Stay here: Hotel Luxury Hanok Daam

What’s the deal

Slip through the side streets of Jongno-gu and through a bamboo garden, and you’ll find yourself in this beautiful little hotel on the edge of the grandiose Changdeokgung Palace and old-world Bukchon Village. Drawing inspiration from the nearby traditional hanok houses, an intricate gong-po Korean roof presides over the airy entrance, giving way to a manicured garden and its walls of bamboo. It’s easy to miss this spot, which is hidden amid a network of tightly wound alleys with a discreet entrance marked out by carved stone walls.

Private rooms on the upper floors have beds, making it the ideal launchpad for families on a Seoul adventure, while those travelling solo can also choose from cosy spaces on single sex floors.

If you’re looking to go beyond the shops and beauty clinics of Myeongdong and Gangnam, Daam is a gateway into old Seoul with nearby streets filled with old-school handicrafts, beautiful architecture and – naturally – hipster cafés and trendy boutiques (it’s still Seoul, after all).

Why stay?

Lower floors cater to big groups and have more of a hostel atmosphere with shared bathrooms, but head skywards for a more privacy and luxury in rooms that blend minimalism with traditional Korean design. Queen-sized beds and teeny-tiny bath tubs combine with characterful details, such as paper screen windows, elegantly carved wooden dividers and a raised platform with underlighting to separate the sleeping area from a seating nook. It’s all presented in muted colour palette, creating a tranquil escape from Seoul’s hustle and bustle. 

A simple breakfast is served downstairs in a light-filled lobby under exposed seokkare wooden rafters. If you’ve had enough of Seoul’s endless energy, the intricately carved Flower Wall inspired by Gyeongbokgung Palace surrounding the property is a landmark to guide you home: transforming the space into a fortress of solitude amid the metropolis.

Cathay editors say...

"Don't miss a visit to the rooftop, which offers views of Jongno-gu’s tightly packed streets, Changdeokgung palace and even Namsan Tower on a clear day. Grab your friends, a bottle of craft makgeolli and watch the sun set over the capital in style."