5-Star Hotels in Seoul

I had a wonderful stay at this hotel. The room was exceptionally spacious, clean, and comfortable, with a beautiful view that made the stay even more enjoyable. The staff provided excellent service throughout, always being friendly, attentive, and helpful. One of the highlights was the smart home system in the room, which made controlling the lights and other features very convenient. The in-room water dispenser was a great touch, allowing easy access to filtered drinking water without the need for bottled water. Having a washer and dryer in the room was also incredibly useful, especially for longer stays.

This hotel is perfectly located! It's just south of Seoul City Hall Square and west of Myeongdong. The subway station is only a few dozen meters from the lobby entrance, and Sejong-daero is right to the west. It's also not far from the major palaces and Namsan, so the location couldn't be better. The staff are very friendly, attentive, and welcoming. While the facilities might feel a bit more compact compared to newly built five-star hotels in China, they are well-maintained and perfectly adequate. Overall, it offers great value for money.

This was my sixth time returning to the Le Méridien Seoul Myeongdong. As a loyal guest, the service here consistently maintains exceptionally high standards, never once disappointing us. The hotel's location is superb, right in the heart of Myeongdong, within walking distance of two major department stores and subway lines 2 and 4. The airport bus goes directly to the hotel, making it incredibly convenient for travelers. My favorite heated pool facilities are still outstanding; the comfortable environment allows me to relax every single time. What surprised us most during this stay was the Club Lounge service. The quality of the food and beverages offered in the lounge was very high. The all-day selection of food and drinks was exquisite and delicious, especially the breakfast, which was truly excellent. The front desk staff were professional and enthusiastic. From pre-arrival email communication to all arrangements during our stay, everything was handled impeccably. The housekeeping team also did a very detailed job with cleaning. The room had ample water pressure and comfortable air conditioning, ensuring a high-quality sleep. Every time we return, we feel right at home. Whether it's the convenience, the facilities, or the staff's genuine and friendly hospitality, this hotel remains our only choice in Seoul. We will absolutely choose Le Méridien again on our next trip to Seoul!

The hotel employee was very thoughtful and provided us with free room upgrade and a slice of cake because of our wedding anniversary. That was very considerate and nice gesture. Also warm water in the pool was a big bonus. However, there are few things I would like to point out which are important for us as a family traveling with a kid: 1) children are not allowed to play screen golf. That was upsetting since we never had such issue at other hotels. Also you need to reserve time slot first, which doesn’t work for people who came to Seoul for tourism or leisure purposes. 2) children are only allowed to enter pool until 17:00. That’s extremely strange since many people check in after 15:00 and there would be no time to swim at all in that case. Also people mainly prefer to do shopping and sightseeing and relax at pool when they return in the evening. So this restriction is very strange for us. In that case hotel needs to either notify the guests during reservation or turn it into “adults only” hotel. 3) hotel has a very strict check in check out rules: 15:00 check in and 11:00 check out, not 30 min later/earlier; while standard international check in is 14:00 and check out 12:00. Usually hotels especially 5 stars hotels are very flexible and let guests check in 1-2h earlier if the guests already arrived and would allow them check out 30min-1h later without any issue. 4) Gym and pool close at 21:30. That’s very early compare to other hotels, where facilities usually work until 23:00 and sometimes even 24h. 5) Gym, sauna and pool are not exclusive to the hotel guests only. Anybody with paid membership can enter, which makes it crowded and inconvenient for hotel guests, especially on holidays and weekends. Also you need to take 2 different lifts and walk by the bridge to get there (basically it’s not the same building as hotel) I would say it’s not a 5 star hotel, but more like a premium residence, that is suitable for a long term stay without children.

Everything else was top-notch and, in many ways, exceeded our experiences at other Four Seasons properties. However, one aspect we found disappointing was the strict minimum spending requirement per guest. We were traveling with children, yet regardless of their age, we were required to meet a minimum spend of approximately $150 per person to be seated at both the terrace restaurant and the Japanese restaurant. Even at the Italian restaurant, we felt pressured to order both appetizers and main courses for the children. While the food and service were excellent, these policies made dining with a family feel less welcoming and detracted from an otherwise outstanding stay.

This hotel is great if you're planning to visit Yeouido, but it's really, really far from everything else. Seoul traffic is a nightmare, so you'll waste a lot of time and money on taxis getting around. The hotel itself feels a bit dated compared to other Fairmonts I've stayed at in different cities – it's just very average. The design isn't particularly attractive either. What's more, five-star hotels usually have flexible cancellation policies, but they wouldn't even let me change my reservation to a different weekend, which is quite unusual for a hotel of this caliber.

Everything about this place was perfect! The pool was bigger than I expected, and having a jacuzzi made evening swims really enjoyable. Lying on the sun loungers truly made me feel like I was on an overseas vacation. It was pure urban relaxation... The room was incredibly clean, and the bedding was super comfortable! The Namsan Tower view was probably the best part. I'll definitely bring my parents here next time! Thanks for a wonderful stay!

I booked the Timber Room. The location was fantastic, especially being in the Gangbuk area. While the parking lot was spacious, the corners on the ramps going up and down were extremely narrow, requiring careful navigation. The 'mountain view' wasn't really visible from our room; I kept the curtains drawn because it felt like people right next door could easily see inside, which was a bit disappointing. The swimming pool was decent, and all the staff members were very friendly. Although I didn't try breakfast, it's known to be excellent, so I plan to have it on my next visit. The TV in the living room wasn't working for some reason. I was too lazy to try and fix it, so I just ate without it. It was a shame there was no table, and the sofa felt quite old, which was also a minor drawback. Despite these minor issues, there was absolutely no noise from upstairs, downstairs, or neighboring rooms. Opening the living room window let in lovely bird sounds, making it feel very nature-friendly.

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.

On this trip to Seoul, I chose the Novotel, and it was a great decision! The location is fantastic, just a few minutes' walk from the subway station, making it super convenient to get to Sinsa and Apgujeong for shopping. The room was spotless and very comfortable. The gym and sauna were a nice bonus; after a long day of exploring, a good soak was incredibly relaxing. The breakfast had a wide variety of options, and I was very satisfied with it. Plus, they have robots that deliver items, which is a really cool and convenient touch. Overall, the experience was consistently excellent. Whether you're in Gangnam for leisure or business, staying here will make your trip very easy and comfortable. Just a heads-up: check-in is at 3 PM, so plan your arrival accordingly.