Will I be sleeping with strangers?
No. You rent a whole floor, so only your own group stays there. Sarangchae (2F) and Anchae (3F–4F) go to different groups, so there may be up to two groups in the building, but each has its own door; the only places you might cross paths are the stairway and the 3F information lounge. Each unit also has its own kitchen and bathroom, so nothing is shared.
Can we rent just 3F? There are only six of us.
Sorry, 3F and 4F are not rented separately. They are joined by an internal stairway and 4F has no separate lock, so only one group can use them. For six people, we recommend Sarangchae (2F) : it sleeps 5 as standard, and up to 7 with the sofa bed opened.
Is there an elevator?
No. You will need to use the stairs between 2F and 4F. If you have several large suitcases, a stroller, or someone in your group with limited mobility, please tell us before booking. With a lot of luggage, it is safer to carry it up in several trips.
It looks like a hanok in the photos. Is it a real hanok?
No, it is not a hanok. It is a 4-story reinforced-concrete building with a hanok-style interior. There is no courtyard or tiled roof; instead, the heating, cooling and hot water are those of a modern building. If you are expecting the courtyard and eaves of a traditional hanok, you may be disappointed, so we mention it up front.
Can anyone use the terrace?
Only Anchae (3F–4F) guests can use it. It is not a rooftop but a terrace on the south side of 4F, so you step straight out through a door on 4F. It cannot be reached from Sarangchae. A motorized awning gives shade and shelter from rain, but please always fold it when it is windy and before you sleep. Smoking and open flames are prohibited on the terrace.
How many guests can stay in Anchae? How are the beds arranged?
Anchae takes 9 guests as standard and up to 11. 3F has 1 queen bed, a platform sleeping 4 and a sofa bed for 2; 4F has 2 queen beds and 1 single bed. There are more sleeping places than that, but with a single stairway as the only escape route, the limit of 11 cannot be exceeded under any circumstances. The platform means sleeping on mattresses laid on the floor, which is not as comfortable as a bed, so please keep that in mind when deciding your group size.
Do we share an entrance with the ground-floor shop?
No. Next to the shop entrance on the ground floor there is a separate door just for the lodging. It is an automatic sliding door that opens when you enter the code we text you. Please do not go into the shop.
How long does the door code work?
It’s a temporary code that works only during your stay. It expires automatically after your check-out date, so if you come back you’ll get a new one. For safety, please don’t share it with anyone outside your group.
Can I leave my luggage before check-in or after check-out?
Sorry, we cannot keep your luggage. There is no staff on site, and the 3F information lounge is a space the host uses, so bags may not be left there. Before check-in or after check-out, please use a subway station locker or a luggage storage service.
Can I check out late?
If you ask in advance, until 12:00 for KRW 30,000. It depends on the cleaning schedule for the next guests, so some days it works and some days it doesn’t; we’ll let you know by the day before. Staying past 11:00 without a request costs the same, and after 12:00 it’s KRW 30,000 per hour. If you have a late flight, leaving your luggage in the information lounge is often the better option.
Is there parking?
We have no parking of our own, and street parking is hard on busy Jong-no. Please use the Bangju Parking Building, 38 m away, three buildings down (paid). It’s open 08:00–22:00, KRW 2,000 per 20 minutes, or KRW 30,000 for a day pass, which lets you come and go freely that day. After 22:00 it closes, and you can’t drive in or out. If you’re arriving late or need to go out at night, please plan ahead. It’s a self-park tower garage that takes vehicles up to 2 m tall, so most SUVs fit. The subway station is close by, so public transit works well too.
Can I cook?
Yes. Cookware and cutlery are set out for 4–6 people in Sarangchae and 8–12 in Anchae. However, strong-smelling foods such as steamed snow crab, spicy fish stew (maeuntang) and raw fish can’t be brought in or cooked. Put food waste in the special bags under the sink and drop them in the food-waste bin in the kitchen. There’s no need to take it outside.
Sarangchae (2F) — two single-burner induction cooktops, a microwave and a two-door fridge (with freezer).
Anchae 3F — the same setup as Sarangchae, plus a Nespresso capsule coffee machine.
Anchae 4F — a kitchenette with just one single-burner induction cooktop. There’s no fridge or microwave, so please store and reheat food on 3F.
When cooking for a big group, it’s easier to use the 3F and 4F kitchens together. Cook the main dishes on 3F and add the 4F cooktop, and you have three burners.
How many toilets and showers are there? Are towels provided?
Each floor has its own set of toilet, shower and washbasin. Anchae has two sets, on 3F and 4F, so mornings are less crowded. Towels are provided for each guest, and body wash and shampoo are in the shower. Toothbrushes and toothpaste are not provided, so please bring your own or pick some up at a nearby convenience store.
Are there cameras in the rooms?
No. There are no cameras anywhere in the rooms, kitchens or bathrooms. For crime prevention and facility safety, CCTV is installed at the 1F, 2F and 3F entrances, in the 3F information lounge (lobby) and on the 4F outdoor terrace, recording the corridors leading to each stairway and the common areas 24 hours a day.
For security, though, there are motion sensors in five places, only where someone could get in from outside: the 2F entrance and south window frame, the 3F entrance and south window frame, and the window frame at the 4F terrace door. None of them face beds or bathrooms.
They only detect whether there was movement, so they don’t record video or sound. Nothing that could identify a person, such as a face or body shape, is kept. Only a log of “someone was there at this time” is stored for 90 days and then deleted.
We check these logs only if something like a theft or break-in happens. If anything makes you uneasy, feel free to ask anytime.
Is there a hair dryer? What about a washing machine?
There’s no separate hair dryer, but the vent fan in the ceiling above the washbasin works as a dryer. Turn it on and off with the remote on the washroom wall. At first glance it looks like an ordinary vent fan, so it’s easy to miss.
There is a washer and dryer in Sarangchae (2F) and another set in Anchae (3F). If you are staying on Anchae’s 4th floor, please use the one on 3F. Detergent is not provided.
There’s no hot water. / The room is cold.
The two units work differently.
Anchae (3F–4F) uses a gas boiler for both heating and hot water. You need to turn the boiler on to get hot water, and the heating is underfloor, so the rooms take a while to warm up. Please turn on the boiler first thing when you arrive. The air conditioners only cool, so they can’t be used for heating in winter.
Sarangchae (2F) uses ceiling air conditioners for both cooling and heating, and the water heater keeps hot water ready at all times, so there’s nothing to switch on. However, ROOM 2 has no air conditioner and may get colder or warmer than the rest. If so, turn on the living-area air conditioner. It’s connected by a duct, so it controls ROOM 2 as well.
Is there Wi-Fi?
Yes. The network name is miok. We don’t post the password online; it’s on the inside of the entrance fire door, so please check it once you’re in. The same network covers every floor, so you won’t need to reconnect when you move between floors. There’s also a simple terminal for web searches in the information lounge on 3F.
What’s the space in front of the 3F door lock?
That is the information lounge. It is a space the host uses, but guests are not kept out. There is a simple terminal for searches, Jongno guidebooks and the Michelin Guide; it is outside the Anchae door, so Sarangchae guests can drop in too. It cannot, however, be used as a place to stay for long or to leave luggage.