Aria — Restaurant in Seoul

The Westin Chosun Hotel is, in my opinion, absolutely positively unquestionably the best place for foreign business travelers or tourists (without small children) in all of Seoul, Korea.

The central location near City Hall Plaza, the financial center and Myung-Dong shopping areas is nice; the easy access to the central subway system and other public transportation is convenient; the numerous restaurants (domestic & international) make dining pleasant, the closeness of several historic sites and tourist attractions is interesting; the spotless clean and elegant common areas are inviting; the private rooms and suites (not huge, but larger than most of their competituon) are comfortable and relaxing. But none of that is why I gave 5 stars. I gave 5 stars because of their incredible fantastic service.

Every employee I met during my entire month-long stay was a top notch superior performer. They were cheerful and pleasant and helpful and courteous and highly proficient at their jobs. Most anticipated my needs before I even asked and others reacted instantly to my requests no matter how large or small. The front desk personnel, the concierge service, my room housekeepers, the bellman, the wait staff at each restaurant, the various staff attendants, doormen, maintenance people, and especially the magnificent outstanding wonderful staff in the Executive Lounge were consummate professionals who all contributed to making our stay delightful. And, I must add, the thing that set them all apart from every other hotel I have ever stayed at anywhere in the world, was their visible sincere desire to please their customers. It was an honest, heart-felt human to human connection that made me feel I was staying with friends rather than a public hotel. They don't even accept tips but their service was far superior to most places that do. When we left, it was sad. We felt like we were saying good-bye to family.

I have stayed at other well known International Chains in Korea and none came even close to the Westin Chosun. My Sept/Oct visit this year was my 9th month long stay at the Chosun Hotel so I can also affirm that this was not just a "flash in the pan" or one time experience. They have been consistently providing this kind of great service on every visit. I generally recognize some of the same people on each trip even though they are 2 to 3 years apart, so I assume they treat their people well and their turnover is far, far less than other places in the hospitality industry. This has to contribute to the excellent customer experience that I enjoy so much.

Bottom line: The Westin Chosun is expensive, but it is also excellent - worth every penny of the cost. I was in Seoul for the Chosun Hotel's 100th anniversary back in 2016, and thoroughly expect them to be going strong for the next 100 years as well. I love that place and will never stay at any other hotel in Seoul. Even if my business is in a different part of the city, I'll deal with the commute so I can stay at the Westin...

I had the pleasure of visiting a fantastic buffet recently, all thanks to a friend I hadn't seen in ages who wanted to celebrate our special occasion. We went to a famous buffet tucked away in the basement of The Westin Josun Hotel, and let me tell you - it did not disappoint.

We went for Saturday lunch, and the place was absolutely buzzing. I was genuinely surprised at how packed it was, especially considering how upscale (and pricey) it is!

As for the food, it was simply top-tier. The lobster was packed with meat and tasted incredible, while the sashimi and sushi were super fresh and full of flavour. I made it my mission to try a bit of everything, and I did my best and nearly tasted them all. The standout for me was the lamb, which was grilled to perfection, and even the kimchi left a lasting impression.

If I had to nitpick, I would say the only downside was the two-hour dining limit. It felt like time just flew by way too quickly.

All in all, I am beyond grateful to my friend for treating me to such a memorable meal. This is definitely a place I'd love to revisit - maybe next time, I'll...

I’ve stayed at almost every 5 star hotel in South Korea and I’ve never been barked at by an employee, let alone anyone at any “fine” establishment.

As soon as we walked in, Park Mi-Oh shouted at us to “wait” like we were animals. We did not cut any line, we did not interrupt the customer she was helping, nor did we try to walk in without providing our room number, my mother and I simply just showed up to the front desk. As a Korean, you do not treat your elders (my mother) with that type of tone nor greeting, highest disrespect and lack of etiquette.

As a Marriott Ambassador reaching over +150 nights this year, I would rather stay at the LOTTE Executive Tower or Josun Palace (they would never dare to treat their customers like that), it would be shocking to see that type of behavior there nor tolerated, instead customers are met with formal greetings and graciousness.

Foreigners - this is NOT Korean culture - speak up if you feel like you have been mistreated here, it’s the only way to correct behavior like this. As both a Korean and an American, I would not recommend...