ACCOMMODATION #1 (Nov. 19)
Fairfield by Marriott Seoul
Criteria
One of the criteria we looked up to for the first accommodation of this trip is the location. As much as we want to stay longer in Seoul, we want to make the best out of it. Based on its website, and as you see in one of the reviews, there are many attractions to visit. Even restaurants and convenience stores to get our food from are so essential to us. We are glad to find this very sophisticated yet affordable first chain accommodation for us. Another criteria is the amenities, specifically their Free High-Speed internet. You may look at us as immature for considering a High-Speed internet, however as I have mentioned, this would be our first trip, and we needed a great internet connection to do more of our planning. We might need to make some changes to our itinerary, so we need to have the internet to update any trip cancellations (if there are any).
Cost
I will stay in Fairfield Marriott for 2 nights.
- per night cost 200,000 KRW, converted to CAD is 220.00.
- taxes and fees is 40,000 KRW, converted to CAD is 44.00.
- our total stay cost 440,000 KRW, which is totaled to 484.00 CAD
Payment Procedure
The payment method of this hotel is by holding a credit card to hold the reservation of the room. Even though we do not need to put deposit for the room, we still needed to give our credit card information. It could be Visa, Mastercard, American Express.
Cancellation Policy
I have free cancellation until November 18, 2021. If failed to cancel my reservation pass the given date, the hotel will charge my credit card with 220,000 KRW, in CAD it is 242.00.
ACCOMMODATION #2 (Nov.21)
Hwangnamguan Hanok Village & Hotel
Criteria
Based on the traveller's requirements, they wanted to experience the country's authentic rich culture they will visit.
I chose a Hanok stay as one of my criteria, because Hanok is a traditional house in Korea, so I believe that travellers need to experience this accommodation type. They get to see the reality of conventional culture, maybe they could find out some history about the place, or even see nearby historical attractions. The travelers would get to know more about Korea's history, and being there at the same time would be a very wonderful experience to bring home.
Another criteria I considered is the Amenities. I believe that comfort is still essential wherever you stay because you can relax and have that sense of vacation. I know that a first-time traveller would appreciate the Air-conditioning, room service, Bar/lounge, mosquito nets, flat-screen tv, coffee maker etc., that the rooms offer. They would still feel the traditional experience yet having the comfort of their vacation at the same time.
Cost
The price of this hotel differs between weekdays and weekends. Since, our dates fall into Thursday and Friday, our rate per night is different.
- Thursday = 100,000 KRW while Friday = 150,000 KRW. Converted to CAD, it is 275.00.
- There were no taxes breakdown, however it said that the VAT is already included in the room rate.
Payment Method
According to the website, there are two ways to pay or the reservation fee; by using a bankbook or paying by credit card. The difference with this accommodation is that they want us to pay the full amount to reserve our room. If we don't want to pay through bankbook, we needed to pay within 12 hours.
Cancellation Policy
If we cancelled 7 days before the reserved date, we would get a full refund. If it is 3-6 days before, we would only get 30% of our payment. If it is 2 days and below, then we won't get any refund.
ACCOMMODATION #3 (Nov. 13)
Castaway Beach Bungalows
Criteria
The first reason why we chose this type of accommodation is the number of restaurants and attractions to see. I think staying in this beautiful place with excellent food is just a perfect vacation to consider-secondly, the price. As a first time traveler, it is such a huge consideration for us is the budget. We were happy enough to find this beautiful bungalow accommodation at a very affordable price. Lastly, look how instagrammable the area is. As a gen z, I would want to take lots of pictures of the beautiful scenic views to post on my social media to share with my friends. Also, I would be able to improve my photography skills with those breathtaking views, and of course, our ocean view right in front of our bungalow!
Cost
Benefits of using booking.com is that, the website converts the local currency to cad, so no need to bother converting.
- for the double with balcony and sea view cost 191.00 CAD, with 7% VAT, 13.00 CAD.
- total of 204.00 CAD, in THB, it is 4,800.00, which for us is very reasonable.
Payment Procedure
The payment method of this accommodation is by holding a credit card to hold the reservation of the room. Even though we do not need to put deposit for the room, we still needed to give our credit card information. It could be Visa, Mastercard, American Express.
Cancellation Policy
We have free cancellation until 28th of November. Past that date, I would get my credit card charged of 204.00 CAD.