Eat like a king, sleep like a baby: My stay at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

Editor’s note: Four Seasons provided TPG with a complimentary two-night stay so that we could get an inside look at the hotel and its amenities. The opinions expressed below are entirely those of the author and weren’t subject to review by the hotel or any external entity.

Four Seasons hotels are usually fabulous, but the ones located throughout Asia tend to be next level. I’ve had incredible stays with the brand on the continent, from Hong Kong to Osaka and from Vietnam to Beijing. So, on a recent trip to Seoul, I was beyond excited about the chance to stay at the Canadian luxury hotel company’s towering property in the vibrant South Korean capital city.

With a location overlooking Gyeongbokgung Palace, a Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant on-site and a beautiful Korean-style sauna for guests to enjoy, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul won me over. Here’s what I loved about it — and why you should consider visiting this hotel if you find yourself in the buzzy city of Seoul.

Related: The 16 best Four Seasons in the world, according to travel experts who have stayed at them

What is the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is a massive hotel spanning 29 floors in the Gwanghwamun neighborhood. The hotel has 285 rooms and 32 suites, multiple bars and restaurants, an executive club, an on-site floral designer, a spa, a Korean sauna, a golf simulator and an indoor pool. It doubles as a membership club, too, so locals can access the world-class gym and sauna, and it’s popular within the local community for its many restaurants and an impressive buffet.

The overall design of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul reflects a high-end, modern take on the traditional Korean aesthetic, and is a great luxury option whether you’re in the Central Business District for business or if you’re a tourist in town to take in the sights.

How to book the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

Sadly, Four Seasons still doesn’t have its own loyalty program (though we’re always hoping for one). Cash rates at this property can be found as low as the mid-$400 range, though rates typically hover around $600 and above.

If you book through programs like American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts — available to those holding The Platinum Card® from American Express — or via The Edit by Chase Travel℠ — a booking platform for those with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) — you can also earn perks like potential room upgrades, property credits, free breakfast for two, guaranteed late checkout and more.

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Related: The best ways to travel to South Korea with points and miles

Rooms at The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

For my two-night stay, I was booked in a Corner Premier room measuring in at just over 600 square feet. The corner room, replete with tall windows looking out over the city, felt comfortable from the minute I walked in, almost like an apartment. The space was filled with beautiful woods contrasting against white linens, a patterned blue carpet and smart, modern accents.

On the far side of the room, there was handy writing desk with an office chair, as well as a lounge chair with a table, ideal for reading.

Opposite the bed area, a small couch sat across from the large TV on a swivel mount so I could watch TV from the living area or the plush bed.

Entering the bathroom, a small wash closet containing the toilet and a sink was on one side. On the opposite side was the main bathroom area with a deep soaking tub offering views of Seoul, a dual vanity, a small TV hidden in the mirror and Four Seasons signature ultra-plush towels. The hotel uses lush Diptyque amenities — the cherry on top of a fabulous bathroom.

The room also had plenty of closet space, a minibar with all the expected soda, juices and alcoholic beverages, a coffee maker, an electric kettle for tea and a safe.

And as someone who loves big cities and tall buildings, it was incredible to have these views from my very own room.

What I ate at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

If you find yourself at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, make sure to bring your appetite as there are more bars and restaurants tucked around this building than one might realize. The restaurants include a massive international buffet; Italian, Japanese and Cantonese restaurants; a speakeasy; a lounge; and a Korean snack and cocktail bar.

Here’s a rundown of what I ate during my stay.

Oul

Touted as an “homage to the ever-changing identity of after-hours Seoul,” Oul is a cocktail bar with elevated Korean bar food — and it’s a really fun scene. Though you can come here for individual cocktails and snacks, I enjoyed the Oul set menu (around $107). This delicious experience included three cocktails, like the Seoul Mule made with garlic butter vodka, and dishes like mouthwatering Korean fried chicken, lobster tteokboki and delicate beef tartare wrapped up in quinoa popcorn.

At the time, Oul also had a special side menu featuring Jongga kimchi. As someone who is kimchi-obsessed, I was in love with the kimchi mule topped with a giant piece of dried Jongga cabbage kimchi ($22).

Yu Yuan

With one Michelin star, Yu Yuan is a Cantonese restaurant serving everything from lunchtime dim sum to Beijing duck. Since I visited Yu Yuan over the weekend, I opted for the Brunch in the Rock Garden set menu ($124), and had a wonderful time enjoying classics like pork and shrimp siu mai dumplings and roasted pork belly, as well as new flavors that I had never experienced, like abalone. For the price, this Michelin-star experience felt like a steal.

Charles H.

For an exclusive cocktail bar with a side of fried chicken, the basement-level speakeasy Charles H. is a must-visit, with a bar space that’s as glamorous as the menu is delicious. Sitting at the bar and chatting with friendly, expert mixologists, I started with a special offer from 6 to 8 p.m. of one signature cocktail and one food item ($37), opting for the Manhattan flight, with various takes from around the world on this classic cocktail. But, of course, I wasn’t quite ready to go — so I also enjoyed the the Cannes-inspired Riviera Martini ($24).

This space filled up during my Sunday night visit, so I’d highly recommend making a reservation in advance.

Maru

Located just off the lobby, Maru is a casual lounge offering Western and Korean breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks. I stopped in for a quick breakfast and enjoyed a hearty soup with rice and banchan (which consists of delicious Korean side dishes, like kimchi). It’s a comfortable spot to stop for a coffee or tea while reading the paper, or to sit with a chilled glass of wine after a long afternoon of exploring the city.

The Market Kitchen

For breakfast, don’t miss a trip to the massive international buffet at The Market Kitchen. There you can grab everything from Asian-style noodle dishes and soups with an array of toppings to dim sum, pastries, made-to-order options, Western favorites and everything in between. The buffet is also open for weekday lunch and dinner, a popular seafood night on Fridays, and brunch throughout the weekend and on holidays. Prices start around $57 for adults for breakfast, $124 for lunch and $136 for dinner.

Amenities and things to do

I felt like I could write a novel about all the things to do at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, because the options really did feel endless in this towering hotel. Here are the highlights:

• Four Seasons Club Seoul: This multilevel club encompasses the hotel’s gym and a Korean-style sauna, both of which are open to non-guest members of The Club as well as hotel guests. The gym is extensive, rivaling any Equinox I’ve ever stepped foot in. The Korean sauna includes pools at different temperatures, a steam room and a specialty shower with jets (just note that it’s custom in South Korea to enter the waters fully nude). For me, starting my day at the gym and then heading to the sauna was both relaxing and energizing. If I lived nearby, I would 100% join The Club.
• The hotel has three pools, including a dedicated plunge pool for kids.
• Seoul Spa offers massages, signature treatments, full body therapies, couples experiences, nail services and more. I got a traditional K-style color analysis, a popular experience in Korea, that helped me learn what colors look best on me. It was a blast and I highly recommend.
• A classic barbershop offers haircuts, wet shaves, and shoeshines — and a glass of whiskey while you wait.
• Celebrity florist Nicolai Bergmann has a floral boutique on the ground level of the hotel.
• Parents can sign kids up for paid activities at the Kids for All Seasons Lounge, including cooking lessons taught in English.
• Guests can enjoy more than 7,000 newspapers and magazines through the hotel’s press reader service.
• Four Seasons Seoul is pet-friendly, and the $184 pet fee includes amenities like a bed and food and water bowls.
• A house car is available for international guests on a first-come, first-served basis between 10 a.m and 6:30 p.m. up to 1.24 miles.
• Guests can use Google Chromecast to stream to the TV.

Insider tips for staying at the Four Seasons HOtel Seoul

• The hotel offers special, bookable experiences for couples that can include a romantic tour of the city, couples spa treatments and a set-menu dinner at one of the hotel’s many restaurants.
• The hotel concierge can arrange an extensive array of tours, from a walking tour of one of the nearby palaces to day-long excursions to the DMZ (the border with North Korea) or even the bustling coastal city of Busan.
• In my experience in Seoul, it’s significantly quicker to take the subway rather than driving. And trust me, Google and Apple maps won’t help you in Korea. For accurate travel information, download KakaoMap.

Accessibility

While there isn’t an abundance of accessibility information on the hotel’s website, we did learn that Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has a number of accessible hotel rooms available, including several Accessible Deluxe rooms — which are some of the largest in the city.

To book these rooms, and to learn more about the hotel’s accessibility options, the hotel requests inquiring travelers call +81 (2) 6388-5000.

Bottom line

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. The property is beautiful, and if you spend enough time exploring, you’ll find some wonderful surprises around each corner, like the Charles H. speakeasy and Nicolai Bergmann’s grand floral arrangements. Taking time to lean into Korean sauna culture helped me feel very relaxed, and I found myself wishing I could experience this at home.

And while it’s a big hotel, the personal service made my stay here feel intimate and bespoke. Despite a constant stream of people coming and going through the lobby, the staff seemed to always recognize me and say hi.

The real highlight of my stay, though, was all the incredible food I enjoyed. Within the hotel walls, one can take a culinary tour of the world, from Italy to Japan — and even with a stop at a Michelin-starred Cantonese spot. The best part? Once you’re too full to function you can hop on the elevator and head right to bed.

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