Introduction
Pyongyang Hotels are often a subject of misinformation, controversy and misunderstanding.
There’s a common misunderstanding amongst those interested in visiting North Korea; it’s the idea that tourists are confined to only one or two hotels during their stay in Pyongyang. Unfortunately, since most tour groups stay in the capital’s most popular establishments, this misunderstanding even plagues some who have visited in the past.
Whilst, historically, there may have only been a few hotels open to foreigners, today that’s very much not the case. As with cities all around the world, when it comes to selecting your hotel, the choice is yours.
Not sure where to stay? Well, we here at Absolute Nomads are happy to give you the run-down of Pyongyang’s Hotels – from the luxurious to the ludicrous.
These are the Hotels of Pyongyang.
Yanggakdo International Hotel | 47 Floors, 1,001 Rooms
Perhaps Pyongyang’s most famous hotel, the Yanggakdo International Hotel sits on an island in the heart of the city, surrounded by the waters of the mighty Taedong River.
A real home-from-home for many foreign tourists, the Yanggakdo hosts five bars, a swimming pool, karaoke, pool tables, bowling and so much more. The hotel, since its renovation, has a real upmarket feel; the bar in the lobby is a fantastic place to sit with other tourists or with your guides and chat through the days events or discuss the schedule for the next day over Pyongyang’s signature Taedonggang Beer.
The Yanggakdo has a couple of small supermarket-style shops selling everything from corned beef to medicine, so it’s really your oasis for local, and even some imported goods. The hotel is also home to a few souvenir shops, so if you haven’t found what you’re looking for out in Pyongyang, try the hotel shops and see what oddities you can find.
The Yanggakdo is certainly never boring; a hub for foreigners, both tourists and those on business, the hotel always has people coming and going. During the peak season over the summer, soak in the atmosphere of Pyongyang from the revolving restaurant or visit in winter and peer out over locals drilling through the Taedong river ice to catch fish.
The Yanggakdo Hotel’s rooms are slightly aged, but perfect for those looking to capture times gone by creating a real post-Soviet feel.
Koryo Hotel | 45 Floors, 500 Rooms
Located in the heart of downtown Pyongyang, the Koryo Hotel is one of the most distinctive buildings in Pyongyang’s skyline. A stunning dual-tower design connected in the middle by a “skybridge” (which is awesome, even if it’s not always open and accessible!).
Topping each tower is a pair of revolving restaurants commanding fantastic views of downtown Pyongyang and people going about their daily lives.
The hotel lacks the atmosphere of the Yanggakdo, although its location makes it ideal for those looking to head out on a walking tour of the city. Unlike it’s aforementioned counterpart, the hotel isn’t on an island or in any way secluded from the rest of the city – it’s situated just a short walk from the train station and much of Pyongyang is accessible by foot.
It also has a small perspex model if itself in the lobby. Which is cool, if a tad strange.
The Koryo boasts a mini-supermarketing selling goods from North Korea and a few other imported items and there are a few other commercial facilities dotted around the hotel along with the usual entertainments such as karaoke.
The rooms at the Koryo are what really distinguish this hotel from the Yanggakdo. They’re less worn and so feel slightly more plush and polished. Whilst it might make the rooms slightly less characterful, it really improves the comfort – ideal for those searching for a place to recuperate after a busy day on tour and one of the most popular of Pyongyang Hotels.
Pothonggang Hotel | 5 Floors, 170 Rooms
Many think of the Pothonggang as a more upper-class, exclusive hotel due to its smaller number of rooms and more central location compared to the more popular Yanggakdo Hotel.
The Pothonggang Hotel is located on the southern bank of the Potong River in west Pyongyang, just north of the Koryo Hotel. Built in 1973, the hotel recently gave up its ubiquitous pink exterior for a much more modern-style, sleek architectural design.
For those looking to stay outside of downtown Pyongyang, but still inside the city, the location of the hotel is perfect. The rooms at the Potonggang may be slightly reminiscent of a holiday inn with the design lacking some of the soviet-era character offered at some of their more famous alternatives, but overall, a very comfortable experience.
Sosan Hotel | 30 Floors, 465 Rooms
Situated on Pyongyang’s Sports Street (Chonchun Street), opened in 1989 for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, the hotel is a sports-themed monolith in southern Pyongyang.
Although it is considered by some to be a lower-starred budget alternative to some of the grander, more luxurious options offered in the nation’s capital, we feel that the Sosan is very much on par with these so-called classier alternatives.
A sporty alternative considered by the Koreans to be a budget-lower-starred option amongst Pyongyang Hotels, perhaps due to its renovation and redesign in 2015.
Outfitted with some “sports” bars, a few restaurants and a pleasant swimming pool, the Sosan is a very comfortable hotel with some very enjoyable amenities. Personally, I would recommend the Sosan’s Bulgogi Bibimbap if you’re looking to enjoy a meal during your stay; additionally, the seating area overlooking the main lobby makes for a nice rest area.
Compared to other hotels in the capital, the Sosan has some fantastic views. It’s location in southern Pyongyang means it looks out over a lesser-seen part of the city. The industrial heart of Pyongyang is situated around this area as well as less urban sites such as the Mangyongdae district, the birthplace of the President Kim Il Sung.
It’s even possible to go with your guides for an early-morning jog along sports street, and who knows, you could be running alongside some of the DPRK’s top athletes! The distinct tracksuit worn by Koreans aboard for sporting competitions is available for tourists to buy in the Sosan, the only place it’s available to buy them, so if you’re keen to pick one up for yourself, the Sosan is the place!
Ryanggang | 11 Floors, 303 Rooms
Another hotel built in 1989 for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students and located nearby the aforementioned Sosan Hotel on the southern end of Sports Street. Despite being a smaller hotel, the Ryanggang still commands excellent views of this little-seen region of the city.
Often the busiest budget option, what it lacks in modern style it makes up for with its unique character with a maze of corridors opening up to lavish restaurants, cosy bars and other quirky amenities.
While the rooms at the Ryanggang may be a little worn compared to its counterparts, this creates a real feel of a bygone era and is reminiscent of the late-period Soviet design and grandeur which the hotel aimed to emulate at the close of the 1980s. Despite this, the hotel has a distinctly Korean flare, perhaps a predecessor to future, more radical and more distinctly North Korean architecutural styles.
The hotel offers karaoke for guests, a cosy little bar in the reception and a few quirky souvenir stands and shops. Whilst the hotel may, at first, feel a little cold, the warm hospitality and friendly staff quickly rectify that.
A hotel very reminiscent of classic-era DPRK during the final days of the Soviet Union.
Changgwangsan Hotel | 18 Floors, 420 Floors
The only example of Pyongyang Hotels, that we’re aware of, with a distinctive propaganda slogan emblazoned along the frontage. Situated in central Pyongyang with fantastic views over the Pyongyang Ice Rink and the Pothong River, the Changgwangsan makes for quiet a pleasant stay.
The hotel boasts a pleasant coffee shop and has been recently renovated both on the inside and out, now featuring a glass façade and a much more modern interior. That being said, some rooms have been left untouched, such as the bar, which still has a rustic older feel to it.
Much like many other less-visited hotels, the Changgwangsan is very reminiscent of the Soviet Union; in this case, a cross between the USSR and your grandmother’s house!
With a large pool, a few quirky shops and a plethora of other amenities, there’s plenty to keep you occupied in the evening while staying at the Changgwangsan. That being said, western tourists rarely stay here, so don’t be surprised if you’re the only westerner checked in.
Only a stone’s throw from downtown Pyongyang and the impressive indoor stadium, the hotel is located perfectly for walking tours around the city, especially to the nearby Changgwangsan Health Complex and the Rakwon Department Store.
Chongnyon Hotel |30 Floors, 465 Rooms
Situated on the opposite end of Sports Street from the Sosan and Ryanggang Hotels, the Chongnyon, or Youth Hotel, sits on the junction between Sports Street and the major Kwangbok Street, one of Pyongyang’s arterial highways.
Entering the hotel, you’ll be greeted with a lobby located under a stunning glass dome, contrasting the brutalist architecture of the hotel’s exterior. Such architecture is starkly different from the style of the rest of Sports Street – many stadiums and buildings are designed in a distinctly modern style.
Another of Pyongyang hotels constructed to serve visitors and athletes during the 1989 World Festival, the hotel has a slight sports theme. Notably, the exterior includes columns designed to look like darts – an homage to the sporting heritage of the Chongnyon Hotel.
Packed full of quirky little shops, souvenir stands, a spa and a little burger establishment, the Chongnyon is certainly an intriguing place to stay, although, not often used by western visitors.
Despite the basic style of the rooms at the Chongnyon, it is again an example of Soviet-inspired design and harks back to the days of Brezhnev and Gorbachev. Access to Sports Street and to Kwangbok Street is a major plus – Kwangbok is home to important sites such as the Chilgol Revolutionary Site, Mangyongdae Schoolchildren’s Palace, Kwangbok Department Store and so much more. On top of all that, the street is packed with distinctive modernist architecture.