Where can I swim laps in Seoul?
October 6, 2013 12:23 PM   Subscribe

Can you recommend a clean, reasonably priced pool for lap swimming in Seoul?

I am going to Seoul for the first time for a week for a conference and a bit of tourism. For the health of my heart, lungs and lumbar spine I would like to find a pool to swim laps.

I want clean facilities, towel service if possible, easy to get to (from hotel in Gangnam, or conference at COEX), and cheap admission.

I've read a little bit about baths in Seoul, but I wonder if they are used for lap swimming.

Please feel free to drop in any other recommendations for Seoul, especially if they are near the pool.
posted by KevCed to Travel & Transportation around Seoul, South Korea (6 answers total)
 
Your hotel should realistically have a pool, but if not you could try the Gangnam YMCA. I'm not sure about whathours are available to the public, but a bit of Googling should figure it out.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:10 PM on October 6, 2013


Response by poster: YMCA looks like it could work, but I will need to have a Korean coworker help me find the hours and fees.

I forgot to mention. I have seen that the Olympic park has a pool that's available for lap swimming 1-4pm, but that is not very convenient for me given my daily conference obligations.
posted by KevCed at 4:09 PM on October 6, 2013


An expat friend of mine who lives there searched for this for a very long time and ended up making a deal with one of the big hotels (Hilton or somesuch) for pool privileges. I think going with a hotel is your best bet. Will yours not have one? Might be worth it to book at a hotel that does, even if it's more expensive.
posted by danny the boy at 4:10 PM on October 6, 2013


Response by poster: Unfortunately my hotel will not have one. I agree that it would be more convenient. Many reviews for hotels that are both in my price range, and in convenient locations tend to imply their pools are for wading or relaxing either by their size, or from the presence of loungers and swim up bars.

I found this list of swimming pools in Seoul, but I am still hoping for a AskMe personal recommendation for cleanliness, lockers, towel service etc. These details have been hard to find on Google.

My next move will be asking a Korean colleague to call around for me to confirm some details.
posted by KevCed at 6:04 PM on October 6, 2013


From my buddy (who does laps for exercise):
I didn't look too hard. I go to Grand Hilton pool. It's somewhat close to us, but not central. I've heard Millennium Hilton across from Seoul Station has a good pool though I've never been
posted by danny the boy at 6:35 PM on October 6, 2013


Response by poster: Thanks for all the replies. I got back from Korea yesterday. Amazing country, I highly recommend visiting Seoul.

I called up one of the big hotels (Grand Hyatt) and the daily fee was around $35. I went to the Sports Complex (former Olympic park) one metro stop away from my conference center and managed to swim laps for $4.
posted by KevCed at 8:43 AM on October 25, 2013


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