InterContinental Hotels: Priority Club & Inter-Continental Ambassador - IC Downtown Seoul ?'s

My wife is going to head over to Seoul in the next month or so to visit our daughter who is stationed in Seoul. Does anyone have any experience with the Intercontinental Downtown Seoul? Impressions, tips that might be helpful?

Thanks in advance,

Ontherun

The Coex and the Grand IC Seoul are located a stone's throw away from each other, and both are quite nice indeed. Technically, the Grand is the higher-end property but I'm not certain that I agree. Rooms at the Grand are a bit larger, I think, but the Coex's are still very spacious and a bit more up-to-date. No complimentary upgrades at the Coex, though, as there are only standard rooms (very nice) and suites.

The gym at the Grand is fairly nice, but the gym at the Coex is one of the best I've ever seen in a hotel.

Breakfast at the Coex is outstanding, and I'd rate it higher than the Grand.

Thanks JH for the reply. I was wondering if there was a noticeable difference in the properties.

Thanks again,

Ontherun

The Coex and the Grand IC Seoul are located a stone's throw away from each other, and both are quite nice indeed. Technically, the Grand is the higher-end property but I'm not certain that I agree. Rooms at the Grand are a bit larger, I think, but the Coex's are still very spacious and a bit more up-to-date. No complimentary upgrades at the Coex, though, as there are only standard rooms (very nice) and suites.

The gym at the Grand is fairly nice, but the gym at the Coex is one of the best I've ever seen in a hotel.

Breakfast at the Coex is outstanding, and I'd rate it higher than the Grand.

I booked for the COEX, 235 000 won the night, and the lady at the front desk, not relaly friendly, but efficient, told me briefly that she could change that for a 210 000 won (145 euros) including breakfest.
Do you want that ? Yes, for sure.

It is really a nice hotel, the exercise room is more than nice, and you are not allowed work out before a lady gives you a towell... There are really a lot of tools.
The swimming pool is nice, probably 25 meters long, nobody. All this is included in the rate, which is NOT the case in all hotels in Korea (I came to INterburgos in Daegu, you need to pay 7 000 wons each time you enter the exercise room).

Froom iCN as well as from GMP (international and domestic airport) just take a Korean Air bus to the Coex, every 15 minutes, it is 12 000 wons (9 euros or 11 dollars) and it take about an hour or so.
You may take the bus number 600 for half the rate, but it is a little more difficult to find and probably less comfortable.

From each of thes Intercontinental, you may want to go downtonw by subway. The station is 10 minutes from Coex or 5 from Grand, and ticket is cheap (800 wons, less than 0.7 dollars)
In the commercial Mall, lot of restaurants.
Go better to the Food court near the Hyundai Supermarket, these ones are really good for 5 000 to 7 000 wons. No way you can speak english with them. Just choose one that have a picture of your preferred meal, show it, and forget the conversation...... I had a good time there....

For breakfest, I concur with previous poster, Coex is a huge buffet, incredible, excellent, one of the best I ever saw, but expensive (25 000 Wons)

Holiday Inn has two other hotels, I visited the Sangbuck, which is recently Holiday Inn, and near Giream subway station, direct transfert from the airports too, but much cheape (140 000 wons), rooms are very nice but smaller, and the area is totaly diferent.

Enjoy your stay there !