Korea Central Backpackers

This was my first time staying at a backpackers lodge so I did not know what to expect other than the movies I've seen with barely decent rooms that you share with 5 or more people and a common bathroom.

However, since being a first time solo traveller, I said, what the heck! Since nagpapakafeeling backpacker lang din naman ako, ituloy ko na!

Korea Central Backpackers, for me, is more of like an apartment (read: guesthouse), rather than a hostel.

This was recommended by Anya since her good friend, Shanee, helps out at the guesthouse.

The guesthouse is strategically and conveniently located in an area with streets lined with shops, restaurants, and cafes.

 So it is not a problem if you wish to grab a quick bite for breakfast at bake shops like Paris Baguette or Tous les Jours, 

or if you wish to stay up late to have some coffee quality time with friends at several coffee shops nearby that close rather late (there's Coffin Gurumaru, Cafe Pascucci, Ediya Coffee, Cat Cafe, Hello Kitty cafe, to name a few).

Ediya Coffee (and yes, Starbucks is right across). New Pinoy friends I met in Seoul (far right: me, Shanee)

From the Airport Limo bus stop (pick up and drop off), it is about a 2-4 minute walk to the guesthouse (depending on how slow you walk). The bus stop (for arrival) is right past 7th Heaven cafe. This is the Sung Kyunkwan University stop.

If you're coming via Subway, Hyehwa Exit 3 or 4 station is about a 3 minute walk back. The landmark is Coffin Gurumaru at the corner. I find the place quite convenient since it is accessible to both the bus stop and train station. This was important to me.

Map taken from Korea Central Backpacker's website

The guesthouse has a quaint, cozy and comfortable atmosphere. I felt like I was staying at some friend's apartment (sa sobrang comfy, nagkalat na ako). The place and the rooms are smaller than what we are accustomed to back home. This is because space is quite limited and real estate quite expensive in Seoul.

Sorry, ang kalat lang. Excuse my bag

The living room is where all the guests get to lounge around. They have a water station with free coffee and tea (in Ilonggo: nagminanol gid ko sa automatic water station ka high-tech!) They also have a microwave if you want to re-heat food.

This is facing the rooms. Towels are provided for free, but please be considerate and do not hoard the towels. Washing machine and Dryer are also available outside for you to wash your own laundry, for a minimum fee of kr₩ 2,000 (about $USD 2.00) to be paid to any of the staff.

The space is complete with TV and computer stations. Wifi is available in all parts of the guesthouse (including the bathroom! Yes, I need my bathroom reading entertainment too). I've noticed that Wifi in Seoul is super fast versus back home. Heck, they say you can download an entire movie in 5 minutes or less!

There are different rooms to choose from. There are dorm-type rooms good for 4 people (family or exclusive girls dorm). There is also a "common / mix room" of 6pax (boys and girls are mixed). For these rooms of 4-6pax, double-deck beds are provided. If sharing a room with strangers is too much for you, they also have private rooms good for 1 or 2 persons.

The 4 Bed Female dorm room I booked has its own private bathroom.

Notice the built-in cabinet lockers at the bottom of the beds. You can safely store your valuables here while you are out during the day.

For us who are accustomed to spacious bathrooms, this may come as a shock at first. Since space is limited, the shower, toilet, and sink are all-in-1 (naliligo ka habang nagttoothbrush ang peg). And you need to wear the bathroom slippers they provide for use while going about your business inside. I'm not used to showering while wearing slippers so this came as a culture shock. However, I got used to it after the 2nd day since the staff made sure that the bathroom is kept clean. There is also a built-in water heater for the shower (so good news para sa mga lamigin!)

Since it was pretty cold, they provide comfortable, thick blankets. There are also air-conditioners in each room, including the living area, for use during the summer months. Their floors also have built-in heaters that they turn on during the winter season.

Should you need your room cleaned, you may kindly request from any of the staff available and they will do so.

The guesthouse also has CCTV cameras for security and peace of mind. The main door also has a pass-code security lock that only KCB guests can access. Seoul is generally a safe city, so I did not have a problem leaving my luggage with some valuables (locked) inside the room. But if this is a problem for you, there are lockers under the beds where you can store all your belongings.

The guesthouse also provides quite a number of tourist brochures.

They also have a map of Seoul inside the room.

The owner of the guesthouse, Han Yong Hee, is very friendly and accommodating. He makes sure to greet /welcome his guests when they first arrive at the guesthouse. And he also does not forget to say goodbye when it's time to check-out. If he is not there, any of his staff, especially Shanee (a Filipino friend of Anya, who also became my friend, taking up her masters in one of the Korean universities) will be glad to assist you.

Yong and I at Nami Island. Aside from managing the guesthouse, he also arranges tours for Nami Island and Petite France.

When you need help in booking a tour or if you'd like to know how to get to a particular place, Yong / Shanee will be glad to assist you. It is also convenient to know that Yong has a tour business (see my later post on Nami Island / Petite France tour).

Overall, I love my stay at KCB! I felt at home and they were like family to me during my 10-day stay. The other guests (from different countries) were also very friendly. I loved hanging out at the living area chatting and hearing the different experiences of other guests. It made me feel right at home, where everyone was in the same journey as me... people who love to travel around the world and taking a break from the busy work life back home.

For those who wish to experience staying at a backpackers lodge / guesthouse or for those who are looking for an affordable place to stay in Seoul, I highly recommend KCB!

You may check out their website to learn more about the place and if you wish to get in touch with Yong for any inquiries, reservations, and bookings: http://www.koreacentralbackpackers.com