For my first trip to South Korea, I kept it simple and stayed all three nights in Taipei. Since I didn’t know the city at all, and couldn’t be bothered with mattress runs, I decided to just pick a solid all-rounder and settle in. I ended up going with The Westin Josun Seoul. At around £550 for three nights on a corporate rate, it felt like a great deal. There was also Grand Hyatt Seoul at a similar price point with good reviews, but the location seemed a bit inconvenient, so I passed.
Location is definitely a strong point here. The hotel sits just across the street from Myeong-dong, with multiple metro stations like City Hall nearby, making it very easy to get around. Right next door are Lotte Duty Free and Shinsegae Duty Free, so you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping and dining. The only downside is that getting to Myeong-dong involves using an underground crossing with no lift, which can get a bit annoying after a few trips.
From Incheon International Airport, you can take the 6701 airport bus directly to the hotel, running roughly every 30 minutes. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes from Terminal 1, and add 15 minutes if you are travelling from Terminal 2.
Departing from the hotel, you can also buy bus tickets at the hotel front desk. The drop-off point and lobby are on the L level, with a ramp at the entrance, so accessing from LL level is actually more convenient.
The hotel itself dates back to 1914, originally opening as Korea’s first Western-style hotel. With over a century of history, it’s very much one of Seoul’s grand old dames.
When I booked earlier in the year, nothing seemed unusual, but as the trip approached, hotel availability in Seoul suddenly tightened up. It turned out to be cherry blossom season, and I happened to catch it right at peak bloom! Lucky timing.
The hotel was completely sold out, so unsurprisingly my suite night award was returned (increasingly feeling like a useless perk), and even switching to a twin room wasn’t possible. That said, the hotel did try their best, upgrading me to an executive king room and provided a complimentary rollaway bed.
Despite being fully booked, I was able to check in smoothly at 1:30pm, which was impressive.
The décor leans towards the classic side, but everything is well maintained. No visible wear and tear, and the bed was quite comfortable.
A box of macarons was provided as a welcome gift.
Another reason I chose this property, aside from the location, was the facilities. There’s a decent pool and fitness area, so I went to check them out. The pool is bright and spacious:
And the gym is well equipped.
Then onto the spa area. The baths and sauna are separated for men and women, and you are supposed to be naked inside. There are both warm and hot pools, along with high-pressure massage jets that are seriously powerful.
There’s also a steam room and sauna.
The facilities aren’t extensive, but they’re very functional. After a long day of walking, nothing beats a sauna session, a cold water shoulder massage, and then soaking in a hot pool – pure bliss.
On the dining side, Platinum members and above get lounge access, but if you want breakfast in the restaurant, you’ll need to choose it as your welcome amenity.
Breakfast is served at the Aria restaurant on the LL level.
I snapped a few photos of the restaurant:
The spread isn’t particularly extensive. There’s a mix of European and Asian options, but neither is especially strong. The mapo tofu and braised beef were fairly average. I’d heard Korean bakeries are excellent, but here they were just okay. The noodle station was probably the highlight.
The club lounge is on the 20th floor, with plenty of seating.
I only stopped by for coffee during the day, but made it to all three evenings of happy hour. Interestingly, you need to book a time slot in advance. I initially thought that was unnecessary, but it turned out to be absolutely packed.
On the first night, I was too tired to go out, so I had dinner in the lounge. The menu was:
- Fried rice with shrimp
- Fried tofu with black bean sauce and vegetables
- Deep fried beef meatballs with chilli bean sauce
- Thai chicken noodle salad
- Tortellini pasta salad with truffle dressing
- Smoked salmon salad
The quality was actually quite good (especially the fried rice). Drinks selection was also solid.
On the following two nights, I just had a drink. The hot dishes rotated, but the fried chicken I tried was pretty mediocre.
What stood out most over the three days, though, was the service, which was genuinely excellent. The club lounge was the best example: every time you entered or left, the staff would stand up together, bow, and greet you in unison with “Annyeonghaseyo” and “Kamsahamnida”. It almost felt like stepping into a K-drama 😛
More broadly, the service just felt incredibly natural and comfortable. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, but a few things stood out:
- Staff were impeccably dressed, with great posture and presence
- Extremely professional in answering questions and providing assistance
- Warm and polite without being overbearing—just the right level of attentiveness
And it wasn’t limited to the lounge. This standard was consistent across all staff I interacted with during the stay. Not sure if this is just typical in Korea, but it’s easily among the best service I’ve experienced at any hotel.
All in all, The Westin Josun Seoul delivers an excellent location and outstanding service, with solid hardware to match. The only weak point is the food, but it’s still a very worthwhile option for a stay in Seoul.
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