Seoul-Motel Couple

My friend Bin wanted me to stay nearby his home and his clinic in Hwagok, so he had arranged accommodations and asked me not to worry. He can get a much better deal than what I can get on my own; besides, most small hotel operators often don't speak English, he noted, and I don't speak a word of Korean.

It turned out the hotel he's talking about is actually a love motel, one of many lined on both sides of a side street off the main road. I didn't know what to expect as I've never stayed in one before, so I was curious but wary. The price is certainly right though, 35,000 won a night if prepaid through the weekend, which is normally higher. In my case, everything was in cash--no deposit, credit card, or ID necessary--to protect the anonymity of the patrons, perhaps the only way to operate such business.

My room is in a corner on the 2nd floor. Thank goodness for that, because later I learned it can get noisy in other rooms sharing the same wall, so I only needed to endure moans and groans and screams from one side.

These rooms are surprisingly clean and spacious with all the amenities for a couple, including a care package handed to you at the reception. In it are disposable personal hygiene items and a pack of 3 condoms. How thoughtful. The room is equipped with cable TV and a VCR in which you are free to borrow a small selection of VHS tapes on a shelf in the hallway. And, yes, there is Korean porn on both the tapes and a cable channel.

The mini-fridge has a bottle of vitamin drink, a can of iced-coffee, and a small carton of grape juice that are yours to drink free-of-charge. Hotels with their expensive mini-bars can certainly learn about hospitality from these love motels.

On the ceiling directly above the queen-size bed is a large, oval shaded mirror, surrounded by a red night-light that you can turn on and off. The wooden floor is heated at night so it's always warm in the room. The bathroom has one of those fancy toilets that spurts water upwards to clean your rear-end, with controls for water pressure and temperature. What more can you ask for?

About my only quip with the motel is that each day when I leave, I had to leave my room key with the reception. When I returned at night, however, my room was always left unlocked, probably by the maid, out of habit that no one ever returns to a a love motel the following night. Despite my luggage being inside, nothing was ever stolen, so I wasn't too worried so long as I took my valuables with me.

Filed Thu - November 18, 2004, 12:38 AM in

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