The Plaza Seoul

The Plaza Seoul is a luxury hotel in central Seoul, South Korea, situated on the southern side of Seoul Plaza in the Jung-gu district. The property occupies a strategically central location near Seoul's civic, commercial, cultural, and historic districts, with Deoksugung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun, Myeongdong, Seoul Station, and Insadong within the wider surrounding area. Its address also places it close to domestic and international financial institutions, government-related offices, and major corporations, giving the hotel a strong business-travel orientation alongside its leisure and cultural appeal. The property opened in October 1976 under the name Seoul Plaza Hotel. Its name reflected its position beside Seoul Plaza, the large public square in front of Seoul City Hall. Over time, it developed into one of Seoul's established downtown hotels, serving business travelers, diplomatic and corporate guests, tourists, wedding parties, conference attendees, and visitors seeking convenient access to the city's major attractions. The hotel's most significant physical transformation took place in 2010. It closed for a six-month, comprehensive renovation beginning in May of that year and reopened in November as a luxury boutique hotel. The project covered the exterior, lobby, guest rooms, food-and-beverage areas, and other customer-facing spaces. Italian designer Guido Ciompi was responsible for the design of the hotel's interior elements, including the rooms and lobby, as well as the exterior treatment. The refurbishment was described as one of the largest full-scale renovation projects undertaken in South Korea's hotel industry at the time, with reported construction costs of approximately KRW 80 billion. The present property has 319 rooms, four restaurants serving international cuisines, nine banquet halls, a fitness center, and a spa. Its offering combines full-service accommodation with dining, meetings, events, wellness, and ceremonial functions. Rather than operating as a large resort, it is positioned as an urban luxury boutique hotel whose principal advantages are central location, personalized service, distinctive design, and proximity to Seoul's business and cultural landmarks. Since January 2018, the hotel has operated in partnership with Marriott International's Autograph Collection, a luxury lifestyle collection whose hotels retain individual identities while participating in Marriott's international distribution and loyalty ecosystem. The affiliation broadened the property's international reach without replacing its Seoul-specific name and character. The hotel continues to trade as THE PLAZA Seoul, Autograph Collection, while remaining associated with Hanwha's hospitality business. The Plaza Seoul has received recognition from travel and hospitality publications and organizations. Reported accolades include a 2011 Expedia Japan ranking as Korea's best hotel, inclusion in CNNGo's selection of leading hotels in Asia, recognition by Smart Travel Asia as one of Asia's leading business hotels in 2013, repeated inclusion in TripAdvisor traveler rankings, and annual placement in Global Traveler's luxury-hotel selections from 2016. The hotel also gained wider popular-culture visibility through an appearance in the 2024 South Korean film Exhuma.

The Plaza Seoul opened in October 1976 as Seoul Plaza Hotel. Its name was derived from its position on the southern side of Seoul Plaza, the public square in front of Seoul City Hall. The location placed the hotel at the intersection of several important aspects of Seoul life: government and civic institutions, historic palaces and cultural sites, financial companies, corporate offices, retail districts, and transport connections. This made the property suitable for both corporate and official visitors as well as tourists. The hotel became part of South Korea's established downtown hospitality landscape. Its role was not limited to overnight accommodation. Like other major city hotels, it provided restaurants, meeting and banquet facilities, event spaces, and services for business functions, celebrations, and international visitors. Its central location gave it particular relevance to business travel, with financial institutions and large corporations concentrated in the surrounding area. A major turning point came in 2010, when the property underwent a complete renovation. The work began in May and lasted six months, after which the hotel reopened in November under the shortened and more contemporary identity The Plaza. The project addressed the building exterior, lobby, all guest rooms, food-and-beverage facilities, and other visible elements of the guest experience. Italian designer Guido Ciompi created the design across the interior elements, rooms, lobby, and exterior. The reported investment was approximately KRW 80 billion, making the project one of the most extensive full-scale hotel renovation operations in South Korea at that time. The refurbishment repositioned the property as a luxury boutique hotel rather than simply an older downtown business hotel. Its design-led identity was combined with practical full-service facilities. The resulting hotel has 319 rooms, four restaurants, nine banquet halls, a fitness center, and a spa. The combination of accommodation, dining, meetings, events, and wellness allows the property to serve several customer groups while retaining a compact urban footprint. In January 2018, The Plaza Seoul began a partnership with Marriott International's Autograph Collection. Autograph Collection is designed for individually distinctive luxury and upper-upscale hotels, allowing participating properties to preserve their own names and local character while gaining access to Marriott's global commercial and loyalty infrastructure. For The Plaza Seoul, the affiliation strengthened its international visibility and distribution while maintaining its association with Seoul's civic center and its Hanwha hospitality ownership. The hotel has been recognized by travel publications, booking platforms, and hospitality awards. Reported distinctions include a 2011 Expedia Japan ranking as Korea's best hotel, inclusion among leading Asian hotels by CNNGo, a 2013 Smart Travel Asia business-hotel recognition, repeated TripAdvisor traveler rankings, and Global Traveler luxury-hotel selections from 2016 onward. It was also reported as a recipient of International Hotel Awards recognition in the city-hotel and large-hotel categories in 2017. Beyond the travel sector, the property appeared in the 2024 South Korean film Exhuma, extending its public visibility through cinema. Today, The Plaza Seoul remains an active central Seoul hotel operated by Hanwha Hotel & Resort and affiliated with Marriott's Autograph Collection.

• 2024

  Featured in Exhuma

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel appeared as a location in the South Korean film Exhuma.

• 2018

  Joined Marriott's Autograph Collection

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The Plaza Seoul entered a partnership with Marriott International's Autograph Collection in January.

• 2017

  Received International Hotel Awards recognition

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel was reported to have received City Hotel and Large Hotel recognition at the International Hotel Awards.

• 2013

  Recognized as an Asian business hotel

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  Smart Travel Asia selected The Plaza among its leading business hotels in Asia.

• 2011

  Received travel-industry recognition

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The property was reported as Expedia Japan's top hotel in Korea and was included in a CNNGo selection of leading hotels in Asia.

• 2010

  Comprehensive renovation began

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  A six-month, full-scale renovation started in May, covering the exterior, lobby, guest rooms, restaurants, and other customer-facing areas.

• 2010

  Hotel reopened as a luxury boutique property

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The hotel reopened in November following its major renovation and adopted The Plaza identity as a luxury boutique hotel.

• 1976

  Seoul Plaza Hotel opened

  [1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  The property opened in October as Seoul Plaza Hotel on the southern side of Seoul Plaza in central Seoul.

A centrally located luxury boutique and business hotel combining Seoul-specific identity, design-led interiors, full-service dining and events, and international distribution through Marriott International's Autograph Collection.

• Accommodation · 1976

  Guest rooms and suites

  The Plaza Seoul provides 319 rooms in a central Seoul luxury-hotel setting. The accommodation offer is designed for business and leisure travelers, with the hotel's downtown location providing access to Seoul Plaza, historic sites, commercial districts, financial institutions, and major corporate areas.

• Food and beverage · 1976

  Restaurants

  The property operates four restaurants offering international cuisines. Dining is part of the hotel's full-service proposition and supports resident guests, business meetings, social occasions, and destination dining in central Seoul.

• Meetings and events · 1976

  Banquet and event facilities

  Nine banquet halls support conferences, corporate functions, receptions, weddings, and other private or institutional events. These facilities reinforce the hotel's role as a business and social-events venue in Seoul's civic and commercial center.

• Wellness · 1976

  Fitness center and spa

  The hotel includes fitness and spa facilities for guests seeking exercise, relaxation, and wellness services during business or leisure stays.

• Hotel distribution and brand partnership · 2018

  Autograph Collection affiliation

  Since 2018, The Plaza Seoul has participated in Marriott International's Autograph Collection. The affiliation connects the independently distinctive property to Marriott's international distribution and loyalty ecosystem while preserving the hotel's own name and local identity.

• 2018

  Partnered with Marriott's Autograph CollectionStrategy

  Background

  The Plaza Seoul sought broader international reach while maintaining its individual identity as a distinctive Seoul hotel.

  Action taken

  The hotel entered a partnership with Marriott International's Autograph Collection in January 2018.

  Aftermath

  The property continued to trade as The Plaza Seoul while gaining an international luxury-lifestyle affiliation and access to Marriott's wider commercial ecosystem.

  Source

• 2010

  Undertook a full-scale luxury repositioningStrategy

  Background

  The long-established downtown hotel pursued a comprehensive renovation intended to modernize its physical environment and strengthen its positioning as a luxury boutique property.

  Action taken

  The operator renovated the exterior, lobby, guest rooms, food-and-beverage areas, and other guest-facing elements over six months. Guido Ciompi designed the hotel's exterior and interior elements.

  Aftermath

  The property reopened in November 2010 with a redesigned identity and continued to operate as a central Seoul luxury hotel.

  Reported renovation construction cost. Approximately KRW 80 billion (2010 renovation)

  Source

• 2024

  The Plaza Seoul appeared in the South Korean film Exhuma[1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The hotel was featured as a location in the South Korean film Exhuma, giving the property a contemporary popular-culture association.

• 2018

  The Plaza Seoul joined Marriott International's Autograph Collection[1]The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  The hotel entered a partnership with Marriott International's luxury lifestyle Autograph Collection, expanding its international marketing, reservations, and loyalty-program connectivity while retaining its individual Seoul identity.

1. 1The Plaza Seoulen.wikipedia.org