Seoul and its six houses
Seoul keeps its luxury on both banks of the Han and on the island of Yeouido.
Seoul keeps its luxury on both banks of the Han and on the island of Yeouido. North of the river it lies beside the palace gates of Gwanghwamun and on the slopes of Namsan above Jangchung-dong, where the city's oldest grand hotel keeps its gardens; south of the river, in Gangnam and Jamsil, glass towers rise over Samseong, COEX and the tallest tower in the country; and on the island the financial district looks along the river. We list six houses, each described at exactly the tier it holds, with a concierge behind every stay.
Luxury hotels in Seoul
6 hotels
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
Five-star · Gwanghwamun, Jung-gu & Namsan
A five-star house beside Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, the palaces and Bukchon within a walk.
From $500 per night
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The Shilla Seoul
Five-star · Gwanghwamun, Jung-gu & Namsan
The grand hotel of Seoul, founded by Samsung on the slopes of Namsan in Jangchung-dong, with gardens under the mountain.
From $400 per night
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Signiel Seoul
Four-star · Gangnam & Jamsil
The upper floors of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil — the highest hotel rooms in Korea, with the city below every window.
From $450 per night
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Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam
Four-star · Gangnam & Jamsil
A Luxury Collection house in Samseong, Gangnam — the newest of the Josun group, which began with the old Chosun Hotel.
From $350 per night
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Park Hyatt Seoul
Four-star · Gangnam & Jamsil
A glass tower opposite COEX in Gangnam, with a pool under the roof and the towers of Samseong at the windows.
From $350 per night
Any mandatory hotel fees are shown before you confirm.
Conrad Seoul
Four-star · Yeouido
IFC Seoul on Yeouido — Han River views, Zest for dinner and an indoor pool in the financial district's island; four-star standing.
From $250 per night
Any mandatory hotel fees are shown before you confirm.
“Because the house stands beside Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, with seven restaurants and bars, Charles H. for the evening and an indoor pool below the lobby, the palaces and Bukchon within a walk — and the house holds five-star standing.”
From our editors · Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
The neighborhoods
Gwanghwamun, Jung-gu & Namsan
The old heart north of the river — the palace gates and Gyeongbokgung, Bukchon and Insadong. It takes in Myeongdong's streets and the slopes of Namsan above Jangchung-dong, where the city's grand hotel keeps its gardens.
Gangnam & Jamsil
The south bank of glass — Samseong and COEX, the boutiques of Cheongdam and Apgujeong. In Jamsil, Lotte World Tower rises over the park and the lake.
Yeouido
The island in the Han — the financial district and IFC Seoul, midway between the palaces and Gangnam. It holds the river park and the cherry trees along the embankment.
Good to know
Which are the five-star hotels in Seoul?
Two. The five-star hotels we list in Seoul are Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, beside Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Palace, and The Shilla Seoul, the grand hotel on the slopes of Namsan in Jangchung-dong. Four more houses hold four-star standing: Signiel Seoul, on the upper floors of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil; Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam, in Samseong; Park Hyatt Seoul, the glass tower opposite COEX; and Conrad Seoul, at IFC Seoul on Yeouido. Each has its own page, reached from the list above, with a concierge behind every stay.
Which part of Seoul should I stay in?
Gwanghwamun, Jung-gu and Namsan for the palaces, Bukchon, Insadong and Myeongdong, the old city within a walk and the mountain above it. Gangnam and Jamsil for the towers, the boutiques of Cheongdam and Apgujeong, COEX and Lotte World Tower, the city's south bank at its newest. Yeouido for the river, the park along the Han and the financial district, midway between the two.
When is the best time to visit Seoul?
April for the cherry blossom and October for the foliage on Namsan and in the palace grounds, both mild and clear. Summer is hot and humid with the monsoon in July and August; winter is cold and dry, bright under snow. The Lunar New Year and Chuseok, in autumn, are the family holidays when shops and restaurants close for a few days.
How do I get to Seoul — and do I need a visa?
Incheon International Airport is about an hour from Gwanghwamun and Yeouido, more to Jamsil in traffic, by car or the airport express train; Gimpo, closer in, takes domestic flights and some from Tokyo, Shanghai and Taipei, thirty to forty minutes away. Most visitors from Europe, the US, Japan and Australia enter without a visa, some with an online K-ETA registration and others under a temporary exemption; the rules change, so check before you travel. The hotels arrange their own airport transfers.
How do I reserve a stay?
Search your dates on the hotel's page to see reference rates, then send the concierge a request. The concierge confirms exact rates and availability with you before anything is booked, and any payment and its timing are set out before you confirm.
