Park Hyatt Seoul
"Why did this hotel catch your attention? What's the vibe?Your initial entrance is through a relatively compressed, utilitarian space. It's only after ascending to the lobby on the 24th floor that the hotel experience opens up: The ceilings are high, the room is full of air and light (as well as some eye-catching contemporary Korean art), and the views of Gangnam and Seoul beyond are expansive. The service at reception is gracious and precise. After checking in, you take a different set of elevators to your floor, so you really have a sense of having embarked on a little journey to reach your room. What's the backstory?The Park Hyatt Seoul's cousin in Tokyo was the set for the film Lost in Translation, and while this hotel doesn't have those sort of cultural bona fides, it is imbued with a similar feeling. The clientele is similar, too: the international jet set, including lots of businessmen and movie stars, of both Korean (Lee Young-Ee) and western (Hugh Jackman) cinema. The rooftop helipad is a pretty good tip-off as to who comes here. This was the first hotel from the Japanese architecture firm Super Potato, which has also worked extensively with the Grand Hyatt, Westin, and Ritz-Carlton brands as well as Muji stores. Tell us all about the accommodations. Any tips on what to book?The dominant materials are acres of pale oak in the bedrooms and rough Japanese stone and heavy marble in the bathrooms. That really sums up the overall feeling of the décor: a minimalist, naturally inspired ethos that's a bit Scandi style and a bit Zen. There's a slightly slick corporate quality to the aesthetic, but mostly it's luxurious and comfortable. Because this is Korea, even the bathrooms come with lots of tech—heated toilet seats, numerous bidet settings—which to a westerner feels both a little bit silly and also totally awesome. But the room's best amenities are the simplest: the pillow-top beds, the view of Gangnam from the luxurious soaking tub. Is there a charge for Wi-Fi?The Wi-fi is free and the quality is excellent. Drinking and dining—what are we looking at?The hotel's signature restaurant, Cornerstone, serves Italian food; for Korean, you go up to the Lounge on the 24th floor. There's also a quite masculine basement bar called the Timber House, which has an izakaya menu. The included breakfast at Cornerstone is an endless buffet of western and Korean food, and it is delicious. The room service experience is first-rate: The service is impeccable and the Korean food is really excellent (get the Australian beef seaweed soup and the abalone porridge). And the service?A common criticism is the elevators, and it is slightly confusing to have one set that goes between street level and the top-level lounge and another that goes to the rooms. At the same time, though, there's something reassuring about having that additional remove from the city. It makes your room feel that much more like a sanctum. The service is extremely thorough; it can sometimes become just a touch obsequious, but that is a quibble. What type of travelers will you find here?I remember the very handsome Korean businessman in the locker room spa at the same time as me putting on Zegna suit and Tod's loafers. I would say that the tribe is a fairly young global business class, steeped in the culture of both the east and west. What about the neighborhood? Does the hotel fit in, make itself part of the scene?The hotel very much feels like and functions as a central hub in Gangnam. People not staying at the hotel drop in at the restaurants after an afternoon in the neighborhood. The COEX exhibition center and mall is right there, and the Galleria Department Store is a few blocks away, too. Easy to make the case that this is the chicest hotel in Seoul's chicest neighborhood. Is there anything you'd change?There's something almost too impersonal or understated about the street-level entrance, and I guess there could probably be more clarity about the elevator situation. Any other hotel features worth noting?The spa environment is really nice—that's both because of the quality of the experience and the cool feeling of being up on top of the building in this ultra-modern light-filled aerie. My massage therapist was terrific. And you should definitely order room service at least once. The room service experience is first-rate. Bottom line: Worth it? Why?Worth it. A contemporary oasis of tranquility in the midst of a hard-charging city." - Jesse Ashlock
