- Introduction: Zipping To Tokyo Via Mongolia
- Review: American First Class Boeing 737 (MIA-LGA)
- Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
- Review: Chase Sapphire Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: VIP ONE Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Primeclass Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Turkish Airlines Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Lufthansa Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Air France Lounge New York Kennedy Airport (JFK)
- Review: Air France Business Class Airbus A350 (JFK-CDG)
- Review: Air France HOP Business Class Embraer E190 (CDG-FRA)
- Review: Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Review: Primeclass Lounge Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class Boeing 787 (FRA-UBN)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Lounge Ulaanbaatar Airport (UBN)
- Review: MIAT Mongolian Airlines Business Class Boeing 737 (UBN-ICN)
- Review: Seoul Incheon Airport Transit Hotel (ICN)
- Review: Oneworld Lounge Seoul Incheon Airport (ICN)
- Review: ZIPAIR Full Flat Business Class Boeing 787 (ICN-NRT)
- Review: Hotel Villa Fontaine Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: TIAT Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: Cathay Pacific Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: Japan Airlines First Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND)
- Review: Japan Airlines First Class Airbus A350-1000 (HND-JFK)
For the next part of my trip to Japan via Mongolia, I spent roughly 24 hours in Incheon Airport Terminal 1, as I was arriving from Ulaanbaatar in MIAT Mongolian Airlines’ 737 business class, and continuing to Tokyo Narita in ZIPAIR’s 787 “full flat” product.
The good news is that the Walkherhill Transit Hotel in Terminal 1 is a convenient and comfortable facility, ideal for maximizing rest between flights. The bad news is that spending a full day in the terminal at Incheon Airport isn’t glamorous, no matter how you slice it. 😉
Now, logically you’re probably asking yourself why I’d spend 24 hours in the terminal. Well, I was arriving midday and departing midday the following day. However, I wanted to be airside in the terminal very early in the morning, so that I could review lounges (I always like to review them when they first open, so that I can get pictures of lounges without people in them).
In light of that, just staying in the terminal seemed like the best option. After all, my goal while on the ground was mainly to get as much sleep as possible and to catch up on work, and a terminal stay would allow me to do that, boring as it may sound. It wasn’t practical to go all the way to Seoul (the train doesn’t start till later than I needed in the morning), and I didn’t see a huge advantage to staying at an airport hotel outside the terminal.
In this post:
Booking the Incheon Airport Transit Hotel
The Walkerhill Transit Hotel Incheon Airport Terminal 1 can be booked in a variety of blocks — you can book stays starting in six hour blocks, then there’s a day use rate (8AM until 8PM), a night use rate (8PM until 8AM), and there’s a 24-hour use rate (with the timing being flexible). I booked the 24-hour rate, which cost ~$140.
I thought that was reasonable for an in-airport transit hotel, given how these hotels typically charge a premium for the convenience they offer.
When you book a 24-hour rate, you need to email the hotel and let them know the desired timings of your stay. My confirmation simply stated the day I’d be checking in and checking out, with no hours listed. But once I emailed the hotel with my confirmation, they were able to block the correct hours.
Incheon Airport Transit Hotel location
The Walkerhill Transit Hotel Incheon Airport Terminal 1 is located near gate 11. Keep in mind that you’ll need to be in transit and will need a valid boarding pass in order to be able to stay here, since it’s in the sterile portion of the airport.
Near gate 11, you’ll see an escalator leading up to the Transit Hotel and Matina Lounge.
Once at the top of the escalator, just make a sharp left turn, and you’ll see the entrance to the Matina Lounge straight ahead, and the entrance to the Walkerhill Transit Hotel to the right.
Incheon Airport Transit Hotel lobby & check-in
The Walkerhill Transit Hotel has a very basic lobby area, consisting of a room with four chairs, a reception desk, and a small business center to the side, with a computer and printer. The check-in process was efficient, and within a minute I was given a key to my room.
Incheon Airport Transit Hotel guest room
From reception, there are automatic double doors leading to the hallway where you’ll find the guest rooms. I was assigned room 114, located down the hall and to the left.
I had booked a standard single room, marketed as being 18 square meters (~195 square feet). Obviously these are smaller than your typical hotel rooms, but that’s to be expected in an airport transit hotel facility.
On the plus side, the room had a queen bed, which I found to be extremely comfortable, thanks to the soft mattress. There was also a table with one chair, as well as a wall-mounted TV.
There were two bottles of water next to the bed.
As you’ll notice, the room didn’t have any windows. Okay, to some people this may feel a bit like a prison cell in that sense, but it worked out for me, given my strange sleep schedule. I slept shortly upon arriving in my room, from 2PM until 9PM, and then I stayed up all night working (I often maintain US hours when traveling). The lack of windows almost made me feel better about my weird schedule.
Back near the entrance was the compact bathroom, which had a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower.
The shower was just separated from the rest of the bathroom by a half shield, so the water from the shower easily sprayed into the rest of the bathroom.
Toiletries were in wall-mounted containers, and were from Geneva Green (which seems to be a brand specifically for hotels).
For a transit hotel, I thought this was quite a nice room. Now, as a selective germaphobe, I kind of wish the room didn’t have carpet, since I can’t imagine how dirty that is, with the number of people and bags that are dragged through the room. Fortunately the hotel provided slippers, so I used those when walking around the room.
Incheon Airport Transit Hotel gym
The Walkerhill Transit Hotel has a small gym, which can be used daily between 7AM and 9PM (I think that restriction is to limit noise at night). This is a super basic facility, with a bike, some free weights, and a bench. It’s better than nothing, but that’s about it.
Incheon Airport Transit Hotel dining
While the Walkerhill Transit Hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, the Matina Lounge is located right next door, and it’s open daily from 7AM until 9:3OPM. While this is technically a lounge, it’s a unique concept, as it feels a whole lot more like a restaurant than a lounge. The lounge just consists of dining seating, plus a large buffet with international food.
You can buy access to the lounge for $39, or alternatively you can access the lounge with Priority Pass, so that’s also a good option.
Since you’re in the terminal, you of course have access to lots of other dining options, so there’s no shortage of opportunities to buy food. Most stuff does close overnight, though there’s a 24/7 Starbucks, which kept me caffeinated at night.
Bottom line
The Walkerhill Transit Hotel is a convenient option for getting some rest at Incheon Airport Terminal 1. The hotel has comfortable rooms and a small gym, though there’s not much else to the property. If you have a long layover at Incheon and want to sleep, this is the place to be. Of course ideally I would’ve done something more fun on such a long layover, but I had my reasons.
What do you make of the Walkerhill Transit Hotel Incheon Airport?
Question: If you have an airside hotel like this for 24 hours, can you jump on a train and go to Seoul ?
I understand you'd have to go thru customs, but if your luggage is taken care of and they don't keep your passport. . . Why not ?
Have stayed here twice while in transit from BKK to North America. Facing a ~12-13 hour layover, this was an ideal location to catch up on sleep and a few urgent emails. Book early - the transit hotel fills remarkably quickly!
Great review - I've wondered about this place specifically, particularly after stopping at that lounge before. Thank you!
Nice option, for sure. Thanks Lucky.
"The lack of windows almost made me feel better about my weird schedule"
That doesn't make sense...I mean, a lack of windows is a lack of windows, regardless of your schedule.
I assume he meant that due to a lack of windows he didn't feel nocturnal with his sleep schedule. Without natural light it could be 2pm or 2am.
I regularly use the Grand Hyatt Seoul Incheon when at ICN and whilst it is landside, it's extremely convenient.
It's walking distance from T1, the breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets are great for choice and quality (albeit pricey), the pool and gym facilities are great and if yu book an airport view room, the views of hundreds of widebodies a day coming in are stunning.
I spent a total of 4 weeks confined to that hotel in quarantine jail. I don't think I could ever go back on my own accord. The one stretch when I had a room facing the runway was nice tho, like you said.
Do you normally walk around barefoot on hotel floors (carpet or hard surfaces)?
I've always just assumed all hotel carpets aren't very clean, people walking around with their outdoor footwear, and it's not like they're deep cleaned between guests.
Walkerhll operates airside hotels in T1 and T2. Had an overnight layover in ICN last year - T1 hotel was closed T2 was booked for weeks. T1 hotel appears to be open again - T2 one is booked out through end of March, T1 has more availability. Unfortunately I don't think you can stay airside when transiting terminals which defeats the point. Long story short, they're not particularly big so book well in advance. If...
Walkerhll operates airside hotels in T1 and T2. Had an overnight layover in ICN last year - T1 hotel was closed T2 was booked for weeks. T1 hotel appears to be open again - T2 one is booked out through end of March, T1 has more availability. Unfortunately I don't think you can stay airside when transiting terminals which defeats the point. Long story short, they're not particularly big so book well in advance. If you're connecting the airline likely won't make you aware of entry requirements so if you plan on staying at a hotel landside near the airport you need a K-ETA to enter Korea - it must be obtained *before* you land in Korea.
I stayed at this place last year when transiting though ICN on the way to BKK instead of exiting immigration, just to have to turn around for a 9am flight out. Decent enough for the price, but if you look around, you'll see it wasn't necessarily clean.
$140 is a steal to stay Airside.
I just booked the Yotel IST Airside for the late fall and I got their "best price" at €327 for 17 hours. Really not much else you can do when they're the only game in town.