Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam, S. Korea [Master Thread]
Nov 16, 2023, 9:57 am
#61
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: YYZ
Programs: AP 50k, UA Silver, MB Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 250
Finally getting around to this mini review.
I had a two night stay (Oct 31 - Nov 2) in Josun Palace to wrap up my homecoming to Korea. For the most part it was a great stay, and aside from somewhat minor points it was a great experience and I'd gladly come back... if I did not plan on moving around Seoul. More on that later.
I paid 748,000 KRW for the stay. I had SNAs in place for an upgrade to Masters Suite however they did not clear. Leading up to the stay I was proactively given a Grand Masters Room but being the greedy undeserving Titanium Elite Snob that I am, I of course proactively asked for an upgrade on chat, and during check-in which net me a Masters Jr Suite. I also asked about using my gift cards for the bill and they offered to take care of it on the spot instead of during checkout. I really appreciated this as I had an early departure to the airport.
This hotel had a rather classy but flashy decor from the entrance to the lobby, even more than some Dubai hotels, but I found it to be tastefully done and matched the aesthetics all around. However I did notice some cheapness/corner cutting while going up to the room... namely in the elevator. If you want to keep the good impression of the hotel so far, do not look up in the ceiling as you'll be disappointed to see cheap thin squares of gold sheets covering the surface. Rather tacky. The lobby and the halls were immaculate however.
I was assigned room 3129. Hard product wise I think this is one of my favourite hotels. It had that chaebol big money new gen richness feel to it that you see in KDramas, and on first look it was nice. The size of the Jr Suite was appropriate for a couple. It wasn't overwhelmingly big where it felt a bit too impersonal (especially for a couple's trip) but just enough to feel like we had space to move around and put our belongings without it getting in the way, and with appropriate partitioning from living room to bedroom. The bed had right balance of firmness to it, and the linens felt lush and soft enough as you'd expect from these properties. I also loved the tall ceiling to floor windows. Reminded me of Osaka Miyako Marriott!
The washrooms were definitely the star of the suite. This part was of the suite still looked immaculate and absolutely beautiful. Definitely my favourite washroom decor of all hotels I've stayed in. The best part however was the DUAL SHOWERS. Yes, two rainfall shower heads, two shower wands, separate water control, and very spacious. The rainfall showerhead however seemed like it seemed better days as some streams of water were being shot in rather random directions. The pressure was excellent nonetheless and I had great relaxing showers along with the Byredo Le Chemin per Luxury Collection standards (I absolutely love these).
Now for some nagging points. Upon closer inspection (ie: anything "wooden") you can see the damage and wear and there already take place for a hotel that is less than 2 years old. This normally shouldn't be damaged this easily but I guess they opted for cheaper manufactured plastic-wood furnitures to save on cost. The air-dresser also did seemed prone to leak as we used it on first night and there seemed to be a water leaking through the bottom, which led to small section of the near by area somewhat wet. It did make our clothes smell nice though.
Through Titanium Elite Gift, we were able to dine at the restaurant Constans for both mornings. Again (as it seems to be the theme), very impressive venue and hard product with floor to ceiling (or close) windows. Food wise, not as many options as one would hope, but the quality of the food they served were great. The hot food ranged from Chinese, Western, Korean, and some subgroup cuisine that I can't quite put a name to, however the highlight was definitely the Chinese food. The coffee they served was the highlight as it was actual specialty coffee (and dialed it decently), even for milk drinks. Two thumbs up from this coffee snob!
My biggest gripe about this property is its location. It is a 10-15min walk from the nearest subway stations (it is precisely in the middle of two subway stations), and requires a transfer if you're going to/from airport either via subway or bus. Also while it is surrounded by various restaurants most of them seem to close in the standard 9 to 10pm (majority of which are in the Centerfield Mall food court), and they all tend to charge a higher price point per the locale. But I guess if you're staying here, money shouldn't be an issue? Well it was for me so I went up the street (5 min walk) for some BHC take out and I am now firmly in Team BHC when it comes to Korean Fried Chicken. Anyways, because of this I'd only return to Josun Palace if I wasn't planning to go anywhere else in Seoul (Kind of as the final pitstop before heading to ICN/GMP), and/or as a staycation or Hokangseu (호캉스) as the locals would say. If you're here for the first time or eager to get out and about to various neighbourhoods, this is not the place to be unless you want to spend an hour in the subway each way.
On side note, shoutouts to the front desk staff for help arranging a surprise romantic bath tub for my partner on our final night. I requested this during check-in and they got in touch with their florist to coordinate and everything went very smoothly. Thanks for making this a memorable stay for my partner!
Nonetheless, this was a great property and a fine one to represent the best that Marriott has to offer in Korea.
Also for anyone that loves Seolleongtang (설렁탕), one bus ride away is a Gangnam branch of one of the best restaurants for it called Lee Nam Jang (이남장 삼성점). Definitely splurge for the special (특). See last picture. And a block down from the restaurant is Center Coffee, one of the few internationally followed specialty coffee roasters that has a small cafe there.
I had a two night stay (Oct 31 - Nov 2) in Josun Palace to wrap up my homecoming to Korea. For the most part it was a great stay, and aside from somewhat minor points it was a great experience and I'd gladly come back... if I did not plan on moving around Seoul. More on that later.
I paid 748,000 KRW for the stay. I had SNAs in place for an upgrade to Masters Suite however they did not clear. Leading up to the stay I was proactively given a Grand Masters Room but being the greedy undeserving Titanium Elite Snob that I am, I of course proactively asked for an upgrade on chat, and during check-in which net me a Masters Jr Suite. I also asked about using my gift cards for the bill and they offered to take care of it on the spot instead of during checkout. I really appreciated this as I had an early departure to the airport.
This hotel had a rather classy but flashy decor from the entrance to the lobby, even more than some Dubai hotels, but I found it to be tastefully done and matched the aesthetics all around. However I did notice some cheapness/corner cutting while going up to the room... namely in the elevator. If you want to keep the good impression of the hotel so far, do not look up in the ceiling as you'll be disappointed to see cheap thin squares of gold sheets covering the surface. Rather tacky. The lobby and the halls were immaculate however.
I was assigned room 3129. Hard product wise I think this is one of my favourite hotels. It had that chaebol big money new gen richness feel to it that you see in KDramas, and on first look it was nice. The size of the Jr Suite was appropriate for a couple. It wasn't overwhelmingly big where it felt a bit too impersonal (especially for a couple's trip) but just enough to feel like we had space to move around and put our belongings without it getting in the way, and with appropriate partitioning from living room to bedroom. The bed had right balance of firmness to it, and the linens felt lush and soft enough as you'd expect from these properties. I also loved the tall ceiling to floor windows. Reminded me of Osaka Miyako Marriott!
The washrooms were definitely the star of the suite. This part was of the suite still looked immaculate and absolutely beautiful. Definitely my favourite washroom decor of all hotels I've stayed in. The best part however was the DUAL SHOWERS. Yes, two rainfall shower heads, two shower wands, separate water control, and very spacious. The rainfall showerhead however seemed like it seemed better days as some streams of water were being shot in rather random directions. The pressure was excellent nonetheless and I had great relaxing showers along with the Byredo Le Chemin per Luxury Collection standards (I absolutely love these).
Now for some nagging points. Upon closer inspection (ie: anything "wooden") you can see the damage and wear and there already take place for a hotel that is less than 2 years old. This normally shouldn't be damaged this easily but I guess they opted for cheaper manufactured plastic-wood furnitures to save on cost. The air-dresser also did seemed prone to leak as we used it on first night and there seemed to be a water leaking through the bottom, which led to small section of the near by area somewhat wet. It did make our clothes smell nice though.
Through Titanium Elite Gift, we were able to dine at the restaurant Constans for both mornings. Again (as it seems to be the theme), very impressive venue and hard product with floor to ceiling (or close) windows. Food wise, not as many options as one would hope, but the quality of the food they served were great. The hot food ranged from Chinese, Western, Korean, and some subgroup cuisine that I can't quite put a name to, however the highlight was definitely the Chinese food. The coffee they served was the highlight as it was actual specialty coffee (and dialed it decently), even for milk drinks. Two thumbs up from this coffee snob!
My biggest gripe about this property is its location. It is a 10-15min walk from the nearest subway stations (it is precisely in the middle of two subway stations), and requires a transfer if you're going to/from airport either via subway or bus. Also while it is surrounded by various restaurants most of them seem to close in the standard 9 to 10pm (majority of which are in the Centerfield Mall food court), and they all tend to charge a higher price point per the locale. But I guess if you're staying here, money shouldn't be an issue? Well it was for me so I went up the street (5 min walk) for some BHC take out and I am now firmly in Team BHC when it comes to Korean Fried Chicken. Anyways, because of this I'd only return to Josun Palace if I wasn't planning to go anywhere else in Seoul (Kind of as the final pitstop before heading to ICN/GMP), and/or as a staycation or Hokangseu (호캉스) as the locals would say. If you're here for the first time or eager to get out and about to various neighbourhoods, this is not the place to be unless you want to spend an hour in the subway each way.
On side note, shoutouts to the front desk staff for help arranging a surprise romantic bath tub for my partner on our final night. I requested this during check-in and they got in touch with their florist to coordinate and everything went very smoothly. Thanks for making this a memorable stay for my partner!
Nonetheless, this was a great property and a fine one to represent the best that Marriott has to offer in Korea.
Also for anyone that loves Seolleongtang (설렁탕), one bus ride away is a Gangnam branch of one of the best restaurants for it called Lee Nam Jang (이남장 삼성점). Definitely splurge for the special (특). See last picture. And a block down from the restaurant is Center Coffee, one of the few internationally followed specialty coffee roasters that has a small cafe there.
Last edited by mynameisdmoon; Nov 16, 2023 at 10:03 am
Nov 19, 2023, 12:42 am
#62
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: Marriott Platinum, EVA Silver
Posts: 41
Presumably you've not stayed in many (any?) five star hotels in either SE Asia or the Middle East? I just did a three night stay here and thought the breakfast buffet was kind of appalling for this calibre of hotel, I ordered room service instead for two of the days as it wasn't worth going down to the buffet. Quality of what was provided was fine, but totally lacking in many things I'd expect:
- The only made-to-order item is eggs (although the wait was so long for some poached eggs I gave up trying), everything else sits out on the buffet
- Poor selection of fruit (no berries, no exotic fruit, etc.), single type of danish pastry which was not very good, poor selection of vegetables
- Completely missing many typical five star hotel breakfast basics like smoked salmon
Funny how different two people's perspectives can be, as the breakfast was absolutely the low light of the hotel to me.
- The only made-to-order item is eggs (although the wait was so long for some poached eggs I gave up trying), everything else sits out on the buffet
- Poor selection of fruit (no berries, no exotic fruit, etc.), single type of danish pastry which was not very good, poor selection of vegetables
- Completely missing many typical five star hotel breakfast basics like smoked salmon
Funny how different two people's perspectives can be, as the breakfast was absolutely the low light of the hotel to me.
Nov 19, 2023, 9:16 am
#63
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: YYZ
Programs: AP 50k, UA Silver, MB Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 250
You are right, my experience is limited to East Asia and North America. I'm guessing you're Australian or British? Eggs, pastries, and smoked salmon are more Western palate, and it's not a big deal for me since I am very happy eating local options. The pickled vegetables, which are more common in Korean cuisine, was excellent. Also, the dim sum was excellent, probably the best I've had in a breakfast buffet (usually dim sum is terrible in buffets), and certainly the best I've had outside of China/HK/Taiwan.
Though I do wish Korean hotels stepped up on their fruit game. Quite weak in that area.
Dec 27, 2023, 3:20 pm
#64
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: Marriott Platinum, EVA Silver
Posts: 41
Constans breakfast buffet is very good. View isn't bad either! But the best Seoul-area hotel breakfast buffet, for me, is still elsewhere.
The Le Meridien Myeongdong is definitely better for first-timers, for the location reason certainly.
I'm just not a big fan of Josun Palace. Some furnishings, in particular, are a bit too cheap once you get up close or touch them. Ruins the experience for me.
Did you have a good experience with the service, aside from Constans? How was check-in and check-out? What were those like?
The Le Meridien Myeongdong is definitely better for first-timers, for the location reason certainly.
I'm just not a big fan of Josun Palace. Some furnishings, in particular, are a bit too cheap once you get up close or touch them. Ruins the experience for me.
Did you have a good experience with the service, aside from Constans? How was check-in and check-out? What were those like?
Dec 27, 2023, 11:56 pm
#65
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,267
Presumably you've not stayed in many (any?) five star hotels in either SE Asia or the Middle East? I just did a three night stay here and thought the breakfast buffet was kind of appalling for this calibre of hotel, I ordered room service instead for two of the days as it wasn't worth going down to the buffet. Quality of what was provided was fine, but totally lacking in many things I'd expect:
- The only made-to-order item is eggs (although the wait was so long for some poached eggs I gave up trying), everything else sits out on the buffet
- Poor selection of fruit (no berries, no exotic fruit, etc.), single type of danish pastry which was not very good, poor selection of vegetables
- Completely missing many typical five star hotel breakfast basics like smoked salmon
Funny how different two people's perspectives can be, as the breakfast was absolutely the low light of the hotel to me.
- The only made-to-order item is eggs (although the wait was so long for some poached eggs I gave up trying), everything else sits out on the buffet
- Poor selection of fruit (no berries, no exotic fruit, etc.), single type of danish pastry which was not very good, poor selection of vegetables
- Completely missing many typical five star hotel breakfast basics like smoked salmon
Funny how different two people's perspectives can be, as the breakfast was absolutely the low light of the hotel to me.
Most of my hotel stays in the year are in Dubai, and very few hotels have memorable breakfasts.
Dec 28, 2023, 7:10 am
#66
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,298
You're right, we are all very different. As someone who is quite bored of the typical western breakfast items/dishes, the Chinese section of the Constans breakfast is pretty much the only thing I ate during my stay, and I loved it.
Most of my hotel stays in the year are in Dubai, and very few hotels have memorable breakfasts.
Most of my hotel stays in the year are in Dubai, and very few hotels have memorable breakfasts.
Park Hyatt is great in Dubai (was there again last week), I also like the FS DIFC breakfast because its a la carte and high quality.
Dec 28, 2023, 7:40 am
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 10,062
This is just a buffet that they have to serve but Shinsegae will never offer a true luxury a la carte experience like places in Japan, Dubai or SE Asia.
Jan 17, 2024, 11:05 pm
#68
Join Date: Oct 2023
Posts: 4
the westin is where it is at for breakfast buffet in seoul with the marriott properties.
le meridien myeongdong comes close second.
JW marriott seoul lounge is also superb. while breakfast from the above two is definitely better, the evening lounge hors doeuvres a tthe JW more than makes up for it.
it is not even an hors doeuvres, nor a cocktail happy hour. it is a full on dinner with a lot of heavy options, and the hours are insane at 4 PM through 9 PM.
The gym and the sauna at the JW seoul is also bonkers. biggest hotel gym ive ever been to, theres absolutely everything you can imagine there (not surprising since the gym is operated on its own as a regular gym with membership).
The westin gym and sauna is also top notch.
le meridien myeongdong comes close second.
JW marriott seoul lounge is also superb. while breakfast from the above two is definitely better, the evening lounge hors doeuvres a tthe JW more than makes up for it.
it is not even an hors doeuvres, nor a cocktail happy hour. it is a full on dinner with a lot of heavy options, and the hours are insane at 4 PM through 9 PM.
The gym and the sauna at the JW seoul is also bonkers. biggest hotel gym ive ever been to, theres absolutely everything you can imagine there (not surprising since the gym is operated on its own as a regular gym with membership).
The westin gym and sauna is also top notch.
Feb 16, 2024, 10:54 am
#69
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 9
Booked a stay here for Seoul trip in April with wife and 2 year old kid. Initially reserved Signiel instead (stayed here before, service is so-so but hardware is great). However, checked the price recently and Josun palace is almost $100 a night cheaper, I have Bonvoy platinum as well so it's a pretty good deal. One gripe is the location as it's far from subway, but for the 2 nights we are staying here it's mainly going around Gangnam area so it's not too bad.
Anyone has experience staying here with a toddler and how kid friendly it is?
Anyone has experience staying here with a toddler and how kid friendly it is?
Apr 22, 2024, 9:37 pm
#70
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 9
Just came back from a 2 nights stay here, some impressions:
- Upgraded to grand master as plat. Hard product wise it's good, although agree that a lot of the hardware while looks expensive from afar, feels cheap when used. Just one example, the rain shower head at places like four season is usually a hansgrohe with water raining down smoothly in one direction. The shower head here is a no brand shower head painted in gold tone, looks fancy, but when used, water sprays everywhere in all directions.
- Breakfast buffet here is the best we had in Seoul. We have been to four season, signiel, Conrad etc and breakfast here is absolutely better IMO.
- Location is quite terrible. Half way through the stay we wondered why would anyone build a hotel here. Seems to be designed for staycations. The only mall around it is the centerfield, which is a tiny mall mainly catering towards the office towers there. There are some good food places around, however, to get to most parts of Gangnam where the public transit/malls/actions are at, it's quite a walk. Either that or you can take a taxi, but wait for taxi is long as drivers don't like to drive short distances.
- Upgraded to grand master as plat. Hard product wise it's good, although agree that a lot of the hardware while looks expensive from afar, feels cheap when used. Just one example, the rain shower head at places like four season is usually a hansgrohe with water raining down smoothly in one direction. The shower head here is a no brand shower head painted in gold tone, looks fancy, but when used, water sprays everywhere in all directions.
- Breakfast buffet here is the best we had in Seoul. We have been to four season, signiel, Conrad etc and breakfast here is absolutely better IMO.
- Location is quite terrible. Half way through the stay we wondered why would anyone build a hotel here. Seems to be designed for staycations. The only mall around it is the centerfield, which is a tiny mall mainly catering towards the office towers there. There are some good food places around, however, to get to most parts of Gangnam where the public transit/malls/actions are at, it's quite a walk. Either that or you can take a taxi, but wait for taxi is long as drivers don't like to drive short distances.