So you're going to Seoul. Good for you. But has anyone told you it's a notoriously expensive city? Actually, it never fails to make it to the top of the world's most pricey cities list, and sorry to break your bubble - there's no such thing as cheap hotel in Seoul, with rates for 3 stars standing at US$70 at the least. Just to give you a hint, here's a couple of 2 star Seoul hotels with starting prices per night:   

- Jeon Poong Hotel $ 59
- Central Hotel $ 72
- Lees Hotel $ 60
- Brown Hotel $ 51
- Noblesse Yeoksam $ 60
- Hotel Kobos $ 75
- Benhur Hotel $ 84
- Friend Hotel $ 59
- Amourex Hotel $ 85
- Bali Tourist Hotel $ 74
- Flower Hotel $ 49
- Hotel Cutee $ 61
- Hotel Mare $ 73

The good thing is that, despite only two stars, most of the so-called low standard hotels in Seoul are actually very good value for money, with all the latest gizmos, top cleanliness and extremely courteous staff. On the flip side, you may come across problems with communication. It happens that the front house workers speak very basic English, which might only mean ridiculously funny misunderstandings if you are lucky, but can seriously complicate things if there comes a need to claim a refund, report a damage, or file a complaint.

Apart from numerous budget hotels there is also a number of accommodations in the unofficial backpacker districts: Jongro and Hongdae, both around 15-20 minutes on public transportation from the city's main tourist attractions. Forget about luxuries and room service, but those with modest expectations should end up satisfied, with plenty of saved-up cash to splash out on culinary pleasures downtown.

Pros or cons - it's up to you to decide - most of the hostels in this area offer 4-8 person dorm rooms (singles and doubles are also available), so you may well land bunk to bunk with complete strangers and strike cool acquaintances with people from all over the world. Isn't that awesome? Of course, there's always a store room to secure you belongings, which is a wise thing to do no matter how trustworthy an impression your room-mates make.

Recommended cheap hostels in Jongro:                                                                                   Backpackers Korea
Banana Backpackers
Hostel Korea
Wind Road & Flower Guesthouse
Yim's House

Recommended cheap hostels in Hongdae and vicinity:                                                             Blu Guest House
Bangrang Hostel
Golden Pond Guesthouse
Hongdae Guesthouse
Kims' Guest House
Lee & No Guesthouse
Namsan Guesthouse

Most of the above have air conditioning, TV, free internet, laundry service, and simple breakfast included. The owners usually speak very good English and go out of their ways to ensure family-like atmosphere. On average, rates run from US$15 for a dorm to US$30/40 for singles/doubles. Nowhere else can you find a better deal, and such a slight downgrade in comfort could be worth thinking over for the sake of considerable savings, especially that you don't stand a snowball's chance in hell of finding a cheap hotel in Seoul.