Choose the daily base before the hotel
Mark the two or three areas that appear on several days. A central first-trip route often repeats the historic core, Myeongdong, City Hall and Namsan, while a west-side route repeats Hongdae and Mapo. The cheapest room is not the cheapest trip when it adds a long cross-city journey every morning and evening.
Treat the airport as one journey, not the whole stay
Hongik University has a direct all-stop airport railway connection and Seoul Station is the AREX Express terminus, but airport convenience should not outweigh four or five days of poor daily geography. Compare the exact hotel entrance, station exit, lift access and final walk with luggage.
Shortlist the area, then compare live rooms
After the area fits, compare cancellation rules, room size, accessibility, breakfast and the property's real map position. A neighbourhood name in a listing can cover very different station walks. Use the stay finder first so the live hotel list opens with a reason rather than a generic popularity ranking.