Jeju-do
Just steps from Woljeong Beach, this decent property has clean, almost-glamorous rooms with kitchens and balconies with views.
Must-see hotels in South Korea
Jeollanam-do
The glossy ‘Most Valuable Life’ hotel (really!) has ultramodern rooms with plush beds and bay views.
Gyeongsangnam-do
Autumn colours are a big attraction on the 9km Baemsagol trail. There are 21 camping spots.
Gyeongsangnam-do
There's room for 60 people. No reservations required; it's first come, first served.
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
The natural extension to its Myeong-dong shopping empire, this twin-towered hotel with over 1000 rooms has a marble-lined lobby long enough for Usain Bolt…
Gyeonggi-do & Incheon
The best budget choice on the island is this row of stilted beach boxes plonked directly on Hanagae Beach. Huts are basic heated ondol (traditional, sleep…
Southern Jeju-do
Kitsch meets comfort in these private and dorm rooms done up in pastel colours and teddy bears to give the place a warm, fuzzy feel. The friendly owner,…
Chuncheon
This friendly hotel enjoys a central location steps away from the Myeong-dong shopping district, with flat-screen TVs, comfy beds and large spiffy rooms…
Myeong-dong & Jung-gu
Dating from the late 1970s, this is not Seoul's most spectacular hotel, but the relaxing atmosphere and the conscientious staff keep it a cut above the…
Gyeonggi-do & Incheon
This popular pension offers spotless, ondol (traditional, sleep-on-a-floor-mattress) rooms furnished with bathrooms and kitchenettes; the upstairs balcony…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Hidden away in a residential backstreet of Gangnam, this double-storey guesthouse has an appealing location that's close enough to the action, yet far…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
Formerly the W Seoul, the trademark pinks have given way to more restrained whites and greys at this elegantly rebranded, high-tech hotel perched on a…
Jeollabuk-do
Clean, comfortable rooms and an owner who speaks some English make this an excellent place to rest your weary legs. The attached restaurant does a tasty…
Chungcheongbuk-do
This tourist hotel is a pretty sound choice, with carpeted, smart rooms and a pond in the lobby swimming with koi. The hotel has an oncheon (nonguests…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Right on the beachfront, this hotel with a design sensibility and boutique pretensions offers slightly more imaginative accommodation than its neighbours,…
Pyeongchang
This budget condo complex is located in the centre of Hoenggye and is a decent option as a serviceable crash pad for nearby Alpensia and Yongpyong ski…
Gyeonggi-do & Incheon
This purpose-built hanok (traditional wooden home) pension has wood-fired ondol (traditional, sleep-on-a-floor-mattress) rooms and free bicycle hire. It's…
Gyeongju
Perhaps the best located of the lakeside hotels, with some of the most attractive grounds, the Commodore is less impressive on the inside, with rather…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
This friendly hostel has boxy dorms with cramped bathrooms but a prime location up the hill from Itaewon's main drag. As at most budget lodgings in the …
Seogwipo
A reasonable option if you’re into retro and hanker for those midrange tourist hotels that resemble a grand dame somewhat past her prime, but which still…
Daegu
This tiny, simple place has an apartment feel, with just 12 beds in two dorms (one for women only). It has all the necessities, however, including a great…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
These tiny, all-white studio apartments with attached kitchenette provide a little nest high above the 24-hour hurly-burly of Dongdaemun Market…
Mercure Seoul Ambassador Gangnam Sodowe
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Well located, this business-smart hotel is decorated in candy colours and arty flourishes. Rooms with city views cost extra, as does the sauna (₩5000) and…
Southern Jeju-do
Las Vegas comes to Jeju-do with this over-the-top resort. The gardens have windmills, a boating lake and a swimming pool surrounded by fake rocks. A…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
With the largest sign near the park entrance, this minbak and restaurant is hard to miss and it also has some of the area’s nicest rooms. Downstairs in…
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Andong’s establishment choice boasts staff with negligible English, but reasonable prices; expect rather gurgly pipes and old sealant around the baths…
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
A short stumble down the hill from the bars, this well-run hostel offers a mix of dorms and private rooms (including affordable en suite singles with TVs…
Gyeongju
You'll love returning to serene Baramgot at the end of a day of walking. Drop a cushion onto the wooden floor of the charming sitting area and meet other…
Chungcheongnam-do
This red-brick minbak (private home with rooms for rent) has rooms that are of motel standard, equipped with a fridge and kitchenette. Out front is a…
Kyeryongsan Gapsa Youth Hostel
Chungcheongnam-do
Guests sleep on yo (padded quilts) at this well-managed youth hostel at the Gap-sa entrance to Gyeryongsan National Park. It's a red-brick building across…
Chungcheongbuk-do
The Milano is nothing to write home about, and the wi-fi can be a bit twitchy, but at least the comfortable and spacious rooms have all you need: coffee,…
Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul
There are mixed and female dorms and three tiny doubles in this brightly painted hanok, one of many time-worn nuggets in a shabby city block that somehow…
Seoraksan National Park
This motel has pleasant rooms spread over two neat white buildings, with the lobby in the rear one. The oncheon (hot-spring spa; summer and autumn only)…
Seoul
When in Hongdae, live the Korean student experience. These miniscule goshiwon capsule rooms squeeze in their own private bathroom, just. A futon room…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
Recently renovated with impeccable taste, Le Méridien has attentive warm service, plenty of facilities and a European atmosphere stretching from the…
Daejeon
Pop accents liven up the spacious, clean rooms at this quiet motel. It's a short walk, or stumble, from Eunhaeng-dong's boozy dining and drinking district.
Southern Jeju-do
Simple, clean, private rooms in a central location at a decent rate are surprisingly hard to find in Jungmun, but this modest property has all of those…
