Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul

I stayed at Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul. The location was generally good and the hotel design was very beautiful. The rooms were spacious, stylish and comfortable. However, despite the impressive appearance of the hotel, there were several issues that affected my overall experience.

We booked through Booking.com and paid in advance. We also paid extra for a better room view, but unfortunately one of our rooms was located directly above or near the air-conditioning units, so the view and location of the room were not as expected. It was also quite noisy, which was disappointing considering that we had paid extra for a better room.

Another disappointment was the deposit procedure. Even though the room had already been paid for in advance, the hotel still tried to take a deposit from my card at check-in. I understand that some hotels may have this policy, but for a hotel with the Imperial Palace name, this felt unwelcoming and not very guest-oriented. For me, trust is an important part of the hotel experience.

We booked two rooms. Unfortunately, the first room had a very bad smell, although the hotel changed it afterwards. Another issue was cleanliness in the common areas. Some guests left garbage near the elevator area, and it stayed there from night until morning, creating an unpleasant smell.

The rooms were large and nice, but the bathroom privacy design was confusing. In the twin-bed room, the bathroom door was transparent glass, while in the double-bed room, the bathroom glass was frosted. I do not understand why a room for two separate guests had less privacy than a room for a couple.

The hotel also had very limited waiting and lounge areas. There was not much space allocated for guests to sit and relax outside their rooms, and it often felt as though guests were being directed toward the café area if they wanted somewhere to sit. For a hotel of this category, I expected more comfortable and spacious common seating areas.

Housekeeping cleaned the rooms every day, and towels, water and coffee were generally provided regularly. However, there was inconsistency between the two rooms, as one room received more amenities while the other received fewer.

On the positive side, the bar area was very nice with a good variety of options. I also liked the sauna area very much; it was spacious and had several options. However, the pool area did not feel as hygienic as expected.

Overall, this is a beautiful hotel with a good location, spacious rooms and strong potential. However, the deposit procedure, noisy room despite paying extra for a better view, room odor, bathroom privacy issue, limited waiting areas, inconsistent amenities and lack of attention to cleanliness in common areas reduced the overall experience for me.

I was disappointed with my stay and do not feel this hotel meets the standards of a 5-star property.

The experience started poorly at check-in. The front desk staff member was unfriendly and did not provide basic information such as where the elevators were located or even which floor our room was on. We ended up relying on a staff member who was helping guests with their luggage to point us in the right direction, and he was extremely kind and professional.

When we arrived on the 10th floor, we were surprised by how outdated the hotel appeared. The room itself was very dated and had a noticeable cigarette odor. We brought our concerns to a staff member, but communication was difficult and our complaint was not addressed. Since we were staying for two nights, we ultimately decided to make the best of the situation.

Not everything was negative. The breakfast buffet was excellent, offering a large selection of food, and the staff working in the dining area were friendly and welcoming. The team assisting guests with their luggage were also exceptional and provided a level of service that was noticeably better than what we experienced at the front desk.

Overall, while there were some positive aspects to our stay, the condition of the room, the cigarette smell, and the lack of professional customer service fell far short of what I would expect from a hotel that advertises itself as a 5-star property.

I stayed at Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Seoul and unfortunately had a disappointing experience overall.

The hotel’s exterior and interior are undeniably beautiful and luxurious, but the soft service side did not match the impressive hardware. Check-in felt mechanical, and the bar lounge experience was underwhelming. Despite many empty seats, I was guided to a table right by the entrance, and when I tried to move to another seat, the staff seemed visibly annoyed.

The Executive Lounge was also disappointing, as despite the stated operating hours, it seemed to be effectively closed after cocktail time. And breakfast was not served there. The gym not being open 24 hours was another inconvenience.

To be fair, the air conditioning worked perfectly despite concerns mentioned in previous reviews. However, the bathtub drainage barely worked, hot water took a long time to arrive, there was a sewage smell from the toilet area, and even a small fly in the bathroom.

I was upgraded to an Executive Room, but even then the maintenance and overall service quality felt far below expectations for a hotel at this price point. At over KRW 350,000 per night, the experience simply did not justify the cost. Overall, while the hotel looks luxurious on the surface, I regret not choosing another Accor property in Gangnam instead.

This was my second time staying at this hotel, and once again I was extremely satisfied with everything. The hotel is beautiful, the rooms are very spacious and comfortable, and the staff is always professional, welcoming, and attentive. I truly enjoyed my stay and always recommend this hotel to my friends when they travel to Seoul. I will definitely stay here again the next time I visit Seoul!

This is my second time staying at the Grand Mercure Imperial Palace Hotel, and once again it was a great experience. The location is excellent, the room was very spacious, and having a kitchen was a big plus. Everything was very clean, and the hotel staff were super helpful and welcoming throughout my stay. Thank you for making my visit so comfortable — I will definitely be staying here again next time!

arrived in Seoul two nights ago for a three-night business trip, marking my first visit to South Korea. As a frequent traveler due to work, I rarely leave reviews; however, my experience here has been exceptional. The hotel's beauty, convenience, elegant rooms, and outstanding staff have exceeded my expectations. This hotel has been the highlight of my Asian trip this year. I'd also like to commend the concierge, Rose Lee, for her exceptional service - polite, courteous, and professional. Her kindness extended to sending a video to a colleague at the Don CeSar Resort St Pete Beach, Florida, my home city. This hotel's beauty and location make it one of the best I've ever had the pleasure of visiting

I was drawn to its royal, imperial-style décor, but I wasn’t sure if a Grand Mercure property could deliver the 5-star standard and refined service like their sister brands Sofitel.

To my surprise, this hotel truly exceeded my expectations.
The service felt polished, the room was beautifully designed, and the thoughtful touches — the complimentary mini-bar, Nespresso machine, and the kettle — made the experience feel much more premium than I expected.

Even at the bar, the details stood out: the nuts and water served alongside the red wine, the cosy ambience, and the music that brought out such a warm Christmas spirit.

Overall, Grand Mercure Imperial delivered a level of comfort and quality that felt close to the Sofitel family — elegant, warm, and delightfully surprising. ✨🏨🎄