Where is it?
Lotte City Hotel Gimpo, as the name suggests, is located on the grounds of Gimpo airport in Seoul. Gimpo airport used to be the main airport of Seoul and the main international airport of South Korea until Incheon airport opened in 2001.
Today Gimpo airport is the main domestic airport (Incheon airport gets very few domestic flights) but also a few international destinations are served from Gimpo, mainly destinations in Japan and China.
The Lotte Hotel is located right opposite the international terminal and it takes no more than 3-4 minutes to walk from the exit of the arrivals hall to the entrance of the hotel. From the exit, cross the street and walk towards the bus station and the parking lot. There are not many signs for the hotel but there are several signs for the Lotte Mall, which is located in the same building. You will rather quickly see the hotel building in front of you.
Gimpo airport is also served by both the Seoul subway (line 5 and 9) and the AREX airport express train, which not only goes between Gimpo airport and Seoul Station but also between Gimpo airport and Incheon airport in the other direction. So this is in fact a rather convenient hotel also when flying out of Incheon. Both the subway and the AREX train stations are located a few minutes walk from the hotel using an underground walkway.
Downtown Seoul is officially 15 km from the airport (and the hotel), but of course this depends on where in the city you need to go.
The arrival experience
No one visiting South Korea (and Seoul in particular) will miss the Lotte signs, the South Korean mega corporation running everything from department stores and shopping malls to hotels and theme parks. Lotte Hotels & Resorts is the largest hotel group in South Korea and there are six Lotte Hotels in Seoul. The hotel at Gimpo airport opened in 2012.
I arrived at Gimpo airport on a flight from Tokyo, obviously arriving at the international terminal, which made the hotel a very convenient choice. I noticed the hotel building already while taxiing to the terminal and once landside the building was clearly visible. Unfortunately there are very few signs to follow but it is not particularly hard to find your way if you walk in the direction of the building. Wherever you are at the airport you can always follow the signs for Lotte Mall.
The lobby was pretty much empty and there were three receptionists working so I was immediately checked in. The room was prepaid but there were still some forms to sign. The staff were very friendly and accommodating.
The room
I had booked a Standard Room with a double king-sized bed. The hotel has 190 rooms in total and other than Standard Rooms there are also Superior Rooms, Premier Rooms and Suites.
The main difference between a Standard Room and a Superior Room, according to the hotel webpage, is the view. The superior rooms should offer a decent view of the airport. I was assigned a room on the fifth floor and although I am not sure what kind of view you would get from a Superior Room the view from my room facing the international terminal, the apron and the runway, was definitely not bad. Perhaps I was given an upgrade without being told.
The room measured 26 sqm and had a typical business hotel-type of interior in various shades of brown. Fairly stylish and elegant but at the same time discreet as there was hardly anything on the walls.
The king-sized bed was very comfortable and there was a rather advanced remote control located on the bedside table to adjust the lights in the room as well as the air condition. There was an armchair and a small table by the window and the room also had a rather sizeable work desk and a 40-inches TV.
The bathroom had a bathtub and the standard Lotte toiletries. Fairly spacious but again sparse with design details.
And there was indeed a fairly good view of the airport. Although Incheon is obviously the main airport of Seoul there was a fairly good number of aircrafts landing in the evening.
Food and drinks
The hotel offers a buffet-style cafe and restaurant located on the ground floor next to the lobby called C’cafe. This is also where the breakfast is served in the morning.
Other facilities
There is a 24-hour gym on the second floor, a business centre on the first floor and a conference area on the ground floor.
A great aspect of the location is that the hotel is located in the same building as the Lotte Mall. As a matter of fact the hotel lift even goes straight from all the hotel floors down to the mall in the basement. So you can get from your room to the mall without even having to pass the hotel lobby.
The Lotte Mall offers a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants and there is even a cinema. Even though the hotel only has one restaurant it means you have easy access to a fair number of other options without even having to go outdoors. Just take the lift to floors MF or GF and you are right inside the mall.
Service
The service was friendly and courteous throughout the stay. Nothing to complain about.
Breakfast
As I had to leave the hotel early I did not have breakfast in the hotel.
Final impression
A good choice when arriving or departing from Seoul Gimpo airport. The hotel is just across the street from the international terminal. Well-appointed rooms and friendly staff. There are not many facilities in the hotel but you have the Lotte Mall in the same building with plenty of options to shop and dine.
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