Great, affordable accommodation in Seoul, Bed and Breakfast
Great, affordable accommodation in Seoul, Bed and Breakfast
Bed and Breakfasts are probably one of the best deals on accommodation you can get in Seoul.
My Korean friend Ara explained this to me – it’s basically subletting the units a local South Korean rents. For example, if I’ve got a place of my own, I could combine with friends to rent out an extra apartment to sublet to travellers for extra income.
Pick the BnBs with good reviews – they are bound to be clean and safe. Price wise it’s about half the price of a hotel in Seoul, and perhaps 30% more expensive than a hostel. Most importantly, you get that interaction with local South Koreans, and a feel of the way they live. Some hosts will even go out-of-the-way to give you recommendations and tips on the best eating and shopping places around. It’s Korean hospitality at its heart : )
There are a couple of websites you should check out. I’d recommend AirBnB.
AirBnB is a website that’s really easy to use. It’s all in English, the interface is simple and all the important information about the BnB is there.
If you like a recommendation, my friend runs a cosy BnB in the heart of Seoul (Hongdae): https://www.airbnb.com.sg/rooms/448653
For SGD67/ USD54, you get an apartment to yourself. It’s not the biggest, but it should suffice for a couple of weeks, especially since a hotel room will be much smaller.
My friend’s BnB comes with home appliances such as a microwave oven, a stove and even a washing machine, making it really convenient if you stay there for long. It’s located in Hongdae, (pretty much the coolest place in Seoul) with its cosy cafes and great eateries. Definitely worth checking out.
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We used BnB Hero to book our accommodation in Seoul – http://www.bnbhero.com/rooms/2965
The location is quite convenient – a 5 minute walk away from the Mangwon metro station. Initially, we had a little problem locating the accommodation. We expected it to be a homestay, as described on the website, but it’s actually a hotel which is used mainly by locals. Fortunately, my friend had her GPS on and we located it without much hassle. The receptionist doesn’t speak much English, but after some hand gestures, we finally get to our room.
It cost my friend and I SGD70/ USD56 a night.
It’s a simple room which looks pretty much like the pictures on the website – the room looks much larger that it was in the picture, and comes equipped with a PC which you can use to check your emails and browse the web. It’s quite an irony because there is no Wifi in the room, so we had to go to a 7’11 store to tap on the wi-fi to receive Whatsapp messages.
There is a nice big TV – I think it must be at least 42 inches for a small room. The toilet is small but clean and the taps and showers have warm water.
A housekeeper tidies our room daily and refills the complimentary bottles of water (that’s quite a nice touch).
Breakfast is not provided but we were happy to get that on our own. It’s just like a hotel, only cheaper.
Good luck with your search and feel free to check in if you have questions!
