Last Updated on October 18, 2025 by Home in the World
In the urban Asian metropolis that is Seoul, there is certainly no dearth of top-class hotels. And, as I stepped into the lower lobby of the JW Marriott, where a giant necklace-like sculpture drops from the ceiling as a zen centrepiece, I was in no doubt I had chosen one of the very best of them.
Having undergone an extensive and ambitious renovation just a year prior, the 19-year-old property was shining resplendent once more, featuring fresh, contemporary redesigns by France’s Bruno Moinard of AGENCY 4BI and American firm Olson Kundig. This was a new world of understated luxe.
The excellent service had actually started months before in my email correspondence with the hotel staff, who had been extremely obliging, efficient and professional – so I did arrive with fairly lofty expectations.
Following a smooth airport pick-up in a luxury van, we were greeted at the hotel by a guest-relations employee, who whisked us straight up to our in-room check-in. Once there, we were also met by another staff member and the manager, who greeted us personally and explained everything about our room.
One of my pre-trip email queries had been in relation to whether there would be any non-dairy milks available at the breakfast. I was told yes, and that was that, as far as I was concerned. Fast-forward to the in-room greeting, and complimentary mini cartons of almond and soy milk had been provided (and were regularly replenished) in our minibar. Talk about a thoughtful touch! This was the kind of amazing attention to detail that was replicated time and time again throughout our stay.
The room
Ours was a 1-bedroom suite with river views and executive lounge access. It had a separate living area with a daybed that could be used as either a sofa or an extra bed for a third person, and its main bedroom had two large, comfy double beds and space to swing many a cat.
French doors led into an equally spacious en-suite marble bathroom with ample amenities, bathtub, separate, wooden-floored shower cubicle and a super-powered toilet (you know you’re in Asia when the toilets come with their own control panel and instructions!). There was also a separate powder room with washbasin and equally sophisticated toilet near the front door.
The whole suite had a warm, calming feel to it. The hotel’s renovation saw the interiors of all 379 rooms revamped by South Korean firm KESSON, and the result is a plush mix of warm taupes, greys and chocolate tones with a hint of blush pinks, plus sleek, modern furniture and – given our suite’s location on the 26th floor – sweeping views of the city’s Han River, undulating terrain and N Seoul Tower.
Floor-to-ceiling sepia photo walls by local artist Seungsang Park of what looked to be the traditional hanok houses of ancient Korea added to the zen vibe and helped ensure our room truly became our sanctuary to return to at the end of a day out in the hustle and bustle of Seoul.
The Executive Lounge
As mentioned, the suite came with access to the executive lounge on the 9th floor. This was where we started our day every morning with the comprehensive buffet breakfast, which consisted of cereals, breads, cakes, fruit, vegetables, Asian options and hot food.
Chefs at the open kitchen station were available to cook whatever you wanted, including eggs and omelettes. The lounge also hosts afternoon tea (which we didn’t try) and evening hors d’oeuvres, which were so abundant, we didn’t even need to have dinner after them one night!
The offering changed every day, with everything from chilli con carne, to Korean/Asian specialities to seafood, beef, chicken, pork and lamb, plus of course an array of salads, fruits and delicately crafted cakes.
The same minimalist, earthy colour scheme is on display here, creating a feel of classy luxury. Partitioned spaces add to the sense of exclusivity and quiet, with all staff members remaining unobtrusive yet still attentive and exceptionally professional. We actually did our check-out in this lounge on our last day.
Dining
Don’t stress if your room doesn’t come with lounge access, however. If you still want to dine on site, the JW Marriott Seoul has a range of culinary options befitting its 5-star rating. These include the following:
Flavors is where you will most likely have your buffet breakfast, and it also serves up delicious dishes from all over the world at night, with master chefs working at live interactive cooking stations. Café One, is an upscale snack bar serving specialty Italian coffee, while Tamayura, is the hotel’s sleek Japanese restaurant featuring a teppanyaki counter.
The Margaux Grill is a fine-dining steakhouse and seafood restaurant, and then there’s the edgy MOBO Bar, which I was told stood for ‘Modern Botanicals’ – a fact evidenced by its lush outdoor terrace and unique greenhouse-like herb garden used by the mixologists to source fresh cocktail ingredients.
Finally, there’s The Lounge (8F), a lush lobby bar designed by Patricia Urquiola. Defined into intimate sections by floor-to-ceiling curtains, its soft pastel furnishings and overall luxurious vibe made it one of my favourite public spaces in the entire property – the perfect place to indulge in an afternoon tea or late-night bite and nightcap.
Other facilities
I was given the opportunity to take a tour of the hotel during my stay, so, even though I did not use any of the fitness or meeting facilities myself, I was still able to see what the property had on offer in this respect. Seoul’s climate gets pretty harsh in winter, but travellers can enjoy keeping fit all year round in the indoor pool.
This is located in a mezzanine-style section of the building, and I particularly liked the fact that the upper level (a gym area) had a dedicated 85-metre walking/jogging track that ran around the entire perimeter. What a great use of space.
And for those who prefer to do their walking in one spot, fear not; the track is lined with treadmills too. Other indoor sporting facilities include a squash court, basketball court, indoor golf zone, scuba-diving pool and ping-pong tables.
It’s really deceiving just how many fitness options are packed into this building – it’s more akin to what you would expect from a sprawling outdoor resort. As a top-of-the-range luxury hotel, the JW Marriott of course also offers no less than seven premier MICE facilities, comprising a Grand Ballroom and six salons.
Location
The JW Marriott Seoul is located in the Gangnam district (yes, the one Psy famously sang about in his hit song), which is one of the most central and upscale neighbourhoods in the South Korean capital. It has direct access to a Shinsegae department store, duty-free shop and Express Bus Terminal that doubles as a subway station. We found this access to public transport excellent, as it allowed us to get anywhere we wanted quickly, safely, cheaply and efficiently.
Why choose the JW Marriott Seoul
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was one of the best overall hotel experiences I had had to date (and no, I have not been paid to write this!). From the very first email contact to the final sad goodbye on our last day, our stay at this property was utterly flawless.
Every staff member we had dealings with (and there were quite a few, from the general manager himself to the housekeepers) was friendly, professional and helpful with excellent English skills – they even went above and beyond to repair one of our suitcases that had been damaged on the trip over.
Given the luxury JW Marriott brand is among the highest tiers of hotels within the Marriott group, I had high expectations, but these were undeniably exceeded in every respect. Never have I encountered such exceptional attention to detail.
The stunning luxury interiors, the spacious, plush rooms, the perfect housekeeping and cleanliness, the outstanding, diverse cuisine and the top location make this a premium product worth every cent of its admittedly not-all-that-cheap price tag. If you’re looking for a 5-star stay in Seoul – literally and figuratively –, I can absolutely recommend the JW Marriott.
Treat yourself; it’s definitely worth the splurge and will really add an extra sense of enjoyment to your time in this cosmopolitan city.
| JW MARRIOTT SEOUL |
| 176, SINBANPO-RO, SEOCHO-GU, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, 06546 +82 2-62826262 |
** This stay was not sponsored in any way; it is a genuine, non-biased review based on my own personal experience **
** This post, like everything else on this website, has been written entirely by me. No ChatGPT or any other AI tool has been used. It takes longer to create, but I value 100% human-generated content and I hope you do too! **
Before you go…
Book your stay via the hotel’s official website or your preferred booking platform:
Ready to book your flights to Seoul? I recommend using Skyscanner or Trip.com to find and compare the best fares.
For more about my trip to Seoul, check out my blog post on Seoul. You can also get my free one-page guide containing all the most important information you need to help you plan and enjoy your trip to Seoul.
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And if you’re interested in other attractions in and around Seoul, you may want to consider checking out these tours:
Looking for other luxury hotels in Asia and elsewhere around the world? You may want to read my reviews of:
- Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea in Jordan
- Fairmont Baku Flame Towers in Azerbaijan
- Hyatt Regency Cairo West in Egypt
- Shangri-La Far Eastern Taipei in Taiwan
- Courtyard by Marriott Siem Reap Resort in Cambodia
- Courtyard by Marriott Phnom Penh in Cambodia
- Fairfield by Marriott Phnom Penh in Cambodia
- Ritz-Carlton Chengdu in China
Another highly recommended hotel property I have reviewed in Asia is the Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka in Japan.
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What a glorious review with photos to match. The property sounds out of this world
Thank you! It’s a fabulous hotel indeed.