Family visit to South Korea

I am looking for some expert information on travelling Korea witha family MUm,Dad, 2 teenagers 13/14.

We are thinking of going in May or June for a couple of weeks.

Are there family two bedroom type accommodation like in Australia?

What would the average cost be?

Do the minbaks take families?

ARe minbaks like our B%26amp;B%26#39;s?

Really looking for midrange accommodation not top end!

My husband and I have been there beofre but that was without children!!

Look forward to reading all your replies.

Family visit to South Korea

Two bedroom acc. are a bit scarce here except for Jejudo that I know of. On Jeju, you can rent pensions or condos which are basically like little rental homes with two bedrooms and up. There is also a beach cabin place in Donghae on the east coast right on the beach which rents rvs and larger cabins with a bedroom, kitchen and loft. Very comfortable and spacious. If you are interested in something like that I can send you the website link and more info. The above will run about 60,000 won up -- more for the Jeju accommodation... Also, booking earlier for your dates would be a good idea. I will not be peak holiday season, but it is getting close -- just to be on the safe side.

Minbaks are typically cheap, basic lodging where you get a small room with a yo and ibul (bedding on the floor). They are not like western BBs... Really just somewhere to sleep and their quality varies a lot. Some more touristy areas have very nice minbaks which are more like hotels, yet typically these are small, family run places. I%26#39;ve never had a breakfast option at a minbak. Just not really the style here. Of course, they accept families but you would probably have to go with two rooms unless they have one big room and you feel in the slumber party mood... I would guess 30 to 40,000 won per night... It varies.

I really need some more info on where specifically you are planning to go in SK. But maybe this will give you a better idea of what you are looking at...Yogwans are usually clustered together in towns and cities which will allow you to compare prices and quality quickly. These are a step above minbaks and really like small hotels. RSVs are not necessary or even possible I don%26#39;t think. Price range again will be from 40,000 to 60,000 won or so, cheaper away from Seoul...

Enjoy.

Family visit to South Korea

Hello seasmoke,

Thank you for that gret info. I now have a better undertstanding of the types of accommodation and how they compare to Aust.

We would like to go to Jeju because we didn%26#39;t get there before.

I%26#39;ll do a bit more reading and planning then ask more questions!

Thank you for your help

you can try this place, its in myeondong and near to eatery, shopping and the subway.

there is a 5 or 6 person room. never stayed there but have friends that did. you can call the owner to pick up..

www.seoultowerville.com/eng-charge.html else you can try

http://www.namsanguesthouse.com/pay_e.htm, you can also ask if they do pick up in their van

here%26#39;s the direction from their site

Airport Limousine Bus

Take Airport Limousine Bus 6015 at the Incheon airport 5B,12A, and get off at the Sejong Hotel. Go straight down to Myeongdong station Subway line No.4(Blue line) 20 M,Get out from Exit No.3 and face Pacific hotel, go straight right side (Way to Namsan cable car) 300 M,locate left side of the road

Airport Pick up Service

* Incheon Airport : 60,000 Won for 4 persons per a time (1-3 persons are the same price)

* Kimpo Airport : 30,000 Won for 4 persons per a time (1-3 persons are the same price

oophs! the site did not work...

http://www.namsanguesthouse.com/

click on namsanguesthouse

Hi BlossomBlossom,

Thank you for the link to the namsan guest house it looks very nice and along the lines of what I am looking for. And in the same area we stayed before so that would be a little bit familiar!

I will continue my research now.

Thank you.

Hi,

Thank you for your kind offer.

We actually have an aquaintance who lives in Japan but is actually Korean, and he has offered to come over to Korea while we are there to show us around! Aren%26#39;t we lucky?

Apart from that we do prefer to take the challenge of finding our own way when travelling -it%26#39;s fun getting a little bit lost occasionally!

Are you sure you want to stay in South Korea for a full two weeks?

I have a son who has been living in South Korea for the last two years, teaching English and studying Korean. Last April my husband and I went to visit him and while we enjoyed our time there I would find spending two weeks there too much time.

We spent a long weekend in Seoul and could have spent more time there but wanted to see where our son had been living, Gwangju, which is farther south. It is a very large city but we were surprised by the lack of hotels. We left it up to our son to find us a hotel and he booked us a ';love'; motel because he said it was one of the nicest places to stay....I guess when you are 24 your idea of nice is different than at 54! We wound up at this ';resort'; in the hills on the outskirt of the city, which was supposed to be the best place to stay. The lobby area was pretty nice but our room was awful and the bed was so hard we wound up folding all the blankets and spread under us and sleeping fully dressed! There were no hotels or motels equivilant to even a Motel 6, Best Western, Holiday Inn type of place. I am not sure why there is such a lack of lodging outside of Seoul or Busan. My son said that most Westerners are going on Business which is primarily in Seoul. Apparantley those who venture out of the main area are staying with family.

We love Japan and have been there several times and we went there on business immediatley before going to Korea. It was hard not to compare the two countries as the geography and the people are very similar. We both love all types of food but I got bored rather quickly with what seened a lack of variety. I never feel that way while in Japan.

Much of the country has been destroyed in various wars over the years and there are not as many old buildings, temples and places etc.

We did enjoy seeing a beautiful tea plantation and I thought the countryside was very pretty.

mary2go,

Don%26#39;t discount South Korea just because your one bad experience. Like your son mentioned, Gwangju city is not tourist destination, so many lodgings there are not probably not up to western standard unlike other tourist destinations like city of Gyeongju, Jeju Island, Seoraksan Mountain national park and other nice places I have been. I admit Korea%26#39;s tourists infrastructures have yet to catch up with place like Japan for foreign visitors. But that dose not means Korea lacks its own charms. I wish I can spend two weeks in Korea, not only sightseeing in cities, but experience temple stay, explore tea plantation, relax at hot springs, islands hopping via ferries or participate in many local festivals...

Thank you all for your input.

No I don%26#39;t think two weeks is too much time in Korea.

We spent about that time touring the country from Seoul --south-- and back again and it was great.

We had no trouble finding suitable accommodation for the two of us... and we mixed it up a bit...tried to experience all types from budget to low end luxury.

We had a great time and the locals were friendly.

We ate out at all types of restaurants and hawker stalls.

But it will be different withthe teenagers this time!

They don%26#39;t like to look at the historic side of countries!

We are well travelled and I suppose that adds to what you are prepared to accept when visiting other countries and find you get the most out of your trip if you are prepared to experience the local culture.

We tend to not stay in 5 star ';chain'; hotels because they end up being the same the world over.

Can I fly over to Japan from Busan?