Five-star Hannam-dong, Yongsan, Seoul
Grand Hyatt Seoul
A twenty-storey hotel on the slope of Namsan, above Itaewon, with gardens, an outdoor pool for summer and an ice rink for winter.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.
- Opened
- 1978, as Hyatt Regency Seoul
- Rooms
- 615 rooms and suites
- Rooms refitted
- Completed in 2019
- From the airport
- About an hour from Incheon, our estimate
The hotel
Halfway up Namsan since 1978.
The hotel opened in 1978 as the Hyatt Regency Seoul, the first Hyatt in Korea, and took the Grand Hyatt name in 1993. The original design was by the architect John Morford. The twenty floors stand in landscaped gardens on the side of Namsan, so the rooms look either up at the mountain or down across the city to the Han River.
A three-year refit of all 615 rooms ended in 2019. The Australian studio Bar Studio kept Morford's approach and added Korean touches on the upper floors, such as glass patterned after bojagi wrapping cloth. JJ Mahoney's has been a Seoul night out since 1988, and the pool, the lobby and The Paris Bar all appeared in the SBS drama Lovers in Paris.
- Pool and rink The outdoor pool opens from late May to mid October. In winter the hotel runs an ice rink.
- Club Olympus Indoor and children's pools, a gym, tennis and squash courts, and saunas with Korean body scrubs.
- J.J. Mahoney's The hotel's entertainment venue, open under the same name since 1988.
Rooms & suites
Mountain on one side, river on the other.
615 rooms and suites, each facing Namsan or the Han River.
- Suites Diplomatic Suite 91 square metres, with a living room large enough to dine in and a marble bathroom.
- Top floor Ambassador Suite 200 square metres on the 20th floor, with its own entrance and views of the river and Namsan.
- Signature suite Presidential Suite 337 square metres, with views all round over the Han River and Namsan.
Dining
Sushi, steak, teppan and a club.
Restaurants and bars as listed on the hotel fact sheet. Shown for information.
- Steak House Grill Premium cuts
- Teppan Teppanyaki At the griddle counter
- Kauri Sushi A modern sushi bar
- The Terrace International buffet All day
- The Paris Bar European bar Drinks and light plates
- J.J. Mahoney's Bar and live music Since 1988
Good to know
Before you go.
- Arrival Check-in from 3 pm, check-out by 11 am, as listed by booking sites; we confirm with the hotel.
- Pets Not accepted.
- Getting about The hotel runs a daily shuttle to Itaewon and Myeongdong. Itaewon is about five minutes by car.
Getting there
Flying to Seoul.
Long-haul flights land at Incheon International, about an hour away by car, our estimate. Private jets use the business aviation centre at Gimpo, roughly 40 minutes from the hotel by our estimate.
- Shanghai 1 h 30
- Tokyo 1 h 55
- Hong Kong 3 h 05
- Singapore 6 h 25 long-range jet
- London 12 h 05 long-range jet
Questions
What guests ask first.
- Is the outdoor pool open all year?
- No. It opens for the summer season, from late May to mid October in 2026. In winter the hotel runs an ice rink.
- How far is Grand Hyatt Seoul from Itaewon?
- About five minutes by car, and the hotel runs a daily shuttle to Itaewon and Myeongdong.
- Which airport suits a private jet?
- Gimpo, which has a business aviation centre with its own customs and immigration. It is about 40 minutes from the hotel by our estimate.
- Can SkyCourtage arrange the flight to Seoul?
- Yes. We arrange Business and First Class seats on scheduled airlines and private jet charter to Seoul, with one final price, our margin included. The hotel is booked with the hotel or through our booking partner.
Also in Seoul
Other hotels worth the trip.
- Four Seasons Hotel Seoul Rooms that look straight onto the palace grounds, Yu Yuan with one star, and two Keys since 2026.
- SIGNIEL Seoul High in the 101-storey Lotte World Tower, with Bicena and its star on the 81st floor.
- The Shilla Seoul On the slopes of Namsan among gardens, with La Yeon and its two stars on the 23rd floor.
- Fairmont Ambassador Seoul A marble staircase in the lobby, the Han River and The Hyundai Seoul close by.
- Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam Art Deco lines south of the river, and Eatanic Garden with one star in the building.
- Park Hyatt Seoul Ten rooms to a floor across 24 storeys opposite COEX, with the lobby at the very top.
- Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul Rooms and suites on the side of Namsan, most of them with their own relaxation pool.
- Conrad Seoul Opened in 2012 inside the IFC complex, with 434 rooms and a 25-metre indoor pool.
- The Grand Lotte Seoul The former Lotte Hotel Seoul took this name in August 2026 after a refit of its main tower; Pierre Gagnaire cooks on the 35th floor of the Executive Tower.
- The Westin Josun Seoul Opened in 1914 as the Chosen Hotel on the site of the Hwangudan altar and rebuilt in 1970, it is the oldest hotel still trading in Korea.
- Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Linked to Samseong station and COEX since 1988, with its rooms refitted in 2020.
- Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences Built in 2021 by Seokchon Lake, where some rooms look across the water to the Lotte World Tower.
- JW Marriott Hotel Seoul Above the Express Bus Terminal since 2000; the sauna runs on hot spring water found during the building works.
- Andaz Seoul Gangnam Hyatt's first Andaz in Korea, 241 rooms on the site of an old KT telecom office, open since 2019.
- Grand Walkerhill Seoul A 1963 resort hotel on the eastern edge of the city, its rooms facing the Han River or Achasan.
- Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery Korea's first MGallery, opened in 2022 with 196 rooms looking over the Han River to Bamseom, and an infinity pool facing the water.
- Vista Walkerhill Seoul Built in 2004 as Asia's first W hotel and renamed in 2017, it has an indoor pool above the Han River and an 800-year-old olive tree in the lobby.
- Mondrian Seoul Itaewon The Capital Hotel of 1988 became the first Mondrian in Asia in 2020; 295 rooms, and a pool and lounge on the fifth floor.
- The Westin Seoul Parnas Opened in 1999 as the InterContinental Seoul COEX and reopened under the Westin name in September 2025, with 564 rooms by Bongeunsa temple.
Staying at Grand Hyatt Seoul?
Book the room, then the flight.
Rates and availability come from the hotel itself. For the journey to Seoul, a Business or First Class seat or an aircraft of your own: tell us the date and we come back with one final price, our margin included.
Opens the hotel's own website. We have no arrangement with the hotel.