Foreign Journalist's Experience at a 'Hotel on Han River Bridge'... "Expensive but the Night View Was Fantastic"

English-born Rafael Rashid featured in US media
Confused when trying to deliver pizza due to unknown location
"A new experience... but don't expect room service"

Raphael Rashid, a freelance journalist from the UK, who experienced the 'Sky Suites'?the 'hotel on the Han River bridge' opened by Seoul City last month?said that although the price was higher than a 5-star hotel, the night view was fantastic and described it as a "new experience."

In an article published in the US economic media Business Insider, Rashid revealed his experience, mentioning that he had the opportunity to stay one night for free before the Sky Suites were opened to the public.

The Sky Suites is a hotel created by Seoul City on the 16th of last month by remodeling the 'Jiknyeo Cafe,' a Han River view cafe, into a 144.13㎡ (about 44 pyeong) space. The room includes a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchenette, and through large windows, guests can enjoy the panoramic view of the Han River stretching from Nodeul Island to Yeouido. It became so popular that reservations were fully booked until the end of September just four days after opening.

However, no foreigners are included among the current reservations. The city expects that extending the information exposure period on the reservation platform Airbnb will increase foreign bookings.

Rashid first mentioned that the cost of staying at the Sky Suites is quite high. The usage fee ranges from a minimum of 345,000 KRW to a maximum of 500,000 KRW per night. He emphasized that it is more expensive than a 5-star hotel by comparing it to the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan, where the cost for one night in mid-August was 170 USD (about 226,000 KRW).

He also explained that getting to the Sky Suites by public transportation was not easy. It is a 20-minute walk from Yongsan Station, which serves Subway Line 1 and the Gyeongui-Jungang Line. If coming from Incheon International Airport, taking the direct bus number 6001 takes about an hour to reach the hotel at the northern end of the Hangang Bridge. He reflected, "This place (Sky Suites), with its congested traffic on multiple lanes, was not the luxurious place I had imagined."

Upon entering the room, Rashid described how the nearby road traffic noise disappeared, revealing a living room flooded with natural light through the large windows. He introduced the hotel interior, noting that there were facilities to listen to music, a tiled bathtub overlooking the Han River next to the bed's bathroom, and blinds to cover the large windows.

At the same time, he shared an anecdote about ordering pizza delivery due to the absence of nearby restaurants. During this process, the delivery driver was confused about the hotel's location, and Rashid said, "It's right above the hotel. I'm not joking. It used to be a cafe space."

Despite the high price and inconvenient accessibility, Rashid highly praised the night view of the Han River from the hotel. He said, "When night fell, the real magic unfolded. The endless stream of vehicles became a captivating band of light," and described enjoying the scenery while drinking wine. The chaos outside the hotel became a "city ballet," and he felt peaceful in the hotel room. He also added that he fell asleep listening to the sound of cars outside the hotel road like ASMR.

Rashid said, "The scenery was tremendous. It wasn't the luxury I had imagined, but it was different from any place I had stayed before," adding, "Staying on the busiest bridge in Seoul is a new experience that captures the city's energy in an unexpected way." He also advised, "Don't expect room service or nearby convenience facilities. Experience and view are more important," and warned, "If you are a light sleeper, prepare earplugs."