I stayed in a stand-alone suite on a busy bridge in Seoul. It was pricier than a 5-star hotel and noisy, but views of the river were stunning.

19.08.2024 - 00:38 / insider.com

As I stood on South Korea's Hangang Bridge, cars whizzing by, I wondered: who thought putting a hotel suite here was a good idea?

I was about to find out.

Sky Suite Hangang Bridge opened in July. According to The Korea Herald, it's the first hotel room perched atop a bridge in the world. Guests can sleep above Seoul's iconic Han River.

The Han River, or Hangang as it's known in Korean, divides the city of nearly 10 million people into north and south. The country's economic growth and rapid industrialization are often symbolically identified with this river, often referred to as the "Miracle on the Han River." Today, this part of Seoul is a recreational hub where locals cycle, picnic, and escape the city grind.

The project is a collaboration between the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Airbnb to boost tourism — with the city overseeing the property and Airbnb handling reservations. I was offered a free night's stay before the property opened to the general public.

Sky Suite occupies a former café space on Hangang Bridge, one of the river's 32 bridges. It's part of the city's plan to revitalize the river area.

While the café was popular with locals and tourists, it closed during the pandemic. Its closure went largely unnoticed until the new bridge hotel was announced, sparking nostalgia among those who remembered it.

Yun Ji Yong, manager of the Future Hangang Project Headquarters at Seoul's city government, told me that planners were inspired by Amsterdam's Faralda Crane Hotel, referring to the crane tower from a defunct shipyard that was transformed into a unique accommodation.

"We wanted to create a landmark that would showcase the beauty of Seoul and the Han River to both locals and tourists," Yun said.

Kim Jong Seok, the architect from COOM Partners who designed Sky Suite, explained that the design concept was meant to embody the river.

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"For the exterior, we used metal horizontal louvers to express the flow of the Han River in lines, while making the building appear as a single mass, giving it an identity as a space of rest between the complex Seoul cityscape and the Han River," Kim said.

When announced, the café-turned-suite created a buzz but has since faced some criticism for being too expensive, small, and noisy.

At 500,000 South Korean won, or $365 per night, it's pricier than some of the nearby 4 and 5-star hotels. The 5-star Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan, a stone's throw away, can be booked on Skyscanner for around $170 a night for two people in mid-August. That said, I was told by a Seoul city official, who preferred not to share their name, that prices for the suite will go down to 345,000 KRW, or $250, during off-peak season.

Reservations on Airbnb opened on July 1,