Grand Hyatt Seoul

I had very high expectations for the Grand Hyatt Seoul, given its five-star rating and reputation. Unfortunately, my experience was far below what I would reasonably expect from a five-star hotel. Overall, I would rate my stay no more than two stars. 1 Star – Unacceptable Noise and Lack of Guest Consideration I was staying on the 17th floor, yet a pool party with extremely loud music continued until approximately 12:30 AM. At around 11:00 PM, I contacted hotel service and asked that the music be stopped or, at minimum, that the situation be addressed. The response was deeply disappointing: I was essentially told that the hotel could not do anything and that I had no choice but to tolerate the noise until 12:30 AM. That response is simply unacceptable for a five-star hotel. Guests should not be made to feel that they have no choice but to sacrifice their ability to sleep because the hotel has chosen to prioritize an event over the comfort of its paying guests. I felt as though my concerns were being dismissed and that I was being treated as a second-class guest. This is not the level of service or consideration I expect from a five-star property. 1 Star – Poor Handling of the Room “Upgrade” I was initially “upgraded” to a larger room that was designated for guests with disabilities. Unfortunately, the staff member handling my check-in failed to inform me of several important facts: *That the room was specifically designed for guests with disabilities. *Approximately one-third of the room's view was dominated by an ugly construction site. *The room was covered in dust, giving the impression that it had not been occupied or properly prepared for some time. Most importantly, none of these issues were properly explained to me before I accepted the room. The most troubling issue was not simply the loud music, or the room assignment. It was the attitude toward the guest—particularly being told, in effect, that there was nothing I could do and that I simply had to live with loud music until 12:30 AM. A five-star hotel should make its guests feel respected, valued, and cared for. When a guest raises a legitimate concern, the response should be to find a reasonable solution—not to tell the guest that they have no choice but to tolerate the problem.

I stayed at Grand Hyatt Seoul for six nights as a World of Hyatt Globalist, and unfortunately an otherwise enjoyable stay ended with an extremely upsetting billing surprise. I intended to book a standard room using World of Hyatt points and apply a Suite Upgrade Award to confirm a suite. However, my reservation somehow ended up as a suite booked with Points + Cash, resulting in more than $3,000 in unexpected cash room charges in addition to the points used. What was most frustrating is that this could have been identified and corrected at check-in. When I arrived, the front desk did not verbally review or ask me to confirm my reservation rate or payment details. I was never told that I would be paying a substantial cash amount per night in addition to points. I was simply checked into the suite, which was exactly what I expected because I believed I was receiving the suite through my Suite Upgrade Award. Had the front desk told me that my reservation included thousands of dollars in cash room charges, I would have immediately recognized that something was wrong and contacted World of Hyatt to correct the reservation before beginning my stay. Instead, I completed the entire six-night stay believing the reservation was structured as I intended and did not discover the $3,000+ cash charge until checkout, when it was too late to correct the reservation before the stay occurred. I raised the issue with the hotel at checkout, but I was essentially told that they were processing what appeared on the reservation. No meaningful resolution was offered, and I left the hotel with a several-thousand-dollar unexpected charge and was left to pursue the matter with World of Hyatt myself. I understand that World of Hyatt will need to investigate how the original reservation ended up being booked this way. My concern with Grand Hyatt Seoul is that a simple verbal confirmation of the rate and payment details at check-in could have prevented this entire situation. For a reservation involving points plus thousands of dollars in cash charges, I believe confirming the rate and payment arrangement with the guest should be a basic part of the check-in process. If Grand Hyatt Seoul has such a procedure, it was not followed during my check-in. As a Globalist, I have stayed at many Hyatt properties and expected better communication and assistance from a Grand Hyatt. Discovering an unexpected charge of more than $3,000 at checkout—and then leaving the property without a resolution—completely changed my impression of what otherwise could have been a very enjoyable stay. I hope Grand Hyatt Seoul reviews its check-in procedures so another guest does not find themselves in the same situation.

Stella Woo-ri was amazing in The Terrace Kitchen. The setting was wonderful and the food was excellent. I will definitely return.

This is a beautiful hotel. I've been coming here for years. The breakfast buffet is fantastic. The view and a cup of coffee make it all worthwhile. If you would like a window seat, I recommend that you arrive early. My server, Hye Ra Rebekah, did a great job making sure I had everything I needed and my coffee cup was never empty. I strongly recommend the Grand Hyatt Seoul.

The hotel is first class. The breakfast is the best buffet in the world ( I travel for work ). Hostess/manager Rebekah is so nice and accommodating. Chef Hye Rin is fabulous. I highly recommend the hotel and the breakfast.