A guide to find the right guesthouse for you in Seoul
What is your go-to type of accommodations for travel? Mine is a guesthouse because it typically gives such a cozy and relaxing vibe that I can rest like in my own house. In Korea, however, booking a guesthouse can sometimes be challenging if you don’t understand housings here well. A friend of mine, first time visiting Korea, ended up staying in a poor-conditioned Goshiwon trying to book a budget stay. So here are some tips to find one that suits your needs.
Make sure it has all the facilities you need
Unlike hotels, guesthouses don’t have a standard of facilities and amenities they must meet. So make a list of must haves for you — does it have a private or shared bathroom? How are communal rooms like? If you cook, I recommend you check if the kitchen is well equipped. Equipment such as microwave, stove, pans and utensils are sometimes not provided because Koreans eat out or get food delivered a lot. If you don’t cook, check out if there are places to eat nearby. This brings us to the next most important thing to check for your guesthouse — the neighborhood.
Seoul Nooks has a perfect example of a kitchen with everything you need
Seoul is a big city where you can easily spend an hour on the road
That means picking a neighborhood with good transportation becomes very important if you don’t want to waste too much time moving from one place to another. There is no such thing as THE city center in Seoul, places to visit (Gangnam, Hongdae, Gyeongbokgung, etc.) are scattered around, 10km distance from each other on average. Area such as Seoul Station, located right in the middle of Seoul city, thus plays a part in being the transportation hub connecting north and south, west and east. It also has a rich cultural and historical background, with interesting local towns to discover. Namdaemun market, Namsan tower, trendy neighborhoods like Haebangchon and Itaewon are just around the corner. If you enjoy this part of Seoul, Seoul Nooks is the guesthouse you are looking for.
This article was written by Yejin, a digital nomad programmer who is keen to innovate education through technology. She’s staying at Seoul Nooks since November until her next destination: Bali, Indonesia.