Find 5-Star Hotels in Seoul

"Traveling with my little one during the summer, Japan was out, Thailand was a no-go, so Korea became our top choice. After a lot of searching, this hotel looked great and was close to the duty-free shop. Based on reviews, I chose the new building. Check-in was on the 15th floor, and the front desk staff even reminded me that I didn't need to pay a deposit for the fridge items if I took them out. They also upgraded us to a suite, which was absolutely amazing! The room was quiet and spacious; I almost wanted to stay there all day. Downstairs, there's a big supermarket with all sorts of delicious food, very similar to what you'd find in Japan, which was super convenient in this hot weather. Just a short walk through the underpass, and you're in Myeongdong, perfect for shopping, sightseeing, and food. There's also an airport shuttle (6701) at the very end of the old building. The only downside is that it's difficult to get a taxi in Korea right now; we had a car to go out, but had to take the subway back as ride-hailing apps like Didi and Gaode didn't work. On the bright side, the complimentary data package was more than enough."

"Not a bad hotel. The most convenient thing about it is the 24-hour CU (convenience store), whose staff are always friendly and polite. Now I have to mention the downsides, which, to be honest, I wasn’t prepared for at all. The first and main drawback is that I was supposed to get an Executive class room. However, instead, I stayed in a Deluxe class room. Let me clarify right away: I had previously stayed at the Swiss Grand Hotel under the Play&Stay package, which means I didn’t know what room category I would be given until the very end. To make things easier for me and avoid having to check out and check back in, they gave me one standard room for the entire stay. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that my new friend, who also checked in under Play&Stay for the same dates as me, was given an Executive class room – even though she checked in later. So basically, I could have been staying in better conditions. When I received my voucher from Trip.com and saw that it listed a room like my friend’s – nothing like what I actually got – I went to the front desk. The administrator just smiled and shrugged. All he said was, 'You agreed to stay in that room.' Yes, I agreed, but no one told me about any alternatives at check-in… And the situation was NOT resolved at all. That said, I can’t say the conditions in the Deluxe Room were bad (otherwise I wouldn’t have let it slide). It was quite cozy, spacious, and overall pleasant to stay in. That said, one day, the person in charge of housekeeping apparently decided I didn’t need to take a shower, so they removed the shower gel container for a whole day (luckily, I had brought travel-sized ones with me, even though I had hoped I wouldn’t need them). Other than that, everything was fine, and even that somewhat questionable attitude from the staff didn’t ruin my vacation."

"This hotel is very quiet and elegant, and it even has a swimming pool. The only downsides are that it's a bit far from central Seoul and breakfast is a bit pricey. It's perfect for those with a layover at Gimpo Airport."

"Twelve years ago, I stayed at the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, and the service was exceptional even then. Revisiting Korea after all these years, I once again chose Lotte Hotels, even though the downtown location was fully booked. This time, we tried the Lotte Hotel World in Gangnam, and it was just as excellent as before. Everyone we encountered was incredibly smart, with fantastic service attitudes and fluent English, making communication a breeze. They were also very efficient. While the room wasn't huge, it was neat and clean, and most importantly, they offered family rooms that could comfortably accommodate older children. Even in the hallways, cleaning staff would greet us politely, and the bellhops were quick to help with luggage. Classic hotels truly stand out! The best part is the direct access to the subway, Lotte Department Store, Lotte World Department Store, Lotte restaurants, and various Lotte entertainment and tourist attractions. It’s truly a one-stop shop! Next time I visit, I'll definitely choose the Lotte Hotel in Gangnam again; I actually feel it's even better than the downtown one!"

"⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Four stars, deductions mainly for hardware details) For our trip to Busan's Haeundae, we booked this two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment-style family room. Booking in advance made the price very reasonable, and it's perfect for groups or families traveling with children. ✅ Pros & Highlights: 1. **Excellent Location**: Right next to the heart of Haeundae's main street. You can step out and immediately find shops for browsing, shopping, and buying daily necessities, making transportation incredibly convenient. It's only three subway stops directly to Shinsegae Centum City department store, making shopping and dining hassle-free. 2. **Great Layout**: It’s a standard two-bedroom, one-living-room layout with two queen-sized beds (1.5m). The two bathrooms mean no fighting over facilities. It also has a separate living room and an open-plan kitchen, plus a washing machine in the room, which makes daily laundry and cooking very convenient. 3. **Unique Balcony & Amenities**: The most unique feature is the rotating balcony, offering a good view. There's a café on the ground floor where guests can have breakfast (I didn't pre-order breakfast). The overall space is spacious and has a strong homey feel. There are three air conditioners in the unit, providing ample cooling. ⚠️ Areas for Improvement: 1. **Housekeeping Request**: Unlike regular hotels, there's no 'make up room' light. If you want your room cleaned, you have to call the front desk to schedule it, which is quite inconvenient. 2. **Lack of Blackout Curtains**: The second bedroom only has a sheer curtain, no thick blackout curtain. As soon as it gets light, direct sunlight streams into the room, making it easy to be woken up and affecting sleep quality. I hope the hotel can add blackout curtains to improve this. 3. **AC Remote Control Issue**: There's only one remote control for three air conditioners. If you want to turn on the AC in different rooms, you have to keep moving the remote back and forth, which is very inconvenient to use. 4. **Hot Common Hallways**: The common hallways on each floor don't have air conditioning. When entering and leaving the room, the hallways feel noticeably stuffy and uncomfortable. Overall, the value for money is good, and the location and layout are very suitable for family travel. However, there are quite a few hardware details that could be optimized. Friends who are particular about blackout curtains and AC remote convenience might want to consider these points beforehand."

"Mondrian Seoul Itaewon was such a great surprise. The design of the hotel is stunning — every corner feels thoughtfully curated and different from the usual hotel experience. The atmosphere is vibrant yet relaxed, and the overall experience feels very premium without being too formal. Everything from the rooms to the common areas has a cool, modern edge that we really enjoyed. Definitely a perfect spot if you’re looking for a hotel with personality in Seoul. Would happily come back."

"Overall, I had a good stay, although I would recommend keeping expectations reasonable for a Novotel. The room was clean, comfortable, spacious, and bright with plenty of natural light. The bed had a good level of firmness, and both the pillows and duvet were very comfortable. However, I encountered two issues during my stay. First, there was a problem with the motion-sensor light near the entrance of the room. It was supposed to turn on when someone entered or walked by, but the sensor in my room seemed to malfunction. The light kept turning on by itself even when no one was moving nearby, and this happened dozens of times throughout the night. As someone sensitive to light while sleeping, this was quite disruptive. I contacted the front desk the next morning, and they quickly sent a technician who removed the sensor/light system. I really appreciated how efficiently the staff handled the issue, although unfortunately it had already affected my sleep for the entire night. Second, the bathroom floor and the area connecting the bathroom to the room were quite slippery when wet. Extra caution may be needed, especially for elderly guests or families with young children. Before check-in, I received an email informing me that the hotel swimming pool was under maintenance and that guests would need to use the pool at the neighboring Grand Mercure instead. However, during my actual stay, the swimming pool at the 4F Fitness Club was still available for use. The information was therefore somewhat inconsistent, although it did not negatively affect my stay. I also paid to use the sauna facilities. The area was clean and well maintained. The facilities consisted of one cold bath, one hot bath, and a dry sauna. There was no wet sauna or steam room, and I personally found the dry sauna temperature to be relatively mild. If the sauna is an important part of your stay, you may want to consider whether the facilities meet your expectations before paying the additional fee. Overall, the room itself was comfortable and spacious, and I was impressed by how quickly the staff responded when I reported the sensor issue. There were a few minor issues with the facilities and communication, but the stay was generally pleasant. A good hotel overall, just don't set your expectations too high."

"Facilities: The hotel is well-equipped. Although it's located halfway up a hill, there's a shuttle bus for tourists to Myeongdong and Hannam-dong, and it's also very convenient to call an Uber or a taxi right outside. If you don't go out, you can easily spend half a day at the hotel's swimming pool and gym during the day, and the lobby bar in the evening has a great ambiance with live music. Ambiance: The hotel has a very old-money feel. The window views are beautiful, and the colors of the mountain forest change with the seasons, which I imagine would also change one's experience of the hotel. The rooms are very beautiful; I highly recommend a mountain-view room. Service: The service is exceptionally attentive, breaking away from traditional Korean service. There are staff members at every point, especially in the gym and dining areas, who guide you, so you won't feel lost or confused when you go by yourself."