Stayed here for 3 nights on business. It was my first time in Seoul, and the hotel was conveniently located near Myeongdong, which was great for some after-work touristy stuff. The hotel was established in 1910 and was the first Western-style hotel on the Korean Peninsula, which was super interesting for history nerds like me. Historical buildings were dotted all around the hotel, including the Hwangudan Altar, located right by the hotel entrance.
The room was a bit dated, but nevertheless spacious and well-equipped. The front desk and concierge team were also really polite and professional.
I did have some issues during my stay, unfortunately. Due to the election day public holiday, our Korea office was closed, and I had to work from the hotel on that day. The wifi was really spotty and would randomly disconnect every hour or so, which kicked me out of an important meeting. Housekeeping was also very perplexing: they entered my room, refilled the bottled water, and left without doing anything else. The bed was not made, and the towels were unchanged. Didn’t even take the trash out. But they did remember to write me a bill for the toothbrush and toothpaste, which I found out that, due to a government policy, were not provided for free.
This review was originally posted on Google, and I posted it the night before I checked out. The review was read in a couple of hours, and the duty manager, Hazel, personally came when I was checking out and offered to arrange a one-way airport transfer on the house for me. I had a wonderful time with Peter on my way to the airport, who was kind enough to share all the places of interest along the way.
I typically do not accept comps from hotels, and I certainly do not change my review as I want to share my honest experience. I made an exception this time as the staff handled the service recovery with grace and sincerity, and I believe all hotels should take note on how to turn a not so positive experience into something a guest would appreciate and remember. I would recommend future guests to consider The Westin Josun when you visit Seoul because I know that you'll be well taken care of, and even if you catch them on a bad day, as I did, they will more than make sure to make it right for you.
