My first stop on my South Korea and Japan adventure was Seoul. After a ten hour fight, a ten degree temperature increase and the realisation that dragging a suitcase on the metro is the same the world over, I made it to 126mansion – my Seoul home for the next six days.

126mansion is located in the peaceful, artsy Samchung-dong district where the steep streets are lined with cute cafes, traditional Hanok houses and sneak peaks of the view of the city at every turn. Gyungbokgong Palace is around the corner and the palace roof-tops could be seen from my bedroom window – sure beats my usual view of Waitrose. Falling asleep to the sound of cicadas and waking to clear, blue skies made my London life feel – quite literally – a million miles away.

The guesthouse is run by three sisters (and their adorable pup, Shiru) and is a real home away from home. My room was light and bright and had a traditional Korean-style bed which was surprisingly comfortable. I sampled the Western and Korean breakfasts and both were delicious and the perfect start to my days exploring the city. The cafe area downstairs was the perfect chill out spot for chatting with fellow guests and re-connecting with home on the wifi network. Worlds away from an anonymous hotel – I was sad to leave the guesthouse behind even though I still had over half of my trip ahead of me and that’s definitely a sign of a good stay!

Outside the guesthouse – I think the list on the blackboard covers all essentials. 

Shiru standing guard at the front door.

I stayed in room 201 which had lovely views of the royal palace. 

The shared lounge and kitchen – the stairs lead up to the roof terrace.

The cafe and breakfast area.

Breakfast and planning the day’s adventures. 

Old and new Seoul in the local neighbourhood.

Visiting a traditional Hanok house – bright pink trainers are to be left outside! 

I booked on Hostels.com – as a former “five star hotels only” kinda gal this site is a bit of a new discovery – as is Air BnB – so here’s to discovering more cute, independent places to stay (and to wishing that Seoul wasn’t quite so far away for a re-visit).