Seoul is a large city with many distinct neighbourhoods. Many first time travellers would find it a headache to decide which district they should stay in in Seoul. Although most travellers would often choose to stay in Myeong-dong, the other districts are also worth a consideration.
Insadong
Most people would say stay here if you enjoy culture and would like to be in close proximity to the palaces. Like many others, we also initially wanted to stay in Myeong-dong. However, considering the prices, we eventually chose to stay in Ibis Ambassador Hotel Insadong. It was a good choice in the end as we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the surrounding areas boasts great restaurants! They also have a complimentary shuttle service which would bring you to the nearby palaces and Myeong-Dong. Even though it was only a sending service, it added to the convenience! The metro was also only a 8-minute walk away.
One must definitely visit the boutiques, tea houses, and designer stores at Samcheong-dong!
Attractions in the area:
Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁), Changdeokgung (창덕궁), Bukchon Hanok Village (북촌한옥마을), Samcheong-dong (삼청동)
Myeong-Dong
Myeongdong is the place to stay if you are beauty shopaholic. Here, you can find all the Korean beauty brands where you can stock up on your masks and skincare products! Consider Ibis Ambassador Hotel Myeongdong located right in the heart of Myeongdong.
Attractions in the area:
Myeong-dong Street Market (명동거리), Myeongdong night market, Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골 한옥마을), Namdaemun Market (남대문시장), Namsan, N Seoul Tower
Dongdaemun
Dongdaemun is another area for shopaholics. Here, you can find many malls that sell korean fashion at affordable prices. An added bonus, many of the malls open till late! Some of these malls are also wholesale malls. So grab your best pals and go for a shopping trip at Dongdaemun! When you are tired, or have just too much to carry, head back to your hotel at ibis budget Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun.
Attractions in the area:
Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Night markets, Shopping malls
Seoul Station
Stay here if you are intending to make multiple day trips out of Seoul. It is also conveniently located two stops away from Myeongdong. Four Points by Sheraton Seoul is located a 5-minute walk away from the station.
Attractions in the area:
Namsan, N Seoul Tower, Lotte Mart
Gangnam
Gangnam is a fancy part of Seoul. Stay here if you would like to shop at the high-end stores and enjoy the luxurious services at these high-end hotels. Otherwise, a more reasonably-priced hotel is the Ibis Styles Ambassador Gangnam.
Attractions in the area:
Starfield Coex Mall
This post is part of our South Korea Travel Series, read also our other blog posts on:
Seoul:
Jeju:
Busan:
%20With%20LOGO.jpeg)