Everyone tells you to book in advance. Nobody tells you how to decide what to book.
For a three-week trip in a city as large and varied as Seoul, the accommodation decision is actually a strategic one. Where you stay shapes what your days look like, how much you spend on transport, and fundamentally how the city feels to you while you are in it.
Understanding Seoul’s neighbourhoods
Seoul is enormous. The metropolitan area is home to over 25 million people. The neighbourhoods have distinct identities and knowing which one you want to base yourself in before you book is important.
Hongdae is the university district. Young, vibrant, full of street art and independent cafes and live music. It never fully sleeps. If you want the energy and do not mind the noise, this is where you want to be.
Insadong is quieter and more traditional. Art galleries, tea houses, craft shops. It sits near some of the major palaces. If you want to be close to the historical parts of the city without the full tourist-hotel experience, this area is worth considering.
Myeongdong is the shopping district. Convenient and central but it will cost you more for less interesting surroundings.
Mapo and Yeonnam-dong are increasingly popular for a reason. Independent restaurants, coffee shops with personality, a slightly slower pace. These are the neighbourhoods that feel like real Seoul to me when I watch them in films.
What I am comparing
I am looking at guesthouses and small boutique hotels rather than large international chains. The chains are fine but they could be anywhere. I want to wake up and know I am in Seoul.
For three weeks I am also considering an apartment rental, which at a weekly rate is often significantly cheaper than hotel nights and gives you a kitchen, which matters when you are somewhere for long enough that eating every single meal out becomes both expensive and exhausting.
What I have not decided yet
The neighbourhood. I am still going back and forth between the energy of Hongdae and the character of Yeonnam-dong. I will make the decision once I have the flights confirmed because the proximity to the airport transport also matters.
I will share exactly where I book and why, and then I will tell you after whether it was the right call.
