Where to stay

There is no shortage of great neighborhoods to stay in when visiting Seoul for the first time. Giving a definitive answer as to where you should stay is difficult because I truly could recommend so many different parts of the city, so I believe that the location of your accommodation should be dependent on what your goals for the trip are. I personally have stayed in Myeongdong, Insadong, Dongdaemun, Cheongdam, Anguk, and Yeongdeungpo, and amongst each of these, the only one that I probably wouldn’t recommend for a first-time or solo visitor would be Yeongdeungpo. The area itself is nice and the hotel I stayed at was quite luxurious (the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul), but it is less convenient to get to and from the sites you will likely be visiting via the metro system.

Here are my accommodation suggestions for each of the neighborhoods I would recommend staying in as a first-time visitor: (*note- any hotel starred with an asterisk is one I have personally stayed in; all others are ones I have saved and are highly rated).

Anguk, Seochon, & Bukchon area (hanok villages & cultural significance):

There aren’t many hotels in this area, but you should consider renting a hanok on Airbnb here for at least one night during your trip. There are endless hanoks (traditional homes) available for rent in these areas, so I would suggest browsing the website. Here is a short article I wrote several years ago about a hanok I stayed at in Seochon* which was beautiful. These can be quite expensive, but the experience is well worth it if you can make it work with your budget.

Myeongdong & Insadong (great for central convenience):

Itaewon (known to be foreigner-friendly, still central):

Gangnam (luxury hotels & stores; slightly worse public transportation options):

Seongsu & Seoul Forest area (trendy, walkable district):

Hongdae (foreigner friendly; nightlife-heavy):

Other areas:

If you are planning on staying for an extended period of time, then I would suggest finding an Airbnb or BnB-style accommodation instead. When I spent a whole year living in month-long Airbnb’s in 2023-2024, I spent a month in Seoul at a BnB-style accommodation near Dongdaemun Design Plaza (HAH Guesthouse* – linked here). If you are not opposed to sharing common spaces with other travelers (you have your own room and bathroom but share the kitchen and laundry spaces), then I would absolutely recommend staying here. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have actually stayed two other times since. It is significantly cheaper than renting an entire apartment on Airbnb and is extremely quiet while being in a good location; honestly, it really felt more like a small hotel than anything else. There are four cats that were taken in by the owner and live at the property, so be aware of that if you’re allergic (in my case, it was a literal dream come true).

Seoul has endless neighborhoods and hotels to stay in, but hopefully this helps narrow down your options slightly. You really can’t go wrong anywhere you stay in the city, and Seoul’s metro system is so widespread and easy to navigate that where you sleep shouldn’t dictate what you are able to accomplish on your trip.

For more information on how to best spend a trip to Seoul, please visit my complete destination guide to the city on my Substack.

You'll Also Love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *