Thanks for a great detailed review. It seems you had a great time!
Originally Posted by
cmhsieh54
My trip review from the past night's stay...
After living here in Korea for 8+ years (not 7 as I mentioned in a previous post), and staying at almost all the high-end/major chain/luxury hotels, finally I stayed a night on staycation at the FSS. I'd been to this hotel for a handful of events and meetings, and had visited the speakeasy and the cafe, but had never actually booked a room.
On an Amex FHR reservation for the basic "Deluxe Room", my wife and I got the small upgrade to the "Premier Room". At check-in, they said no corner rooms were available, and the various websites indicated that indeed seemed to be the case. FHR bookings here guarantee a 4pm checkout, which was awesome.
The pictures on the websites are representative. It's a luxury property, and very well-maintained. In spite of some really nitpicky signs of wear here and there, I can see how this hotel is better perceived than, say, Josun Palace or even the JW Marriott Gangnam.
(For those familiar with Seoul-area luxury hotels: The basic layout of the Deluxe Room is very reminiscent of the rooms at Josun Palace, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the 4SS interior design was the benchmark for JP. The bathroom layout is basically identical. While the JP bathroom was bigger, the window structures are more interesting here at the 4S and overall the materials are more refined. For example, at the Josun Palace, the bathroom has some really cheap metal door handles. Those things here at the 4S are all far more solid.)
Breakfast at this 4S is renowned among all sorts of travelers to this hotel, and among Seoul staycationers, and I found that renown to be justified. The buffet is located in the basement, so it's not like the morning coffee is accompanied with sunshine, but it mostly works. The decor seems a bit dated upon first glance. But as I looked around it struck me that it's less dated and more just timeless.
Breakfast on a Monday morning was fairly laid-back. The buffet restaurant was maybe half full between 7:30-9am throughout when we were there.
Breakfast selection is very nuanced. Some highlights: There is a section for Middle Eastern spreads, there is a Chinese congee section (maybe one of only two hotels in Seoul with "you tiao"), and there is a dim sum section that includes a crab soup (served in individual bowls under the big bamboo steamer). Get the crab soup, and add in a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil; I thought it was great. (But you may need to get the counter staff's help to add the bowl onto your plate, it's very hot!) Lastly, there's a small section of customized yogurts and mixed juices (i.e. carrot orange juice).
(One complaint that I heard was that the hard boiled eggs are too cold.)
Another comment I can make is that this is one of the liveliest breakfast environments I've experienced in Seoul. It's almost like the noise you'd expect from the cafeteria at a large corporation's HQ cafeteria. There seemed to be a variety of business conversations going on, including between business partners who aren't staying and just have come in for breakfast.
On my FHR booking, of course, we got the $100 f&b credit (which was credited as 130k KRW due to the forex rate). We were really happy that it covered an *amazing* room service dinner for two. We had huge separate portions of "LA-style" beef ribs, Chickpea salad ("Buddha's Bowl"), mashed potatoes, and a tiramisu, all fitting inside the $100 budget. The staff also threw in a large 2-person chocolate cake for free, which we saved for an in-room afternoon tea on our check-out day.
It is definitely crowded at this hotel, though, even on the non-holiday Sunday night we stayed. Far more crowded than what we've ever experienced at the JW Gangnam. In that sense, for those looking for a slightly less hectic staycation, perhaps that JW is a better pick.
Re: the neighboring area, it has a few interesting spots. The Seoul Finance Center mall has some nice casual inexpensive restaurants. Of course, a couple major traditional (touristic) Korean palaces are just within short walking distances.
The swimming pool is pretty small, with only 3 lanes. My wife mentioned that apparently two are dedicated/intended for laps and the third is open for families and fun. There is a separate small pool with some water massage functionality, and then a small kids pool. There's also a dry sauna that can seat maybe 5-6 people comfortably. Here in Korea, swimcaps are the norm for any pool activity, and the attendant will bring one out for those who don't have their own. Hot/cold jacuzzi area is available for an extra 25k KRW charge.
My three biggest nitpicks of the entire stay would probably be: (a) the scent piped into the lobby (It's like a man's stale cologne, so prepare for that expectation if necessary); (b) the bed a bit soft for our taste; and (c) some staff stopping by to open our room door at 2:30pm even though we had a guaranteed 4pm check-out. These are all very minor issues.
Overall, it was an excellent stay. No doubt about it. A top 2-3 hotel in Seoul, of course. But, given what I've seen, this hotel stay can also sometimes be $200 more expensive than the equivalent night at Josun Palace. Especially for those with Bonvoy Plat status and above, and location aside, that kind of price difference can start to make JP look a bit more attractive.