The Shilla Seoul

The flagship luxury hotel of the Samsung Group. The service is exceptionally, incredibly amazing! From the moment you step out of the car and staff take your luggage, through check-in, having your bags brought to your room, being escorted to your seat for breakfast, ordering, and checking out—every single staff member greets you with a smile, and every one of them is super gorgeous! We added an extra day of breakfast. The croissants and chestnut tarts at breakfast had the most incredible flaky pastry layers, and they smelled so, so good! The breakfast fit for a chaebol even featured 4 types of boiled eggs. The only minor downsides were that the shrimp dumplings and Vietnamese pho at the noodle station were just so-so, and I’m not sure why there weren't any special local Korean delicacies. To be honest, the room size is a bit small, but the bedding is very comfortable, and I slept wonderfully every single night. The bath towels are thick and plush, and the toiletries and slippers are also very comfortable! I will definitely stay here again next time. Truly an exceptional hotel!

The Shilla Seoul is by far the most comfortable hotel I stayed at during this trip to Seoul. Having had a great experience at the Jeju Shilla previously, I wanted to see how the Seoul property would compare. The bedding was comfortable, and the shower had fantastic water pressure—the kind where you can actually have a proper shower. They use Dyson hair dryers instead of the old-fashioned ones, which was quite nice. As for the service, the staff all had rather professional, practiced smiles; I just wish they could be a bit warmer to Chinese guests! I loved the smoked salmon at The Library bar—it was insanely delicious with top-notch quality, plus it came with my beloved dill! We ate it for several days in a row! The live singers, both male and female, were quite good and created a great atmosphere! However, a middle-aged male waiter with glasses at the bar was rather snobbish and treated Chinese guests differently. Also, the legendary pastries from the bakery were, in my opinion, quite mediocre. On the downside, the pillows were much too high, which could easily give you a stiff neck. The room rates have gone up a bit ridiculously. You don't need an adapter to charge your devices, and there are plenty of outlets in the room, which is a big plus! Established luxury hotels are still a safe bet, and you can see quality in the details.

I stayed in a standard room; it wasn't very large and was pretty average, but it was clean and well-kept. Toothbrushes are not provided, but you can buy one at the hotel for 5,000 KRW. The public areas are spacious and feel much more luxurious. The breakfast offered a wide variety of choices, and the coffee and croissants were delicious—very satisfied overall. If I get the chance to visit again, I definitely want to try the outdoor pool.

I had a wonderful stay. It's a very stylish hotel with great layout, decor, and service. The breakfast is a buffet and every single dish was delicious, especially the risotto, pasta, salad, and bread—I stayed for two days and still didn't get to try everything. They also have live jazz in the evening. All in all, it was a very enjoyable staycation.

Pros: Close to Gwangjang Market, and Shilla Duty Free Shop is just a 5-minute walk away. The front desk service was good, and room service and laundry were fast and polite. Cons: Dining options nearby are inconvenient; the hotel's own restaurant requires advance booking, and it seems the only nearby places to eat are small restaurants in Gwangjang Market. The hotel lobby is always crowded, the doormen don't proactively greet guests or open car doors. The room is small, facilities are a bit old and basic, and the lighting is a bit dim.

The room itself was a bit old, but the service was excellent, which definitely earned some bonus points.

It was raining the day we arrived, so we called the hotel and they kindly picked us up at the bus station. The service throughout our stay was incredibly warm and enthusiastic. This was our second time staying here, and it was another great experience! The bakery, as always, was delicious.

A classic luxury hotel in Korea, everything was impeccable, from the facilities to the service, it was all very impressive. I would definitely stay here again if I have the chance. The staff clearly enjoy their work, highly recommended.

Great environment, excellent location, and fantastic service! The pillows were incredibly comfortable – I'll definitely stay here again next time I'm in Seoul! The pool was also super relaxing. A must-visit! The room was very spacious, so no worries about not having enough space for all your shopping, haha.