For a solo trip, every transfer and bag drop is yours to handle. Hongdae and Myeongdong both cover more than one station-side block, so compare actual hotel addresses against your itinerary instead of choosing by neighborhood label.
Start with the trips that happen more than once
Mark your arrival terminal, the places you expect to visit on multiple days, and the latest point you expect to return from at night. Add a possible midday hotel stop if you plan to drop shopping or rest. These fixed movements tell you more than a list of restaurants that may change.
Hongdae fits west-side plans and evenings based nearby
Hongdae can suit an itinerary with repeated stops in west Seoul or evenings that combine dinner, browsing and the walk back. Check whether the specific hotel is near Hongik University Station, in Yeonnam-dong or toward Hapjeong; the final walk and useful station exit differ by address. The Hongdae area guide maps those stay zones.
Myeongdong fits central days with a real hotel reset
Myeongdong makes more sense when your daytime routes repeatedly pass close enough for a hotel return between outings. If your plans cluster elsewhere and you would only use the room overnight, centrality on a map may not save much travel. Check the hotel’s exact street, crossing and station approach before treating the area name as a shortcut.
The broader Hongdae–Myeongdong comparison covers area trade-offs; the four-day solo hotel guide considers whether changing bases helps.
Compare room offers on equal terms
Use the same dates and check the room’s bed type, occupancy, cancellation terms and whether the address is actually in the area you want. For one traveler, a lower rate is useful only if the room and route still work with your luggage and schedule. Compare the final walk at the time you expect to return, not just the nearest station pin.
Keep one base unless a move fixes a specific route problem
For a short stay, one hotel avoids packing and checking in again. A split stay is easier to justify when you have consecutive plans in both parts of the city and the move saves more time than it takes. If neither neighborhood clearly wins, choose the address with the simpler airport arrival and the shorter repeated return.
Once the area is decided, compare properties in the Seoul hotel guide. If Seoul itself is still one option among several, use the first solo Korea city guide first.