Seoul Backpackers

My first night in Seoul, I met my sister at Seoul Backpackers. They arranged to have a van pick me up at the airport because I was arriving late and public transport was no longer available. And after the 7 hour bus ride to Tokyo, the 2 hour train ride to Narita and the 2 hour flight to Incheon airport, I was thrilled to see my name on a little white sign when I entered the arrivals hall! Reserving that van was about the ONLY thing that hostel did right. And they almost forgot to charge me for it, but I'm honest. So, I'll warn you now--don't book at Seoul Backpackers on your next trip to Korea!

They have very UNHELPFUL staff and bizarre rules! Let me highlight a few of the ridiculous things that happened in the 8 hours I stayed there!

• Passport for key deposit?? I don't think so!! Okay, I didn't have cash yet, but they keep their key deposit book, and therefore my passport, sitting on a shelf in the office! I got cash from my sister, but that wasn't enough they decided. I had to give them US dollars too! Besides that, they knew I needed my passport for the DMZ tour....
• We booked a DMZ tour through their office. The tour was picking us up at 7:30. But the hostel office doesn't open until 8am (couldn't have gotten my passport back in time-hmm?). And breakfast isn't until 8:30! So no free breakfast if you want a tour! Lame! And get this, if you need to check out, you have to do it the night before. WHAT?? So, we are supposed to give our key, bring down any luggage we need to have stored and check out before 1am!! I arrived at 11pm. There was no way in HELL I was bringing my bags back down in 2 hours, so I could get up at 7am! So, we kept the keys, left our bags by the door and hoped for the best!
• They have a dog! I love dogs, but as soon as the lock the office and leave, it starts barking, and barking, and barking! OMG!
• Dorm Beds--I'm over them! It was a great way to travel when I was a student and needed to conserve money, but I have a job now. Dorm beds with snoring dorm mates is NOT acceptable. It's time to move on.
• It smelled! Not like kimchee, as many of you may think, but like sewer! Maybe worse!

It was a miserable first night in Korea! I really don't recommend this hostel. Avoid it! Maybe it was just my experience, but seriously, the staff I encountered were incompetent! I've stayed at MANY cheap hotels/hostels in many countries on 5 continents and Seoul Backpackers ranks as one of the worst!