For the following a part of my journey to Japan through Mongolia, I spent roughly 24 hours in Incheon Airport Terminal 1, as I used to be arriving from Ulaanbaatar in MIAT Mongolian Airways’ 737 enterprise class, and persevering with to Tokyo Narita in ZIPAIR’s 787 “full flat” product.
The excellent news is that the Walkherhill Transit Resort in Terminal 1 is a handy and cozy facility, superb for maximizing relaxation between flights. The dangerous information is that spending a full day within the terminal at Incheon Airport isn’t glamorous, regardless of the way you slice it. 😉
Now, logically you’re most likely asking your self why I’d spend 24 hours within the terminal. Effectively, I used to be arriving noon and departing noon the next day. Nevertheless, I wished to be airside within the terminal very early within the morning, in order that I might overview lounges (I all the time prefer to overview them once they first open, in order that I can get footage of lounges with out folks in them).
In mild of that, simply staying within the terminal appeared like the most suitable choice. In spite of everything, my purpose whereas on the bottom was primarily to get as a lot sleep as potential and to atone for work, and a terminal keep would enable me to do this, boring as it could sound. It wasn’t sensible to go all the best way to Seoul (the prepare doesn’t begin until later than I wanted within the morning), and I didn’t see an enormous benefit to staying at an airport resort exterior the terminal.
Reserving the Incheon Airport Transit Resort
The Walkerhill Transit Resort Incheon Airport Terminal 1 will be booked in quite a lot of blocks — you may e book stays beginning in six hour blocks, then there’s a day use price (8AM till 8PM), an evening use price (8PM till 8AM), and there’s a 24-hour use price (with the timing being versatile). I booked the 24-hour price, which value ~$140.
I assumed that was affordable for an in-airport transit resort, given how these resorts sometimes cost a premium for the comfort they provide.
While you e book a 24-hour price, it’s worthwhile to e-mail the resort and allow them to know the specified timings of your keep. My affirmation merely acknowledged the day I’d be checking in and testing, with no hours listed. However as soon as I emailed the resort with my affirmation, they had been in a position to block the right hours.
Incheon Airport Transit Resort location
The Walkerhill Transit Resort Incheon Airport Terminal 1 is situated close to gate 11. Understand that you’ll must be in transit and can want a sound boarding cross so as to have the ability to keep right here, because it’s within the sterile portion of the airport.
Close to gate 11, you’ll see an escalator main as much as the Transit Resort and Matina Lounge.
As soon as on the prime of the escalator, simply make a pointy left flip, and also you’ll see the doorway to the Matina Lounge straight forward, and the doorway to the Walkerhill Transit Resort to the suitable.
Incheon Airport Transit Resort foyer & check-in
The Walkerhill Transit Resort has a really fundamental foyer space, consisting of a room with 4 chairs, a reception desk, and a small enterprise middle to the facet, with a pc and printer. The check-in course of was environment friendly, and inside a minute I used to be given a key to my room.
Incheon Airport Transit Resort visitor room
From reception, there are automated double doorways resulting in the hallway the place you’ll discover the visitor rooms. I used to be assigned room 114, situated down the corridor and to the left.
I had booked a typical single room, marketed as being 18 sq. meters (~195 sq. toes). Clearly these are smaller than your typical resort rooms, however that’s to be anticipated in an airport transit resort facility.
On the plus facet, the room had a queen mattress, which I discovered to be extraordinarily snug, due to the mushy mattress. There was additionally a desk with one chair, in addition to a wall-mounted TV.
There have been two bottles of water subsequent to the mattress.
As you’ll discover, the room didn’t have any home windows. Okay, to some folks this will likely really feel a bit like a jail cell in that sense, nevertheless it labored out for me, given my unusual sleep schedule. I slept shortly upon arriving in my room, from 2PM till 9PM, after which I stayed up all evening working (I typically keep US hours when touring). The dearth of home windows nearly made me really feel higher about my bizarre schedule.
Again close to the doorway was the compact rest room, which had a sink, a bathroom, and a walk-in bathe.
The bathe was simply separated from the remainder of the lavatory by a half defend, so the water from the bathe simply sprayed into the remainder of the lavatory.
Toiletries had been in wall-mounted containers, and had been from Geneva Inexperienced (which appears to be a model particularly for resorts).
For a transit resort, I assumed this was fairly a pleasant room. Now, as a selective germaphobe, I form of want the room didn’t have carpet, since I can’t think about how soiled that’s, with the variety of folks and luggage which might be dragged by means of the room. Fortuitously the resort offered slippers, so I used these when strolling across the room.
Incheon Airport Transit Resort gymnasium
The Walkerhill Transit Resort has a small gymnasium, which can be utilized each day between 7AM and 9PM (I feel that restriction is to restrict noise at evening). It is a tremendous fundamental facility, with a motorcycle, some free weights, and a bench. It’s higher than nothing, however that’s about it.
Incheon Airport Transit Resort eating
Whereas the Walkerhill Transit Resort doesn’t have a restaurant, the Matina Lounge is situated proper subsequent door, and it’s open each day from 7AM till 9:3OPM. Whereas that is technically a lounge, it’s a singular idea, because it feels a complete lot extra like a restaurant than a lounge. The lounge simply consists of eating seating, plus a big buffet with worldwide meals.
You should buy entry to the lounge for $39, or alternatively you may entry the lounge with Precedence Cross, in order that’s additionally possibility.
Because you’re within the terminal, you after all have entry to a lot of different eating choices, so there’s no scarcity of alternatives to purchase meals. Most stuff does shut in a single day, although there’s a 24/7 Starbucks, which stored me caffeinated at evening.
Backside line
The Walkerhill Transit Resort is a handy possibility for getting some relaxation at Incheon Airport Terminal 1. The resort has snug rooms and a small gymnasium, although there’s not a lot else to the property. If in case you have an extended layover at Incheon and wish to sleep, that is the place to be. After all ideally I’d’ve executed one thing extra enjoyable on such an extended layover, however I had my causes.
What do you make of the Walkerhill Transit Resort Incheon Airport?
