Hotel Review - Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye

Location: Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea

Note: This article was written base on my experience of staying in Queen Standard Room by Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye. The following info is important to you because it tells you on which month we stayed, and the price relative to the amount of time between the date of stay to the date of booking. You may experience higher or lower price at different months/seasons and if you book further or nearer to the date of stay.

We booked through: Holiday Inn website

We booked on:         March 2018 (1 day ahead of say)

We stayed on:          March 2018

We paid in total:      167,200₩ (in total, tax included) @ One Queen Standard, 1 person, 2 nights, breakfast inclusive

Suwon was in my list of places to explore in South Korea but I never got around to it since it was out of the way from Seoul. A chance business meeting in the vicinity gave me the perfect opportunity to explore the area, and to do that I had to first figure out where to stay. This is where Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye comes into the picture.

Exterior view of hotel

If you are unfamiliar with Suwon, then it should be on your Seoul day trip checklist. Just an hour's train ride away from Seoul Station, it is not huge yet large enough to offer enough sight to fit into your day's schedule. It is famed for the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Suwon Hwaseong Fortress (수원 화성), its iconic walls circling the city when one approach from road.

I am familiar with Holiday Inn's hotel, having stayed in Holiday Inn Incheon Songdo in my past business trip to Korea. The "Express" series is more suited to business and budget travelers, with lower price and more business oriented facilities.

The room is not not huge yet the layout affords enough space for leaving your luggage opened on the floor and still walk around comfortably. For business traveler like me, I appreciate the floor to ceiling glass outward facing wall which allows ample natural light into the room, allowing me to work on the laptop with less strain on the eyes.

One furniture which I love is the long work table cum counter. I normally leave my work items conveniently next to my laptop, and such a design allows me to work on my laptop and scatter my stuff just at arm's length away.

Overview of room

Queen sized bed

Shower stall

Tea making facility

Surprisingly the opposite of Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye is one of KBS outdoor studio. From my high level, I could look out of the room and see the ancient looking buildings used for shooting world famed Korean dramas. I am not a K-drama fan yet it is still enough to pique my interest. I didn't notice any shooting happening throughout my stay, perhaps a lucky tenant may one day be viewing the rise of a Korean star when he look out of his window.

KBS studio

A zoomed in view of the outdoor shooting scene with some ancient looking building.

Perhaps the facility that may endear Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye the most to budget travelers is the self-help laundry facility in the hotel's compound. Coin operated washing and drying machines lined the laundry room, so one can do their laundry at very low cost. Sealed packets of detergents and softeners are also sold from an automated machine in the same room.

Laundry room

Breakfast is sumptuous, with delicious and excellent choices available in buffet style. It is available in both Korean and Western breakfast choices, and naturally I tried both, which are all nicely done in my opinion.

Breakfast cafeteria

Decorations in breakfast area

Outdoor smoking area

The hotel is close to various dining places and a shopping mall, so even in the evening one could relax around the area when getting ready to wind down for the day. A hidden park with nice Korean style architecture is just a few blocks away, and would entice explorers like me who enjoy to walk off the beaten path.

On the down side, Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye is not very close to public transports, with the closest subway station a few blocks away. If you are dragging your luggage, its sloping streets will make your life even more difficult. Still if you would like to extend the day trip to Suwon to a night stay, or if you have business around the area, then this is definitely one of my recommended accommodation.

Environment:          Business hotel that is average distance to most attractions

Suitable for:             Business

Visit worthiness:   9.0/10 

Sleep quality:              4.0/5.0 

Surroundings:            3.5/5.0

Service:                         5.0/5.0
Value:                           4.5/5.0
Cleanliness:                 5.0/5.0
Architecture/decor:   4.5/5.0

Room rate:               ₩83,600/night @ Queen Standard
                                       *   inclusive of tax and breakfast for all prices above
                                       ** price is not the same for both days, price above is averaged
                                       check latest room rates and availability here

Check-in time:        after 3.00 p.m.
Check-out time:     before 12.00 p.m.

Website:                   https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/

Contact:                    +82 31 51770000

E-mail:                      reservation.suwon@ihg.com

Address:                   

Holiday Inn Express Suwon Ingye 

116 Ingye-ro, Paldal-gu Gyenggi-do
Suwon Si 16489 
Korea, Republic of