Cheap Hotels In Seoul

[Ryan]

I'll be visiting Seoul and will need a cheap hotel (under $100 usd/night) for two nights . preferably somewhere in a central location, easy access to public trans, airport shuttle etc. TIA

wha?http://www.livejournal.com/users/dorien/

[savage]

love hotels are the cheapest.

$30-40 a night maybe.

though not too many'frills'.. maybe big screen tv, and internet.

I would try to stay away from itaewon (aka Shit-aewon) though... but thats just personal preference.

apkujon has some good looking hotels though i don't know how much they cost.

[ichiroflex]

Hey man,

Yeah i def agree with Savage as Itaewon is wacked...full of US military and just not a true representation of Seoul.

Apku-Jong is an awesome area with the best shopping, bars and clubs but i think most of the hotels run pretty high...even the Love hotels.

I would try Gangnam area which is basically the business district but def bustlin with heaps to do. There is a Novotel which is probably about 100 bucks (actually might be a lil more but not much).

Gangnam or Kangnam station is about a 3 minute walk and the buses from the airport drop off at all the hotels in the area.

You could also try Priceline and see how you do. I once landed the InterContinental at COEX which is about 10 minutes from Gangnam for about 110 a night and it's a 5 star hotel...that being said i'm back there in a week and its costing me twice that so it really just depends upon how lucky you are ... good luck and enjoy Seoul!!!

one life

[savage]

if you can land at the 'InterContenential' that would be THE BOSS! It's hooked right up to the COEX, a huge mall and main center for movies if you get bored. Kangnam is cool... nice place to eat and drink though shopping leaves something to be desired.

Hey Ichiroflex.. which interconential did you stay at.. apparently there are two of them, and both are connected to the COEX. Go figure huh? I ha da banquet to go to and ended up going to the wrong one and had to walk through the mall all dressed up. So, are you staying at the same one this time - maybe your at the nicer one?

[ichiroflex]

Savage,

Na i'm staying at just the Intercontinental which faces the Temple side. The "Grand" Intercontinental is on the other side which you found out afer your walk..haha..dont worry i think everybody makes that mistake! The Grand is supposedly nicer but i just stayed at a "Grand" in Yokohama and it actually was horrible, despite an amazing facade and structure to the building the amenities were run of the mill.

I'm just happy i'm staying at COEX cause as you said heaps to do there and some cheap quality restaurants so my stomach is eagerly awaiting me gettin there!

Do you live in Seoul at the moment?

one life

[savage]

yeah. I live in Daechi-dong, Kangnam. Actually the COEX is like a 10 min walk north from my house. I've lived here for about 4 months now. I like this area a lot - easily accessable to a lot of places, and if i need to take a cab somewhere, it's usually pretty cheep.

what are you goin to be doin in seoul? business or something?

If you need any help finding something, or what up let me know ;p

[Ryan]

thanks for the information guys

i found a place here 2 DOSUNG DONG SUNGDONG GU - SEOUL, KOREA REPUBLIC OF 133040

near hanyang university. my friend says its in the northern part of seoul. any opinions on how the area is and how accesible it is from the airport? TIA

wha?http://www.livejournal.com/users/dorien/

[ichiroflex]

Ryan- Not sure bout that area man...Savage should be able to give you the low down however the whole of Seoul is pretty accesible via trains. From the airport you should catch a bus which will take you to the area.

Savage- Yeah I'm hitting up Seoul for business, i design toys and work with a team over here so i think this is about my 10th trip as i come about 3 times a year. I love Seoul although i still basically talk zero Korean which makes it hard at times when i'm not with my colleagues. Do you speak Korean? I've tried so many times to learn and man it does my head in..Japanese is waaaaaaaaaaay easier!

I haven't ever made it to Boon the shop but keep hearing good things, is it worthwhile checking out? Ive got Wednesday of next week off work and am trying to work out where i should go...any tips would be greatly appreciated!

one life

[savage]

Ok RYAN - i've been looking through my books cause i didn't know where you, were staying. your in the north east section, but not outside the main city which is good. a cab would be pretty expensive, but if your comapny is paying thats cool. if ur paying then thats another story... you can take he subway... no maybe not. ? i'm not sure if the subway goes there... i know you can take the airport bus, which is how i usually get there, you'll have to see which one goes to your location. you might want to see if the airport has a pick-up service. that would be the easiest and least stressful. (i've had many long bus rides not knowing if i was going the rigth way or how long it would take)....

ICHIROFLEX - wow sounds like a nice set up, at your job. what kind of toys? like toy2r/ kidrobot stuff? i've been here for about a year and a half and i can speak korean - like food, directions, and small conversation - but i can't read or things liek that - which is pretty sad considering reading korean is supposed to be easy.. but just haven't time to sit down and do it yet. but i get by pretty well. actually last time i was here i started to learn japanese too heee hee.

I trieed to go to Changdam 2 weeks ago, and walked out of the subway and couldn't find the shopping area. I asked some girls, but they pointed me to COEX, so that didn't help. I'm gonna call today and get directions to BOON.

tips on where to go: what do u want to do? i like:

Ewha womens university - they got some cool stuff there.. shopping, piercing stores, University crowd.

Apkujon has the best stores for cool stuff though.

let me know.

if u wanna meet up for a drink er something too let me know... i like to hear more about what u do... i'm a teacher now, so i can travel, but i'm a designer in my real life.

[ichiroflex]

Savage- Yeah no complaints about my job as it keeps me off the streets thats for sure! I wish it was vinyl kidrobot type of stuff but it's actually plush toy designs. I also do designer pet products, toys,collars,bedding, accessories etc... Same company but just a different division. We have lots of designers however i'm the "Ideas man" and generally have the final say on a products design.

No way could i ever learn to read Hangul although yeah it's meant to be the most basic language in the world because it was written by some scholars who apparently made it so any smuck could learn...well they obviously never met someone like me!! I know how to read one word in Korean and that's Ke-kor-gi or however it's called...dog meat that is!

I actually also tried to find Boon the shop and couldnt find it...

Apkujong i love and will def go there at some stage but i don't think i've ever been to the Ewha womens university but i like the sounds of it so will probably hit that up.

Yeah would be cool to meet up for a drink at some stage but i'm not positive of my schedule..probably have Wednsday night off if your around? My cell phone doesnt work in Korea so i wont give you that...but send me a message in the superprivate section and i'll give you my other details or give me your number and i'll give you a holla when i get into Seoul.

one life

[savage]

ok cool. will do.

I found BOON. it's actually in Apkujon. around the Galleria mall.

If you are facing Galleria mall. Walk down the main road, to the right, (with the Galleria on your left) towards the Galleria Luxary mall - AKA away from Apkujon station. Walk to the 'En Frany Building' and make a RIGHT. Go straight maybe 300m. You will pass the old boon store on your way to the new one. It's located across from 'On The Rock' Chinese Restaurant.

ill give you my info. if u want to meet up. I work unitl 10pm... so we have to meet after that.. but can discuss tht later...

[ichiroflex]

Hey thanks for the info Savage. I look forward to finding it this time!

I emailed you my details.

one life

[Ryan]

http://www.asiarooms.com/south_korea/seoul/astoria.html

^ hows the area where this hotel is?

"Astoria Hotel is located at the central core of Seoul. It's nearby Nam-san surrounded by shopping areas such as Myong-dong, Itaewon and Namdaemoon open Market.We have great course to take a walk and for jogging from our hotel to Mt. Nam.Our convenient location can make your

shopping, business and entertainment easier. We are looking forward to serving you with our sincerity."

wha?http://www.livejournal.com/users/dorien/

[savage]

hey man -

not sure exactly how to get around that area, but if your close to all that stuff it should be good. just watch out for hotel propaganda.. cause sometimes you expect to be closer to things that you really are... Myongdong, NAmdeumun are like 20min walking distance apart - but that is a little ways from Nam san park.. maybe you email them ane see how you can get to the attactions u want ot see.

oh, this is by chungmaor sta.. yeah - thats a pretty central station.

[leftsider]

Last time I was in Seoul I stayed in the Emerald Motel....A love motel, but spectacular for the price. Big TV, DVD player (free movies at the desk), Computer w/ internet in the room. Hardwood floors w/ondol heating (a + for me).....all around nice. 30-35k won per night.

Near the uber-cool Fraser Suites(http://www.fraserhospitality.com/frasercolln/seoulsuites.asp), It's kind of a pain to find; but ask someone; it's worth it. Right in Insadong, which is the near the center of the Seoul. 1 minute walk to Jongno 3-ga subway station, which connects you to three main lines (1,3,&5).

Insadong is a trendy mix of traditional culture and modern materialism. You can find a traditional artists' shop next to a modern furniture gallery. Yet just off the track of the nighttime throngs.

I need to have it now

Five minutes of infants' dream

I need to shut it down

In five minutes I'll be completely disconnected

Edited by leftsider on Apr 29, 2005 at 08:14 AM

[mambocat]

in seoul, essentially your choices are either hotels (200 and up) or 'love hotels' (60-70), so named because they're usually used for the illicit rendez-vous (and thus rented out in half-days as well). don't let that put you off too much though, they're usually quite decent.

if you want to stay sub-100, your best bet is to look into love hotels in the gangnam area - the newer part of seoul. most love hotels tend to be clean and well-equipped - just as long as you can get past the rather gaudy design. downtown seoul (near city hall) tends to be a bit older in general and thus the love hotels are as well.

many of them are registered with worldinn.com, a collective listing of lodgings that the seoul city govt came up with for the 2002 world cup. specifically look near yeoksam, gangnam, and seollung stations (all on subway line 2, the circle line).