My favourite film is Lost in Translation. You know the one where Scarlett Johansson pads through a moody hotel corridor in silk knickers and borrowed slippers, Bill Murray nurses a whisky at the bar, both of them suspended in that hazy, jet-lagged limbo where nothing feels quite real. For me the true centrepiece of the film was the Park Hyatt. It mythologised the hotel in a way few films ever have.
Since then, the chain has become synonymous with a particular kind of luxe melancholy: soft, low-level lighting, hushed hallways that smell faintly of cedar and the quiet glamour of the solo business traveller who might be having an existential crisis, but is doing it in a very chic robe. So when I booked a trip to Korea, there was no question — I had to stay at the Park Hyatt Seoul.
And let me tell you, it delivered. From the moment the elevator slid me up to the 24th-floor check-in, I felt like I’d stepped into a parallel universe. The same noir-tinged atmosphere held strong: all mirrored surfaces and moody shadows, panoramic views that made the city feel like a film set and cocktails that tasted better past midnight.
Where?
Teheran-ro, Gangnam. It's not directly next to palaces or tea houses, but is above the COEX mega-mall. You're a 30‑second escalator away from retail therapy and the freedom offered by the subway — while your room looks out on a futuristic, neon-drenched LED wonderland.
Think Scandi-meets-Zen with a Korean sensibility and a touch of retro corporate glamour. The Park Hyatt Seoul is technically right in the thick of it, perched above one of Gangnam’s busiest intersections, but it feels almost hidden.
Tucked discreetly above the street, it has the hush and privacy of a members’ club. You enter through a small, unassuming lobby and take the elevator straight up to the 24th floor,
There’s something undeniably Nineties about it — not in a dated way, but in a sleek, aspirational, vaguely erotic sense. It’s the kind of place you could imagine Demi Moore taking a call in heels and a power suit, or Michael Douglas nursing a Scotch over a fax machine. The aesthetic feeds into that fantasy: corporate, yes, but sexy-corporate. Corpcore before it had a name, if you will.
And it really is a glass box in the sky. Practically every wall is a window, and the views are part of the experience. Natural light pours in during the day and at night the mood shifts — the glass turns into a mirror, catching the neon signs flickering off the towering office blocks and the intersections below glow and pulse like a giant circuit board.
Facilities
Of course, there’s a bar and restaurant — it’s the Park Hyatt. The main eatery, Cornerstone, serves up seasonal Italian with a Korean twist: think handmade pasta, perfectly charred steaks and an excellent wine list, all in a warm, open-kitchen setting that feels elevated but unstuffy. The bar upstairs leans darker and sexier, perfect for a quiet nightcap or pretending you’re in the middle of a very illicit affair.
But where the hotel really excelled, in my opinion, was on the wellness floor. The fitness centre is genuinely beautiful — light-filled, immaculate and stocked with everything you need. Beyond the gym, there’s a glassy indoor pool that hovers above the city, with views so good they feel unreal. And then, tucked around the corner, a hot and cold plunge area with a gorgeously enticing sauna and steam room — the kind of space that makes you want to cancel your plans and just stay submerged for hours.
Extracurricular
You’re right in the heart of Gangnam, Seoul’s infamous plastic surgery district. Full disclosure: I didn’t go under the knife. But I did spend five hours in a nearby dermatology clinic having my face pummelled with 11 different lasers and infused with four skin boosters in one go.
Read more: Rejina Pyo's guide to Seoul: chic boutiques, hotel spas and mugwort treats
If that sounds a little too hardcore, don’t worry — there are plenty of nearby spas offering gentler routes to self-improvement. Facials, massages, and LED treatments abound, and even the most casual options come with that signature Korean perfectionism.
But if you do go for something a little more intense, you’re only a 15-minute walk from one of the most serene places to recover. And trust me, slipping back into the Park Hyatt after five hours of controlled facial trauma was definitely needed.
Which room
The Park Hyatt Seoul has 185 rooms, including 38 suites, all designed with the same aesthetic brief: picture restrained Scandinavian interiors wrapped in a kimono. Rooms flood with natural light, decked in pale oak, Japanese stone bathrooms and high-tech comfort, like heated bidets and luxurious pillow‑top beds tested by both with-it travellers and sleep‑obsessives .
The entry-level Park King does the job nicely, but I stayed in a Deluxe King — a tier up, and worth it. The space is open-plan yet subtly sectioned: sleeping, bathing, lounging, all given their own moment.
The layout is open but zoned, with a soaking tub nestled in its own stone enclave like a private onsen. Mine was angled just right to drink in the city’s skyline while I drank an aggressively small mini-bar whisky. The lounge chair near the window is clearly designed for booze-enhanced people-watching, and I obliged nightly. There are Le Labo amenities, naturally.
One caveat: the elevators. You’ll do a little dance — lobby to the 24th-floor sky lobby, then a second lift to reach your room. Slightly disorienting at first, but once you get the rhythm, it starts to feel like part of the choreography.
Best for…
Living out your sexy-retro-business-thriller dreams (fax machine not included).
