They all serve one purpose, yet I’m amazed at how incredibly different they can be. They all give guests the same common goods, but come in a variety of price ranges. And even within the same price range, the differences can be drastic. Of course, the “they” I am referring to are hotels. Hotels serve one purpose: providing a place to sleep when one is away from home. Yet they all come in different prices, provide different levels of service and give off different ambiance. Some you love and some you would rather not pay a dime to spend a night there. Last week, I spent three nights in Seoul, South Korea. I had to stay in one hotel for two nights and another for one night. The first two nights I was at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, but they did not have availability my last night. I learned at check-in that the hotel was sold out because President Obama would be checking in. The hotel was magnificent, but with all the added security, I didn’t mind leaving and checking into the Hotel Lotte. The Grand Hyatt and Hotel Lotte are both beautiful, high-end, premium hotels with excellent amenities. They are two of the best hotels in the city and are around the same price per room, but they are like stepping into two different worlds. Neither is better or worse, they are just different. I believe the Grand Hyatt Seoul offers the most beautiful setting of any hotel in Seoul, standing alone on a hilltop overlooking the city. The entrance is truly grand, with floor-to-ceiling windows in an outstretched, palatial lobby. The lobby is large but welcoming and warm. As it is a Hyatt, it offers western touches in a foreign city, with touches of Seoul throughout. The standard rooms are on the smaller side, but I enjoy its grandeur and consider it a peaceful, tranquil escape from the city. The Lotte, on the other hand, is in downtown Seoul, in the middle of the hustle and bustle which, as a city girl, I enjoy. When I walk into the Lotte, I know I’m in Korea. The lobby design, the staff and the girls in traditional Korean hanboks welcome guests and give the Lotte a different vibe from the Grand Hyatt. The rooms are more traditionally styled as opposed to the Grand Hyatt’s modern design. I would happily recommend both hotels to business travelers. Both offer a 5-star experience but with totally different energies. The Hyatt is a 10-minute drive to downtown, offering some reprieve from Seoul’s heavy traffic. At the Hotel Lotte, I recommend club-level accommodations, as the floor is one of the best I’ve seen, with impeccable attention to detail and food available throughout the day. The club-level staff also speak better English than elsewhere in the hotel and can help you get work or leisure needs handled promptly. — Alex Young, vice president and associate publisher