Our one week stay at the Conrad made our first visit to Korea an extraordinarily positive experience. All of my previous misconceptions about this city, mistakenly formed by my knowledge of Los Angeles' "Koreatown." were replaced by my current view of Seoul: A city with strikingly modern architecture, beautifully restored historical areas, cosmopolitan, trendy, exceptionally clean and incredibly service oriented. I understand that the hotel is approximately two years old and everything is shiny clean and new. Upon arrival, the staff was extremely welcoming and we were quickly and efficiently taken to a beautiful room overlooking the Han River and the city beyond. The room was efficiently designed and tastefully decorated. The shower alone was worth the price of the room but there was also a smart toilet with a heated seat in the elegantly designed bathroom. As is the case everywhere in Seoul, the electronics were state of the art with a beautiful big screen TV with an interface to allow displaying pictures taken on your smart phone. We enjoyed an exceptional buffet at both breakfast and dinner in the hotel's restaurant with Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Western offerings, all of which were outstanding. Also, the impressive gym was equipped with the latest TechnoGym equipment and Precor treadmills and exercise machines. There was also a gorgeous swimming pool and other spa facilities that I didn't get a chance to try.
However, the aspect of the Conrad that made the deepest impression was the quality of the service...and with absolutely no tipping!! One example of this amazing service orientation: Hours before an important meeting, the bonded veneer on one of my front teeth fell off. I called the front desk to see if there might be a dentist nearby. I expected to have to wait a few days to get an appointment as I would in the US. I was quickly referred to a dental clinic in the adjacent IFC building complex. Upon arriving at the clinic, I was immediately seen and within thirty minutes I was back in the hotel with my tooth looking better than it had originally! Also, my dentist spoke English and had actually studied at UC Berkeley. In short, an amazing experience that speaks volumes about the attitude of this city.
In summary, our time at the Conrad provided the ideal base to discover Seoul, a city which left us with an enduring appreciation of the energy, creativity and service orientation of Korean society. I unconditionally recommend the Conrad Seoul.