The South Korean capital is one of the largest cities on the planet and there are so many areas to stay, making it a bit difficult to choose. We could divide the city in two; the part above the river and the bottom part. Although what I recommend is that you stay at the top of the Yeouido-Dong river. The upper part has the vast majority of tourist attractions such as most of the Palaces, museums, the Bukhansan National Park, markets... In the lower part, for the most part, you will find modern neighborhoods such as Gangnam and despite the fact that there you will find some of the essential It is the "less attractive" area touristically speaking.
In this post I tell you about the best areas and neighborhoods to stay in Seoul and I add some great accommodation options.
The first thing you should keep in mind is that Seoul is a city that is very well connected by the subway. The area where you stay does not matter much, as long as you have a nearby metro stop. I recommend having a stop that includes the blue, green or orange line. Although if not, you can always transfer.
The best part of the city where to stay in Seoul is the upper part of the river. As I mentioned before, there you have the vast majority of tourist attractions and although you will have to take the metro to get to all of them, you will have less time for transfers and transport. In addition, on many occasions you can walk.
On the contrary, if you choose the lower part of the city, you will have the opportunity to stay in large or more luxurious hotels, but you will be much further from the center. So you will spend more time in transfers and transport.
WHERE TO STAY IN SEOUL: Best areas and hotels
Dongdaemun Design Plaza and its surroundings
This is one of the best communicated areas by metro. Specifically, the entire Euljiro avenue. In addition to having very good communication, you can walk around the Dongdaemun area, you can take a walk in Cheonggyencheon-ro at dusk or go eat something at Gwangjang Market, one of the best street food markets in Seoul.
Some great options for where to stay in and around Dongdaemun Design Plaza:
Insadong, an area surrounded by Palaces where to stay in Seoul
The main attractions of Seoul are its five great palaces. And staying in Insadong is a great idea since you have practically all of them within a few metro stops or even walking.
It is a quiet neighborhood, but with many services such as cafes, restaurants, art galleries, shops... Although I think the first option has more charm, without a doubt, this neighborhood is one of the best options where to stay in the capital of South Korea.
Some great options where to stay in Insadong, Seoul:
Bukchon Hanok Village, the perfect area to live a traditional experience while staying in Seoul
This neighborhood is one of the most welcoming and essential in Seoul. It is full of traditional houses. The neighborhood is full of historic coffee shops and tea shops, craft shops and small restaurants.
In this area there are no large accommodations. The "hotels" in this area are mostly guest houses or small boutique hotels.
Some great accommodation options in Bukchon Hanok Village:
Gangnam, a great alternative where to stay south of Seoul
The southern part of the river is characterized by its modernity and luxury. And although it is an area far from the most essential places to see in Seoul, this area has many luxury hotels at reasonable prices, shopping centers, cosmetic surgery clinics... You must bear in mind that it will take about 30 minutes by subway to get to Seoul Station (at the top of the river) and a few more minutes to reach the sights.
Some great options where to stay in Gangnam, Seoul:
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I hope you enjoy your trip to South Korea a lot and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!