Nuwa: Guesthouse in Seoul

In the Korean capital, this micro guesthouse, Nuwa, offers an unconventional moment of relaxation where time stands still.

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Hidden tranquility

Nuwa is a very confidential guesthouse located between two red brick buildings, behind a wooden door, at the end of a narrow alley in the historic Jongno-gu district, north of the bustling capital Seoul.

Originally it was a traditional Korean hanok house, with poor insulation and waterproofing, which was renovated and transformed in 2019 by the South Korean studio Z_Lab. According to the architect, the house was built on the concept of Wayu. In the Korean language, Wayu is the act of rest and tourism.

Nuwa has only one room arranged on a surface of a little less than 30 sqm. This sophisticated location is a cocoon of serenity, decorated in a minimalist style with light colors and natural materials. The open-plan space, with a hushed atmosphere, is divided into three areas: a sleeping area, a living room-kitchen-dining room, and a bathroom. The space is arranged in the simplest fashion – nothing is irrelevant – with a smooth concrete floor, a slightly raised bed in the alcove, a hanging clothes rack, a wooden bench in a cosy reading corner dressed with cream-colored cushions, shelves containing a teapot and cups for the tea ritual, a large walnut table with a rough stone base, and a built-in bathtub. Additional laundry facilities have been hidden behind a door on the other side of the house. The dark wood furniture echoes the beams in the ceiling, complimented and contrasted by rattan cabinets and pale fabrics. The huge bedroom window, round like a porthole, offers a view of the top of Inwangsan Hill.

Nuwa has a mini landscaped garden with a wooden bench to admire the low-lying trees and stones.

Nuwa is an exclusive experience to relax body and mind.