Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas

This was our 2nd time staying at this hotel. Rooms are nice, decent size, nice amenities and shower, comfortable bed, an quiet room. Service is lackluster and not what I would consider 5 star service. A lot of the staff are very tentative to help, almost as if they didn't want to help you. I am Diamond Elite and received free breakfast and room was upgradded to a higher floor. I booked with points and there was no option to book with lounge access, when inquiring about the option to purchase lounge access similar to what you can do in the US, that option is not available here. Overall the stay was average, but I would not consider the service here 5 star. We also stayed at the JW Marriott in Seoul and the level of attentiveness of the staff was night and day. If you want true 5 star service, I'd recommend elsewhere. However, this is a good location, comfortable room, but I'd catogorize it as 4 star service.

Overall a fascinating hotel. I stayed in one of the junior suites for eight nights and had a very pleasant time with its renovated hardware and wonderful service. Food was also great at the grand kitchen as well as the club lounge. The only con is elevators can take time and get quite crowded. Would totally come back here for my next stay in Seoul.

This is, by far, the best hotel I have ever booked. Everything is perfect here: the staff, the food, and the room. Its location in Gangnam is ideal—close to the COEX Center, the subway, and many great restaurants (the same ones that will probably leave you with a few extra pounds by the end of your trip). Highly recommended.

Best hospitality experience I’ve ever had—my family and I enjoyed every second here (and honestly didn’t want to leave lol).

The rooms were spacious, clean, and luxurious. Every night, they provided a facial mask, eye mask, and a tea bag—I’ve never slept better. Housekeeping really went above and beyond. The rooms were so comfortable that I even chose to sleep in instead of going out to explore more of Seoul.

Every staff member in the 34F lounge was kind, friendly, and professional. The food and the view were both top-notch.

Special thanks to the concierge staff—we were able to visit great restaurants late at night and got all the help we needed. The service truly exceeded our expectations.

Lastly, thank you to Seo Seung Hwan for such a great check-in experience. Everything was smooth and professional, and all the hotel information was explained clearly. He was incredibly welcoming, warm, and always smiling. Also, thank you to Judy Kim and Angela Cha for the check-out—I felt reassured that my stay had been excellent, and it was the perfect, warm ending to my trip in Seoul.

Updated 6/13

We recently stayed at InterContinental Seoul Parnas and came away with mixed feelings. There were some excellent aspects of the stay, but also several disappointments that prevented it from meeting the standards we expect from the InterContinental brand.

On the positive side, the hotel is beautifully presented and located next to the COEX Mall area, with plenty of restaurants within walking distance. The housekeeping staff, breakfast manager, and concierge team were outstanding throughout our stay. They were professional, attentive, and genuinely helpful in arranging transportation, restaurant reservations, and local tours. Their service was a highlight of our visit.

One thing worth noting is that Platinum Elite status appears to receive little to no recognition unless the reservation is booked directly through IHG. Travelers expecting meaningful elite benefits may be disappointed.

Our biggest issue was with the room itself. Every morning between approximately 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., a recurring noise would wake us up. We recorded the sound and shared a video with hotel staff, but they were unable to identify the source. The proposed solution was for us to change rooms. While that may sound reasonable, we had a fully booked sightseeing schedule and simply did not have the time to spend hours packing, moving, and unpacking again.

What was most frustrating was the lack of follow-up. After reporting the issue, nobody contacted us to provide updates or check whether the problem had improved. The matter was only discussed again when I raised it during checkout. Staff apologized, but no effort was made to acknowledge the inconvenience. Even a small gesture of goodwill would have demonstrated that the hotel valued guest satisfaction.

Another consideration for travelers is location. While the hotel is excellent for those visiting Gangnam for medical treatments, plastic surgery, or dermatology appointments, it is far from many of Seoul’s major sightseeing attractions. Due to traffic, most destinations required 30–45 minutes of travel each way.

We are longtime fans of the InterContinental brand, which makes this experience especially disappointing. Compared with recent stays at JW Marriott and Regent properties, InterContinental Seoul Parnas fell noticeably short in both service recovery and guest care. The staff were friendly, but friendliness alone is not the same as being truly helpful when problems arise.

Overall, a beautiful hotel with some exceptional team members, but one that did not deliver the level of service and accountability we expected from a luxury property.

Not what you'd expect from a 5-star hotel at this price. My room had a clogged shower drain, so I spent my entire shower standing in a puddle of water. A basic maintenance check before handing over the room should have caught this.

Furthermore, the staff don’t seem to be knowledgeable about or aligned on their own policies. A member at the gym desk told me sauna was included with my room. I used it, and then two days later I came back and was turned away and told I had to pay. When I tried to get answers, the staff member just walked off to help other guests. So confusing and dismissive.

I've stayed at Josun Palace and Park Hyatt nearby and the difference in customer experience is night and day. Won't be returning.

One word: Fantastic.

The spatial element in the rooms were so thoughtfully designed. If you notice the tiniest of details like how the shower area has a curb (to prevent water from flowing out and making a tsunami), or the placement of the full length mirror just behind the main door.... I must applaud the design team.

Service wise, it has been impeccable. I cannot find a single fault with anyone - the entire team starting from the front desk, concierge, restaurant, bell boy, and housekeeping, were ALL very polite & friendly! English speaking too and helpful! As an EP mom, they handled the logistics of freezing my expressed breastmilk wonderfully and efficiently.

The only downside is that Intercontinental Seoul Grand Parnas does not provide toothbrush and/or toothpaste, and no razors too!! So travellers beware~ (you can easily get this from the convenience stores across the street though).