My partner and I recently traveled to Seoul, Korea, for a short winter vacation and had a nice stay at Aloft Hotel in the Myeongdong district. At the time of our visit, Aloft was ranked the #1 hotel in Seoul on Tripadvisor.
INCHEON AIRPORT LIMOUSINE BUS → ALOFT
When we arrived in Incheon International Airport, we hopped the Limo-Shuttle that took us into Seoul for 14,000 won (roughly $13.00 USD). The limo bus was nice and cozy, large reclining seats AND free wifi!. If you’re staying at Aloft, take the 6015 bus from the airport. You can buy tickets an machines located outside the terminal in the Bus Pick-up zone. Double check with the driver which stop to get off on. The trip is about 40 minutes, and the drop-off spot in Myeongdong for the bus is a short walk to Aloft.
ALOFT Myeongdong
Myeongdong is one of the popular shopping areas in Seoul. Aloft is conveniently situated near the street shopping area of Myeongdong, and a hop skip and a jump from Namdaemun Market, two top rated shopping areas if you’re into shopping on the cheap. There are also a ton of great dining options nearby, including Myeongdong Kyoja — definitely stop here to eat! It will not disappoint!
Aloft is on a main street, so hailing a taxi is fairly easy during the day. At night, however, getting a taxi is a bit more of a challenge, which I’ll have to dedicate another post on.
The staff at the hotel is super friendly and helpful. The concierge is happy to assist you with questions and recommendations. They’ll also write down directions in Korean for you to hand to your taxi driver to make your trip smoother.
W XYZ lounge had a nice atmosphere, though their drinks were a bit overpriced. A glass of wine cost about $13USD, which is roughly New York pricing, however, the amount they give you is about ⅓ the standard pour you’d get in a glass in the states. I’d recommend buying your own bottle from outside the hotel and enjoying that glass in your cozy hotel room. Lol.
The rooms are super cozy! Hip and modern, the toilet had a heated seat complete it a bidet. The bed was comfy and the view was pretty awesome.
The hotel had a small workout room with minimal equipment, but still enough to allow for a solid workout.
ALOFT → INCHEON AIRPORT LIMOUSINE BUS
If you decide to take the limo bus back to the airport, you can buy tickets for it at the front desk. You can call the front desk to find out the schedule for the limo to coordinate your travel. Once you have your ticket, the pick-up area is across the street from the hotel. You’ll have to take an underground passage to get across the street, but the staircase for this underground walkway is right outside the hotel entrance (roughly a 3 minute walk).
Overall, Aloft was a great hotel! I’d definitely consider staying at this hotel again in the future. It’s conveniently located, easy to get in and out of, lots of fun shopping and good eats within walking distance, with cozy accommodations and friendly staff.
