Room rate and details
Room type: Cabin B (loft), 1 Bedroom with 2 queen sized beds, 1 living, and 1 bathroom
Room rate: USD 390 per night
Nights stayed: 5 nights
Dates stayed: 21 - 26 November2024
View: City view B (facing Cheongdam-dong)
Overall Rating
Explanations can be found in the conclusion of this post
Room: 9/10
General area: 7/10
Facilities: 7/10
Service: 5/10
Value: 9/10
Introduction
We booked a spontaneous trip to Seoul for a much needed shopping therapy and cafe hopping series. This isn't my first time in this shopping haven and we wanted to do something different. We stumbled upon Ananti Gangnam (owned by a South Korean developer - cue not your typical hotel chain) and were captivated by the loft style wooden design, complete with a living space and oversized bathroom. Right in the heart of Gangnam, the hotel screamed value for money, close to the shopping district of Apgujeong with cafe options in Dosan and Coex mall.
This is for you if you are a lover of space and design - an ideal property just below the 'luxury' tier, perfect if you are in Seoul for shopping therapy and cafe hopping but still want that "ahh this is nice" feeling when returning to your room after a long day.
Arrival and Check-In
We arrived at Incheon International Airport around 7am and took a taxi to the hotel, which cost us less than USD30 - it was very convenient and easy to hail a taxi from the taxi stand outside the airport (Tip: Make sure you use their local taxi app - Kakao T). There are also ATMs at the airport where you can withdraw cash, but most places in South Korea including the taxi accepted credit cards/ charge via the app.
The trip from the airport to the hotel took us less than an hour given it was still in the wee hours of the morning. We were dropped by the side in front of the hotel. Because the hotel was by the main road, it was not clear to drivers where the drop off is (it was actually where the underground parking is - and drivers just needed to turn right and down the ramp). There were no bellboys to greet us until we entered the hotel lobby.
When we entered a set of automatic doors (next to their restaurant "POISSONS") we were met with the lifts. The hotel lobby is actually at the basement and you will need to take the lift with your luggage and proceed to counter/ bellboys to assist you for check in.
(Tip: Ask hotel staff to translate in Korean to tell taxi drivers via Kakao T app to pick up at the basement carpark. The basement is for drop off and where the hotel lobby is. Not many drivers are aware of that.)
We were told our room was not ready because we arrived early compared to the usual check-in time (3pm). We were able to leave our luggages with the concierge (as with most hotels) and were told that the bellboys would deliver them to the room when it was ready. We headed out for a cafe hopping session before returning in the afternoon to check-in to our room.
First look of the room was pleasant. The sleek wood, minimalist design and high ceilings were impactful. The sofas were surprisingly comfortable to sit on and were not "overly used".
The orange and green complimented each other and I would commend the interior designer and architect for creating such a cozy space that is balanced with space and functionality. The wooden scent was apparent and soothing in the autumn season. Air-conditioning temperature however, is centrally controlled at 21 degrees Celsius. This would change in the seasons and the hotel encourages you to turn on the fan or open the glass doors if you need any sort of temperature change - perhaps not ideal for some travelers.
As you head up the stairs, you are greeted with an impressive curved wooden panel that elegantly droops from the ceiling to the bed. The two queen sized beds can comfortably sleep 4 people. There is also a cozy corner with a desk and wardrobe space. On the table, there is an iPad for your consumption.
(Tip: The wifi is not very fast if you would like to stream YouTube videos on the iPad device)
The bathroom was impressive. The design language is in sync with the design of the room with the common sleek and minimal elements. The all white theme was bright and inviting, giving you a sense of peace and clarity.
The amenities provided were in line with the vision of sustainability. It was just enough for the number of guests in the room. Bath salts were provided each night for the bath tub and shampoo, conditioner and body soap were provided in bar soap form. There were 2 types of lotions provided (aloe vera and shea butter) for 4 people. Do note due to government regulations, no disposable toothbrushes were provided and if you needed one, you would need to purchase one.
We had a minor defect in the shower area - it was clogged from the previous guest's hair and the area was flooded for one night. We notified the concierge the next day, and it was immediately rectified.
(Tip: The hotel provide 4 bottles of 500ml water bottles each day. Any additional will be charged at KRW 5,000 each and I would highly recommend just visiting one of the many convenience stores in the area to get water/ snacks. The closest is a 7-11 just 2 minutes from the hotel by foot.)
Facilities
We took a tour of the hotel's facilities that contain an outdoor pool, indoor pool, cafe, gym, relaxation & meditation rooms, and seating areas.
The indoor pool is heated and you are required to have a swimming cap on. You will be given a rubber wristband upon check-in which allows you to use these amenities. Otherwise, you will be charged a fee.
Conclusion
Room: 9/10
The room was well designed and impressive. The sheer scale was impactful and the materials used for the space was solid. The furnishings were just right and well maintained. The housekeeping also kept the area clean and tidy as expected (except for the clogged shower on the first night - bonus points for the quick fix).
General area: 7/10
The general areas were well kept and pleasant. The lobby was slightly inconvenient as it was in the basement, and was confusing for drivers when they were picking up passengers. This required some getting used to upon arrival and additional communication.
Facilities: 7/10
There were no faults to be found with the facilities but the hotel was generally quite small and there were many external guests who come to use these facilities which looses this exclusivity for hotel guests.
Service: 5/10
Overall, the staff were clinical in their approach and not as attentive to our needs as staff you would find at other hotels in similar categories. Bellboys did not come to our aid and we were required to lug our luggages most of the time. Anything extra required additional charges which was quite unusual and felt calculative at times. In this particular aspect, it felt like a budget hotel rather than a boutique hotel to say the least. They also used to have a free shuttle car service for any location within 3km on their website but when we wanted to use the service, we were told that they had discontinued this (though it was still on their website). This was quite misleading and could be easily rectified by updating their website or communicated to customers via email before arrival. The saving grace was the quick rectification of the drainage issue when we notified the staff about it.
Value: 9/10
Overall, taking to account the sheer space, design, ambience, location and service (or lack there-of), I would definitely say this is excellent value for money, especially if you are not in South Korea for a luxurious resort getaway. Improve the service aspect and this would be an up there hotel. We would definitely come again, especially when travelling in groups.
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