Korean Job Discussion Forums

[sojourner1]

How do you secure something below the $100 to $400 a night range? $50 a night is what I want to pay. I can't believe all these reviews saying $150 a night in Seoul is cheap. I couldn't fathom paying that much for a bed and shower. 4 nights of that room would buy you a high quality bed or pay 1 months rent on a place with a kitchen. I didn't like Seoul Backpackers after they moved to a new location about a year ago. Instead of $17/night dorm room, it's tiny single rooms for $40/night with all these stupid rules and a direct threat to throw you out if you break them. I just don't want to show up around 7PM Christmas Eve trying to rent a motel from adjummas who can't speak English or do anything as I've tried that before and it didn't work out too well. I want a place in Itaewon that's walking distance from the bars and restaurants or at least something not too far away. OK, many of you talk trash on that place, but it's great to visit for a few days if you live in the sticks.

[definitely maybe]

if you want to be within walking distance of itaewon, you'll have to accept your surroundings. there's a crappy motel up on hooker hill that i've never even considered checking out. there's also a motel over by the mcdonalds. i believe those are pretty cheap. most everything else, at least to my knowledge, is going to cost closer to a minimum of 100,000 won. i'm curious about "all these stupid rules" you've mentioned.

if i were you, i'd get a cheaper place over by myeongdong or chungmuro. hell, maybe even jongno. kind of far, but nothing crazy. then again, i've never had any trouble getting a room anywhere in korea. good luck!

[sojourner1]

Oh, the Seoul backpackers has a no eating and drinking in the room rule. If they catch you, then you're out without refund. I thought that was quite unreasonable, because we're adults paying 40,000 won for a room smaller than a typical 20,000 won a night yeogwon room. It's just hard to rent yeogwons since those old ladies often won't do business with us. It's a tiny bed in a tiny room with a tiny tiny window though has a bathroom. And the heat or A/C doesn't work when you're out so that takes a while to get going.

I can understand having a rule of no loud drinking parties. Besides, the rule also is no guests of any sort so you would even be up there with anyone in the first place. I thought they were overly strict.

[tefain]

There's not much in Itaewon in the way of cheap lodging, compared to other places. I'm not saying it isn't there, but if was going to spend less than 50,000 on a room, I would look at some of the love motels around Samgakji. The rooms are decent for the money, and you're close to Itaewon.

[sojourner1]

[Ultimo Hombre]

I stayed t one of these places in Jongno/Insadong area. It had a bathroom in each room, tv, small fridge. It's not too far from Itaewon. Check em out.

http://www.hostels.com/kr.se.html

[Beeyee]

[tefain]

[maingman]

http://www.hotelwide.com/english/main.asp

http://innostel.visitseoul.net/eng/main/main.php?v_lang=eng


Here is a link for the YMCA in Seoul:
http://www.ymca.or.kr/hotel/eng/index_eng.html

It's the only hostel name I know of, but it isn't a hostel it's a hotel.


Here's a link for hostel booking online: http://www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/south-korea/seoul/

Lonely Planet lists 40 places to stay in Seoul including homestays. They also have a list for Busan. Checkout : http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/ Burt from the names listed they could be a bit pricey.


Here's a list of hostels around the country : http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AC/AC_EN_4_1_1.jsp?recommCid=&areaCode=&category=B02010600&menuId=3383&byclass=&gotoPage=2&#selectBox

kyha.or.kr 02-410-2114

guesthouseinkorea.com 02-3675-2205

[qwerty]

you can try seoul youth hostel. it's in namsan.
business room for 60,000 and dorm room for 19,000
http://www.seoulyh.go.kr/english/main.htm

[D.D.]

Seoul and Busan and every other place in Korea is covered in love motels that are 40-60 a night.

They are nice rooms with huge a huge tv and some other interesting items.

All the ones I have been at have been nice and clean. I never pre-book.

[sojourner1]

It was impossible to actually secure a guaranteed room reservation. Since December 16th, I was trying to book rooms on Asiarooms.com and hotelwide.com, but never getting a handled confirmation email;only emails stating my requests were successfully received. A couple days ago, I booked the Hamilton and called hotelwide.com who said it was a GO, but I never officially got my confirmation email saying the request was handled. So this morning I called hotewide.com back and she says, "sorry, all the rooms in Seoul are sold out until the end of the month." I was polite and everything so I told her that you could upgrade the software to properly work so it can tell people nothing is available instead of stringing them along since all along I thought I had a room and now I don't. She couldn't even offer an expensive option such as the Ritz or Hilton at my request, because I wanted a place to go directly to without any stress. She said nothing is available and had hoped it would be to fill at least one of my numerous attempts at a reservation and apologized for making me so uncomfortable. I told her Merry Christmas.

Thanks Tefain, I'm just going to walk in those motels tonight. If they turn me away, then I'll try walking into a jimjilbang. If they turn me away, the I'll go warm a seat in a subway station. Hopefully I don't have to resort to nothing, but I understand there's really not much (if anything) available and the software didn't work right in trying to secure a room.

Seoul really is full for the holidays with no cancellations. It's the most festive and fun place to be for special times like Christmas.

I hope every one of you has a great Christmas.

[aphase]

[tefain]

[bangbayed]