Which to choose · Seoul
The Shilla or the Westin Josun, Seoul?
The Shilla, opened in 1979, stands on the slope of Namsan above Jangchungdan Park, with the Yeong Bin Gwan banquet house in its grounds; the Westin Josun, Korea's oldest hotel, opened as the Chosun in 1914 and was rebuilt as a 20-storey tower in 1970, in the centre near City Hall, Myeongdong and Gwanghwamun. The Shilla is the one for food, pools and a garden setting; the Westin Josun for walking to the palaces and the old city.
Jangchung-dong, Seoul
THE SHILLA Seoul
Opened 1979 · 464 rooms
Sogong-dong, Seoul
The Westin Josun Seoul
Opened 1914 · 424 rooms
In short
Choose the Shilla for La Yeon's two MICHELIN stars, indoor and outdoor pools and a quiet slope of Namsan; choose the Westin Josun for City Hall, Myeongdong and the palaces on foot from Korea's oldest hotel.
A first visit to Seoul
The Westin Josun Seoul
City Hall, Myeongdong and Gwanghwamun are close by, with Deoksugung and Gyeongbokgung within reach.
The food
THE SHILLA Seoul
La Yeon holds two MICHELIN stars, with Continental, Ariake and Palsun under the same roof.
A family
THE SHILLA Seoul
The Korean Suite has ondol floor seating, and Urban Island has a kids' pool from March to mid-November.
THE SHILLA Seoul
Choose THE SHILLA Seoul for
- La Yeon, Korean tasting menus with two MICHELIN stars on the 23rd floor, beside the Continental, Ariake and Palsun
- A 25-metre indoor pool under a glass dome facing Namsan, and the heated outdoor Urban Island from March to mid-November
- The Korean Suite, the hotel's only ondol room with floor seating, and the Grand Corner Deluxe at 51 sq m
The Westin Josun Seoul
Choose The Westin Josun Seoul for
- In the centre on foot: City Hall station is about 300 metres away, with Myeongdong, Gwanghwamun and Deoksugung close by
- More than a century of history, from the 1914 Chosun Hotel that brought Korea its first lift
- Sushi Cho, omakase on the 20th floor over the city, with Hong Yuan for Cantonese and Rubrica for Italian
Side by side
- Where
- Jangchung-dong
- Sogong-dong
- Opened
- 1979
- 1914
- Last renovated
- 2013
- –
- Rooms
- 464, 36 of them suites
- 424, 38 of them suites
- Room sizes
- 36–53 sq m
- 36 sq m
- Restaurants and bars
- 8
- 7
- Pool
- Yes
- Yes
- Hot spring
- –
- –
- Awards
- 1 MICHELIN Key, Forbes 5 stars
- –
- Design
- –
- –
- Airport
- Incheon is about 1 hour 30 minutes by taxi or about 2 hours by the 6702 airport bus or rail
- Gimpo is 25 km away and Incheon 56 km
- Brand
- The Shilla
- Westin
- Booked through us
- Our own perks
- Marriott Luminous
The rooms
THE SHILLA Seoul
Which to book. Below suite level, the Grand Corner Deluxe (51 sq m, floors 7–17) is the largest standard room, with two windows; the Superior Suite looks straight over Yeong Bin Gwan, and families do well in the Korean Suite, the only ondol room in the hotel.
The Westin Josun Seoul
Which to book. Deluxe and Executive rooms are the same 36 sq m city-view room, so the Executive is worth it only for the Westin Club lounge; for more space the Junior Suites are 55 sq m.
The first room
THE SHILLA Seoul
Deluxe
36 sq m · Namsan, city or Yeong Bin Gwan view · floors 7–22; king or twin
The Westin Josun Seoul
Deluxe
36 sq m · city view · king, two twins, or a queen and a single
The room to ask for
THE SHILLA Seoul
Grand Corner Deluxe
51 sq m · Namsan or city view · floors 7–17; corner room with two windows; king
The Westin Josun Seoul
–
The largest suite
THE SHILLA Seoul
Presidential Suite
290 sq m and 380 sq m · Namsan and city view · 22nd floor; North Wing in French style with sauna, South Wing modern; two bedrooms each
The Westin Josun Seoul
Junior Suite
55 sq m · city view · sitting area; Westin Club access
Dining
THE SHILLA Seoul
La Yeon · Korean fine dining · 23rd floor
Continental · modern French restaurant · 23rd floor
Ariake · Japanese restaurant
Palsun · Cantonese restaurant
The Parkview · all-day buffet restaurant
The Library · lounge and bar
The Distillers Library · whisky bar
Pastry Boutique · bakery
The Westin Josun Seoul
Sushi Cho · sushi omakase · 20th floor
Hong Yuan · Cantonese restaurant
Aria · international buffet restaurant
Rubrica · modern Italian osteria
The Ninth Gate · American restaurant and wine bar
Lounge & Bar · lounge and bar · afternoon tea
Josun Deli · cake and pastry shop
The spa and the pool
THE SHILLA Seoul
A 25-metre indoor pool under a glass dome facing Namsan, with indoor and outdoor jacuzzis and a dry sauna; Urban Island, a heated outdoor pool with cabanas and kids' pool open March to mid-November; a gym, indoor golf range and the Clé de Peau Beauté Spa.
The Westin Josun Seoul
The City Athletic Club has an indoor pool (by reservation; closed the first Monday of each month), a fitness centre and a sauna, open 6am to 10pm.
Where they are
The two stand 2.3 km apart, as the crow flies.
THE SHILLA Seoul
On the slope of Namsan
Incheon Airport
90 min by taxi
Incheon Airport
120 min by bus, 6702 airport bus; rail takes about as long
Gimpo Airport
60 min by taxi
The Westin Josun Seoul
In the centre near City Hall, Myeongdong and Gwanghwamun
City Hall station
4 min on foot, Lines 1 and 2; nearest station by map
Euljiro 1-ga station
4 min on foot, Line 2; nearest station by map
Gimpo Airport
26 min by car, Hotel limousine on request
Incheon Airport
64 min by car, The 6701 airport bus stops outside the lobby
The building
THE SHILLA Seoul
Opened on 8 March 1979 by Hotel Shilla, with the main building and Yeong Bin Gwan, now the banquet house, side by side. The Library lounge is by Peter Remedios and Ariake by the Japanese designer Ueki Kanji.
The Westin Josun Seoul
The first Chosun Hotel opened on 10 October 1914 as a four-storey red-brick building by a German architectural firm, bringing Korea its first lift; it was rebuilt by its co-owners, Tourist Service and American Airlines, as a 20-storey tower that opened on 1 June 1970, and took the Westin name in 1979.
Booked through us
THE SHILLA Seoul
THE SHILLA Seoul
Our own perks
A room upgrade on arrival where one is free
Breakfast for two each day
A hotel credit to spend on dining or the spa
Early check-in or late checkout when the hotel can give it
The Westin Josun Seoul
The Westin Josun Seoul
Marriott Luminous
A room upgrade on arrival when one is available
Daily breakfast for two
Early check-in and late checkout when available
Some hotels add a US$100 credit; most do not.
Still deciding? Tell us your dates and what matters most, and we will say which we would choose, and book it at the hotel’s own rate with the perks above.
Questions
It is on the slope of Namsan, with Dongguk University station on Line 3 the nearest. Hotel shuttles run hourly to Myeongdong and every two hours to Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Gwangjang Market.
The Westin Josun: the 6701 airport bus stops outside its lobby, 56 km from Incheon. From the Shilla, Incheon is about an hour and a half by taxi or about two hours by the 6702 bus or rail.
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