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In this guide9 sections
- The short answer
- Myeongdong and City Hall: the first-trip base
- Jongno, Insadong and Gwanghwamun: the palaces on foot
- Hongdae: nightlife, cafés and the airport train
- Seoul Station and Itaewon: trains, then dinner
- Gangnam and Jamsil: south of the river
- All 12 at a glance
- Getting around from your hotel
- Frequently asked questions
Seoul is big enough that where you sleep sets the shape of every day. A night in Myeongdong puts the city’s shopping streets and several subway lines at your door; a night in Insadong puts the palaces there instead; a night in Gangnam puts you on the other side of the Han River from both. None of these is wrong. They are different trips.
This guide compares five areas, then names twelve hotels across them, with the reason to pick each and, where there is one, the catch. They are researched picks, chosen for location, what each property publishes and consistent guest feedback, and each was checked as operating in September 2026. Two have changed their names recently, which booking sites have not all caught up with; we flag both. No hotel pays to appear here.
The short answer
| If you… | Stay in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| are on a first trip | Myeongdong and City Hall | Central, with the shopping streets, street food and several subway lines on foot |
| want the palaces and old Seoul | Jongno, Insadong and Gwanghwamun | Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and the hanok lanes of Bukchon within walking distance |
| want nightlife and cafés | Hongdae | A university district, with the airport railway at Hongik University Station |
| want trains and an easy airport run | Seoul Station and Itaewon | The AREX express from Incheon and the KTX to Busan, with Itaewon’s restaurants nearby |
| have plans south of the river | Gangnam and Jamsil | Modern towers, COEX and Lotte World Tower |
Myeongdong and City Hall: the first-trip base
Myeongdong is the Seoul most first-timers picture: cosmetics shops, crowds, and street-food stalls in the evening, with Myeongdong Station on Line 4 at one end and Euljiro 1-ga and City Hall on Line 2 at the other. It is central in the literal sense. Namsan and N Seoul Tower rise just to the south, and the palaces of Jongno are a short ride or a long walk to the north. The trade-off is the crowd, which is the point of the place and also the reason some people would rather sleep a district away.
Where to stay in Myeongdong and City Hall
How the hotel links work: a hotel’s name goes to its own website. “Check rates” opens it on Booking.com through our partner Stay22, which pays us a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.
- The Grand Lotte Seoul, splurge. Until August 2026 this was the Lotte Hotel Seoul. It reopened under the new name after a room renovation of about 15 months that cut the main tower from 737 rooms to 590, and the hotel as a whole from 1,015 to 868. It is linked to Euljiro 1-ga Station and the Lotte Department Store. Choose it for a classic grand hotel at the edge of Myeongdong. Watch out: some booking sites still list it as the Lotte Hotel Seoul. Check rates on Booking.com →
- The Westin Josun Seoul, splurge. It stands on the site of the Chosun Hotel of 1914, in a 462-room building that opened in 1970, about five minutes’ walk from Myeongdong and close to City Hall Station. Choose it for history at a central address. Check rates on Booking.com →
- L7 Myeongdong by Lotte, comfortable. 254 rooms a few minutes’ walk from Exit 9 of Myeongdong Station, with a rooftop bar. Choose it for a lively base at a mid-range price. Watch out: you are in the busiest streets in the district. Check rates on Booking.com →
Jongno, Insadong and Gwanghwamun: the palaces on foot
This is old Seoul. Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces, the hanok lanes of Bukchon, Insadong’s galleries and craft shops and the Jogyesa temple are all within walking distance, and Anguk Station on Line 3 sits in the middle of them. It is quieter after dark than Myeongdong, which suits anyone who wants to be at a palace gate when it opens. Gwanghwamun, at the southern end, is the grander, more modern edge, with the big square in front of Gyeongbokgung.
Where to stay in Jongno, Insadong and Gwanghwamun
- Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, splurge. Open since 1 October 2015 by Gwanghwamun Square, with 317 rooms (43 of them suites), some looking out towards Gyeongbokgung Palace and the mountains, and a Korean sauna on the ninth floor. Choose it to have the palaces on foot in comfort. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong, comfortable. 478 rooms two minutes from Anguk Station and a few steps from Jogyesa. Choose it for a practical, central base in the old city. Watch out: until recently it was called the Nine Tree Premier Hotel Insadong, and some booking sites still use that name. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Rakkojae Seoul, splurge. A hanok hotel in Bukchon Hanok Village, restored in 2003 by the master carpenter Chung Young-jin, with rooms across two hanok compounds and a wood-fired red-clay sauna. Choose it for a night in a traditional Korean house. Watch out: the two compounds are separate, so check in at the one your booking names. Check rates on Booking.com →
Hongdae: nightlife, cafés and the airport train
Hongdae takes its name from Hongik University, and it has a student district’s energy: live music, street performers, cafés, vintage shops and bars that stay busy late. Hongik University Station is a genuine asset, where Line 2, the Gyeongui–Jungang line and the airport railway’s all-stop trains from Incheon meet. The trade-off is distance from the palaces and the noise that comes with the fun.
Where to stay in Hongdae
- RYSE, Autograph Collection, comfortable to splurge. Opened in 2018 with 272 rooms, about 300 m from Exit 9 of Hongik University Station, and built around art and design. Choose it for style in the middle of Hongdae. Check rates on Booking.com →
- L7 Hongdae by Lotte, comfortable. About 335 rooms a minute’s walk from Hongik University Station, with a rooftop bar and a seasonal outdoor pool. Choose it for the airport railway at your door. Check rates on Booking.com →
Seoul Station and Itaewon: trains, then dinner
Seoul Station is where the AREX express from Incheon Airport ends and where KTX trains leave for Busan (is a KORAIL Pass worth it? prices that trip), so it is the practical base for early flights and trips out of the city. Itaewon, a short ride east below Namsan, is Seoul’s best-known international district, with restaurants from all over the world. Neither is where most people want to spend all their evenings, but for a first night or a last one they are hard to beat.
Where to stay near Seoul Station and in Itaewon
- Four Points by Sheraton Josun, Seoul Station, comfortable. 342 rooms, linked to Seoul Station by an underground passage from Exit 12, so the AREX and the KTX are a walk away without going outside. Choose it for early trains and easy airport runs. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, comfortable. 295 rooms and suites, with a seasonal outdoor pool that costs extra to use. Choose it for design and Itaewon’s restaurants. Watch out: it is about a 15-minute walk from central Itaewon. Check rates on Booking.com →
Gangnam and Jamsil: south of the river
Gangnam and Jamsil are the modern Seoul south of the Han River: office towers, COEX, department stores, and Lotte World Tower. They make sense if your business, shopping or concerts are there, and less sense for a first trip, because the palaces, Insadong and Myeongdong are a long subway ride away.
Where to stay in Gangnam and Jamsil
- Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam, splurge. Opened on 25 May 2021 with 254 rooms and suites, carrying on the name of the 1914 Chosun Hotel. Choose it for luxury south of the river. Watch out: it is about an 18-minute walk from Gangnam Station. Check rates on Booking.com →
- Signiel Seoul, splurge. 235 rooms on the 76th to 101st floors of Lotte World Tower, open since April 2017. Choose it for the view. Watch out: Jamsil is the furthest of these areas from the palaces. Check rates on Booking.com →
All 12 at a glance
| Hotel | Area | Tier | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Grand Lotte Seoul | Myeongdong | Splurge | A classic grand hotel | Old name on some booking sites |
| The Westin Josun Seoul | City Hall | Splurge | History, centrally | Price |
| L7 Myeongdong by Lotte | Myeongdong | Comfortable | A lively mid-range base | The busiest streets |
| Four Seasons Hotel Seoul | Gwanghwamun | Splurge | The palaces on foot | Price |
| Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong | Insadong | Comfortable | A practical old-city base | Old name on some booking sites |
| Rakkojae Seoul | Bukchon | Splurge | A traditional hanok night | Two separate compounds |
| RYSE, Autograph Collection | Hongdae | Comfortable to splurge | Art and design | Late-night noise nearby |
| L7 Hongdae by Lotte | Hongdae | Comfortable | The airport train at the door | Distance from the palaces |
| Four Points by Sheraton Josun, Seoul Station | Seoul Station | Comfortable | Early trains, airport runs | Quiet evenings |
| Mondrian Seoul Itaewon | Itaewon | Comfortable | Design and restaurants | A walk to central Itaewon |
| Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam | Gangnam | Splurge | Luxury south of the river | 18 minutes’ walk to Gangnam Station |
| Signiel Seoul | Jamsil | Splurge | The view | Far from the palaces |
Getting around from your hotel
- From Incheon Airport, the AREX express runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 (about 51 from Terminal 2) for ₩13,000, or ₩12,500 for AREX members. The cheaper all-stop trains call at Hongik University Station for Hongdae on the way.
- Before you fly, check whether you need a K-ETA (do you need a K-ETA for South Korea?) and sort out mobile data (the best eSIM for South Korea).
- For the DMZ, tours either collect you from your hotel or meet at a single downtown point, which decides how early you are up; a central base keeps it simple (where to book a DMZ tour).
Frequently asked questions
What is the best area to stay in Seoul for a first trip?
Myeongdong or around City Hall: central, with the shopping streets, street food and several subway lines on foot. Choose Jongno and Insadong instead if the palaces and Bukchon's hanok lanes are the priority.
Is it better to stay in Myeongdong or Hongdae?
Myeongdong for a central first-trip base with the shopping streets and subway lines at hand; Hongdae for nightlife, cafés and the airport railway at Hongik University Station, at the cost of being further from the palaces.
Is Gangnam a good place to stay in Seoul?
If your business, shopping or concerts are south of the Han River, yes. For a first trip it is less convenient, because the palaces, Insadong and Myeongdong are a long subway ride away.
How do I get from Incheon Airport to central Seoul?
The AREX express runs non-stop to Seoul Station in about 43 minutes from Terminal 1 (about 51 from Terminal 2) for ₩13,000, or ₩12,500 for AREX members. The cheaper all-stop trains also call at Hongik University Station for Hongdae.
What is The Grand Lotte Seoul?
The former Lotte Hotel Seoul, renamed in August 2026 after a room renovation of about 15 months that cut the hotel from 1,015 rooms to 868. Some booking sites still list it under the old name.
Where can I stay in a hanok in Seoul?
In Bukchon Hanok Village, between Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces. Rakkojae Seoul, restored in 2003 by the master carpenter Chung Young-jin, has rooms in two hanok compounds there.
Sources & further reading
- AREX: express train tickets and fares
- The Asia Business Daily: “The Grand Lotte” inherits Lotte Hotel Seoul’s heritage (August 2026)
- Seoul Economic Daily: Lotte Hotel Seoul reopens as a luxury brand with fewer, larger rooms
- Four Seasons Hotel Seoul: hotel facts
- Marriott News: Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam opens
- VisitKorea: Rakkojae Seoul Bukchon Hanok Hotel
- Visit Seoul: Nine Tree by Parnas Seoul Insadong
- Official websites of each hotel named above, checked in September 2026
Hotels rename, renovate and reprice. Every detail here was checked in September 2026; confirm rates and room types with the hotel before booking. These are researched picks, not reviews. This article contains affiliate links: hotel rates on Booking.com and other booking sites through Stay22; if you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. No hotel pays to be included.
Keep reading on Gently Yonder
- Seoul: A First-Timer's Guide The royal palaces, Bukchon Hanok Village, Gwangjang Market, and a DMZ day trip.
- Seoul: The Places Worth Your Time Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon, N Seoul Tower, Myeongdong, Gwangjang Market, and a DMZ day trip.
- How Much Does a South Korea Trip Cost? A realistic 2026 budget — flights, stays, food, T-money, the KTX, and where costs surprise you.
- Where to Book a Seoul DMZ Tour The JSA has been shut to civilian tours since 2023, and the cheap tours sell you an hour of ginseng shopping.
- Best eSIM for South Korea (2026) How to choose a Korea travel eSIM — coverage, data plans, and the pick for most trips.
- Do You Need a K-ETA for South Korea? (2026) 22 countries are K-ETA-exempt through 31 Dec 2026 — but you still need an arrival card. What changed, and how to prepare.