Best Luxury Rooftop Hotels in Seoul

On a short Gangnam stay, a couple at Josun Palace found that the swimming pool with its city view set the tone for each day. They swam in the morning with Seoul laid out beyond the glass, spent afternoons around Gangnam and returned to the bar for a nightcap after dinner. The city-view room kept the skyline in sight even from bed. The pool is indoors, so guests set on an open-air rooftop should know that.

Early swims set the rhythm for a couple spending a long weekend at the Pullman Ambassador Seoul Eastpole. They reached the rooftop pool soon after breakfast, when the water was calm and the city spread out on every side, then returned at dusk for a soak in the hot tub before dinner in the restaurant. The mood up top stayed relaxed rather than social, so guests wanting a party scene would find it quiet.

Waking high in Lotte World Tower was the whole point for a couple who booked Signiel Seoul for a special occasion. They kept the curtains open from the first morning, watched the city come into focus over breakfast and swam in the indoor pool before heading down by the direct subway link. Evenings ended at the champagne bar as the lights spread to the horizon. Some guests may feel a little removed from street-level Seoul up there.

A business traveler with meetings near City Hall chose the Westin Josun Seoul for its central address, with the subway station close by and Myeongdong a short walk away. The routine was simple: laps in the indoor pool before breakfast, a session in the sauna after the last meeting, then dinner in Myeongdong. There is no rooftop terrace or outdoor pool here, so guests booking for a view from the roof should look elsewhere.

A film-loving solo traveler booked Hotel28 Myeongdong for its cinematic theme and ended up spending as much time in the library and art gallery as in the shops below. The rooftop garden became the evening refuge: a quiet bench above the Myeongdong shopping district while the neon came on and the crowds thinned. There is no pool or bar on the roof, which suited a guest who wanted calm, not a scene.

Floor-to-ceiling windows defined the stay for a couple at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, who booked a room overlooking the historical city centre and rarely closed the curtains. They began mornings in the fitness centre, spent days on foot around the old palaces and ended evenings at one of the hotel's restaurants as the city lit up. The atmosphere is polished and calm, so anyone hoping for a buzzing rooftop bar will find it restrained.

Celebrating an anniversary, a couple chose the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul and split their time between the spa and the rooftop swimming pool. Late afternoon became their favourite hour in the water, the city spread out around the edge as the light softened, before a French or Japanese dinner downstairs. Private check-in made arrival smooth. The atmosphere stays subdued throughout, so guests hoping for a lively rooftop bar should look elsewhere.

A weekend of Parisian-styled comfort in Myeongdong was what a couple had in mind when they booked L'Escape, and the hotel's design delivered from the moment they arrived. Afternoons were for shopping nearby, evenings for the bar, where the skyline view from the upper floors framed their first drink as the city lights came on. The boutique scale keeps things intimate, which they liked, though guests wanting extensive rooftop facilities may find it compact.

A business traveler in Seoul for a conference found the Conrad's outdoor rooftop garden set up for a private reception one evening, the Han River spreading out below as the light dropped. On free evenings the indoor pool and spa took over, followed by an espresso from the in-room Nespresso and a long soak in the free-standing tub. The garden is mainly for events, so guests wanting an open rooftop bar at sunset will be disappointed.