Must-see hotels in Seoul

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…

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…

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…

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

Down a narrow street in central Seoul, this suave little art hotel is quite the find. Its white-toned rooms all feature locally designed, handmade…

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

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…

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…

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…

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

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…

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…

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,…

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

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…

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

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…

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…

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…

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…