Park Hyatt Seoul REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Aug 12, 2015, 3:45 am
#377
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
got graciously upgraded to 2205. Suite with arguably best views in the house.
- the same old working business person problems still exist as the power cords are situated far from the table and the dining table chairs are pretty narrow. No bedside charging either.
- rain showerhead had decent pressure but handheld shower head is awful and sprays the whole bathroom.
- soaking tub with cityview is very, very nice though.
- Korean breakfast was poor in comparison to PH Busan. Very little substance to the meal (protein, little sidedishes) and they denied my request for extra seaweed. Chintzy.
- appliances are just old and show the hotel's age from the pre-Samsung branding Hauzen brand air cleaner to the old style LG cordless phone with antenna sticking out.
-
- the same old working business person problems still exist as the power cords are situated far from the table and the dining table chairs are pretty narrow. No bedside charging either.
- rain showerhead had decent pressure but handheld shower head is awful and sprays the whole bathroom.
- soaking tub with cityview is very, very nice though.
- Korean breakfast was poor in comparison to PH Busan. Very little substance to the meal (protein, little sidedishes) and they denied my request for extra seaweed. Chintzy.
- appliances are just old and show the hotel's age from the pre-Samsung branding Hauzen brand air cleaner to the old style LG cordless phone with antenna sticking out.
-
Aug 12, 2015, 4:05 am
#378
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BKK
Posts: 6,741
got graciously upgraded to 2205. Suite with arguably best views in the house.
- the same old working business person problems still exist as the power cords are situated far from the table and the dining table chairs are pretty narrow. No bedside charging either.
- rain showerhead had decent pressure but handheld shower head is awful and sprays the whole bathroom.
- soaking tub with cityview is very, very nice though.
- Korean breakfast was poor in comparison to PH Busan. Very little substance to the meal (protein, little sidedishes) and they denied my request for extra seaweed. Chintzy.
- appliances are just old and show the hotel's age from the pre-Samsung branding Hauzen brand air cleaner to the old style LG cordless phone with antenna sticking out.
-
- the same old working business person problems still exist as the power cords are situated far from the table and the dining table chairs are pretty narrow. No bedside charging either.
- rain showerhead had decent pressure but handheld shower head is awful and sprays the whole bathroom.
- soaking tub with cityview is very, very nice though.
- Korean breakfast was poor in comparison to PH Busan. Very little substance to the meal (protein, little sidedishes) and they denied my request for extra seaweed. Chintzy.
- appliances are just old and show the hotel's age from the pre-Samsung branding Hauzen brand air cleaner to the old style LG cordless phone with antenna sticking out.
-
Is 2205 a Park Suite?
It will be interesting to see how you think the FS compares to PH, GH, and other hotels in Seoul. As a local and a discerning traveler, you are the forum expert on these properties, Aventine.
Aug 12, 2015, 4:19 am
#379
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
Hyundai Holding Development owns Park Hyatt and Samsung owns Shilla and has indirect shares in Westin. Shilla has all the Samsung bells and whistles from personalized smart TVs to Note tablets.
2205 is a Park suite and probably the finest one at this hotel for views, height, exclusivity and decent size.
I might add that the Category up to 5 has seen service improve too.
Entering an elevator pushing my luggage and an attendant exited and took another elevator down with it. I didn't mind lugging my own luggage since I was in a hurry.
Part of me wonders how much of the improvement is due to the coming FS? It is on everyone's radar in Seoul.
2205 is a Park suite and probably the finest one at this hotel for views, height, exclusivity and decent size.
I might add that the Category up to 5 has seen service improve too.
Entering an elevator pushing my luggage and an attendant exited and took another elevator down with it. I didn't mind lugging my own luggage since I was in a hurry.
Part of me wonders how much of the improvement is due to the coming FS? It is on everyone's radar in Seoul.
Doesn't Samsung own the hotel? Strange they would not update with the latest technology.
Is 2205 a Park Suite?
It will be interesting to see how you think the FS compares to PH, GH, and other hotels in Seoul. As a local and a discerning traveler, you are the forum expert on these properties, Aventine.
Is 2205 a Park Suite?
It will be interesting to see how you think the FS compares to PH, GH, and other hotels in Seoul. As a local and a discerning traveler, you are the forum expert on these properties, Aventine.
Sep 7, 2015, 11:35 pm
#380
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,755
I asked about the best way to the hotel from the airport. Many of you kindly advised me on various alternatives. I've now heard directly from the hotel. They suggest that the city airport bus is better than the KAL limousine. The limo bus drops off across the street. The airport bus 6103 is nonstop to the city terminal. Once there, I can either call the hotel who will send a car or I can take a taxi to the hotel. If the latter, I am to show my bus ticket to the staff at the front door who will pay the taxi driver. Bus fare is 16,000 won one way with 4,000 won discount if a RT is purchased.
Sep 8, 2015, 1:17 am
#381
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
I've now heard directly from the hotel. They suggest that the city airport bus is better than the KAL limousine. The limo bus drops off across the street. The airport bus 6103 is nonstop to the city terminal. Once there, I can either call the hotel who will send a car or I can take a taxi to the hotel. If the latter, I am to show my bus ticket to the staff at the front door who will pay the taxi driver. Bus fare is 16,000 won one way with 4,000 won discount if a RT is purchased.
Sep 10, 2015, 8:21 am
#382
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
Modern Korean dishes at PH Seoul
Might try their ddeokgalbi burger or samgye gui dishes.
Inspired by the honey bingsu's success, the hotel is showcasing more Korean favorites as its "Gangnam Comfort Cuisine" which will start on Sept. 14 and be served at The Lounge on the hotel's 24th floor.
The dishes on the Gangnam Comfort Cuisine ― sashimi, chicken soup, grilled hairtail, vegetable pancakes, pork belly and beef dumplings ― maybe local favorites, but the hotel chefs put their own twists to the dishes which will pleasantly surprise those who already know the dishes' tastes and ingredients.
With the samgyegui, the chicken is roasted, instead of boiled. Once the chicken stuffed with grains and dried traditional fruit is half-cooked, it is put in an oven. The roasted chicken is served separately from the broth.
Through the innovative menu, Park Hyatt aims to satisfy not only Korean guests but also foreign guests who may not be used to Korean cuisine. To this end, the hotel included five sandwiches to the menu.
The Klub Sandwich uses rice bread; chilli chicken, Korean specialty, egg and beef brisket. The Tteokgalbi Burger uses buns made with kimchi juice; Korean beef patty known as tteokgalbi; and avocado. The Bulgogi Panini uses marinated Korean beef, known as bulgogi; along with soy sauce; and mild cheddar cheese. The sandwiches will be served only during lunch.
The dishes on the Gangnam Comfort Cuisine ― sashimi, chicken soup, grilled hairtail, vegetable pancakes, pork belly and beef dumplings ― maybe local favorites, but the hotel chefs put their own twists to the dishes which will pleasantly surprise those who already know the dishes' tastes and ingredients.
With the samgyegui, the chicken is roasted, instead of boiled. Once the chicken stuffed with grains and dried traditional fruit is half-cooked, it is put in an oven. The roasted chicken is served separately from the broth.
Through the innovative menu, Park Hyatt aims to satisfy not only Korean guests but also foreign guests who may not be used to Korean cuisine. To this end, the hotel included five sandwiches to the menu.
The Klub Sandwich uses rice bread; chilli chicken, Korean specialty, egg and beef brisket. The Tteokgalbi Burger uses buns made with kimchi juice; Korean beef patty known as tteokgalbi; and avocado. The Bulgogi Panini uses marinated Korean beef, known as bulgogi; along with soy sauce; and mild cheddar cheese. The sandwiches will be served only during lunch.
Sep 12, 2015, 8:06 am
#384
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To me, the bad design is the lack of a desk (and desk chair) in the suites. You can use the small round dining table, but the chairs aren't comfortable for work and there's no convenient outlet that doesn't risk knocking the computer to the floor when you walk across the room. This is especially strange for a luxury hotel in a business location.
Sep 12, 2015, 9:48 am
#385
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,755
We had an overnight stay here. Service was superb. Breakfast was excellent with a diverse range of food. I was underwhelmed by our suite. When asked on checkout, I mentioned the hard as a plank bed. I was told they have toppers that we could have requested. Apparently Korean taste is for these exceptionally firm mattresses. I also minded the lack of a proper desk or a larger table. There were two of us using the small round table as a desk and it was undersized for the task. The hotel continues to offer Aesop toiletries that I enjoy very much.
Sep 12, 2015, 10:16 am
#386
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
To me, the bad design is the lack of a desk (and desk chair) in the suites. You can use the small round dining table, but the chairs aren't comfortable for work and there's no convenient outlet that doesn't risk knocking the computer to the floor when you walk across the room. This is especially strange for a luxury hotel in a business location.
The single vanity in the suites is also annoying. A lot of counter space left unused. It seems to be designed for the single businessperson in some respects but then not eg. poor work desk situation.
Last edited by Aventine; Sep 12, 2015 at 10:26 am
Sep 14, 2015, 9:59 am
#387
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It's all SuperPotato's fault. Their weird room configurations and choices. Tehran no and Bongeunsa have been major traffic hubs for years. Didn't it occur to Superpotato to use sound dampening glass? Every 20 minutes is like a Fast and the Furious or MotoGp race.
The single vanity in the suites is also annoying. A lot of counter space left unused. It seems to be designed for the single businessperson in some respects but then not eg. poor work desk situation.
The single vanity in the suites is also annoying. A lot of counter space left unused. It seems to be designed for the single businessperson in some respects but then not eg. poor work desk situation.
Sep 14, 2015, 10:12 am
#388
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Hey, I used that bathroom counter space as the resting place for my computer as it was the only unused outlet I could find that was next to a hard surface. The vanity became my charging station when I wasn't using the computer from the living room sofa or the bedroom reclining chair and ottoman. It seemed safer than keeping the computer on the floor or on the dining table with the cord crossing my path. Of course, I wasn't happy about the proximity to water but it seemed to be the best solution.
Sep 15, 2015, 7:38 am
#390
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I thought about trying to borroow an extension cord from the hotel, but it would not have helped in that the cord would have had to go across the room in a way that any walking around would have risked tripping on the cord and sending the computer crashing to the floor.