We stayed in Hotel Kuretakeso Insadong during our winter trip to Seoul South Korea in December. Here are my review and experience of our stay in the hotel. This 3-star hotel is situated at 20-9, Insadong-Gil, Insadong, Seoul, South Korea, 03163. The facility is built in 2018 which is relatively new.
We occupied two triple family rooms since we are a group of 6 people. Fortunately, the staff proactively assigned two adjacent rooms for us even though we forget to request for it during our booking.
For me the overall experience is superb. The reason is, the staff is accommodating and exerts an extra effort explaining the hotel’s features and amenities such as sauna bath, fitness area location, breakfast hours, and the likes.
The reception staff is also patient despite that I request them multiple times to repeat what they are talking about.
Why I choose Hotel Kuretakeso Insadong?
First of all, Hotel Kuretakeso is not included in my choices when I was searching for accommodation for our Seoul South Korea tour. The reason is we planned to stay in Myeongdong area since it has good reviews online. However, at the time of my booking, the hotels there are mostly fully occupied and the remaining with vacancy are over my budget.
Based on the location of tourist spots in Seoul that we planned to visit, I randomly check the hotels nearby. Fortunately, I was able to see Hotel Kuretakeso in Insadong.
I booked two triple family rooms for 5 days 4 nights with breakfast during our tour in Seoul, Gangnam, and Nami Island. We considered ourselves lucky because the hotel did not disappoint. We also have a good experience during our stay.
The photos of the rooms shown on the online hotel booking websites are very much the same as the actual. It is good because some hotels show their best-looking photo on booking websites but after you see the actual room, it is a lot different. This is not the case with Hotel Kuretakeso.
Our experience at Hotel Kuretakeso Insadong is like the phrase “what you see is what you get” plus so much more.
It is situated in a prime location as it is in the center of almost everything – restaurants, convenient store, coffee shop, souvenir shop, and several tourist destinations, are just walking distance.
Hotel Features and Amenities that we like
Aside from the usual mini-fridge, electric kettle, flat-screen tv, complimentary tea or coffee, aircon/heater, and safety deposit box. The hotel offers leather slippers to its guests. You read it right, a three-star hotel that offers leather slippers. I do not know if it is an authentic leather but certainly, it is better than the usual thin disposable slippers. It also offers a very fast free wifi available to each room.
The bathroom has a bathtub and a state-of-the-art automatic toilet bowl with a push-button control panel. I was so amazed by it since it is my first time to experience that kind of electronic toilet bowl hahaha.
According to the staff, they have a Sauna, Diy laundry, and fitness center. The rooms have good soundproofing I guess because during our stay we did not hear people talking in the hallway and from adjacent rooms.
They offer complimentary drinks for guests from 6 to 8 pm every night.
If those are common features in hotels in Seoul South Korea then please pardon my innocence.
Breakfast Buffet Review
For me, breakfast is satisfying and affordable for its price. There are slight changes in the menu every day. The available drinks are Tea, coffee, juice, and Milk which is free-flowing.
The venue is good enough to accommodate guests without looking like it is overcrowded. They implement a no Slippers policy in the breakfast venue.
So, if you want to have breakfast, you need to wear your shoes prior to visiting the area. The in-house restaurant will open from 7:00 to 9:00 daily which is perfect.
During our stay, we tried the salad, fried rice, sausages, flat meatball, soup, and enjoyed the different drinks we possibly can.
Nearest Tourist Destinations and Transportation in Seoul
For me, Hotel Kuretakeso Insadong is strategically located near several tourist destinations in Seoul. It is within walking distance to Gwanghwamun plaza, Gyeongbukgong Palace, Bokchon Hanok village, and Changgyeonggung Palace.
If I am not mistaken, it is just a few blocks from Cheonggyecheon Stream which is also walking distance from the hotel.
It is just one bus ride (5 stops) to Namsan cable car and N Seoul Tower. You can ride bus 143 at Jongno 3-ga bus stop.
Insadong to Myeongdong is also one bus ride (3 stops) or if you feel like walking, it is roughly 15 minutes of walk.
The nearest subway station from the hotel is just 5 minutes walk. The subway can take you to Seoul University and Gangnam in less than 45 minutes.
Bus stops such as Jongno-3ga, Jongno-2ga, and Jonggak are just a few minutes away.
Credits to Google map
On the map, the big red dot is the location of the hotel. Those with red camera icons are the tourist spots. Most of them are walking distance from the hotel. During our visit, as much as possible, we just do a walking tour.
Nearby Shops
At the foot of the hotel, there are popular coffee shops (Coffee bean and tea leaf, Starbucks, Lina’s). There are nearby streetfood sellers, souvenir shops, 7 eleven, Korean barbecue, and other restaurants.
How to get to Hotel Kuretakeso Insa-dong from Incheon International Airport
The hotel is just 1 bus ride from Incheon International Airport. From point to point, the ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The fare cost is 10,000 won per person. You can purchase the ticket for the shuttle bus at Bus Ticket Office. 
From Incheon International airport you can ride bus number 6002 at platform 5B-4 and alight at Jongno 2-ga or Jongno 3-ga. From Jongno 3-ga just walk 5 minutes to get to the hotel.
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How to Get to Incheon Airport from Hotel Kuretaeso Insadong
From the hotel, you can walk towards Jongno-2ga bus stop. From there, you can ride the Bus 6002 to get to Incheon airport. The fare is 10000 won. If I am not mistaken, Bus 6002 interval is 15 to 20 minutes.
If ever you will choose this route, you need to leave early at the hotel. Maybe 4 hours prior to your scheduled flight departure. The reason is, this shuttle bus will stop to other bus stops along the way to get passengers like you. You also need to consider that it can encounter traffic.
From the hotel to the airport it will roughly take 2 hours. This includes traffic and waiting time at the bus stop.
Will I Recommend the hotel to my friends?
Because of our good experience, my answer is YES. I will be proud to do so.
Will I stay again at Hotel Kuretakeso Insadong?
Of course, Yes. The main reason is its location which is very near to different tourist spots in Seoul. Also, the hotel is very clean and the staff tries their best to explain in English the hotel’s features.
