Arrival/Check-In: A car service from THE PLAZA Seoul picked me up at Gimpo International Airport. The hotel lies about 40 minutes from Gimpo, situated in the heart of Seoul City and surrounded by cultural assets like Deoksu Palace, Gyeongbuk Palace and City Hall. It is also central to the shopping, entertainment and business districts. I visited the property before but never had the chance to stay and experience the newly renovated 5-star hotel.

Upon arrival I was whisked away to my suite, and my belongings followed shortly after. The lobby is grand and elegant. It’s obvious from first sight this hotel is built for the luxury guest.

Guest Quarters: I stayed in the Plaza Suite, with a corner view of the Seoul cityscape, royal palace and City Hall. I also had a front-row view of the Pride Festival on my final day in Seoul. This room with a view definitely delivered a special taste of Korean tradition and culture.

The suite includes a comfortable king-sized bed, cozy fireplace, a large couch at the foot of the bed and a newly renovated bathroom. I absolutely loved the suite design; with a modern feel, the rooms exude the “stylish and unique” slogan of the luxury hotel.

The walk-in rain shower was delightful. It was also convenient to have a Nespresso coffee machine in the room since I was waking up early and needed a kick of caffeine to fight jet lag.

I found the spacious desk bordering the length of the window particularly useful, as I always have heaps of magazines and business documents with me on international trips.

Services/Amenities: All guestrooms feature free wireless internet, a touchpad room control system and environmentally friendly finishing materials. The business center provides a full range of secretarial services and office equipment.

The property boasts 410 guestrooms, six restaurants offering food from around the globe, nine banquet halls and a fitness center and spa. Club access includes butler service, professional secretarial service and individual meeting rooms. THE PLAZA Seoul is known as a popular MICE hotel, with seven meeting and events spaces.

The massive fitness facility features a sauna, gymnasium, swimming pool, indoor golf course (miniature golf) and an aerobics studio offering fitness classes. I took advantage of this each day since I was up early.

The Experience: THE PLAZA Seoul offers unparalleled customized service for both business and leisure travelers. Between the personalized service and beautiful suite, it certainly delivered a 5-star stay. Room service was delicious and worth noting.

THE PLAZA Seoul
119 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu
Seoul, South Korea 04525
tel 82 2 771 2200
hoteltheplaza.com