PLANNING YOUR FACT-FINDING TRIP - Living Abroad in South Korea - page 72

Practicalities
Almost any South Korean town will have an adequate range of accommodations available
for various budgets, though some places obviously have a lot more choice than others. Gen-
erally, accommodations can be divided into a few major camps—luxury hotels, which are,
with a few exceptions, found only in major cities and cost around 150,000 won per night
and up; “tourist-class” hotels, roughly equivalent to a three-star hotel in the United States,
which are more widespread and start at about 70,000 won; and lower-end “love hotels” or
yeogwan (inns). The former get their name because they're often used by couples in search
of privacy, but they aren't necessarily sleazy; some are in fact cleaner and better-appointed
than the aforementioned tourist-class lodgings. Rates start at around 30,000 won per night.
Homestays or guesthouses, known as minbak, are also a possibility, although they are com-
mon only outside of urban areas.
Hotels are generally similar to those in Western countries, although at many you may
be given the option of an ondol (Korean-style) room, where you sleep on a soft mat on the
floor. Rates are often hiked on weekends and holidays, but at other times it may well be
possible to negotiate the rates downward.
SEOUL
Accommodations
In a city with a lot of top-class hotels, the stylish W Hotel (175 Achasan-gil, Gwangjin-
gu, tel. [phone], www.wseoul.com , doubles from 235,000 won) is widely viewed as
the best, or, with its futuristic design touches and popular lounge, at least the most inter-
esting, but it is a fair distance from the city center. Giving it some new competition in the
eye-catching stakes is the colorful IP Boutique Hotel (737-32 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu,
tel. [phone], www.ipboutiquehotel.com , doubles from 200,000 won) which enjoys
a choice perch on the main Itaewon drag. For more local flavor try Rakkojae (98 Gye-
dong, Jongno-gu, tel. [phone], http://rkj.co.kr , from 250,000 won including break-
fast and dinner) in the historic and very central Bukchon area, which rents out snug
rooms in a beautifully restored hanok (Korean house). The Fraser Suites (272 Nagwon-
dong, Jongno-gu, tel. [phone], http://seoul.frasershospitality.com , one-bedroom units
from 200,000 won) serviced apartment complex in Insa-dong is a good choice for long-
term stays or visitors with families. Cheap but still reasonably cheerful options include
the homey Namsan Guesthouse (50-1 Namsan-dong 2-ga, Jung-gu, tel. [phone],
www.namsanguesthouse.com , doubles from 50,000 won), or, in the student-heavy Hongdae