Le Méridien Seoul, Myeongdong

The hotel's location is incredibly convenient, with a convenience store right downstairs. Shopping and exploring are a breeze. Several popular restaurants are within a 5-minute walk. Our room faced the Chinese Embassy, which gave us a great sense of security.

The room was very comfortable, and the location was excellent – right outside the Chinese Embassy. Plus, there were free snacks during check-in! The staff were really helpful with luggage and arranging taxis. Just a heads-up: avoid the convenience store downstairs; the staff there are incredibly rude and you can't eat inside. There are plenty of other options all over the street anyway!

The room was tidied and cleaned daily, and we even received complimentary chocolates. The hygiene was excellent; everything was spotless and organized. The room itself was spacious, and the 24-hour gym was very convenient. The service attitude was also great.

The room completely fails to meet the standards of a typical five-star hotel, let alone what I'd expect from a Le Méridien. Paying 2500 a night truly felt like a rip-off. Pictures 1-4 show the room we were initially given. As you can see, the space between the foot of the bed and the wall was so tight it was hard to even turn around, let alone open a suitcase. When we complained to the front desk, they insisted all Deluxe Rooms were the same size, with only minor variations in layout. It was only after we demanded someone come check the room and pointed out the discrepancy with the booking photos that they finally moved us to the room in pictures 5-6. Both of these Deluxe City View rooms had buildings right next to them, and the windows were less than 0.6 meters wide – absolutely speechless. The bathroom, as shown, was pretty much identical to what you'd find in a budget hotel in China. Not a single piece of marble to be found, which was incredibly disappointing. Furthermore, this hotel lacks a proper lobby; the check-in area felt cramped and unwelcoming. From start to finish, the entire setup felt like a budget hotel. How can this possibly be called a Le Méridien?

The hotel was very thoughtful, presenting a birthday gift and card to the child in our party. The bedding was very comfortable, and there were also pillows of different materials and heights to choose from! The hotel staff, from the porters to the front desk, were all very service-oriented and always smiling. The room was also spotlessly clean! The bread and cakes in the cafe were delicious, and getting around was very convenient! It's also very safe since it's right next to the Chinese Consulate. I'll definitely choose to stay here again next time!