odysSTAY: Namsan Guesthouse in Myeongdong, Seoul, South Korea

On both visits to Seoul, I stayed in the same area: Myeongdong. Why? Because I felt it was the most convenient for my itinerary. The first trip was planned by my friend Peach, so I had no hand in it, but on my next trip, I saw no reason why I shouldn’t find a place to stay in the area. And I picked Namsan Guesthouse.

Myeongdong is one of the several places in Seoul that can be considered a “hostel haven”. Almost at every turn, you will find a backpacker’s hostel, so it is also a place where you can find lots of foreigners.

So what did I consider when I picked a place to stay?

The location. Considering our itinerary, Myeongdong seemed to be at the center, so it was the ideal jump-off point. Plus it is close to the subway station, which was verrrrry important to us.

It’s also very easy to find. The website (and the email sent to us) was already informative on how to get there. From the airport, all it took was one ride on board Bus No. 6015, then we stopped in front of the Tous Le Jours in Myeongdong.

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Cross the street, spot the N Seoul Tower (I talked about that here), then walk for around 5 minutes up the hill.

Yes, it requires some walk, but it was manageable for us. I don’t think it’s the same for older ones, or those who hate walking uphill, though.

Oh, and you can just walk the side streets up to the Cable Car terminal that will bring you to the N Seoul Tower. It won’t take you more than 20 minutes’ leisurely stroll through an interesting neighborhood.

The services and conveniences. Right across the street is the Myeongdong shopping area. So that part is ticked off the list. And then all around the area are convenience stores where we can buy any supplies we need. And there were also lots and lots of food places and cafes, so there won’t be a shortage in case we get hungry. (But Namsan Guesthouse also took care of that.)

These are only a few of the photos I took of these places, but believe me when I say that they are EVERYWHERE.

 

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And say hi to a cutie (even when angry) that stood guard outside another backpacker hostel.

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Now let us talk about the Guesthouse, which served as our home for the five-day trip.

We were booked into the Namsan Guesthouse 1. There were 3, all in the same area and neighborhood. Guesthouse 1 had the room that I needed, which was for two people. I booked the Twin Room at 55,000 KRW (at the time) per person. It was for five nights, so it was 275,000 KRW total, for two people.

Personally, I thought it was worth it.

When we arrived, we were met by a young man (forgot his name, sorry) who took our bags one flight below ground level, to their Office/Receiving area. There, we were booked and paid our accommodation for the entire trip.

We also got a glimpse of the Common Area, which was also the Dining Area and Kitchen. (But we just used it for breakfast, since we always came home sooooo late.)

Their office and staff room.
Their office and staff room.
Washrooms by the Common Area.
Washrooms by the Common Area.
The Dining Area, with a TV, lots of brochures and travel guides available for free.
The Dining Area, with a TV, lots of brochures and travel guides available for free.
A small stage off to the side. Behind it is a laundry room for everyone to use.
A small stage off to the side. Behind it is a laundry room for everyone to use.
Breakfast is aplenty. Coffee, Tea, Ramyun, Bread, Oven toaster, pretty much unlimited~!
Breakfast is aplenty. Coffee, Tea, Ramyun, Bread, Oven toaster, pretty much unlimited~!
The sink where guests are to wash the dishes and the large refrigerator where guests can leave their food in.
The sink where guests are to wash the dishes and the large refrigerator where guests can leave their food in.

Except for an elderly lady coming in at breakfast to mop the floor, throw the trash and replenish food supplies, the guests are left to fend for themselves. So we should wash our dishes (which is as it should be, since it’s mostly saucers and cutlery anyway). Leftover food can be left in the fridge, but properly labeled with the Room Number. Food that remain there after two days are thrown away by the cleaning ladies.

And, yes, you can eat as much as you want. No kidding. No one there to tell you you’ve had too much.

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Now what about the rooms?

We were at the 3rd floor. But no worries, because there is a working elevator for those who have a lot of luggage, or simply too lazy or tired to walk up flights of stairs.

When we arrived at our floor, there was a line of lockers, with each locker labeled with the Room Number. This is where you will leave your footwear, because you should not walk into the corridor with your shoes on.

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The room, for Asians like us, was just right. Not too big and not too small, either. Now I can totally understand especially large (and long) Westerners who will think that it may be small, but for us, it was not an issue at all.

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It had an en suite bathroom, a television, hair dryer, water, several outlets for charging, AC, and free Wi-Fi. Oh, love that last one!

It’s the guest’s option if they want to have their room cleaned daily. But we were relatively neat (emphasis on relatively) and clean, so we did not need much assistance in that area. 🙂

And yes, we had great sleep every night.

The staff were accommodating and will help you out. Just approach them.

I would totally recommend this place for anyone looking for a place to stay in Myeongdong.

Cleanliness: 5/5
Location: 5/5
Accessibility: 4/5
Customer Service: 5/5
Facilities/Amenities: 5/5
Price: 4/5

To close this post, here are some of those who kept us company on those late nights when we came home to Namsan Guesthouse. Yes, the Song triplets of The Return of Superman.

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