Park Hyatt Seoul REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Sep 15, 2015, 2:25 pm
#392
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At least you had a desk. As you probably know, the regular Park Suites have no such item in either room.
Sep 15, 2015, 5:42 pm
#393
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Sep 15, 2015, 10:31 pm
#394
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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Posts: 10,055
Diplomatic suite review: Park Hyatt Seoul
The suite itself:
Spacious, sprawling but just subtly different than the normal Park suites and Park King rooms. This is how the Korean PHs are, from Seoul to Busan. I think this suite is a bit of a disappointment for a Diplomatic suite because it just lacks the tenets of an upperclass suite from the pantry not having a large fridge or even cooking components to lack of a phone in the living area. I would have liked the desk to be outside in the living area rather than occupying a space by the bed. Diplomats may want to store their own bottles of alcohol or special dietary requirements and emptying the same small fridge as a standard room is a disappointment.
Finally! A working desk but still had problems with power supply and sockets. The alcove wouldn't open and I still ended up charging in the bathroom because the bedside plugs didn't work very well. The chair was stylish but impractical for anyone who isn't tall and/or skinny.
The living room's TV was a 4K UHD LG 65 inch and a nice change from the 40, 50 inch Samsungs present in almost every other room. There's also a fireplace on the lefthand but no need for that yet. Didn't bother lighting it up to see how it works. The table has more than enough room for breakfast and room service.
Cal-King bed with power outlets under what poses as a nightstand. They had intermittent voltage problems and didn't charge my devices overnight. Back to the bathroom improvisation. The red shiny surface as the bedframe cheapens the room look in my opinion. I guess Superpotato wanted to give it some color but I just think it's tacky and out of place. You'll recognize the same lounger as in every other room.
You have to go up to the Diplomatic suite to get dual vanities. The counterspace of the normal suite would have been more convenient during this upgraded stay.
The bathtub was a nice treat, overlooking the COEX area and Gangnam in your granite stone furo.
Food:
The breakfast and F&B at Park Hyatt Seoul was well done. Eggs benedict was superb and you can tell the care and quality of the ingredients. Not sloppy like other luxury hotels in Korea like JW Marriott Dongdaemun or PH Busan. The seafood noodles had the juiciest, biggests clams I've ever had in my life. You could taste the freshness and hats off to their sourcers and suppliers.
Amenities:
Full sized, made in Australia Aesop bottles and with everything from face wash to bath salts. The bathroom was well-equipped. The toilet was the same older Toto washlet found in regular rooms and suites. No autoflush capabilities but had a panel above the toilet paper.
The suite itself:
Spacious, sprawling but just subtly different than the normal Park suites and Park King rooms. This is how the Korean PHs are, from Seoul to Busan. I think this suite is a bit of a disappointment for a Diplomatic suite because it just lacks the tenets of an upperclass suite from the pantry not having a large fridge or even cooking components to lack of a phone in the living area. I would have liked the desk to be outside in the living area rather than occupying a space by the bed. Diplomats may want to store their own bottles of alcohol or special dietary requirements and emptying the same small fridge as a standard room is a disappointment.
Finally! A working desk but still had problems with power supply and sockets. The alcove wouldn't open and I still ended up charging in the bathroom because the bedside plugs didn't work very well. The chair was stylish but impractical for anyone who isn't tall and/or skinny.
The living room's TV was a 4K UHD LG 65 inch and a nice change from the 40, 50 inch Samsungs present in almost every other room. There's also a fireplace on the lefthand but no need for that yet. Didn't bother lighting it up to see how it works. The table has more than enough room for breakfast and room service.
Cal-King bed with power outlets under what poses as a nightstand. They had intermittent voltage problems and didn't charge my devices overnight. Back to the bathroom improvisation. The red shiny surface as the bedframe cheapens the room look in my opinion. I guess Superpotato wanted to give it some color but I just think it's tacky and out of place. You'll recognize the same lounger as in every other room.
You have to go up to the Diplomatic suite to get dual vanities. The counterspace of the normal suite would have been more convenient during this upgraded stay.
The bathtub was a nice treat, overlooking the COEX area and Gangnam in your granite stone furo.
Food:
The breakfast and F&B at Park Hyatt Seoul was well done. Eggs benedict was superb and you can tell the care and quality of the ingredients. Not sloppy like other luxury hotels in Korea like JW Marriott Dongdaemun or PH Busan. The seafood noodles had the juiciest, biggests clams I've ever had in my life. You could taste the freshness and hats off to their sourcers and suppliers.
Amenities:
Full sized, made in Australia Aesop bottles and with everything from face wash to bath salts. The bathroom was well-equipped. The toilet was the same older Toto washlet found in regular rooms and suites. No autoflush capabilities but had a panel above the toilet paper.
Last edited by Aventine; Sep 15, 2015 at 10:43 pm
Sep 15, 2015, 10:52 pm
#395
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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The rain shower here is the best and rightfully so.
I despise the handheld wand and wonder if anyone in the history of the hotel had an enjoyable shower.
Your full amenity set!
This carpet is shabby looking and a menace when combined with no rubber backing and the slippers. It might have looked chic and fashionable in 2004 but now just looks like it needs to be recycled.
Last edited by Aventine; Sep 15, 2015 at 10:58 pm
Jan 12, 2016, 10:00 pm
#399
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
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.
Jan 16, 2016, 7:48 am
#401
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Latest stay notes.
The Park suite's rain showerhead needs to get stronger water pressure. My home faucet can do better than this. Just had a tepid shower and not what I wanted after a long day. It's a cold night in Seoul and the hot water seems to be taking longer than usual.
The room service menu is updated to compensate for the Cornerstone closure but the level of food preparation is so bad. I don't know why but the executive chef designed a recipe with tuna Mayo spread on a piece of toast as the tuna part for Salade niçoise.
An absolute embarrassment of a dish and for a hotel of this caliber. The club sandwich was below average but I was hungry and just made do.
The Park suite's rain showerhead needs to get stronger water pressure. My home faucet can do better than this. Just had a tepid shower and not what I wanted after a long day. It's a cold night in Seoul and the hot water seems to be taking longer than usual.
The room service menu is updated to compensate for the Cornerstone closure but the level of food preparation is so bad. I don't know why but the executive chef designed a recipe with tuna Mayo spread on a piece of toast as the tuna part for Salade niçoise.
An absolute embarrassment of a dish and for a hotel of this caliber. The club sandwich was below average but I was hungry and just made do.
Last edited by Aventine; Jan 16, 2016 at 7:54 am
Feb 23, 2016, 2:22 am
#402
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Switzerland; South Korea
Posts: 346
PH Busan is clearly the better version of PH Seoul. Sound proofing between rooms/corridor is better, elevators are direct, and breakfast choice is broader, although I did appreciate their menu items which are beautifuly presented, but there are just too few.
I'd say though that the shower/bath area is pretty exceptional (got a much smaller rain-shower output than Aventine's pic though!), offering the same view as the bedroom with a huge bath tub. Stone wall leaves a great impression too.
PH Busan probably offers the best bed and linens I have ever experienced. PH Seoul is more on the hard side. Better hard than too soft though!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
I'd say though that the shower/bath area is pretty exceptional (got a much smaller rain-shower output than Aventine's pic though!), offering the same view as the bedroom with a huge bath tub. Stone wall leaves a great impression too.
PH Busan probably offers the best bed and linens I have ever experienced. PH Seoul is more on the hard side. Better hard than too soft though!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
Feb 23, 2016, 4:30 am
#403
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
PH Busan probably offers the best bed and linens I have ever experienced. PH Seoul is more on the hard side. Better hard than too soft though!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
Feb 25, 2016, 6:36 pm
#404
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
PH Busan is clearly the better version of PH Seoul. Sound proofing between rooms/corridor is better, elevators are direct, and breakfast choice is broader, although I did appreciate their menu items which are beautifuly presented, but there are just too few.
I'd say though that the shower/bath area is pretty exceptional (got a much smaller rain-shower output than Aventine's pic though!), offering the same view as the bedroom with a huge bath tub. Stone wall leaves a great impression too.
PH Busan probably offers the best bed and linens I have ever experienced. PH Seoul is more on the hard side. Better hard than too soft though!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
I'd say though that the shower/bath area is pretty exceptional (got a much smaller rain-shower output than Aventine's pic though!), offering the same view as the bedroom with a huge bath tub. Stone wall leaves a great impression too.
PH Busan probably offers the best bed and linens I have ever experienced. PH Seoul is more on the hard side. Better hard than too soft though!
Love the feel of that property. Love the location.
Staff is great as usual in Korea.
Negatives:
The (sticking out) edges of the bed are a horror show. I litterally smashed my legs twice and it hurts!
Asked to change to the noisy front view rooms, rather then the quiet "backyard" view I discovered. It caused my luggage to get "lost". Should have done better!
edit: the Park deluxe bathroom/shower blackout curtains come up with the bedroom's. Not a dungeon after all.
Last edited by Aventine; Feb 25, 2016 at 6:41 pm
Feb 25, 2016, 8:59 pm
#405
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,055
More updates from PH Seoul:
- Diamond members can enjoy a Twilight cocktail and canape hour at Timber House from 6-8pm.
- Cornerstone's renovations are complete and just opened yesterday. It's now a renovated Cornerstone with Italian food. Reservations tonight and will report back.
- I like how they have proper OEM Samsung and Apple chargers to borrow for guests who forget theirs. Their Busan cousin use an aftermarket product that may or may not work with iPhone6,6s plus. Just a nice touch.
- Diamond members can enjoy a Twilight cocktail and canape hour at Timber House from 6-8pm.
- Cornerstone's renovations are complete and just opened yesterday. It's now a renovated Cornerstone with Italian food. Reservations tonight and will report back.
- I like how they have proper OEM Samsung and Apple chargers to borrow for guests who forget theirs. Their Busan cousin use an aftermarket product that may or may not work with iPhone6,6s plus. Just a nice touch.
Last edited by Aventine; Feb 25, 2016 at 9:48 pm Reason: added more