re having a good time. I came in looking like a drowned tourist, but I left feeling like I’d ju