Must-see hotels in Seoul

  • Itaewon G Guest House

    Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

    Run by the welcoming and convivial Shrek Lee, this hostel is easily the best budget digs in Itaewon. Fourteen dorms and four twins are stacked in a…

  • Hotel the Designers

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    Eighteen designers were given free rein to decorate the suites at this sophisticated love motel, tucked off the main road. Check the website for the…

  • Grand Hyatt Seoul

    Itaewon & Yongsan-gu

    Making the most of its hilltop aspect, the Grand Hyatt is lord of all it surveys. On a clear day, the views from the lobby lounge, through a soaring wall…

  • Splaisir

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    This hotel has rooms dedicated to Line Friends – cartoon characters from popular Japanese-Korean social-media app Line – so fans of cuteness overload and…

  • Wowfactor Stay

    Seoul

    The husband-and-wife team who converted this house have keen design sensibilities. K-Pop-fanatic Jacqueline chooses photogenic, homey decor and cooks…

  • Kims

    Northern Seoul

    A more relaxed alternative to central digs is this beautifully designed, modern homestay in the hills above the city. The swish family home of a retired…

  • Hotel Shilla

    Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul

    The luxurious flagship of Korea's homegrown Shilla hotel group, Hotel Shilla is one of Seoul's best, with a VIP location on 9 acres of private hillside…

  • K-Grand Hostel Dongdaemun

    Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul

    A spotlessly clean, superbly run western-style hostel, the K-Grand occupies the top half of a 10-storey building, with great views as standard from its…

  • Urbanwood Guesthouse

    Seoul

    Creatively decorated in bright colours and modern furnishings, this cosy guesthouse feels more like a cool arty apartment. Martin, the convivial English…

  • Kpopstay

    Seoul

    There is a stream of K-Pop on the TVs at this memorabilia-adorned hostel in the heart of Hongdae's bar area next to Hongik University. But even if you…

  • Tria Hotel

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    An excellent-value, midrange option that's very affordable for this end of town, the 50-room boutiquey Tria has lots going for it. Opt for any room above…

  • Rak-Ko-Jae

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    This beautifully restored hanok, with an enchanting garden, is modelled after Japan’s ryokan. The guesthouse’s mud-walled sauna is included in the prices,…

  • Metro Hotel

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    An excellent midrange choice, this small professionally run hotel has boutique aspirations. Splashes of style abound, from the flashy, metallic lobby to…

  • Doo Guesthouse

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    Mixing old and new is this enchanting hanok in a garden setting with a traditional-style room where breakfast is served. The shared bathrooms are high…

  • Lee Kang Ga

    Seoul

    Near the War & Women's Human Rights Museum, this appealing guesthouse is worth the trek from Hongdae. Rooms are attractively decorated with hanji …

  • Park Hyatt Seoul

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    A discreet entrance – look for the rock sticking out of the wall – sets the Zen-minimalist tone for this gorgeous property. Each floor only has 10 rooms…

  • Plaza

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    You can't get more central than the Plaza, opposite the striking rising glass edifice of City Hall. Rooms sport a smart design with giant angle-poise…

  • Banyan Tree Club & Spa

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    Billing itself a ‘sanctuary for the senses’, the Banyan Tree occupies a hilltop tower designed by feted local architect Kim Swoon Guen, and offers just…

  • Hotel 28

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    Opened in 2016, this boutique hotel was founded by veteran actor Shin Young-kyun and takes on a Korean cinema theme. Each room has stills of films that…

  • Zaza Backpackers

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    In the guesthouse enclave that's sprung up along the hill to Namsan, Zaza is one of the best with its contemporary building full of design touches and…

  • Nagwonjang Hotel

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    A boutique hotel located in the heart of Ikseon-dong, Nagwonjang Hotel is the result of a collaboration between several artists. Originally a love motel…

  • Imperial Palace Hotel

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    A name like this raises expectations, and they are all met at Seoul’s most luxurious hotel. The antiques and wood panelling create a stately, genuinely…

  • Marigold Hotel

    Seoul

    Part of the reliable business-hotel chain Benikea, the Marigold's rooms are spacious and aim for contemporary chic with amber onyx tiles and fake animal…

  • Seoul Olympic Parktel

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    If you’re a youth-hostel member you can stay in this functional business hotel in the 'bunk room' at a youth-hostel rate. Inside Olympic Park, it’s a long…

  • Wwoof Korea Guesthouse

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    This rustic hanok, its three ondol rooms arranged around a courtyard with pickle jars and a sansuyu tree, is run by Helen, the director of the Korea…

  • Nine Tree Hotel Myeong-dong

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    There's plenty to like about this snazzy hotel well placed in the heart of Myeong-dong's shopping district. The smart boutique-y rooms have city views, a…

  • Bukchon Maru

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    The family that runs this hanok in the Bukchon Hanok village have lived here for over 30 years and cook traditional breakfasts using family recipes, and…

  • JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square

    Dongdaemun & Eastern Seoul

    Tacked on to the end of Dongdaemun Market, the five-star JW is a swish pad to come home to after a busy day (or night) shopping at the wholesale malls…

  • Namsan Guesthouse

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    Taking over the neighbourhood on the slopes of Namsan, this long-running backpackers' favourite now has three locations in the immediate area. Each varies…

  • La Casa Garosugil

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    The first venture into the hospitality business by classy Korean furniture and interior-design store Casamia packs plenty of chic style. The rooms are…

  • Oriens Hotel & Residences

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    A great location, friendly and professional service and reasonable rates make this one of the best serviced-apartment options for short or long stays…

  • Hotel 8 Hours

    Myeong-dong & Jung-gu

    This hotel is the perfect option for travellers looking for a clean, budget space right in downtown. The rooms are quite small, ranging from 13 to 20 sq…

  • Kimchee Gangnam Guesthouse

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    A rare budget choice for ritzy Gangnam, this friendly guesthouse is set in a posh-looking old apartment building in a residential street. The mixed dorms…

  • An Hostel

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    If clean neutral tones are your thing, the An will appeal. White and slate grey abound in the small rooms, modern bathrooms and shared spaces – living…

  • K-Guesthouse Insadong

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    Confusingly going by two names, this designer guesthouse with clean lines offers teeny tiny rooms in the heart of Insa-dong; the twins with bunk beds…

  • H Avenue Hotel

    Gangnam & Southern Seoul

    Fantastic value, this love motel is most notable for its roof-terrace rooms which come with their own roof-deck swimming pools and views over Namsan and…

  • Eugene’s House

    Northern Seoul

    This traditional hanok homestay has rooms ranging from a tiny single to a four-futon set-up, with the owner and his family (he speaks a bit of English)…

  • Bibimbap Guesthouse

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    One of several guesthouses that are springing up in centuries-old hanok in Ikseon-dong, this one is run by a young crowd. The spartan rooms are all ondol…

  • Fraser Suites

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    These fully equipped serviced apartments are modern, light and spacious, great for a long-term stay, for which discounts are available. Staff try hard to…

  • Hide & Seek Guesthouse

    Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu

    Stylish design marks out this appealing five-room guesthouse, tucked away in Tongui-dong, beside the remains of an ancient pine tree, and occupying a…

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