Myeongdong has an extensive selection of quality cheap, mid range and luxury hotels available for your visit to Seoul, South Korea. It’s the most popular place to stay for first time visitors to the city, so it’s Seoul’s most touristy neighborhood. We spent 7 nights in a superb hotel in Myeongdong and we think it’s a great place to stay if you want to be in the thick of the action.
In this guide we show you the best hotels in Myeongdong Seoul for all budgets, based on our experiences.
Our Experience
During our 2 week trip to Seoul in March 2023 we booked a 7 night stay at the G2 Hotel in Myeongdong, along with a 7 night stay at Lotte City Hotel in Mapo (near Hongdae). The G2 Hotel worked great for us because it was in a quieter street but still within easy walking distance to the bustling center of the neighborhood.
We enjoyed living in Myeongdong for 7 days because there’s countless places to eat out, it’s near lots of top attractions, it has good transport links, and it’s lively by day and by night. But of all the places we explored in Seoul, it definitely had the highest volume of tourists. Read more about us.
Our guides for Seoul:
Where To Stay In Myeongdong
The neighborhood of Myeongdong covers a surprisingly small area in the center-north of Seoul. It’s close to lots of the city’s top attractions, palaces and authentic villages. And it has excellent subway links so it’s easy to get around.
Roughly speaking, the borders of Myeongdong are as follows:
- North – Cheonggyecheon-ro
- East – Chungmu-ro
- South – Namsan Mountain Park
- West – Sejong-daero
You can stay anywhere within this area and be close enough to walk to Myeongdong’s vibrant walking streets, nightlife and subway stations.
Here how we break down Myeongdong into three areas:
- Central – If you want to be in the heart of the foodie and nightlife action, stay closer to Myeongdong Walking Street.
- East – If you want easy access to the action but also away from the busy area, stay to the east of Myeongdong Cathedral.
- West – If you want easy access to top attractions and shopping, stay closer to City Hall and Deoksugung Palace.
We stayed to the east of Myeongdong and it was excellent for us. It took just a few minutes to reach the busy tourist area but it was far enough away to get a more authentic experience and find narrow alleys filled with hole-in-the-wall eateries.
Myeongdong 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 buying a Discover Seoul Pass if you plan to visit multiple attractions on your visit to Seoul. It will save you money!
How We Order Hotels
We’ve hand picked 8 Myeongdong 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, 2 x mid range budget hotels and 3 x luxury hotels. We periodically update our guides to ensure the previous guest ratings from Booking and Google reviews are accurate.
1. Moxy Seoul
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.8 / 10
- Google – 4.4 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, bar, laundry, breakfast available
- Location: 5 minutes walk from Myeongdong Station exit 5
Moxy Seoul is a brand new Myeongdong hotel with excellent ratings and a superb location. We’ve stayed at Moxy hotels in NYC and they always have a great vibe. Rooms are small but functional and the bar area is always good fun at any Moxy hotel.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Moxy Seoul. It’s a modern, sleek and affordable hotel just a few minutes from the subway station and popular walking street filled with eateries. We think it’s definitely one to consider in the lower budget range!
BOOK: Moxy Seoul Myeongdong
2. G2 Hotel
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.9 / 10
- Google – 4.3 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, fitness center, laundry, breakfast available
- Location: 7 minutes walk to Myeongdong or Chungmuro Stations
G2 Hotel is a superb cheap hotel in Myeongdong Seoul. We stayed at G2 for a week and had a fantastic experience. We made use of the gym and laundry, but by far the best part was the beds (we had a deluxe twin room which was unusual for us!), which were like sleeping on clouds.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, facilities, value for money, cleanliness and location the highest at G2 Hotel. It’s located in a quiet spot to the east of Myeongdong but close to 3 different subway lines, which is perfect for accessing attractions in Seoul. G2 is our top low budget hotel pick.
BOOK: G2 Hotel Myeongdong
3. Four Points
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.7 / 10
- Google – 4.4 / 5
- Price: Cheap $
- Amenities: Free WiFi, fitness center, on site restaurant and bar, laundry, breakfast available, free bikes
- Location: Steps from Euljiro 3 Station exit 12
Four Points by Sheraton is a high quality Myeongdong hotel at surprisingly affordable rates. It’s a 4 star hotel located steps from Euljiro 3 subway station, a cool hidden speakeasy called Ace 4 Club and Myeongdong Cathedral. We think it has a great balance between location, cost and quality.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Four Points. The nearby subway has a direct link to Hongdae and being in the north of Myeongdong puts you within closer walking distance to Insadong, Cheonggyecheon and the famous palaces.
BOOK: Four Points Myeongdong
4. L7 Myeongdong
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.6 / 10
- Google – 4.4 / 5
- Price: Mid range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, on site restaurant, rooftop bar, laundry, breakfast available
- Location: Steps from Myeongdong Station exit 9
L7 Hotel is one of the most popular hotels in Myeongdong. It’s located just steps from Myeongdong subway station, which provides easy access to Incheon Airport and instant access to the busy tourist areas. This place is always busy so expect lines at the lift!
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness and location the highest at L7 Hotel. If being next to the main subway station in Myeongdong is your top priority, you won’t get much better. Rates are slightly higher because of the added convenience, but it’s a quality hotel with excellent ratings.
BOOK: L7 Hotel Myeongdong
5. Solaria Nishitetsu
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.8 / 10
- Google – 4.5 / 5
- Price: Mid range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, laundry, breakfast available
- Location: 3 minute walk to Myeongdong Station exit 8
Solaria Nishitetsu is a high quality hotel with an unbeatable location if you want to be in the heart of the action. All of Myeongdong’s restaurants and shops are right outside the front door, plus it’s just a few minutes walk to the subway station.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at Solaria Nishitetsu. It’s been around for a while and it has superb ratings, which are two signs of a great place to stay. Rooms are surprisingly quiet considering the hotel is directly above the markets and restaurants.
BOOK: Solaria Nishitetsu Myeongdong
6. L’Escape Hotel
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 8.8 / 10
- Google – 4.4 / 5
- Price: Mid Range $$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, on site restaurant and bar, fitness center, breakfast available, free parking, pet friendly
- Location: Steps from Hoehyeon Station exit 7
L’Escape is an elegant Parisian style boutique hotel in Myeongdong. It’s an upscale hotel located southwest of Myeongdong close to Namdaemun Market, so it’s slightly further from the popular touristy area but L’Escape has excellent ratings and very reasonable prices for what you’re getting.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities and location the highest at L’Escape Hotel. It’s quirky, bougie, well appointed hotel and one of the most unique places you can stay in Myeongdong. We think it’s definitely one to consider if you like something different to a classic hotel room.
BOOK: L’Escape Hotel Myeongdong
7. Hotel 28
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 9.2 / 10
- Google – 4.5 / 5
- Price: Luxury $$$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, rooftop garden, on site restaurant and bar, fitness center, breakfast available
- Location: 5 minutes walk to Euljiro 1 Station exits 5 and 6
Hotel 28 is the top rated hotel in Myeongdong according to previous guest reviews on Booking and Google. This luxury boutique hotel is immaculate, upscale, perfectly located in the heart of the action and won’t break the bank.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, cleanliness, facilities, value for money and location the highest at Hotel 28. It takes a clean sweep and has sky high ratings for both staff and location. It ranks as one of the very best hotels in Seoul as far as Booking.com reviews go, so be sure to check prices for your dates!
BOOK: Hotel 28 Myeongdong
8. Lotte Hotel Seoul Executive Tower
Guest ratings:
- Booking.com – 9.0 / 10
- Google – 4.5 / 5
- Price: Luxury $$$
- Amenities: Free WiFi, on site 3 star Michelin restaurant, bar, fitness center, indoor swimming pool, spa, breakfast available
- Location: Steps from Euljiro 1 Station exits 7 and 8
Lotte Hotel Seoul Executive Tower is a true 5 star Myeongdong hotel exuding luxury from start to finish. Everything from the pool to guest rooms are top notch quality and the location is perfect for both the vibrant nightlife and Deoksugung Palace.
Reviewers rate staff, comfort, facilities, cleanliness and location the highest at Lotte Hotel Executive Tower. This is where to stay in Myeongdong if you’re on honeymoon or you just fancy a big splurge. Interestingly, prices here aren’t nearly as high as 5 star hotels in other major cities around the world.
BOOK: Lotte Hotel Seoul Executive Tower Myeongdong
Is Myeongdong A Good Place To Stay?
If you’re looking for a lively tourist area near the most important attractions with easy subway links, a wide range of quality hotels and countless dining options, then yes Myeongdong is a great place for you to stay in Seoul.
Here’s what we like about Myeongdong:
- Safe to walk around by day and night
- Several subway lines within walking distance
- Easy connections to Seoul station
- Spoiled for choice with restaurants and cafes
- Central location between most top attractions
- Easily access the N Seoul Tower observation deck
- Vast range of hotels for any budget
Here’s what we don’t like about Myeongdong:
- It’s very touristy (even for Seoul)
- Losing it’s authenticity
- Some tourist traps and inflated prices
If you’re feeling unsure or anxious about exactly where to stay in Seoul, we think Myeongdong offers a good balance between location, cost and quality.
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 trendy 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, Hongdae 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 Myeongdong 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 Myeongdong 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 Myeongdong and Seoul were more affordable than other popular cities in Asia like Tokyo or Singapore. With that said, we think Myeongdong’s hotels are above average in price for Seoul because it’s the most touristy neighborhood. But we still believe that there’s lots of value for money at hotels here.
And on a positive note, we’ve noticed that prices tend to stay fairly consistent throughout the year. So 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 Myeongdong 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
Myeongdong is the most popular and touristy place to stay in Seoul, and it has lots of positive points like transport, shopping, restaurants, proximity to attractions and a lively center. As a result, you have an abundance of quality hotel options spanning the budget range.
We enjoyed our time at the G2 Hotel in Myeongdong and we’d happily stay again. But next time, we would book further in advance to get the best possible rates and stay at either Hotel 28 or Lotte World Executive Tower for a spot of luxury!
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We hope this guide to the best hotels in Myeongdong 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.