Seoul, South Korea

When I was planning my trip to Japan, I knew I wanted to split my time to visit Seoul. My good friend Jess lives there and I have been dreaming of visiting her. And not to mention Seoul has been on my radar since I used to be a Korean soap opera addict (haven't been watching lately since I can't find a good show to watch - let me know if you have any recommendations).

I admit that I went overboard in Japan with my planning and trying to cram every single place to visit and I wanted to slow down in Seoul. It was the perfect time because it was much cooler in temperature than in Japan. 

I used Peach airline to fly to Korea. It was cheap! We took our flight from Kansai, Osaka airport to Incheon airport. Incheon airport is massive and it looks amazing. Lots of samsung television's everywhere ;). It was a bit of a culture shock once we arrived as people were more aggressive at the airport than in Japan (people are quiet and orderly). I had to quickly adjust.

I booked an apartment through airbnb. We stayed in the Jongno-gu area. It was the perfect apartment! The area was close to all the historical buildings and waking distance to Insadong and Myeongdong. I walked so much in Seoul!

The apartment was perfect for 2 people. It's an open space layout. I had everything I needed for a great week long stay. Convenience and grocery stores was below the apartment building. It was very convenient and restaurants everywhere when I was too lazy to cook. I only made breakfast in the apartment. And ate out for all meals since I wanted to eat a ton of Korean food.

The owner of the apartment was super nice!! I met her on the last day of my stay. She came to say hello and even gave me presents. She was super sweet!

This was my first meal in Seoul. I was so hungry after the bus ride from the airport to the apartment. Walked to the nearest building and found a food court. I immediately ordered bibimbap ;)

Quepos Air bnb house!

As you all know, I'm a big fan of Airbnb. I had very positive experiences in renting apartments/room from the site so it wasn't a surprise when I booked a room for our stay in Quepos.

I found an amazing owner of a house in Quepos who was prompt at replying to my e-mails and providing me information about his house. We rented a room and it was wonderful! The house was super clean and we were free to use the outdoor kitchen. The room was modern and everything was brand new! and plus free wi-fi of course ;)

Outdoor kitchen! It was fun cooking outside again and we spent a lot of time in the kitchen/dining area.

During our short stay, we raided the nearest grocery store/market and it was fun shopping for food. I always love grocery shopping when I'm abroad to check out the different produce. We ate a lot of seafood and fish during our trip. It was so much fun cooking in our outdoor kitchen.

The view from the kitchen window. Nothing better than bamboo trees and blue skies.

The property is not huge but it is surrounded by a lot of trees and wildlife. I was looking forward to encountering sloths (after seeing photos from the owner) but sadly I didn't see any.

We did however see this iguana sunbathing outside the garden.

We also became close with the house caretakers. They were the best! Edwin and Yadira made sure we had everything we needed during our stay and even had a birthday celebration for me where we cooked bbq dinner and Yadira baked a cake for me (more on that later..).
This is why I love staying with locals instead of hotels. 



**please note this is not a sponsored post. I just really like Airbnb**

Tips for Airbnb rental (UPDATED)

 Seoul, South Korea

 Quepos, Costa Rica

It's my fourth fifth time now to rent an apartment on Airbnb while on vacation and while I might not be an expert, I have a few tips and suggestions to share just in case you might consider renting an apartment while you're on holidays. 

I have rented through Airbnb when I traveled to Chicago, Malaga (Spain), Seoul (South Korea), Quepos (Costa Rica) and recently Naples (Italy). It's been a positive experience on all my rental stays *knock on wood*.

I highly recommend renting an entire apartment if you're planning to stay in the city/town for more than 4 days and if you have 2 or more people. It's sometimes cheaper to rent than to book a hotel room. You will have access to a kitchen, living room, washer, wi-fi, t.v., and sometimes a patio depending on the apartment you choose. It will save you from eating out all the time by making your own meals!

• Budget - have a budget in mind while browsing through the sites. You can tailor your search to the amount you want to pay each night. There is also a Airbnb service fee that is included in every booking. 

• Rules - always read the terms of the host. Ensure that you understand all the rules before you book. And if something is not clear or you need more information, contact the host directly to clarify. Make sure to check the minimum stay required as well, again, this varies from host to host. And if you think you can't adhere to the rules then by all means look elsewhere. 

• Contact your host - don't be afraid to ask questions or if you have any concerns. I had to ask about parking with my host and he was a great help. Referring me to street parking or a private one. Your host can give you tips and suggestions on what to do, visit, eat, shop, etc. 

• Check in/check out -  most hosts are more flexible with check in/out. If you are going to be late or early, always check with your host ahead of time if he/she can accommodate your time. Once you confirm your booking, you will be provided with your host's contact information. I always save his/her phone number on my phone. In Italy, we had set a time for meet up with the host and when I got to the train station; it was delayed. I sent a text message to the host letting him know so we arrange a different time to accommodate the delay. It's always best to communicate with your host when you can to let him/her know changes in your plan so they are not waiting around for you. 

• Inspection - be thorough with your inspection once you check in to make sure the apartment is in the condition as listed on the website. Ask questions if you don't know how to use something inside the house. And ask about garbage days and where to throw the trash (soo important!). And if you forget something, contact your host. 

• Local - the best part of staying at an airbnb is that you feel like a local. I love shopping for groceries and then going home to the apartment to cook a meal. It makes me feel like I live in the city/town that I'm visiting. I get to interact with locals than with my fellow tourists more. 

• Clean - leave the apartment as you found it. This is not a hotel but your home for the length of time of your stay so treat it like one. No one else will clean up after you. 

• Review - make sure you write a review after your stay. It is a benefit for you and the host to have positive reviews of course. Always discuss your stay with your host when you are checking out. It's best to be upfront about your stay. If you have any problems, always talk to your host first to discuss solutions before contacting Airbnb. 

I've been lucky to have stayed in apartments with great hosts who made me feel at home in their city and apartment. It truly made me feel like I was a local (for at least a short period of time).

Have you tried Airbnb and did you like the experience? If not, would you?