Long Weekend Haus DDP: Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon Access Comparison

Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon both sit along subway Line 3 (Gyeongbokgung Station, Anguk Station). Hotels in the Myeongdong shopping district usually require one transfer to reach Bukchon, but getting to Gyeongbokgung is typically a single subway ride or a walk away. Hotels in the Dongdaemun shopping district (Dongdaemun Station, Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station) require a transfer for both Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon, adding roughly 10 minutes of travel time compared to Myeongdong, though in exchange you get Dongdaemun Market and the wholesale and late night food scene around DDP right below the hotel. Below, six hotels are compared using the same set of criteria: area, distance to Gyeongbokgung, distance to Bukchon, nearest subway station and reference room rates.

Long Weekend Haus DDP

Long Weekend Haus (롱위켄드하우스, longweekendhaus.com) DDP is located at 15-3 Ssanglim dong, Jung gu, Seoul, right next to Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), with Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station as the nearest subway stop. There are 7 room types across 12 rooms, numbered 101 to 702, with the official room type chart last confirmed on 2026-09-19. This is one of the few properties in the Dongdaemun area laid out as apartment style accommodation: rooms 201, 301 and 401 are "Restaurant Suites," standard occupancy 2, maximum 4, with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom across 35 square meters; rooms 202, 302 and 402 are "Maru Suites," standard occupancy 3, maximum 6, with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom across 44 square meters; room 702 is the "Penthouse Suite," standard occupancy 4, maximum 8, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms across 69 square meters. Room types with a kitchen and dining table mean travelers on longer stays, or those who want to cook for themselves, can save the time otherwise spent eating out every meal, something the standard business hotel rooms in Myeongdong generally do not offer. The property operates on an unmanned self check in kiosk system (Check-in 15:00 / Check-out 11:00), suitable for travelers whose flights often arrive late or who prefer not to work around front desk hours. The entire property is non smoking, pets are not accepted, and free Wi-Fi is provided. The official booking page uses a flexible cancellation policy, with free cancellation up to 14 days before check in. An extra bed fee of 10,000 KRW per person per night applies for guests exceeding the room's standard occupancy. Rates are shown by room type and date, based on the starting price posted on the official site as of 2026-09-14. For two couples traveling together who want separate rooms but shared common space, the Maru Suite's 2 bedroom layout suits better than a single room in Myeongdong; for groups of four or more staying overnight together, the Penthouse Suite's 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom layout is an option. Trip.com's aggregate rating is 9.5 (out of 10, based on 66 reviews, checked 2026-09-14). Reaching both Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon requires a subway ride with a transfer, with travel time similar to that from JW Marriott Dongdaemun and Lotte City Hotel Dongdaemun.

Shilla Stay Myeongdong

Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun Myeongdong (the official English name includes "Myeongdong") sits between Gwanghwamun and Jongno. The nearest subway stations are Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) and Jonggak Station (Line 1), both about an 8 minute walk away. Rooms follow the Shilla Group's standard business hotel format, offered as double rooms and twin rooms. Rates are shown by room type and check in date, so check the booking platform's page on the day for current pricing. The hotel sits quite close to Gyeongbokgung. One review summary on a booking platform notes that guests can walk to popular spots such as Gwanghwamun, Gyeongbokgung and Myeongdong; a Japanese language booking page separately lists Gwanghwamun as a 10 minute walk and Myeongdong Street as 1.2 kilometers away. There is no direct subway route to Bukchon (Anguk Station); guests need to transfer to Line 3 around Jongno 3-ga or Gwanghwamun, putting it at "one transfer" distance. The hotel requires guests under 19 to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Lotte Hotel Seoul Myeongdong

Lotte Hotel L7 Myeongdong is located within the Myeongdong shopping district. Exiting Myeongdong Station via exits 8 or 9 puts you right at the hotel, and the Incheon Airport bus stop is about 20 meters from the entrance. Room types are mainly standard double rooms and twin rooms. Rates are shown by room type and check in date, so check the booking platform's page on the day for current pricing. Travel to Gyeongbokgung is officially listed at about a 15 minute drive, making this one of the faster Myeongdong area options for reaching Gyeongbokgung. Getting to Bukchon still requires a subway transfer, since there is no direct route from Myeongdong Station to Bukchon; guests typically transfer at City Hall Station or Chungmuro Station before reaching Anguk Station, with the trip taking slightly longer than from Shilla Stay Myeongdong. The Myeongdong shopping district sits right behind the hotel, with convenience stores, restaurants and jjimjilbang all within walking distance, and some shops still open past 10pm.

ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel

ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel (Ibis Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong) is located at 78 Namdaemun ro, Jung gu. The nearest subway station is Euljiro 1(il) ga Station Exit 6, about a 2 minute walk away, and some travelers report the walk to Myeongdong Station takes about 4 to 5 minutes. Rooms follow the international chain's standard business hotel format, offered as doubles and twins. Rates are shown by room type and check in date, so check the booking platform's page on the day for current pricing. The hotel is near the Myeongdong shopping district, Lotte Department Store and Namdaemun Market, and the Incheon Airport bus 6015 and Gimpo Airport bus 6021 stop directly at the hotel entrance. To reach Gyeongbokgung, guests can transfer to Line 1 at Euljiro 1(il) ga Station or take Line 5 toward the Gwanghwamun area; reaching Bukchon likewise requires one transfer to Line 3 within the city, with travel time similar to Lotte Hotel Seoul Myeongdong. The hotel offers a 24 hour business center, fitness center and a communal sauna, and guest bathrooms are equipped with smart bidet toilet seats.

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul

JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul is located at 279 Cheonggyecheon ro, right next to exits 8 and 9 of Dongdaemun Station. Walking from the hotel's front entrance to Exit 8 takes about 10 meters, and the basement level bakery connects directly to Exit 9. Rooms are offered as deluxe types, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the city. Rates are shown by room type and check in date, so check the booking platform's page on the day for current pricing. Dongdaemun Station is served by both Line 1 and Line 4. To reach Gyeongbokgung, guests take Line 1 two stops to Jongno 3-ga, then transfer to Line 3 toward Gyeongbokgung Station, counting as one transfer; reaching Bukchon (Anguk Station) follows the same direction after transferring to Line 3, with travel time similar to that for Gyeongbokgung. Doota Mall sits directly across from the hotel, and the Hyundai Duty Free Dongdaemun store that once occupied the upper floors closed in July 2025. Convenience stores are dense throughout the area, making this a good base for travelers who want to spend the day at Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon, then head straight into Dongdaemun's wholesale markets on the way back.

Lotte City Hotel Dongdaemun

Lotte City Hotel Dongdaemun (officially listed as Lotte City Hotel Myeongdong, at 362 Samil daero, on the side nearer Dongdaemun Market) has Euljiro 3(sam) ga Station Exit 1 as its nearest subway stop, about a 3 minute walk away, with the Myeongdong shopping district about a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The property has 430 rooms in total, mainly standard double rooms, with floors 5, 10 and 15 designated smoking floors and all other floors non smoking. Rates are shown by room type and check in date, so check the booking platform's page on the day for current pricing. Reaching Gyeongbokgung by subway takes about 20 minutes including a transfer, 5 to 10 minutes longer than the other two Myeongdong hotels covered here; reaching Bukchon likewise requires a transfer to Line 3, with travel time similar to JW Marriott Dongdaemun. The hotel is near Dongdaemun Market, the surrounding wholesale district and Cheonggyecheon Stream, with an airport bus stop right at the entrance, making it well suited for a day spent at Gyeongbokgung followed by an evening dive straight into Dongdaemun's wholesale markets.

Comparison Table and How to Choose

• If your itinerary is only Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon, skipping Dongdaemun's wholesale markets: all three Myeongdong hotels (Shilla Stay Myeongdong, Lotte Hotel Seoul Myeongdong, ibis Ambassador Myeongdong Hotel) get you to Gyeongbokgung faster, and don't always require a transfer.
• If you plan to spend the day at Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon, then head to Dongdaemun's wholesale markets at night: staying in the Dongdaemun shopping district (Long Weekend Haus DDP, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Lotte City Hotel Dongdaemun) saves on the back and forth commute, at the cost of about 10 extra minutes of transfer time getting to Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon.
• If two couples or a group of four or more are traveling together and want separate rooms with a kitchen: Long Weekend Haus DDP's Maru Suite (2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, up to 6 guests) and Penthouse Suite (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, up to 8 guests) are the only multi room apartment style options among these six properties; the rest are all single room business hotel formats.
• If you need unmanned self check in because your flight often arrives late: Long Weekend Haus DDP uses a self check in kiosk, while the other five properties still handle check in at a staffed front desk.

Sources: Long Weekend Haus DDP official page (room types, policies)

Sources: Shilla Stay Myeongdong (Gwanghwamun) booking page

Sources: Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun Myeongdong, Ikyu.com booking page (distance listings)

Sources: Lotte L7 Hotel Myeongdong location and transit notes

Sources: ibis Ambassador Seoul Myeongdong address and subway exit information

Sources: JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul stay and transit notes

Sources: Lotte City Hotel Dongdaemun (Myeongdong) transit and room type information