Gangnam has a fantastic selection of cheap, mid range and luxury hotels available for your visit to Seoul, South Korea. We recommend you book a hotel in one of the four main touristy areas of Gangnam, which includes the COEX mall, Gangnam subway station, Lotte World or the trendy shopping area in the north. We spent 2 days exploring Gangnam and we think it’s a great place to stay in Seoul.
In this guide we show you the best hotels in Gangnam Seoul for all budgets, based on our experiences.
Our Experience In Gangnam
Just as the cherry blossoms were blooming at the end of March 2023, we took our first trip to Seoul and spent 2 amazing weeks exploring the city far and wide. We booked 7 nights in Myeongdong, and then it was between Hongdae and Gangnam for our other 7 nights. In the end we went with Hongdae because it was the urban hipster neighborhood that everyone was talking about.
But because we stayed in Hongdae, we decided to spend two full days ticking off attractions in and around Gangnam so we could get a real feel for the area. In hindsight, we probably would have done Myeongong and Gangnam because it’s easier to see the top attractions on both sides of the Han River. Over the course of two days, we figured out where we’d stay next time we’re in Seoul. Read more about us.
Our guides for Seoul:
Where To Stay In Gangnam
The Gangnam District covers a huge sprawling area to the southeast of Seoul. And technically, Gangnam means “south of the river”, so it actually covers the entire southern portion of Seoul. But in this guide we’re narrowing down Gangnam to just the major touristy areas, as well as nearby Lotte World because it’s such a popular spot between Gangnam and the Olympic Park.
Now, you can stay anywhere in Gangnam and find plenty of places to eat out, drink, party, shop or visit museums. It’s called “The Beverly Hills of Seoul” for a reason! So, we wouldn’t say there’s a better or worse part of Gangnam to stay, as long as you book a hotel near a subway station. Our personal preference would be to stay near COEX mall or in one of Seoul’s most luxurious hotels called Signiel at the Lotte World Tower.
Gangnam Hotels Map
Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the area to see exactly where each hotel is located.
Map key:
- Green stars – Low budget
- Red stars – Mid range budget
- Blue stars – High budget
Want to save on attractions? We highly recommend saving money with a Discover Seoul Pass if you plan to visit multiple attractions on your visit to Seoul.
How We Order Hotels
We’ve hand picked 8 Gangnam hotels for you to consider booking by taking into account previous guest ratings, location, value for money and our own experiences in the area. Read more about our editorial process.
Hotels in this guide are listed in order of average nightly cost. We analyzed nightly prices on three future dates in different seasons so we could order with a degree of accuracy.
You’ll find 3 x cheap hotels, 3 x mid range budget hotels and 2 x luxury hotels. We periodically update our guides to ensure the previous guest ratings from Booking and Google reviews are accurate.
1. Toyoko Inn
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.3 / 10
- Google – 4.2 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, breakfast included
- Location: Southwest side of Gangnam
- Subway: Gangnam station
Toyoko Inn is one of the best cheap hotels in Gangnam. It has excellent guest ratings and consistently lower prices than similar hotel options in the area. It’s located on the main shopping street of Gangnam-daero, close to Gangnam subway station and it even has breakfast included in the cost.
Reviewers rate staff, cleanliness, value for money and location the highest at Toyoko Inn Gangnam. If you’re visiting Seoul on a budget and want to stay in Gangnam, this hotel is a fantastic benchmark to use as you try to beat the price to quality balance.
BOOK: Toyoko Inn Gangnam
2. Dormy Inn
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.7 / 10
- Google – 4.5 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, on site onsen and sauna, laundry, breakfast available
- Location: West side of Gangnam
- Subway: Sinnonhyeon station
Dormy Inn is among the overall best Gangnam hotels when you take value, quality, ratings and location into consideration. It has exceptional reviews, affordable nightly price points, and a superb location in one of our favorite parts of Gangnam close to a wide range of excellent dining options.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness and facilities the highest at Dormy Inn Gangnam. Rooms are smaller than average and the public bath is traditional (clothes not allowed), but you can’t argue with thousands of positive reviews. It’s another strong contender if you’re visiting Seoul on a tight budget.
BOOK: Dormy Inn Gangnam
3. L7 Gangnam
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.5 / 10
- Google – 4.2 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, fitness center, on site restaurant and bar, breakfast available, laundry
- Location: Center of Gangnam
- Subway: Seolleung station
L7 Gangnam is a fantastic low budget hotel in Gangnam. The L7 hotel chain is extremely popular throughout the city, but this particular branch is very highly regarded and it’s located in a great spot close to everything in Gangnam.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness and location the highest at L7 Gangnam. It’s only slightly more expensive than the other cheap hotels we’ve covered, so if you can stretch the budget a fraction more, this could be a top option for you.
BOOK: L7 Gangnam
4. Voco Gangnam
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 9.0 / 10
- Google – 4.4 / 5
- Price: Mid range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, breakfast available, fitness center, on site restaurant and bar, shared kitchen, laundry
- Location: Northern side of Gangnam
- Subway: Sinsa station
Voco Gangnam is a top rated mid range hotel in Gangnam. It’s a brand new hotel with modern facilities, it has a terrific location in the trendy northern area of the district and it’s on the affordable end of mid-range.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Voco Gangnam. As far as previous guest ratings go, this is one of the best hotels available. And it even has a highly rated breakfast buffet to boot. It’s definitely one to consider if you’re traveling on a comfortable budget.
BOOK: Voco Gangnam
5. AC Hotel
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.8 / 10
- Google – 4.3 / 5
- Price: Mid range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, breakfast available, multiple on site restaurants and rooftop bar, fitness center, sauna, onsen, laundry
- Location: Center of Gangnam
- Subway: Yeoksam station
AC Hotel is a solid mid range budget hotel in Gangnam from the Marriott brand. It has an excellent location just steps from Yeoksam subway station, nestled between the major Gangnam shopping streets and COEX Center.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at AC Hotel Gangnam. This hotel is another slight step up in price but its rooftop bar and other amenities are high quality, which puts it right around the middle of the road for cost versus what you’re getting.
BOOK: AC Hotel Gangnam
6. Lotte Hotel World
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.6 / 10
- Google – 4.3 / 5
- Price: Mid Range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, multiple on site restaurants and bars, breakfast available, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, onsen
- Location: Lotte World (3 subway stops east from COEX)
- Subway: Jamsil station
Lotte Hotel World is an affordable luxury resort style hotel near Gangnam. What makes this hotel special is instant access to the expansive Lotte World Mall, Lotte World Adventure theme park, a huge lake that you can walk around and a subway line.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Lotte Hotel World. The facilities, rooms and hotel in general offer an upscale experience at rates you can afford. There are better 5 star hotels in Gangnam but they’re also far more expensive. This is a great option for families.
BOOK: Lotte Hotel World Gangnam
7. Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.9 / 10
- Google – 4.5 / 5
- Price: Luxury $$$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, multiple on site restaurants and bars, breakfast available
- Location: East side of Gangnam (COEX)
- Subway: Samseong station
Grand InterContinental is a luxury 5 star hotel in Gangnam with a superb location next to the COEX Mall and several tourist attractions. It’s great for business trips, families, couples or solo travelers because it’s directly connected to so many amenities, attractions and the subway line.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. The hotel is upscale, high quality and luxurious but it’s also quite expensive. You can expect overpriced drinks and food on site, but that’s to be expected at a 5 star hotel, right?!
BOOK: Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Gangnam
8. Signiel
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 9.1 / 10
- Google – 4.6 / 5
- Price: Luxury $$$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, panoramic views, champagne bar, on site Michelin starred restaurant, indoor swimming pool, fitness center, breakfast available, spa
- Location: Lotte World (3 subway stops east from COEX)
- Subway: Jamsil station
Signiel is one of the best 5 star luxury hotels in Gangnam and maybe even Asia. The hotel occupies floors 76 to 101 of the Lotte World Tower in the 6th tallest building in the world. It has impeccable reviews and it’s the epitome of a true luxury hotel.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, facilities, cleanliness and location the highest at Signiel. It scores immaculately for everything we consider when reviewing hotels and we’d love to stay here ourselves one day. The only downside is exorbitant costs, but this is one place we would splurge in Asia!
BOOK: Signiel Seoul Gangnam
Is Gangnam A Good Place To Stay?
If you’re looking for a lively and expansive area filled with high end shopping, restaurants, nightclubs and access to attractions in the south of the city, then yes Gangnam is a great place for you to stay in Seoul.
Here’s what we like about Gangnam:
- Several micro-neighborhoods to explore
- Lots of top attractions including Seoul Sky Lotte Tower
- More of a real and authentic experience
- Countless places to eat and drink
- Superb choice for hotels
The major downside to staying in Gangnam is that almost all of the top bucket list attractions in Seoul are north of the Han River. So you’d spend a lot of time sitting on the subway to reach palaces, hikes and meeting points for tours. We lost lots of time traveling on the subway between Hongdae and Gangnam on two of our days in Seoul.
Myeongdong, Hongdae Or Gangnam?
This is the big question most people (including ourselves) consider before booking a hotel in Seoul. And after spending 2 weeks in the city, we think you could include Insadong and Itaewon into the equation.
Here’s how we see it:
- Myeongdong – The overall best place to stay
- Hongdae – Best for the younger crowd
- Gangnam – Most glamorous area to stay
- Insadong – Best for families with young kids
- Itaewon – Best for partying but not authentic
If you’ll be spending more than a week in Seoul, we recommend splitting your hotels between Gangnam and one of Myeongdong or Insadong. This way you’ll have the perfect base to explore attractions in both the south and the north of the city.
Best Hotels In Gangnam By Reviews
We always look at guest reviews when booking our hotels in new travel destinations. Previous guest reviews are a fantastic resource to use because you can see genuine unbiased pros and cons from a wide range of real people.
But it’s important to use reviews as a guide only because you might not necessarily agree with others. Let’s take a look at the best hotels in Gangnam as per genuine user generated reviews from popular online resources.
1. Booking.com
According to previous guest reviews on Booking.com, your top three hotel options are:
2. Hotels.com
According to previous guest reviews on Hotels.com, your top three hotel options are:
3. Google
According to previous guest reviews on Google, your top three hotel options are:
4. Tripadvisor
According to previous guest reviews on Tripadvisor, your top three hotel options are:
Affordability
We found that hotels in Gangnam and Seoul were more affordable than other popular cities in Asia like Tokyo or Singapore. And in our opinion, Gangnam has the largest range of quality hotels in Seoul for all price categories.
Another plus point is that prices tend to stay fairly consistent throughout the year. And as a result, you won’t have to contend with seasonality driving prices through the roof at any point.
Added Tax
Bear in mind when booking your hotel in Gangnam that you’ll pay 10% hotel tax on top of your base rate.
So, let’s say the basic nightly room cost at a cheap hotel is $120.00 USD for one night, your actual total cost is going to be $132.00 USD.
- When booking your hotel using Booking.com look under the price for includes taxes and fees. This means the price you see is final and will not be subject to further add ons.
- Conversely, if you see text reading something like +$30 for taxes and fees, that means you’ll pay the hotel room cost + the additional 10% tax.
Our Verdict
Gangnam is a popular place to stay on a first visit to Seoul because it’s filled with attractions, restaurants, bars, shopping and glamour. It has a wide range of quality hotels to suit any budget, and they’re spread out across the district so you can find a great hotel in the exact area you want to stay.
We’d choose to stay near the COEX mall or Lotte World next time because they’re both close to major attractions like Seoul Sky and the Olympic Park. But if we returned with friends we’d stay on the west side of Gangnam because it’s more residential, and it has a vibrant dining and nightlife scene.
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We hope this guide to the best hotels in Gangnam helps with planning your visit to Seoul, South Korea!
Please let us know if you have any questions by commenting below.
Happy Booking,
Mark and Kristen
Best Hotels Anywhere
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Mark and Kristen Morgan are experts at finding and booking hotels. They’ve been traveling the world for over 6 years, staying at more than 500 hotels across 4 continents.
They only write about places they have personally visited themselves, which means every article you read on Best Hotels Anywhere is created directly from first hand experience. Read more about us.