The Shilla Seoul

I very much regret having booked this hotel. They don’t let you use the outdoor pool without purchasing a day pass on the order of 50-60 Eur. I just wanted to go for a quick swim in the outdoor pool while having about 30 minutes available. It is summer and I have no interest in using an indoor pool at this time. i’ve stayed in many five-star hotels throughout the world, but this id the first one that charges its guets an additional fee for using a basic amenity such as an outdoor pool. Very disappointing. They also wanted me to charge an early arrival fee which they thankfully waived. So even if a room is available before 3 pm they initially wanted me to pay to be able to go my room earlier after 16h of travel. That’s may be ok for EasyJet, but not a 5-star hotel which is supposedly one of the best in South Korea.

Such a beautiful and iconic property. We visited on my husband’s birthday. The road leading up to the hotel was very busy, but once you step inside, the moment transforms. The lobby feels enchanted, with a stunning crystal installation. Thousands of acrylic beads are suspended from the ceiling, catching the light and creating a soft, magical glow. It’s like walking under a gentle rain of stars. They have some iconic stores to shop from too. The best part for me was the aesthetics; every corner feels luxurious and thoughtfully designed. Even visiting the Hermès store there felt special. You can see Namsan Tower very clearly from the hotel, and truly, pictures cannot do justice to the view. There was a long waiting time at their afternoon tea café, so we headed to Parkview restaurant instead. We enjoyed a delicious sandwich, refreshing juices, and a traditional chicken curry with rice. It was such a satisfying meal. It truly added to our experience. After lunch, we visited the Cle de Peau spa and even shopped there. I absolutely love and adore products from Cle de Peau. Overall, a wonderful hotel and worth visiting. Hopefully next time, we will stay there too. - Bhavna Darira Chesan

thanks you very much to my family shilla hotel upgrades best coner suit room and 7 adults and 2 children breakfasts thanks you shilla hotel. I remember all

We have stayed here multiple times in the past up until 2018. This was our first time back since and was underwhelming. Everything that could go wrong did, from dinner vouchers given to us at the front desk that the restaurant did not honor to making dinner reservations “months” in advance because they had no room left to being ushered away to a corner in the library instead of an empty table near the band, we can only assume the management has changed. Granted we are trying to understand the additional fee for pool use of 40 dollars per day per person, but having to pay 6 dollars for a bottle of water was even worse. The staff is attentive and we know its not them. When asked about the voucher to be used the front desk listed only “It can be honored all the time and is up to the restaurant”….. so why give a voucher out? The value of being at a top tier hotel with great service and great accommodations is no longer part of this hotel.

I booked the Shilla because it is a member of the leading hotels of the world. As a frequent guest in leading hotels I had some expectations, however they were not met at all. Location: Located close to Namsan Hill, also on a small hill with nice views over many parts of the city. Especially on the top floor the views are really nice However it gets a bit difficult to get around. They offer shuttle buses, it only every hour, so you need to walkt some time to get to the subway station. Hotel: Large hotel, relatively old and dated. Nice lobby. However the lobby is often crowded. The hotel offers many banquets and events, including weddings, so it is always very busy and crowded. The focus of the hotel is less on hotel guests but event guests. So as a hotel guest you do not feel pampered. The rooms are large, also a bit dated. Nice bathrooms. There is no espresso machine which is a bit surprising. They have a small indoor pool, but the majority of the pool is reserved for members. The sauna is only available at additional cost and also the outdoor pool comes with a high cost. Basically a hotel without infrastructure… not really ok for a leading hotel. Breakfast: They have a large buffet with a huge selection of dishes. Focus on Asian dishes. Limited fruit selection. Very good dim sum. Please note that the breakfast room gets really busy, so you better get there early. Service: This is the weak part of the hotel. As mentioned they focus on event guests and members of the fitness club. As a hotel guest you do not feel taken care of. When I arrived, instead of greeting me, I was immediately asked for my passport (I just got out of the taxi!). Later at the front desk for check in, same thing, instead of welcoming me, I was immediately asked for my credit card. Well this behavior is ok in a very cheap hotel, but not in a five star hotel. Also the service in the room was haphazard. Several times the turn down service was not done, or then they only put one towel instead of two. Also at breakfast service is. To convincing. Some staff members are nice, but you often have to,wait long to get things done. And some staff are. To very client focused and if you ask for a simple thing, the first answer is no. Also at front desk and concierge desk the service is not great. One day the lobby was completely empty, but I still had to wait 15 minutes to get a concierge to help me with a simple thing. Also their English skills are. To good, some do not really understand what you want. Also at the indoor pool the service is not good. They treat the members nicely, but as hotel guest you are second class. They immediately came and told me that only a small part of the pool is for hotel guests, the rest is reserved for members of the. So basically a luxury hotel without a own pool, really not great. I brought up these shortcomings to several managers, but they couldn’t care less, nothing really happened. Only after few days I managed too speak to a higher manager, and he was very friendly and tried to make the best out of the situation, which I really appreciate. I told him that they need to have more management around to look after the hotel guests. For me definitely one of the worst leading hotels experienced. I heard many good things about the Four Seasons, so next time I will try there and am sure it is better. I definitely cannot recommend the Shilla to luxury travelers. I also don’t understand why it is part of the leadIng hotels, as it is far below their standards.