Today, I will explain how you can save a lot on hotel expenses when you travel while you are in Korea. If you watch this video carefully, you can save a significant amount of money. I had previously uploaded a similar video last year, and after that video, I received numerous comments asking why they couldn't find the same information. Well, you need to put in some effort. I'm not creating fake videos; I am showing you actual web pages, so prices may vary slightly depending on the date. For example, if I found a price of 40,000 won, it might not show that price for you. It may not be available during peak seasons. This time, during my trip to Korea, I had the opportunity to visit Busan. The hotel I stayed at was the Benikea Hotel.

This place, I would recommend because it is very close to Haeundae, and the hotel rates are affordable. Also, guests at this hotel have free access to the sauna, which is quite nice. However, there are a few drawbacks. The building is a bit old, and the land area is narrow, making it a tall hotel. Therefore, if a lot of people suddenly crowd the elevator, it may take some time to wait for it. That's not too bad, though; the other issues aren't significant. Additionally, this Benikia Hotel is located in an area of Busan where seawater hot springs are found. This area is known for its seawater hot springs, which means that seawater is injected into underground water and heated by geothermal energy, resulting in hot water rising. So, the sauna water here is slightly salty.

There is a bathhouse or a hotel like the Jay Benikia Hotel, which used to be just a bathhouse. However, they demolished the bathhouse building and built a large hotel instead. Speaking of the Jay Benikia Hotel, I often visited the Novotel Ambassador Hotel, which is located right in front of Haeundae Beach. Before COVID, it was known as the Grand Chosun during the pandemic, and the name changed. The reason I frequently used the Novotel Ambassador in the past was that I could book it for under $100 when reserving from the U.S. It was very affordable. It’s quite a nice hotel, and even now, compared to others, it is still a good hotel, but the price was cheap. At that time, when I went to Korea, I had booked it for under $100.

If you look for reservations in Korea, it goes over 200,000 won. So I was really curious about how this could happen. Once, we had a group of several dozen acquaintances going together, and we made a group reservation. However, since there was a limit on how many people could book at once on sites like Agoda, we sent an email directly. They told us that it was difficult for them to match the price. From what I heard then, when booking hotels in tourist-special areas through overseas sites, there are times when special prices come out due to support they provide. So, in the end, we had no choice but to make separate reservations through the site. Even if we went directly to the hotel, they couldn’t offer us that price. I apologize. If it has come to this point, it speaks for itself. This time, we went to Busan and stayed at the Benikia Hotel.

I went to the Benikia Hotel, and on weekends, it tends to be a bit more expensive. During the week, as summer approaches, I think the prices will rise even more. During the week, the prices are around 60,000 to 70,000 won, while on weekends, they could go up to 100,000 or 150,000 won. While I was having a meal with my friend from Busan National University and Haeundae, we jokingly talked about this. There is an app called Here is Good, which is frequently used by people in Korea to find hotels. Apps like Yanolja and Here is Good are commonly used for this purpose. I checked the prices through Here is Good, and I also looked at the Agoda app. The prices were really shocking! At that time, my price came out to be 59,000 won, while my friend's price was 98,000 won. There was almost a 40,000 won difference! So, yeah.

Is the price difference really this significant? Is it because I'm going to the American site that the prices vary so much? My friend was surprised, and I thought, Wow, this site really has great deals. It seemed very affordable. So today, I will actually show you the website while looking for dates. This is not something I'm manipulating; it's a screen capture, so you can see that by using the American site, those who can speak English may find it cheaper. If you make reservations within the U.S., it might also be less expensive. This is because the IP address is from the U.S. If you book in advance from Korea, you might find that the prices are higher when booking from the U.S. I've experienced this many times. However, not all hotels have lower prices. As I mentioned earlier, some hotels are listed on sites like Agoda.com.

Booking.com and Expedia.com are sites that, when you show the prices directly at the hotel front desk, often cannot match those prices. I apologize, but this happens quite frequently. Therefore, if you do some research in advance, you can save money. For hotel reservations in Asia, agoda.com offers the widest selection. It doesn't necessarily mean it's the cheapest, so make sure to compare prices. Agoda.com has the most options available. Additionally, if you use a card like Korean Air's Skypass Visa card, you can earn double the mileage when booking through their site. So, there are some benefits. For traveling in Europe, Booking.com is the most prevalent option. And when traveling to the United States, where should you go? Yes, you can check out expedia.com for the U.S. and also for destinations like Mexico.

The most hotels for travel can be found on Expedia.com. Now, regarding hotels in Korea, where are the most hotels located? As I mentioned earlier, sites like Yanolja and Here You Go have the most options. There's no avoiding that. When searching for hotels in famous cities like Seoul or Busan, many options come up. However, if you try to find hotels in places like Pyeongtaek or Anjeong-ri, you might only find one option on American sites. I thought there was only one hotel here, but after coming here, I found about ten hotels that were not registered. However, if you look on Korean sites, all of them show up. One of the good things about Korean sites is that same-day last-minute tickets are really cheap. What that means is that around 6 or 7 PM, during the week, it won't be fully booked.

If you can't sell an item today, you can sell it tomorrow. However, if a hotel room is not rented out today, it cannot be rented out tomorrow. Because of this, there are times when hotels are offered at very low prices at the last minute. For example, a hotel that costs about 70,000 won during the day may drop to 60,000 won, then 40,000 won, and even 30,000 won by 6 PM, eventually going down to half price, like 10,000 won. This happens quite often, so booking same-day hotels through foreign sites like Agoda.com or Booking.com is usually much cheaper. Therefore, it would be wise to take advantage of such opportunities when they arise. 

Now, I will check for dates; Saturday, February 15th, and Sunday, June 16th, which is typically the most expensive time, especially on weekends. I will look for hotels in Busan, specifically the Myeongdong Premium Hotel where I stayed before.

I looked it up, and here you can set it to 0, and you can choose the amount in won or in dollars. These days, the exchange rate is quite favorable, so sometimes there is a slight difference, but it generally comes out to be similar. Now, when I checked the price in won, the Benny Care Hotel is 12,584,443,200 won. However, if you just look at the photos, you might be a bit too optimistic; it’s actually a little messier than it appears. Also, there is a sauna downstairs, which is free. The entrance fee is 9,500 won, so if a couple goes, it’s almost 20,000 won. If you go four times, morning and evening, that’s 40,000 won. Therefore, during the week, hotel prices are around 50,000 won or a bit more, so you can actually make back the cost just by using the sauna. The hotel lobby is a bit small, and they don’t currently provide breakfast. There’s a lounge upstairs and a sauna below, and the hotel rooms look like this.

The shape is such that it's narrow, and it's less than a two-minute walk to the beach. So, in many ways, the facilities are quite good. On the first day, I was given a room on the 14th floor, which was too high, and the room itself was a bit worn out. I later asked to change rooms because it took too long to get to the elevator. Eventually, I was moved to a lower floor, specifically the 6th or 7th floor. On this lower floor, there was a bidet, while there wasn't one on the upper floor, and the water pressure was stronger too. So, it's better to use the lower floors if possible. From what I observed, there were also Chinese tourists and students on a school trip. When these students came rushing out, the lobby became quite crowded, and it was really challenging to get on the elevator.

There was some discomfort, but aside from that, it was somewhat okay. Now, the price of this hotel for a standard double room is 125,000 won. If we compare this to the same type of room at the Premier Hotel from May 15th to June 16th, the price is 149,000 won. So, there's a difference of over 20,000 won. Looking at the prices, we see 125,000 won and then 149,000 won, which shows a difference of about 24,000 won. If you stay for ten days, that's 240,000 won, which is quite a significant price difference. Let's check other dates. What about peak season dates? The most expensive time is in July. Let's search for July 27th to 28th. July 27th to 28th is a Saturday, a weekend, and also during the peak season, so it will be very expensive.

Now, let's search for the dates from July 27 to 28. What comes up is that the standard double is 199,000 won, which is about 200,000 won. From this, we see another price of 167,000 won, which means there is a difference of about 33,000 won. It’s clear that you would need to make a reservation here. However, there’s really no need to go there to make a reservation; that’s how it can be viewed. 

Additionally, let me give you a tip. When I compared prices this time, one was 59,000 won, and there was a case in Busan where it was 100,000 won. When looking for hotels, I’m not saying you must stay at a specific hotel. You should search for Busan. Sometimes, there are special prices available on the same day. Search for Busan, set the dates, and then various hotels will appear, and special prices may come up.

There is a hotel called Centum Premier Hotel, which costs 117,000 won. It’s really the same price as 167,000 won. However, the Centum Premier Hotel has received four stars. This one is a three-star hotel but costs 117,000 won, and there’s only one room left. Here, make sure to check if there’s free cancellation available. You can see the option here. It says “free cancellation.” If there’s one room left, you should definitely make a reservation. After reserving, you can cancel later without any issues. So, this room with free cancellation is even cheaper; it’s only 90,000 won. Yes, it’s cheaper than 117,000 won. Be sure to look closely at the deals and the free cancellation options. It’s 90,000 won, so you should pay attention to the prices.

It's important to know where this area is located because they say they are going to Haeundae, which is definitely considered affordable. The Centum Premier Hotel is likely located in Centum City, but Centum City is a bit far from Haeundae. There's a map here; this is Centum City, and the Haeundae we commonly refer to is over here. So, when coming here, you can take a taxi or a bus, as there are bus services available. However, there isn't a direct bus route. And this area is Haeundae, where the Benikea Hotel I mentioned is located nearby, right in front of Haeundae. Looking at the English names, it can be a bit confusing, but let’s take a look at it all. It’s not all the way to Dalmaji Hill; it’s around here, which is Haeundae. Yes, Gunam-ro is here. This is Haeundae. The Novotel is at the intersection, which used to be...

The Novotel has changed to the Grand Chosun. Right now, it costs about 200,000 to 300,000 won. In the summer, it might be around 300,000 won. The Benike Hotel where I stayed is around here, at Oncheon Intersection in Haeundae. So, how close is it? And the famous Paradise Hotel is also here. Considering the distance, the prices are cheaper, but as I mentioned earlier, you will need to take a bus to get to that hotel, so it's good to check on that as well. 

Let's take a look at the Grand Chosun Hotel. Yes, Grand Chosun, Jeong-dong, Busan. Here it is. For the same dates, it's 550,000 won. Wow, why has it gotten so expensive? I used to book it for under 100 dollars. Now it's 495,000 won. Wow, it really is a luxury hotel. Previously, I rented it for less than 100 dollars. Let's see if it comes up here as well.

I don't know. The Grand Chosun Busan has two people. How much is the price at Grand Chosun Busan? Yes, it's 533,000 won. The difference isn't that significant. Yes, there's a difference of about 30,000 won; a difference of 30,000 won in the range of 500,000 won isn't that big. The reason is that Grand Chosun used to offer a lot of discounts on overseas sites, but it seems they aren't doing that much now compared to when it was the Novotel Ambassador. So, we can't say that all hotels are necessarily cheap. I looked for hotels in Busan, and as we saw earlier, the Centum Premier Hotel was one of the cheaper options. Let's check the same dates again. Earlier, it was down to 90,000 won. Let's see if it comes up here. Centum Premier... oh, it comes right up. Yes, for the same dates, it was 90,000 won at Centum Premier Hotel, and then... for the selected dates, the room is...

All the dates are fully booked. So, let's try for a weekday, from the 22nd to the 23rd. We need to check if those dates are also fully booked. Yes, it looks like they are all fully booked. Now, let's check for June, from the 22nd to the 23rd. It seems all the hotels are fully booked as well, so I can't compare prices. Therefore, I cannot make a price comparison for this hotel at the moment. 

However, I see that there are some special deals available. In my case, since I use a certain app, I also earn points. Every time I book a hotel, I accumulate about 1,000 to 2,000 won, which gives me an additional discount. So, in fact, I can receive a discount beyond the listed price. 

Additionally, one of the things I look for is last-minute deals. There are special offers for flight tickets and similar deals available here.

For example, if you search for Busan, one of the advantages of using sites like this in Korea is that you can get discounts by excluding your card. Additionally, there are more hotels listed compared to sites like Agoda. There are also same-day special prices available. There are various options to consider. Right now, there are many reservations that are fully booked, but if we look at dates like June 9th and July 19th to 20th, it tends to be quite expensive in Busan during peak times. There are budget hotels available for around 40,000 to 50,000 won, as well as options for 90,000 won, so it would be good to explore these kinds of listings. Recently, it seems that many people in Korea are using a site called Here and There. However, as you saw earlier, the cancellation fees are the same, around 20,000 to 30,000 won, so you can save on those costs as well. For those who speak English, you might consider using the Agoda site or SkyPass.

If you have a card, entering Agoda through SkyPass can help you save even more on mileage, and you can also receive Agoda cash. For traveling in Europe, you might consider Booking.com, and for trips to the United States, Expedia.com would be a good option. 

Lastly, here's one more tip: hotels in provincial cities can sometimes be more expensive if they are not in tourist areas. For example, in Seoul, there are hotels in Dongdaemun that I saw last year for around 40,000 won per night. These hotels have similar characteristics; they are located on good land and are tall, which might feel a bit cramped, but if you're just there to sleep, what's the big issue? In places like Seoul, there is competition. Of course, there are hotels that cost 1 million or 2 million won per night, but you can also find hotels for 40,000 to 50,000 won per night.

However, even that hotel, when I checked on Korean sites, was around 70,000 to 80,000 won. But when I looked on American sites, I found that I could book it for about 40,000 won at that time. Now, in the case of Pyeongtaek Anjeong-ri, when I searched for hotels in this area from the American side, there was only one option available. However, the price for that hotel is not cheap; it costs about 70 to 80 dollars. Recently, someone who came here tried to find a room at one of the hotels and ended up paying 80,000 won for one night. So, it's quite expensive. In Korea, even for trips to provincial cities, for example, in smaller cities that are not major urban areas, hotel prices can be higher. In the United States, hotel prices tend to be proportional to land prices, so in some famous areas...

There are many cheaper options outside the resort area, close to the highway. However, in the U.S., it's different from Korea, where competition is intense in the city, making many options inside the city cheaper. So, the concept of finding hotels in Korea and the U.S. is completely different. For example, if you want to travel near Busan, searching for hotels in places like Gijang or Wolgwang might actually be more expensive. This means that booking a hotel right by the sea and going for a day trip could be cheaper. In the U.S., the situation is different; Busan city is expensive, which is why places on the outskirts are cheaper. For instance, in LA, it's expensive, so areas a bit further out, like Cerritos, might be more affordable.

If you go out, hotel prices are actually cheaper. These days, hotel prices in the U.S. are incredibly high. In downtown LA, for instance, it's common to see rates around $200. It's hard to even talk about hotels like this; you end up paying about $300 a night to stay in one. If you go to Santa Monica, you’re looking at a base price of $300, and to get a hotel with a nice view, you might need to spend $400 or $500. In New York, just to have a place to sleep, you could easily spend $200 or $300, and if you want to stay in a decent hotel, you might have to pay $700 or $800. Compared to hotel prices in the U.S., hotel rates in Korea seem very affordable. So when you come to Korea to travel, make sure to take advantage of this and compare prices. Not everything on Agoda is cheap, as I mentioned earlier. How about this?

Yes, for those who have a Korean residency certificate or similar documents, you can communicate through those channels. For example, there are apps like Here You Go that can help. Also, if you suddenly decide to travel somewhere without a plan, you might find affordable accommodations for that same day. For instance, let's say you went to Busan and traveled to a place about 30 to 40 minutes away by car. After enjoying the beautiful scenery, you might suddenly think, It would be nice to stay here. If you look for options on apps like Here You Go, you might find a room that wasn't booked for that day, and if you find a last-minute deal for 30,000 won, it might be better to just pay that amount and stay rather than driving back. So, if you use these tools wisely, I believe you can have a more enjoyable travel experience. I will continue to share various ways to save money in Korea in the future.

I will let you know about things like making reservations next time as well. Thank you for watching today.

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