Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences

While the room was clean, nice, and spacious, and the breakfast was decent, the hotel’s policies, poor service, and unexpected extra charges significantly detracted from our stay. The swimming pool facilities were especially frustrating: Rooftop Pool: Children are strictly not allowed. Hoping to at least catch the sunset view, I went up alone at 6:40 PM, only to be turned away by staff who said the pool was already closed. What?? Closing during peak sunset hours makes very little sense. After spending the entire day walking around the city, all we wanted was to relax by the pool, only to find it shut down. Indoor Pool: When we tried to use the indoor pool with our children, we were told swimming caps are mandatory. We travel frequently and have never encountered this requirement. If they have so strict rules, at least they could provide caps to guests. Instead, having staff try to sell caps on the spot felt tacky and cheap, far below what anyone expects from a 5-star property. In the end, we couldn't use either pool. Overall, we simply did not feel welcome, and the property certainly did not feel friendly toward families with children. We will not be staying here again.

The Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences was our second stop on our honeymoon, and while Seoul itself wasn't our favorite destination, this hotel absolutely was! It was easily one of the highlights of our stay. First, do **not** skip the breakfast—it was one of the best hotel breakfasts we've ever had, with an incredible selection and everything was delicious. The rooftop bar was a fantastic place to unwind in the evening with beautiful city views, and we also enjoyed the indoor bar and indoor pool. They were perfect amenities after long days of exploring. The location was convenient, with plenty of places within walking distance, and it was always easy to grab a taxi whenever we didn't feel like walking farther. Honestly, we spent more time than expected relaxing in our room because it was just that nice. The bathroom was stunning, featuring a beautiful standalone soaking tub that was deep enough to truly relax after a full day of sightseeing. The room itself was spotless, modern, and incredibly comfortable. We stayed on the 14th floor, and the blackout curtains were a lifesaver while adjusting to the time difference, allowing us to get some much-needed rest. If you're visiting Seoul and want a hotel with exceptional amenities, beautiful rooms, and one of the best breakfasts around, I highly recommend the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun. We would definitely stay here again!

Our family stayed here twice during our 12 day trip. At first I booked with another hotel for our final 3 days, so we could explore a different part of Seoul. However, we loved it so much here that I changed our reservations. The staff are friendly and welcoming, which made a lasting impression on us. The breakfast buffet had a mix of western and Korean cuisine. It was delicious and the chef at the egg station was amazing! It was nice to swim in the indoor pool to escape the heat. The beds were so comfortable and the room was very spacious. We loved our stay here and can’t wait to return!

It's a nice, clean hotel, but certainly not what I'd expect for a supposed 5 star. Rooms were nice but no real air conditioning, constantly warm no matter how low the system was turned down. Facilities in room okay, shower was dated with rainfall shower clogged with sediment build up rendering it unusable as limited downward flow and jets spray every direction. The ceiling around this was very poor. Bed was comfortable but too few pillows for size, ratio felt off. Service was okay, but no flexibility when looking to order from room service menu - would not accomodate in bar area. Drinks served in a can, not a glass over ice as I'd have expected. The entrance was always busy and looked unkempt with suitcases stacked in each corner. Facilities like elevators felt old. Swimming pool was very small, with strange choice to limit families to this space yet close off a significant portion to lane swimming, shrinking the usable space. Also, interesting enforcement of swimming caps - understand this might be a cultural aspect but would expect these to be provided on request given rating and not additional charge if local users aware if policy as standard. Strange anti-slip matting around every pool surface incredibly uncomfortable under foot and felt like walking on glass. Overall the hotel was okay, it wasn't exceptional, it didn't feel like we received value for money and whilst the location was also fairly good for subways and airport bus, I don't think I would stay again in a hurry sadly as think similar offerings elsewhere at a lower price point are available.