23 hours at ICN
 

Family of 3, will have 23 hour layover at ICN this month.

UA SFO-ICN arrives at 3 pm, OZ ICN-PVG departs at 2 pm next day

Shall we stay at airport hotel (which is cheaper) or carry all the luggage to downtown Seoul hotel?

Can a taxi fit all luggage plus 3 people? Or shall we take AREX train?

Any suggestions are appreciated. :p

The train service is very good but if you plan to go to a downtown hotel, it might be better to use a bus as they stop at various hotels and there is less luggage lugging.

There are "Jumbo" taxis that could take 3 plus luggage - about 80 USD each way plus bridge toll.

The "airport" hotels are fine, but there is really nothing else in the area at all.

Perhaps try the Seoul Garden hotel - the first stop from the airport - http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_R...tel-Seoul.html.

The KAL bus (called limousine) stops right outside and is more comfortable than a taxi.

I don't know if you qualify for the free hotel or not? When I travel on OZ to Vietnam and have at least an 8 hr layover, they give me the hotel free. You might call the Asiana toll free number in LA and ask (this is not automatic - must be requested).

I had something similar 2 years ago with something like 27 hrs in Seoul. The Incheon area is pretty dead in my opinion - I went into the city, and that's what I recommend. The bus service is excellent by the way - they have 2 levels of service: The KAL bus is nonstop and very nice/rather plush, and the other service is also quite good and also nonstop. No need for a cab.

I'll be on a comparable trip in two weeks.
I've opted for this:

- store luggage at the airport ($8 per day)
- take AREX into Seoul station, sightseeing
- take AREX back to the airport in the evening
- pick up luggage, head to airport hotel
- sleep long, head to airport next 'morning'

The benefit of Incheon is that there are plenty of cheap hotels with airport shuttle busses available.

With kids, I would just stay in the ICN hotel and call it a day.

ICN and Seoul are just too far apart and Seoul has the worst traffic.
If you were single or couple traveler than it's worth it for the food alone.

Maybe there are things to do nearby the Incheon... if cabin fever is an issue.

Not any more they aren't -- it's 43 minutes by direct express train from ICN to Seoul Station. With 23 hours, you'll have plenty of time to explore the city.

Yes it has been 4 years since I've been.
However as a parent of 3, I know that trip preparation take double or triple the time with young kids. So I like to keep things simple. YMMV

Definitely hit the city up. The airport hotels are nice and all, but your kids are gonna get bored for sure. You have gobs of time for a day tour, and you might even be able to sneak a quick amusement park visit in. (Lotte World)

Incheon itself has a great China town worth a visit. Seoul's not to bad if you use AREX - but with kids maybe easier to stay close by.

our plan
 

Thanks all for the suggestions.

We changed to an earlier flight in order to attend a wedding in Shanghai. So it will be even less than 23 hours.

UA BOS-SFO-ICN 3 pm arrival
OZ ICN-PVG 10 am departure

We booked two rooms at the ICN Sky Hotel which is very close to the airport

http://eng.hotelsky.co.kr/?gclid=CJa...FYNo5QodOWCCtA

Expedia has good consumer's rating for this hotel. Anyone stayed there before?

By the way, our kid is not really small. He just graduated from high school and will attend Harvard this fall.

Since our flight BOS-SFO departs at 6 AM, we will get up at 3 am. So we will be exhausted while SFO-ICN flight arrives (24 hours already), even though we will fly UA new 747 business class.

The plan is to take hotel shuttle, check in hotel, find a place nearby to eat, and relax there.

Sounds reasonable?

Exciting, no, but reasonable, yes. I haven't stayed at Sky Hotel, but I've stayed at another of the hotels in the same area, and they're all dull but decent, with a few eating options scattered about. And you can always hop on the train to the city if you get a second wind and change your mind, since Unseo station is not too far away.