WHAT’S IT LIKE? Unveiled in 2004, this is one of the best W hotels I have ever visited or stayed in (there have been about a dozen) – managing to target the more youthful, trendy set with funky design and a club vibe, while not neglecting to also offer stylish rooms and luxurious facilities that balance form with function.
It was also nice to see a hotel successfully incorporating a vibrant colour palette of red, white and black, as opposed to brown, cream and beige, which is always the safe option. The use of mood lighting and neon was also attractive, while the views through the double-height windows in the new-build tower was a stand-out feature.
Upon arrival, guests immediately step into the expansive, uber-cool 198-seat Living Room lobby lounge, which has ceiling-height windows at the far side facing the river, retro egg chairs, cabanas, Veuve Clicquot table football, a spherical chrome DJ booth, projection screens and what is claimed to be the longest bar in Seoul (at 18 metres). In the evening it is glowing, loud and buzzing.
Look around the public areas and you will also spot works of art crafted in wood – the one in reception is a panel of small cubes that flicker and move as you walk past, while giant balls made up of slices of tree trunk stand in Kitchen. I recognized these as the work or Korean artist Jaehyo Lee, who exhibits from time to time in the Albemarle Gallery in London.
WHERE IS IT? On the northern banks of the Han River, about 15 minutes’ drive from the Gangnam business district on the south side, and about 30 minutes, traffic permitting, to central Seoul. It is 90-120 minutes to Seoul Incheon airport. The W is positioned on the slopes of Mount Acha so has great views when the weather is clear but also means it is quiet isolated and you will need to get taxis to and from it.
ROOM FACILITIES Non-smoking rooms are on floors five, six, nine, ten, 12 and 14. Bedrooms start from 42 sqm and all feature a living area by the window with a coffee table, white polished floors, egg chairs, a rug, plus a comfy bed with 400-thread count linens, and partially open-plan bathrooms with a separate tub, walk-in rainshower and lemony Bliss amenities (including face wash).
Facilities ranged from 40-inch Samsung TVs, DVD players and wired/wifi internet for 22,000 won (£13) per 24 hours, to minibars and W’s trademark Munchie Boxes stocked with a wide variety of snacks, souvenirs and items you might have forgotten. There was even a disc with a genuinely good playlist of artists I liked, and which I actually put on to listen to on the Bose CD player (it cost 30,000 won/£17.60 to take away though).
In my entry-level “Wonderful” room, the TV was set upon a long, glossy white desk that extended down the length of one of the walls so there was plenty of space to work. There was also a built-in sofa. I was also pleased to find tea and coffee, an easy-to-use master control panel by the bed for operating the lights, and a wardrobe with red slippers, a red waffle robe and an iron/ironing board. Some of the higher category rooms sport the like of circular beds, spa baths, home theatres and LED-illuminated floors.
RESTAURANTS AND BARS Woobar lists 40 vodka labels and 200 different types of wine, while Namu/Liquid bar specialize in contemporary Japanese cuisine and features a traditional tatami room, sake bar and cellar, and “Western-style dining rooms”.
When I checked in to the hotel at lunchtime I wanted something quick to eat but was unable to get a table at the main Kitchen restaurant, despite it being huge. Neither could they accommodate for a meal at Woobar. So much for the W’s “Whatever, Whenever” service concept. In the end I went to the spa area’s Tonic health cafe and had a light vegetable wrap and Diet Coke – no one else was there and it was a rather clinical environment.
I did manage to get a table at Kitchen in the evening, though, and enjoyed the food, service and setting. I also ate breakfast here and was impressed with the amount and variety of Western and Asian dishes on offer, and the quality and presentation of the food. Again, it was packed with people so obviously popular.
BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES There are five meeting venues split across the second basement level and the second floor. The largest is Vista Hall One with a capacity of 256 delegates classroom-style, but when combined with halls Three and Four, can seat 960 people. The property can “make your event memorable” by also offering its “Sensory Set Up with mood music, aromatherapy scents, thought-provoking place cards, creative catering, retro candies and inspiring games”.
LEISURE FACILITIES The impressive 1,524 sqm Away Spa has 17 treatment rooms, saunas, steam rooms, seven “thematic bath tubs and therapeutic hot springs”, outdoor and indoor whirlpool baths, and a large indoor swimming pool facing the Han River through floor-to-ceiling windows. (Note that tattoos must be covered up.)
There is also a well-equipped gym with lots of natural light, a spinning studio and a rooftop chill-out area. Joggers can escape to the 2km course that runs through Mount Acha’s forest, within the grounds of the hotel. There are two outdoor tennis courts.
VERDICT Although the location is quite remote, and the service could be better at times, the W is a great option for any businessperson working in the creative industries or desiring of a less conventional hotel. The spa, Woobar and design of the rooms are real lures.
FACT FILE
HOW MANY ROOMS? There are 253 rooms across nine categories (Wonderful, Fabulous and Cool Corner rooms, plus Studio, Mega, Fantastic, Marvelous, Wow and Extreme Wow suites).
HIGHLIGHTS Trendy design, funky lobby bar, amazing buffets and luxurious spa facilities.
PRICE Internet rates for a flexible midweek stay in June started from 320,650 won (£187) for a Wonderful room.
CONTACT W Seoul Walkerhill, 177 Walkerhill-ro, Gwangjin-Gu; tel +82 2465 2222; starwoodhotels.com/whotels
Jenny Southan
