Hotel: Shilla Hotel, Seoul

Address: 202, 2-Ga, Jangchung-Dong Chung Ku

Website: www.shilla.net/seoul/en

TraveLife Ranking: 5 Stars

Rooms: 511

Room Rates: $390+

Awards: A leading hotel of the world that was named Korea’s best hotel by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Highlights: The gardens at the back of the hotel are a delight to walk. They offer wonderful views of the city skyline, Namsan Mountain, the handsome national theatre and the Namsan communications tower. The gardens also feature some amazing sculptures designed by the city’s emerging artists. The trademark of this hotel, like most Asian properties, is it service. You want for nothing and if you do, you get it quickly. There’s a large duty free shop on site, featuring the latest designer goods that you buy and then pick up at the airport when leaving. One of the unique things this hotel offers is an indoor driving range – not surprising when you consider the golf-mad Koreans love to practice their drives whenever possible. The hotel will also arrange a game at a local course, a service that is popular with its business clientele.

History: Hotel’s name comes from the last Koran Dynasty, which ruled this country with the 5,000-year history. The hotel opened in 1979 on 23 pristine acres of land in the city’s university district but it looks brand new thanks to impeccable upkeep. There’s an Imperial-style guesthouse beside the hotel that was once used for visiting dignitaries. It’s now used as a meeting and wedding hall.

Interior Highlights: Rich woods, marble and granite are used throughout but Korean traditions and styles are highlighted here. The hotel’s large lobby and slanted ceiling are perfect for business meetings.

In the Next Room: The hotel is used for many state functions so don’t be surprised to bump into a visiting head of state or member of Britain’s royal family – Princess Anne stays at the Shilla when visiting Seoul. This is the hotel where the late Richard Nixon stayed when he was president.

The Rooms: The rooms are comfortable and quite large. They come with all the 5-star luxury Asian properties have become so famous – especially in the marble bathrooms. Being Korea, this hotel’s rooms feature all the electronic toys this country makes, including wireless internet that extends to garden, cell phones supplied in each room that guests can take out and TV volume that automatically goes down when phone is engaged. The hotel also offers two traditional Korean rooms that are favored by European and Japanese guests. They are so popular that reservations a year in advance are common.

Amenities: The piece de resistance is the hotel’s one year old spa featuring 10 treatment rooms - some bathed in natural light that streams through garden windows. The spa also features a makeup room so business people can leave from the facility to meetings without having to return to their rooms. The spa’s anti-aging clinic is very popular, mostly with men. The spa’s customers are made up of 60 per cent women but men are closing the gap quickly.

Restaurants: There are four major restaurants on site featuring Japanese, Korean, Chinese and European cuisine. There’s also a breakfast room, wine bar and lobby lounge.

Shopping: The duty free shop on site is all you’ll need – be prepared to jostle with the bus loads of tourists that arrive at the hotel to take advantage of the tax-free items. The bustling shopping areas of Seoul are just a short cab ride away. The shopping area for traditional goods is Insadong St. but for those designer knockoffs, the place to be is Apgujeong.

Close By: Namsan Mountain, the National Theatre, Namsan communications tower and the hotel’s enchanting gardens.

Tips: Seoul’s Shilla – there’s also one on Jeju Island that is every bit as nice – caters mainly to business traffic but leisure travelers are also made to feel welcome. The duty free shop and golf range are just two of the features that make this hotel unique. There are cheaper hotels in the city – most offer good value for money – but TraveLife suggests you treat yourself to a stay here, if for no other reason than the rooms are far more suited to North American tastes.