Accommodations for short term stays in South Korea

Guest house

It would be easy for you to book a guesthouse on the web site.

The guesthouses are located near subway stations and famous area for tourists such as Myeongdong and Dongdaemun, So it is very convenient for living.

You can also get to know people from various countries there. So you won’t be lonely.

However, guesthouses often require sharing a bedroom with several people, so you can’t have your own private space.

If you stay in a private room in a guesthouse, the price per night is not much different from a cheap hotel.

Guesthouses are very practical for a short stay of a few days or a week, but they are not suitable for stays of one month or more.

Airbnb

You can easily make a reservation via the Airbnb website. You can find a room that suits you.

It is also possible to make a reservation on the same day, which comes in handy when you suddenly need a room.

You can easily reserve apartments and even luxurious residences on Airbnb. You can live like the locals in Korea.

Additionally, the cost is not as high as a hotel.

However, sometimes the actual facilities may be older or dirtier than the pictures on the website.

Also, Airbnb does not offer the same services as hotels.

Like guesthouses, they are not suitable for stays longer than a month due to the high cost.

Shared house

In South Korea, the number of shared housing units has increased in recent years.

There are a lot of shared houses for youth, particularly in Seoul.

Many old houses have been renovated into shared houses, and many of the facilities are clean.

You will have a single room and share the kitchen and bathroom with others.

Deposits are also not as high as for studio apartments, and the contract period is negotiable, so they are very suitable accommodations for international students on short stays.

You may not be able to invite your friends to your room. It depends on the landlord of each shared house.

Also, many shared houses will not allow pets. If you are going to live with pets, you should look for an apartment.

Some tenants may have bad manners when using the common facilities. So, if you are a clean freak, you may be stressed by another tenant who uses the common facilities in a dirty manner.

Utilities are often not included in the rent, so you need to pay for utilities.

For example, some shared houses require you to pay for utilities divided by the number of people living in the house. Others have a fixed utility fee, which you pay along with the rent.

Gositel

In South Korea, there are short-stay accommodations called GOSIWON or GOSHITEL(고시텔).

Each room has a private bathroom, bed, desk, and storage. Rents are not as high as for studio apartments, and utilities are included in the rent, making it a very cost-effective place to live.

Free rice, kimchi, and instant noodles are provided in the kitchen.

It is possible to stay for just a month, which makes it a very convenient accommodation for international travelers and students who do not have a defined contract period!

However, a disadvantage of GOSHITEL IS THAT THE ROOMS ARE VERY SMALL.

Also, Goshitel has thin walls, so you can hear noise from the next room.

There is not even room to store suitcases in the room.

Bugs may also be found in the bathroom drains in each room.

THE WINDOWS ARE VERY SMALL, and some rooms do not get any sunlight.

If you tell your Korean friends you want to live inGOSHITEL,, they will probably advise against it.

If you want to live in GOSHITEL,I highly recommend that you  SEE THE ROOM BEFORE YOU SIGN THE CONTRACT!

Hasuk

You may have never heard of Hasuk HASUK <하숙> before.

What’s good about HASUK IS THAT MEALS ARE PROVIDED.

Rents are not as high as for studio apartments, and the landlord lives in the same house or neighborhood and takes care of the tenants. They will look after you like your parents in Korea.

So, HASUK has a very cozy atmosphere.

Tenants of HASUK are mainly students, so HASUK accommodations are often located near universities.

Some people may feel uncomfortable because their landlord lives with them.

You are not allowed to use the kitchen.

Bathrooms are shared with other students, so some of your housemates may have poor manners when using the common facilities.

Hasuk’s facilities are old because they were built a long time ago.