"I travel frequently for both business and personal trips, so I have stayed in many hotels and have a good understanding of normal hotel service standards.
The booking policy mentioned that an additional fee for early check-in may apply depending on availability, which I understand. However, there was no clear information about the actual amount or that the charge would be calculated hourly.
I arrived only about 2 hours before the normal 3 PM check-in time, and I was charged KRW 22,000 per hour, totaling KRW 44,000 for early check-in. In most hotels, if a clean room is already available, they usually allow 1–2 hours of flexibility for early check-in or at least offer guests the option to wait for the next available room. Charging by the hour felt unnecessarily rigid and unreasonable.
In addition, the first room assigned to me had a strong unpleasant odor, similar to mold and cigarette smell, and I had to request a room change after check-in. This made the first impression of the stay even worse.
The issue was eventually reviewed by Hotels.com, and they provided a USD 25 refund, which I accepted. I also understand they likely contacted the hotel regarding this matter.
I understand every hotel has its own policy, but flexibility and guest experience matter, especially for what should be a smooth check-in process. Unfortunately, this experience felt far below the standard I would expect, especially for a hotel of this level.
Overall, the stay started with unnecessary frustr"
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