01

종로구 · JONGNO-GU  ·  ★★★★★ ULTRA LUXURY

포시즌스 호텔 서울 Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

서울 최고의 호텔을 단 하나 꼽으라면, 포시즌스 서울이다. Opened in 2015 in the heart of Gwanghwamun — within walking distance of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Cheong Wa Dae, and the cultural institutions of Jongno — the Four Seasons Seoul set a new benchmark for luxury hospitality in the Korean capital that has not been surpassed. The 317 rooms and suites are designed with a restraint and material quality that feels Korean in its sensibility: natural stone, warm wood, muted palettes with occasional flashes of traditional colour. The food and beverage programme is outstanding across the board — Charles H., the speakeasy-style bar, is consistently ranked among Asia’s best bars; Yu Yuan serves some of the finest Chinese cuisine in Seoul; and the bakery and café overlooking the lobby atrium is a destination in its own right. The spa — 2,300 square metres across an entire floor — is the best hotel spa in Seoul. And the service achieves what only the very best hotels manage: attentive without being present, anticipating needs before they are expressed. 경복궁 앞에 위치한 서울의 상징적인 럭셔리 호텔.

Tip: Book a room on the upper floors facing north for views toward Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bugaksan Mountain. Reserve Charles H. bar in advance — it fills quickly, especially on weekends.

02

중구 · JUNG-GU  ·  ★★★★★ GRAND HERITAGE

더 웨스틴 조선 서울 The Westin Chosun Seoul

웨스틴 조선은 서울 호텔의 역사다. The Westin Chosun Seoul carries a weight of history that no other hotel in the city can match. The original Chosun Hotel opened on this site in 1914 — the first modern Western-style hotel in Korea — and hosted every significant visitor to the Korean peninsula for much of the 20th century: heads of state, generals, diplomats, journalists covering the Korean War. The current building, dramatically rebuilt and upgraded multiple times, retains that sense of being at the centre of things. Located at the heart of Myeongdong, steps from the Lotte Department Store and adjacent to City Hall, it sits where Seoul’s history and its commercial present intersect. The rooms are beautifully appointed, the Lobby Lounge serves one of Seoul’s most celebrated afternoon teas, and the pool — one of the city’s oldest hotel pools — has a nostalgic quality that newer properties cannot manufacture. 1914년 개관, 서울 최초의 서양식 호텔의 계보를 잇는 곳.

Tip: The Lobby Lounge afternoon tea is one of Seoul’s great hotel traditions — reserve in advance. The location is ideal for exploring Myeongdong, Namdaemun Market, and Deoksugung Palace on foot.

03

용산구 · YONGSAN-GU  ·  ★★★★★ ULTRA LUXURY

파크 하얏트 서울 Park Hyatt Seoul

파크 하얏트 서울은 서울에서 가장 세련된 호텔 경험을 제공한다. Perched on the upper floors of a glass tower above the COEX complex in Gangnam, the Park Hyatt Seoul is the city’s most architecturally dramatic luxury hotel — a property designed by the same firm responsible for some of the world’s most celebrated contemporary hotel interiors, with double-height ceilings, a soaring open-plan lobby-lounge-library at the top of the building, and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the Gangnam skyline. The 185 rooms and suites are among the largest and most beautifully designed in Seoul, with bathrooms featuring deep soaking tubs and city views. The rooftop pool — one of the highest in Seoul — and the outstanding CORNERSTONE restaurant, which serves contemporary cuisine with Korean ingredients, complete a picture of urban luxury at its most considered. 강남 스카이라인을 배경으로 한 서울 최고의 건축적 호텔 경험.

Tip: Request a room on the highest floors for the most dramatic city views. The rooftop pool is one of Seoul’s best hotel amenities — visit at dusk when the Gangnam lights come on below.

04

종로구 · JONGNO-GU  ·  ★★★★★ KOREAN HERITAGE LUXURY

롯데호텔 서울 Lotte Hotel Seoul

롯데호텔 서울은 대한민국 호텔 산업을 대표하는 상징적인 존재다. The Lotte Hotel Seoul in Sogong-dong is one of Korea’s most iconic hotels — a property that has hosted royalty, heads of state, celebrities, and business leaders since its opening in 1979 and remains the largest hotel in Seoul by room count. It is a city within a city: two towers, 1,000+ rooms, and a complex that includes a world-class spa, multiple restaurants and bars, a casino, an indoor swimming pool, and direct connection to the Lotte Department Store and duty-free shops. The Presidential Suite is the most frequently referenced luxury accommodation in Korea — a measure of the hotel’s enduring prestige. While newer properties have surpassed it in design terms, Lotte Hotel Seoul’s location at the heart of Myeongdong, its sheer scale of facilities, and its deep institutional presence in Korean hospitality culture give it a character that cannot be replicated. 한국 호텔의 역사이자 현재, 서울 중심에서 모든 것을 갖춘 곳.

Tip: The Club Lounge access (클럽 라운지) on the upper floors offers excellent value — breakfast, evening cocktails, and panoramic city views are all included. Ideal for travellers wanting direct access to Myeongdong and Lotte Duty Free.

05

용산구 · YONGSAN-GU  ·  ★★★★★ DESIGN LUXURY

그랜드 하얏트 서울 Grand Hyatt Seoul

남산 중턱에 자리한 그랜드 하얏트 서울은 서울에서 가장 극적인 뷰를 자랑하는 호텔이다. The Grand Hyatt Seoul occupies a singular position — literally and figuratively — on the southern slope of Namsan Mountain, looking out over the Han River and the entirety of southern Seoul. Opened in 1978, it is one of Seoul’s oldest surviving luxury hotels and remains one of its most beloved, not despite its age but because of what that longevity has produced: a property that feels deeply embedded in the city’s social life, with restaurants and bars that Seoulites actually choose over local alternatives. The outdoor pool complex — a summer institution in Seoul — and the P.J.’s Bar & Grill, a long-running favourite of both expats and Koreans, give the hotel a warmth and lived-in quality that newer properties are still working to develop. The views, day and night, are among the best from any hotel in the city. 남산에서 바라보는 서울 전경, 40년이 넘는 역사가 만들어낸 진정한 서울의 호텔.

Tip: The outdoor pool in summer (June–August) is one of Seoul’s best hotel experiences. Book a Namsan-view room for the most dramatic outlook. The hotel shuttle to Itaewon and Hannam is very convenient for exploring those neighbourhoods.

06

성동구 · SEONGDONG-GU  ·  ★★★★★ BOUTIQUE LUXURY

안다즈 서울 강남 Andaz Seoul Gangnam

안다즈 서울 강남은 서울의 새로운 럭셔리 호텔 세대를 대표한다. Opened in 2022 in the vibrant Hakdong crossroads area of Gangnam, the Andaz Seoul is Hyatt’s lifestyle-luxury brand at its most accomplished Korean expression. The design — by internationally acclaimed firm Concrete Amsterdam — draws on the energy of the surrounding neighbourhood: local art on every floor, a colour palette inspired by the Cheonggyecheon stream and Korean nature, custom furniture by Korean craftspeople. The 241 rooms are among the most individually designed in Seoul, with a relaxed, residential quality that feels more like an exceptionally well-appointed apartment than a conventional hotel room. The F&B programme is outstanding: Patio, the all-day restaurant, serves modern Korean cuisine with genuine ambition; the rooftop bar has become one of Gangnam’s most sought-after evening destinations. 2022년 개관, 서울 강남의 새로운 럭셔리 랜드마크.

Tip: The rooftop bar is one of Gangnam’s best — reserve a table for sunset. The hotel’s art programme includes rotating exhibitions by Korean artists; pick up the art guide at check-in for a self-directed tour.

07

종로구 · JONGNO-GU  ·  ★★★★★ KOREAN HERITAGE

호텔 신라 서울 Hotel Shilla Seoul

호텔 신라는 한국이 자랑하는 순수 국내 럭셔리 호텔 브랜드다. The Hotel Shilla is Korea’s most prestigious domestically owned luxury hotel brand — founded by Samsung and carrying the cultural weight of a company that sees hospitality as an expression of national pride. The Seoul flagship in Jangchung-dong sits at the foot of Namsan Mountain on a wooded estate that feels remarkably removed from the surrounding city, with traditional Korean garden elements integrated into the contemporary architecture. The hotel is consistently ranked among Asia’s finest and hosts more state visits, diplomatic receptions, and high-level Korean business entertainment than any other property in the city. The La Yeon restaurant — three Michelin stars, serving the most refined interpretation of Korean court cuisine in Seoul — is reason alone to visit. The Shilla Stay brand and Shilla Duty Free are household names across Asia. 삼성이 만든 대한민국 최고의 럭셔리 호텔 브랜드, 3미슐랭 스타 라연이 있는 곳.

Tip: Book La Yeon restaurant 4–6 weeks in advance — it is one of the hardest reservations in Seoul. Even if not staying at the hotel, a dinner at La Yeon is a Seoul essential. Request a garden-view room for the most tranquil experience.

08

마포구 · MAPO-GU  ·  ★★★★ DESIGN BOUTIQUE

글래드 마포 호텔 GLAD Mapo

글래드 마포는 서울에서 가장 가성비 높은 디자인 호텔 경험을 제공한다. For travellers who want great design, a brilliant location, and genuine value without the five-star price tag, GLAD Mapo is the answer. Located in Hongdae — Seoul’s most creative and energetic neighbourhood, home to the city’s best live music venues, independent cafés, street art scene, and some of its most interesting restaurants — the hotel puts guests in the middle of the most fun part of the city at a price point that makes a longer stay genuinely affordable. The design is clean, contemporary, and Korean in its aesthetic sensibility, with thoughtful details throughout. The rooftop bar offers excellent Hangang River views. The Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Sangsu area provides an inexhaustible neighbourhood for evening exploration within walking distance. 홍대 중심에 위치한 서울 최고의 가성비 디자인 호텔.

Tip: Perfect base for exploring Hongdae, Hapjeong, and Sangsu on foot. Book early on weekends — the Hongdae area fills up fast. Ask for a higher floor room for Hangang River views.

09

종로구 · JONGNO-GU  ·  ★★★★ HANOK BOUTIQUE

락고재 한옥 호텔 Rak Ko Jae

서울에서 진정한 한옥 숙박 경험을 원한다면, 락고재가 답이다. For travellers seeking an experience that no glass tower can provide, Rak Ko Jae is Seoul’s finest traditional hanok guesthouse — a beautifully restored Joseon-era Korean house in the heart of Bukchon Hanok Village, the most atmospheric historic neighbourhood in the capital. The property consists of a series of traditional timber-framed rooms arranged around a central courtyard garden, where the silence of the early morning — birdsong, the sound of the neighbour’s child, the distant bell of a temple — feels like a gift the city rarely gives. Rooms are furnished in traditional Korean style: ondol heated floors, low lacquered tables, silk cushions, and paper screen windows that diffuse morning light into something almost sacred. Breakfast is a full traditional Korean meal served in the courtyard. The Gyeongbokgung Palace is a 10-minute walk. This is Seoul at its most intimate and most historically resonant. 북촌 한옥마을의 심장에서 경험하는 조선시대 한옥 숙박의 정수.

Tip: Book months in advance — only 7 rooms available. Wake up early and walk through Bukchon’s alleys before the day-trippers arrive. This is one of Seoul’s most special accommodation experiences at any price point.

10

용산구 · YONGSAN-GU  ·  ★★★★★ NEW LUXURY

그래비티 서울 판교 Gravity Seoul Pangyo (오토그래프 컬렉션)

그래비티 서울은 한강을 가장 가까이서 느낄 수 있는 럭셔리 호텔이다. The Gravity Seoul — part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection — represents Seoul’s most exciting recent hotel opening: a dramatically designed property in the Yongsan district that sits directly on the banks of the Han River, with views that capture the full sweep of the river and the city skyline behind it. The interiors, designed with a strong arts-and-culture identity, house one of Seoul’s most impressive hotel art collections — over 400 works by Korean and international artists integrated throughout public spaces and rooms. The rooftop infinity pool, positioned to appear to merge with the Han River below, has become one of Seoul’s most photographed hotel experiences. The F&B programme, featuring the OT Bar and FRAME restaurant, maintains the design and quality level of the rooms throughout. For travellers who want to experience Seoul’s relationship with the Han River from the most intimate possible vantage point, Gravity is the answer. 한강 위에 떠 있는 것 같은 경험, 서울의 새로운 럭셔리 아이콘.

Tip: The infinity pool overlooking the Han River is best at sunset and after dark when the city lights reflect on the water. Book a Han River-view room and request a high floor for the most dramatic perspective.