240, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea | (937) 315-4602
Located in the Lotte World recreational complex
Connected to Jamsil subway station
Contemporary-style rooms feature minibars and flat-screen TVs
Character Rooms have colorful themed decor appealing to kids
Club Rooms come with free executive lounge access
Dining options include haute Chinese and buffet-style eateries
Brasserie/bar serves High Tea and assorted drinks
Business center and comprehensive business services
Well-equipped fitness room with views, plus indoor/outdoor golfing
Large indoor pool and ornate wet/dry sauna area
Meeting/event spaces for up to 500 people
Free parking and hotel-wide Wi-Fi
Lobby lacks personality
Beds can be small by U.S. standards
Club Rooms don't accept children under age 4
Free breakfast only for club-floor guests
No on-site spa
This upscale 469-room property in Jamsil-dong is part of Lotte World -- a sprawling fun zone that encompasses one of the world’s largest indoor amusement parks. Like the complex itself, the hotel is loaded with features, ranging from meeting rooms and other business-oriented amenities to recreational ones (most notably a large indoor pool, a marble-lined sauna area, an indoor/outdoor golf facility, and a well-equipped fitness center). It has multiple dining options, too -- an upscale Chinese restaurant, buffet-style eatery, and brasserie/bar among them. All of this encourages guests to remain on-site (in terms of accommodations, there is no real competition in the area anyway). The hotel also works hard to appeal to its diverse clientele, offering specially decorated Character Rooms targeted at young children, along with Club Floor accommodations designed for business travelers, which come with private lounge access.
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Scene
A big hotel attracting an eclectic blend of business travelers and theme-park enthusiasts
Visitors expecting an over-the-top theme hotel like those found at Disney's parks may be disappointed by the generic look of the public spaces here. The cavernous lobby, with its white marble floors and soaring atrium ceiling, seems classy yet cold in a theme-park context (a sense that is only heightened by the dearth of communal seating); the same can be said for the two main restaurants, which give the decor a bit of a mid-century modern twist. But it’s important to remember that this place also aims to please guests attending in-house business or social events -- not just vacationing kids. Families needing a shot of color can choose a dedicated floor where the hallways and rooms are decorated with kitschy cartoon characters.
Location
Part of Jamsil-dong’s Lotte World complex
Containing an indoor theme park, an outdoor amusement park, a folk museum, an artificial lake, a shopping mall, restaurants, and more, Lotte World -- located in the Jamsil district, southeast of downtown -- is a destination in itself. Most hotel guests are content to remain within it, and that’s a good thing because the city’s other main attractions and must-see neighborhoods are quite a hike away. If you want to experience Gangnam style, for example, you’ll first need to take a 15-minute trip on public transit; reaching Times Square (South Korea's largest mall) will take you almost an hour. On the upside, the hotel is connected to Jamsil Station, which provides public transport to downtown Seoul.
Rooms
Options include club rooms for corporate types and themed rooms for kids.
The standard digs here, though slightly dated, share an attractive contemporary style and elegantly earthy color palette, with creamy walls and carpeting offset by a mix of blond-wood and mahogany-finished furniture. All feature minibars, tea/coffee-making facilities, digital safes, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi; their chic bathrooms are fitted with glass-enclosed showers, shower/tub combos or, in some cases, both, and come with vessel sinks, big vanity mirrors, bathrobes, and posh Molton Brown toiletries.
Upgrading to a similarly-styled Deluxe Room on the club floor (restricted to guests aged four and over) brings extra benefits, including more square footage, a free buffet breakfast, on-site dining discounts, and access to a handsome private lounge where guests enjoy perks like express check-in/out, afternoon tea, happy hour cocktails and canapes, plus various business services.
Alternately, you can choose character-themed accommodations (again located on a dedicated floor) that are specially designed for young children. Done up in bright colors and decorated with images of Loti and Lory, Lotte World’s mascots, these spaces can sleep up to four. Some have windows offering direct views into the park (and binoculars to ensure you see it all); compared to themed rooms in Western properties, however, the overall look is kindergarten-ish kitsch.
Features
Expect multiple dining options, an exclusive lounge and impressive recreational facilities.
Surprisingly, this fully loaded hotel has features that appeal to both vacationers and corporate travelers. There’s up-to-date conference rooms, event spaces that can fit up to 500 people, and a business center with computer workstations, printer/copiers, and translation/interpretation services specifically for the latter. But all guests can enjoy the on-site dining choices. Tom Lim, the hotel's modern haute Chinese restaurant on the 32nd floor, serves Guangdong cuisine with a side order of scenery, while La Seine delivers East-meets-West buffet-style meals -- among them an add-on breakfast spread with 150-odd items. There's also a bakery/deli plus a brasserie/bar that serves brunch and high tea in addition to the expected beverages.
Fitness facilities are also surprisingly extensive, starting with the well-equipped fitness center overlooking the lake and 123-story Lotte World Tower. Further recreational facilities include a 66-foot-long indoor pool with barreled glass roof, an equally ornate wet/dry sauna area lined in marble (for men only), and even a golfing facility with a two-tier, 18-stall driving range and outdoor putting green. A 24-hour reception area with concierge and currency exchange services; on-site medical clinics; a duty-free shop; free parking; and free hotel-wide Wi-Fi are other noteworthy perks.
