by Le Concierge Orient
one Week in
seoul south korea
Seoul has become a wildly popular destination in recent years due to the global appeal of K-pop and South Korean entertainment. The capital city of South Korea is rich in history and culture, and there is a constant buzz revolving around the fantasies and realities a visit here might conjure. We round up the best restaurants, hotels and bars not to be missed over a week in Seoul.
The Launchpads
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul is situated in the heart of the city’s vibrant business and cultural district, minutes by foot to the Gyeongbokgung Palace with the rest of the important cultural addresses within easy reach. The classically furnished rooms here are currently the city’s best transitory perches, with modern Korean accents etched into its design aesthetic; its views and luxurious bearings are also its top selling points. The spa here is arguably the city’s best, and the hotel also conceptualised and operates some of Seoul’s top F&B establishments.
Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03183, Korea
Conrad Seoul
The location of Conrad Seoul on Yeouido island is a tad removed from the city’s principal tourist spots, but from its lofty perch across the Han River, the rooms and restaurants here are dripping with stunning views of the city from a location that also offers a peek into what luxury suburbia is like in Seoul. There are splendid malls and a serene park nearby and the rooms and suites here are spacious and classically outfitted in sophisticated shades of grey and brown, with ample curtain walls that let in the inspiringly Seoul vistas. The executive suites here are particularly alluring, with an elongated bathtub parked right next to the view.
Conrad Seoul, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul, 07326 South Korea
Grand Hyatt Seoul
Possibly the first international luxury hotel to enter the South Korean capital, the Grand Hyatt Seoul resonates with an ageless grace from the verdant expanse of the city’s Namsan district. The location is quite a destination in itself, with large tracts of greenery that furtively cover the villas and bungalows of Seoul’s affluent residents. Right off the hill where the hotel stands are some of the city’s most popular pubs and drinking holes, but imbued with the F&B excellence of an olden Grand Hyatt, there are enough gastronomic attractions and entertainment spots within this hotel to keep guests happy.
Grand Hyatt Seoul, South Korea, Seoul, 322 Sowol-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, 04347
Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences
Minutes from the gargantuan recreational enclave that includes Lotte Mall, Lotte World and the babel that is Lotte World Tower, Sofitel Ambassador sits on a convenient plot within a slightly removed section of Seoul; if your intention here does not include sightseeing and palace traipsing, this is a good spot to rest your tired shopping feet. The rooms and suites in this hotel are of good size and raised with a spritely modern classic vibe with the best of them pointing towards the Seokchon lake and park vistas. As with most Sofitel properties, the restaurants, bistros and bars are all infused with French accents and proffers the country’s regional flavours and flair in the heart of Seoul.
Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences, 209 Jamsilro, Songpagu, 05552, Seoul, South Korea
The Culinary Addresses
Teppan (Grand Hyatt Seoul)
Teppanyaki is progressively the stuff of fine dining outside of Japan, and Teppan is the definitive culinary address for elevated teppanyaki cuisine in Seoul. The amount of attention and thought that goes into the dinner presentation here is insane, with a good dose of finesse and theatrics imbued for an experiential high. In case you are wondering, there are no egg jugglings nor obtrusive buffoonery involved, just very meticulous preparation and assemblage of each dish featuring the best of Korean ingredients forged by sizzling hot plates. The creativity displayed as the courses take shape is quite wondrous, and the crafted flavours are utterly splendid.
Teppan, Grand Hyatt Seoul, South Korea, Seoul, 322 Sowol-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, 04347
OUL (Four Seasons Hotel Seoul)
OUL stands for the last three letters for “Seoul” and expectedly the flavours raised here represent the fine endings of the city. Essentially a gastro bar that satiates both your hunger and your thirst from 6pm till midnight, there are plenty to peruse from its K-gourmet and K-spirit menus. The cocktails here have culturally infused flavours and monikers like Makgeolli Flight and Seoul Mule and these are excellent with snacks like Kimchi Bombs and lamb jerky and Kimbukak as well as more substantial entrees like lobster tteokbokki and Korean fried chicken.
OUL, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03183, Korea
Fáit Maison (Sofitel Ambassador Hotel & Serviced Residences)
Seoul may be brimming with the signature flavours of Korea but ever so occasionally if one should crave for the regional flavours of France, the lovely homemade offerings at Fáit Maison will satiate such gastronomic longings. Lunch and dinner menus feature the very best of Mediterranean cooking, from Monte Carlo to Portofino and on weekends, the French buffet ‘Le Bon Marché’ showcases fascinating seasonal and authentic menus from the many distinct culinary regions of France. Fait Maison also has a bistro-style bar and a private dining room within its ample space.
Fáit Maison, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences, 209 Jamsilro, Songpagu, 05552, Seoul, South Korea
The Watering Holes
37 Grill and Bar (Conrad Seoul)
Essentially a restaurant that specialises in premium cuts and seafood, 37 Gill and Bar sits atop the Conrad Seoul situated beside Yeouido Park, and is invested with the breathtaking views of the Han River and Seoul’s modern skyline. The heavy use of dark wood and brown marble channels a sense of sophistication much in tune with the urbane vibes of a rising metropolis which the clientele here, usually polished business types and well-dressed go-getters, seems to appreciate. The heady mixture of sophistication and spirits mark a sense of arrival for both the old stagers and the uninitiated into the lofty heights of this rising city.
37 Grill and Bar, Conrad Seoul, 10 Gukjegeumyung-ro Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu Seoul, 07326 South Korea
Charles H (Four Seasons Hotel Seoul)
A much-lauded watering hole regularly featured on the high-powered bar lists of the world, Charles H is the speakeasy sensation that devotees of cocktail alchemy routinely pack into with the glee of boisterous children on school excursions. Named after the legendary Charles H Baker, America’s published authority on cocktails and exotic libations, the star attractions here beside its moody sophisticated milieu are the trendy concoctions, which drew inspirations from key destinations around the world, and a pervasive range of tantalising liquors.
Charles H, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, 97 Saemunan-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03183, Korea
JJ Mahoney’s (Grand Hyatt Seoul)
JJ Mahoney’s is an old school, high octane pub brought to life by a trendy DJ, an electrifying live band and plenty of intoxicating libations. The crowds circulating in and out of this 36 year old establishment might have evolved over its decades in business, but the expectant mood here is always jubilant and fun, especially when the band starts to play, three cocktails in. There are no views or secret addresses to coax a crowd through the door here; the effervescence is utterly organic as you’d expect these joints with great staying power to be.
JJ Mahoney’s, Grand Hyatt Seoul, South Korea, Seoul, 322 Sowol-ro, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, 04347
