Acommodations in Seoul Explained

[Jeet Singh]

Assuming you want to be within a 5-10 minute commute to Gangnam & Apujeong clinics:

$ US Dollars. (For simplicity $1 = 1,000 South Korean Won)

Hotels 3 Stars and Above

—– 3 Star $100 to $150 per night
—– 4 Star $150 to $200 per night
—– 5 Star $200+ per night

Pros: If you have money to spend, probably a good choice. Comfortable, English speaking staff and concierge, good service, room service, housekeeping, privacy, safety etc…

Cons: If you’re not rich, this hurts your wallet fast.

Hostel, Goshiwon and Minirooms

Quality can range from ghetto to great
$15 to $40 per night

Pros: Cheap, traveler oriented, usually a nice old lady or man on standby to offer advice and assistance. Other foreigners staying within the building to ask questions.

Cons: Community areas are shared, varies by location (Kitchen, bathrooms, etc…) So might not be the best environment for post operation when you want to be hiding and resting with privacy, but if you’re only doing consultations, not a bad option.

Local host Family/Friend or Room Share

Often can be very good quality, especially if staying in a large villa or apartment
$50 to $100

Pros: Nice family and local person to help out (depends on the people, so read reviews), safe, affordable, comfortable* (depends on if they had experience hosting a PS patient).

Cons: Since it’s shared it really depends on how you mesh with the people, and they may or not be very PS patient friendly.

Airbnb Officetels, Villas and Apartments

These can cover the whole quality spectrum (1 star to 5 star), so depends on your budget and if you are sharing a room or renting the whole space.

Officetel = a large building with a lobby area – Over 5 floors (as high as 25 floors or more) mostly studio or loft style lay outs, but there are some with one to two room layouts. Almost always has an elevator.

Villa = is a short story building 5 floors or less and can have studios or multi room layouts (may not have an elevator)

Apartment = Large towering buildings situated in a surrounded community with multiroom layouts. Almost always has an elevator.

Pros: It’s like your own place, so you feel like a local, and comfortable in your own living space, privacy and comfort (depends on accommodation).

Cons: It’s not a hotel, so a little risky, meaning it’s not a business, but regular people renting, so people could flake and decide “I changed my mind, I can’t rent it.” But Airbnb tries to protect against that. Hit or miss, so be sure to read reviews.

Motels

— 1 star $40 per night
— 2 star $50 to $80 per night

*These are starting to appear on English hotel booking sites as Hotels.

Pros: Cheap, somewhat clean, but not hotel quality, moderately safe, but borderline

Cons: Staff not as service oriented. Mostly used for one night stands and couples, so might not be the most conducive healing oriented or positive environment. Often located in sketchy back alleyways.

[Jeet Singh]

Here is an example of a Home Stay that would be great for surgery recovery. This Jessica Moon, a retired Korean nurse and now a house wife who offers a home stay in her family’s apartment in Gangnam. This is could be a nice cozy place, and it’s good to know she used to be a nurse.

Jessica has her listing on this site: http://www.bnbhero.com/en/rooms/1940

You can find information on Home Stays on several sites:

http://korea-homestay.com

She has hosted people coming to Seoul for plastic surgery by reading her reviews.

[sdfk345]

I found this. It’s pretty cool. It’s a healing place for women only. It’s definitely PS patient friendly

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/759248

[rice_cake]

there a site where we can search for accommodation? Thank you!!

[Jeet Singh]

Here are some good sites:

• Agoda
• Booking.com
• AirBnB
• HomeStay (stay with a Korean family)

[Nala]

I’m actually going to stay at the accommodation @kikillin90 mentioned.”Gangnam healing camp”, I’ll update you guys on my trip. I’m staying about 2 weeks with a friend.

[Jeet Singh]

This looks likes a great find, thanks for sharing. Please keep us posted on how your experience is there.

[Author]

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