Hotel Review: Conrad Seoul
The Conrad Seoul is a luxury hotel in the largest city of South Korea. While not centrally located, the hotel offers a very good value for the money and amazing connections to the city center and the airport. In this extensive review, we’ll show you what to expect of staying here!
Hilton loyalists can find three options in Seoul, but there’s not doubt that the Conrad Seoul is the most luxurious of them. The hotel is located in Yeoeuido-Dong and thus not totally central when it comes to either the city center, the historic parts of town or the modern Gangnam district.
- Classification: Five Stars
- Room Category: River View Suite
- Month of Stay: December
Nevertheless, I think that the location is still decent as there are two metro lines right underneath the hotel, plus the Conrad is located on top of a large shopping center. Last but not least, the location allows for really nice river views and good connections to the airports. That said, let’s dive into the review about the actual property, which left a good impression on me.
River View Suite at the Conrad Seoul
As I had booked an Executive River View Room, I got a complimentary upgrade to a River View Suite thanks to my Hilton Honors Diamond Status, which was a nice gesture.
The suite comes with a large foyer followed by the medium-sized living room, which is rather full when it comes to the furniture.
Close to the large window, there’s a round-shaped table with a comfortable office chair, which is a good spot to get some work done.
The rest of the room is dominated by lounging furniture, including two comfortable armchairs as well as a couch, facing a flat-screen television.
The modern and still homely design of the living room left a good impression on me. The highlight is the construction on the wall though, which is also where you can find the minibar, glasses and more.
As you’d expect at a property on this level, there’s also a Nespresso coffee machine available in the room.
Interestingly, the bedroom is quite a bit larger than the living room, yet there’s way less furniture. The unobtrusive design is very much aligned with other properties like the Conrad Algarve or the Conrad Istanbul.
Basically, the room is dominated by lots of free space and a very comfortable King Bed dressed in white and soft linen.
I also liked the recamière located right next to the bed – a really nice spot to lounge and enjoy the views.
Opposite of bed, there’s another flat-screen television and a large desk. Interestingly, the suite at the Conrad Seoul offers two proper work areas, which you don’t see often.
Another real highlight of the River View Suites at the Conrad Seoul obviously is the view.
Yet, you should be aware that due to new high rises, the number of rooms and suites with nice views decreased dramatically in the last years.
The suites at the Conrad Seoul do not only offer enough space in the bedroom, but also a separated dressing area. While the walk-in wardrobe next to the foyer isn’t particularly large, it’s nice to have a separated space to place your suitcase.
Interestingly, the dressing more is directly connected to the very stylish bathroom, which has an open design and even offers daylight. There’s a very nice double vanity with lots of marble, which really feels luxurious.
I also highly enjoyed the large walk-in shower with a rain shower head.
The bathtub with views of the skyscrapers around the Conrad is a nice addition as well.
Matching to the luxurious design, the toilet is located in a separated room with a door and comes with all the function you’ll learn to love from Japanese toilets.
My experience with the suite at the Conrad Seoul was a wonderful one and I very much enjoyed my nights here. While the views aren’t as perfect with most rooms and suites anymore, the design is just really nice, making this Conrad one of the best I got to experience already.
Breakfast at the Conrad Seoul
Being a rather large property, the Conrad Seoul offers an extensive breakfast spread in the hotel’s restaurant. In particular, the choice of hot dishes is enormous.
You can find various different dishes from Asian and Western cuisines and I’d highly recommend trying some Korean specialties served at breakfast.
There are also several cold options with the usual classics like bread rolls, cold cuts, cheeses, salad, fresh fruits and more available.
There are also a couple of live cooking stations, preparing omelets, noodle soups and so on for you upon request. Coffee specialties are offered by servers.
The whole breakfast experience the Conrad Seoul was quite good in my experience, but I thought that the experience at properties like the Waldorf Astoria Beijing or Conrad Tokyo felt a bit more special.
Executive Lounge at the Conrad Seoul
Many Hilton loyalists enjoy staying at the Conrad Seoul and during weekends, several other guests directly book Executive Rooms, which leads to the hotel’s lounge to be rather crowded. It’s generally a large and nice space on the hotel’s top floor, offering exceptional views of the city and the river. Yet, it doesn’t feel all that exclusive due to the crowding.
The food offerings are alright, but not exceptional for a lounge in Asia, maybe on par with what the Conrad Hongkong offers. Breakfast for example comes with a decent spread with all typical cold and hot classics.
While there are fewer options than in the main restaurant, you can also order various dishes from the kitchen, which nicely supplements the breakfast spread.
There are not only omelettes available, but you can also order pancakes and other sweet dishes, so I feel like you are definitely getting a full luxury breakfast in the Executive Lounge of the Conrad Seoul.
I was a bit surprised though that there is no real afternoon tea, which is a classic in many hotel lounges. Instead, there are just smaller snacks during the day and a larger spread for two hours in the evening.
On the one hand, this offering at the Conrad Seoul left a superb impression on me as the choice is good and the quality is surprisingly high.
On the other hand, the lounge was so full when I visited that it was not really enjoyable to have dinner here and enjoy a drink or two.
Nevertheless, I’d say that the lounge at Hilton’s top property in Seoul is really nice if it’s not too overcrowded. The food offerings are definitely on a level close to the Conrad Singapore or the Conrad Macao.
Pool & Gym at the Conrad Seoul
Offering the facilities not only to hotel guests, but also external members, the Conrad Seoul offers an exceptionally large sports and recreation area.
The gym is very well-equipped and comes with various cardio and strength machines as well as plenty weights for any kind of strength training – really perfect for a hotel gym.
The pool is not any worse thanks to its enormous size, which you would hardly expect in a hotel.
I also really liked that the whole area is light-filled, making swimming here even more enjoyable.
You can also relax on one of the many loungers after going for a dip.
Furthermore, the Conrad Seoul offers a large spa with massages and other treatments on offer. There is also a sauna and steam bath area, but it’s chargeable for hotel guests.
Overall impressions of the Conrad Seoul
My experience at the Conrad Seoul was exceptional and I could definitely see myself returning here. While the lounge was a bit crowded and breakfast was only very good and not exceptional, there’s not a lot not to like about this property, in my opinion. The rooms and suites are amazing, particularly when also offering a view, the location is decent and the sports facilities are amazing. I’m sure you’ll enjoy staying here, particularly when having a Hilton Status!
You like this review? Be sure to check out our other hotel reviews!
Looks enticing!