As it approaches its 20th anniversary, the Park Hyatt Seoul is aging gracefully and I enjoyed my one-night stay here…my first time back in 13 years. So much has changed over that time, but this hotel has not changed all that much at all.
Park Hyatt Seoul Review
At about 400 USD per night or 25,000 points per night (it is a Category 6 hotel in the World of Hyatt program), I chose to pay cash for the stay instead of miles.
From the Grand Hyatt Seoul, I took a taxi across town to Gangnam, arriving around 3:00 pm. At check-in, I was thanked for my World of Hyatt Globalist status and also informed that all suites were booked (I verified none were for sale on the website) and so I would not be upgraded. For a one-night stay, I was good with that and since a friend joined me, the two beds were preferred.
Guest Room
I quite like the modern and minimalist layout and design of the guest rooms at this property, which are unchanged from my visit in 2011 and quite timeless.
My room, 2108, included a round table, two beds, an easy chair, a stone bathroom with large bathtub, and great views of the bustling city below, with COEX Convention in the distance.
I appreciated that the hotel had plugs within reach, USB-C outlets (this was part of the minor 2021 refresh), and even spare charging cables.
A welcome amenity was also waiting for me: red wine and chocolate, which you don’t see all that often anymore at higher-end Hyatt hotels, at least in the USA.
When I walked in the room, the shades were drawn like this:
I should have known that was for a reason…I opened them (as you can see in the pictures above) and later went out for a walk. When I came back, the room was roasting like an oven…the glass floor-to-ceiling windows and afternoon sun created a greenhouse effect in the room, heating it up like a sauna. The drapes were quickly shut and the air conditioning cranked up…
Great views, though:
The mini-bar was well stocked and a Nespresso coffee machine was available.
Pool
An indoor pool is available on the top floor, also with a glass wall that also heats up a bit when the sun hits it (though the water is kept cool).
Wellness + Spa
As you enter the 23rd floor, you first walk down a corridor that has complimentary coffee (not that you would need it since you can get the same coffee in your guest room).
You can then check-in for the spa or tell the staff you want to go swimming or workout (you’ll need to sign a waiver). Past the check-in desk is a little sports bar area I will detail below, then it upstairs one more level for the pool, fitness center, or locker rooms that feature a plunge pool and sauna.
My favorite part of the locker room, however, was the dressing area that included complimentary Aesop skin products…it reminded me I need to spend more time trying to preserve my skin!
Spa treatments are available daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. Full menu here.
Fitness Center
The fitness center was very crowded when I tried to use it before breakfast…such that I did some cardio, but that was it. I came back at midday and it was mostly empty. It features TechnoGym equipment. A downside: the gym is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm only, so no overnight workouts if you are jetlagged. I far preferred the (Life Fitness) gym at the Grand Hyatt Seoul.
Dining
The hotel features two restaurants, a lounge, and a sports bar.
Cornerstone
Last time I reviewed this hotel, I called the breakfast the best hotel breakfast I’d ever had. While the hotel breakfast remains excellent, one thing has changed: I’m now a coffee drinker. And considering the hotel uses Nespresso coffee for brekfast…thumbs down. I had one cup and that was one cup too much…
Sorry to be so picky, but it’s just not great coffee and I would expect something better at a hotel of this caliber, especially considering that Seoul is littered with coffee shops offering far better coffee.
That said, everything else about the breakfast was wonderful. The fresh juice and smoothie bar, excellent omelets, fresh fruits and vegetables, great homemade yogurt, and decadent baked goods make it a very enjoyable restaurant.
I very much enjoyed everything I ate:
Cornerstone is the hotel’s Italian restaurant and offers Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner plus a seafood buffet (including lobster, crab, abalone, and black tiger prawns plus meats, poultry, and more) on weekends.
The Lounge
Lobby-level dining with Korean food, coffee, and tea.
The Timber House
Vinyl-music bar with an emphasis on Japanese food plus sushi omakase, sakes, wine, cocktails, and cigars.
Citrus Bar
Healthy light meals and non-alcoholic drinks located on the 23rd floor at the base of the spa. I appreciated the (free) citrus-infused water, which was quite refreshing after a heavy workout plus 20 minutes in the sauna!
Room Service
24/7 room service is available.
Business Center
A business center with PCs, printing, and scanning is available on the 23rd floor.
Service
Staff shined here, though my interactions were somewhat limited due to my brief stay. I think South Korea is a more difficult country when it comes to language barriers, but it was no problem here. Service in Cornerstone for breakfast was very attentive. During checkout, I was asked if there were any issues with my stay.
I explained I was walking across the street to catch a bus to Seoul Incheon and the hotel insisted on sending me in a taxi (they arranged it and did not charge me)…I appreciated that. They said it was confusing to walk there (and that was true), though with the traffic in the area I do not think I saved any time.
CONCLUSION
I enjoyed a brief stay at the Park Hyatt Seoul and enjoyed a beautiful and comfortable room with great service. I do recommend it.
Confession, though: I liked the Grand Hyatt better. While I would certainly return to the Park Haytt and recommend it, especially if you need to be in the Gangham area, the coffee + wellness + fitness center would all lead me back to the Grand Hyatt…plus Grand Hyaatt was cheaper.
Matt, I think in a recent post comment, you said that you couldn’t get any Chase cards and that is why you don’t transfer UR to Hyatt. Can you write a post about that?
Stems from this:
https://liveandletsfly.com/american-express-chase-dispute/
I won’t say anything else other than that I hope one day to restore my relationship and that I have access to Chase/AMEX via authorized user cards, thankfully, but that doesn’t help with a Hyatt card in my name.
I had forgotten about this. Sorry to hear about this.
First thing in the room , anytime day or night , open the red wine .
Could not agree more about Nespresso. Below average quality, just marketing as Starbucks. Lucky flyers at MIA have Juan Valdez Cafe shop but still too many queues at Starbucks.
Although I have not been in South Korea for quite long time, PH Jakarta is waiting on September.
The streets around the hotel look completely inhospitable to pedestrians. Based on the views from the hotel. Streets are far too wide and auto centric.
You’ve got to remember that it gets ridiculously cold in the winter, this isn’t Athens or even Manchester. Underground stations often incorporate shopping centres and the agglomerations often double up as covered walking areas.
$400 a night is quite a bit of money for a standard hotel room anywhere, but by Seoul standards it’s borderline insane- unless of course there was a huge event pushing up the prices of everything. Whenever I have travelled and/or checked prices in the city, you could easily get a full suite for half that.
Have you stayed at the Andaz? I believe it’s in the Gangnam district as well.
At $400.00 a night, nothing is free…not even the lemon water!
Gangnam has had great marketing, but is extremely inconvenient as areas of Seoul go.
More broadly speaking, I will just never understand the tendency of Americans to fly to the other side of the world and stay in some awful big box hotel.
Those “big box” hotels may not be “authentic” but are most often wonderful hotels, including this one.
You have an interesting definition of “wonderful.” Don’t really see what the point of traveling abroad is if you stay primarily in hotels that could be in the US.