Ryse Seoul

Seoul, South Korea

This 274-room hotel is located in Hongdae district, the home of Hongik University and the centre of Seoul’s buzzing indie music scene. Ryse’s lobby is done up with a mix of raw concrete surfaces and luxurious finishes, from the funky pink resin floor to the velvet curtains and the retro-chic orb pendant lights hanging from the cathedral-height ceiling. Communal worktables and stadium-inspired wooden seats entice hotel guests and local creatives alike, as does the extensive vinyl record collection at the rooftop Side Note Club. Foodies will want to head to the Seoul outpost of David Thompson’s acclaimed Thai restaurant chain Long Chim. Guests will also be encouraged to get out and about into the surrounding area, filled with cutting-edge art galleries and boutiques thoughtfully curated with Korean-designed wares.