I had seen this hotel on Instagram, and was looking forward to staying there. It looked very stylish and modern, and the food looked amazing.
We had just moved to our Seoul apartment, but I was waiting for my mattress to be delivered, so it was great excuse to try The Mondrian for a couple of nights.
The nearest subway stop is Itaewon, but as we soon found out, it's about a 15 minute walk down a hill from there to the hotel (some sites say 9 minutes but I'm not an athlete). And of course, up the hill on the way back.
We hadn't started using the buses at this point, but now I know there are multiple bus routes that can take you up that hill!
If you have a lot of luggage, a taxi may be the best option. Being located slightly away from the busy, tourist heavy Itaewon may be seen as a bonus to some!
Firstly, this is a BEAUTIFUL hotel. Its internal design is stunning, with art pieces, murals, a forest garden in the lobby, and a lot of other modern aesthetic touches. It feels like a 5 star hotel the minute you walk in.
On the entrance floor there is a chain coffee shop and a stylish bar area. We sampled the standard coffee shop fare, but didn't try the bar (having a 12 year old with me cramps my drinking style).
There is also a basement floor with small shops and restaurants, including a lobster roll cafe and a traditional Korean restaurant.
From our room we could also see the outdoor pool, which was dry at the time, but is filled in summer and has a bar area around it, which would be lovely after a hard day exploring Seoul (I wish we could have tried it!).
We had a Standard double room. Having stayed at other Seoul hotels, it was smaller than I had expected to be honest, although perfectly clean and comfortable. The sink and mirror is separate from the shower cubicle and toilet cubicle, which is a feature I didn't like personally.
The shower was amazing- really good pressure, and the toiletries were excellent quality, as you would expect from a luxury hotel. The bed was comfortable, and there was of course a mini-bar.
To be honest I found the room a little disappointing given the wow factor of the public areas, but I'm a fussy bitch.
I would thoroughly recommend the Korean restaurant in the basement area. We had a gorgeous and very reasonable meal. The ground loach soup (don't let the name put you off) was creamy and flavourful, and my son's beef soup was also tasty. If you order the set it comes with some banchan (side dishes), of which the salad with lotus root was ridiculously delicious. We were one of only 2 tables there.
There are also a couple of restaurants and a Starbucks opposite the hotel. Breakfast was not included in our room so I can't comment on that, but it looks awesome on social media!
I would stay here again if only to use the outdoor pool, but I think I would book a larger room if cost allowed. A stunning hotel if you appreciate the finer things.
Address: Mondrian Seoul Itaewon, 23 Jangmun-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Subway: Itaewon or Noksapyeong
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