Mastering Accommodation for Your Korea Trip: A Guide to Hotels, Guesthouses and Hanok Stays

Translated from the Korean original.

Mastering Accommodation in Korea: From Hotels to Hanok Stays

On a trip to Korea, choosing where to stay means more than just finding a bed. The place you pick changes the whole mood and feel of the trip. We have broken the options down by type so you can find the stay that best fits your budget, your location and your travel style.

Hanok Stays — Feeling Korean Tradition With Your Whole Body

Around Bukchon Hanok Village in Seoul, Jeonju Hanok Village and Hwangnidan-gil in Gyeongju you will find lodgings converted from traditional hanok houses. Spend a night in a hanok with wooden pillars, a tiled roof and a courtyard and it feels like slipping back several hundred years into the Joseon era.

Recommended hanok stays: The hanok guesthouses of Bukchon in Seoul are a 10-minute walk from Gyeongbokgung Palace. Jeonju Hanok Village has more than 100 hanok lodgings packed together, so the choice is wide. Prices run about KRW 60,000–150,000 per person.

Guesthouses — The Travelers’ Living Room

With everything from dormitory beds in the KRW 10,000–30,000 range to private rooms at KRW 40,000–80,000, guesthouses are the go-to choice for backpackers and solo travelers. They cluster in well-connected spots such as Hongdae, Itaewon, Myeongdong and Sinchon.

The biggest appeal of a guesthouse is meeting other travelers. You can cook for yourself in the shared kitchen, which also helps keep food costs down. Bukchon Guesthouse, Hongdae Inno Guesthouse and Kim’s Guesthouse in Itaewon all get high marks from foreign visitors.

Business Hotels — The Balance of Value and Convenience

Mid-range business hotels such as Lotte City Hotel, Novotel and ibis run about KRW 80,000–150,000 a night and give you comfortable facilities and a good location at the same time. Many sit near Myeongdong, Gangnam and Hongdae, which makes public transport easy.

Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong in particular connects on foot to the Myeongdong shopping streets, which makes it the best location for shopping trips. ibis Styles Seoul Myeongdong is popular with younger travelers for its reasonable price and modern interior.

Airbnb & Short-Term Apartment Rentals

If you plan to stay a week or longer, or you are traveling as a group, Airbnb or a short-term rental apartment works out cheaper. They come with kitchen facilities so you can cut food costs sharply, and getting to experience a real Korean living space is a big draw of its own.

Booking Tips

• Naver Hotel: Korea-focused accommodation comparison, especially strong for searching pensions and hanok stays
• Yanolja / Yeogi Eottae: Apps for motel and hotel deals inside Korea. Same-day booking discounts are often large
• Booking.com / Airbnb: Easy card payment for foreign visitors and English-language support
• In peak season (spring cherry blossoms, autumn foliage, the Chuseok and Seollal holidays) booking at least one to two months ahead is essential

Whatever price bracket you pick, Korean accommodation tends to be high in cleanliness and service across the board. Choose a stay that matches the purpose of your trip and your budget, and your satisfaction with Korea goes up considerably. 🏨