Restaurant in Seoul, South Korea
Gwanghwamun Anchor Hotel
Four Seasons Seoul is a reliable luxury base in Jongno District, well-suited to business travellers, families, and guests who want consistent international service standards. Its scale and booking ease make it practical, but returning visitors who want Seoul's most pointed wine or dining experiences should supplement with reservations at the city's leading independent restaurants.
Four Seasons Seoul is the right choice if you want a luxury hotel base in central Seoul with strong dining infrastructure and the spatial confidence of a full-service international property. For travellers who have stayed once and are deciding whether to return or try something different, the answer depends largely on whether you want the reliable consistency of a Four Seasons or the more singular character of Seoul's independent luxury options. It books easily relative to the city's most sought-after independent hotels, and its Jongno District address keeps you close to Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Bukchon Hanok Village.
The Four Seasons Seoul occupies a tower at 97 Saemunan-ro in Jongno District, one of Seoul's historically significant corridors. The building is large-format luxury: grand lobby volumes, generous room footprints, and the kind of spatial scale that independent boutique properties in the city simply cannot match. If you stayed before and found the public spaces almost oversized for Seoul's usual density, that impression holds. The hotel's scale is a feature for some guests — particularly those travelling with families or in corporate groups — and a drawback for those who prefer a more contained, intimate atmosphere. For the latter, venues like the independent fine-dining room at Mingles or the more concentrated setting at Kwonsooksoo give a better sense of Seoul's tighter, more considered hospitality register.
For a returning guest, the wine program at a Four Seasons property is typically where the hotel earns or loses its premium. Seoul's dining scene has matured rapidly, and the city's leading independent restaurants , Jungsik, Soigné, and alla prima , have invested seriously in wine lists that engage with both European fine wine and Korean natural producers. A major international hotel wine list can match depth in Burgundy and Bordeaux, but independent Seoul restaurants are now competitive on European selections while adding local narrative that a Four Seasons property structurally cannot replicate. If wine pairing depth is central to your dining decision on a return visit, consider booking a dinner reservation at one of Seoul's dedicated fine-dining independents rather than defaulting to the hotel's in-house offering. The hotel's list will be competent and broad; it is unlikely to be the most pointed pairing experience available in the city at that price tier.
Four Seasons Seoul suits business travellers, guests who value consistent service standards across a long stay, and anyone arriving with a group that needs room variety and common spaces. For a second or third visit to Seoul, it also works well as a logistical base from which to explore the city's independent restaurant scene , use the address and the breakfast, then eat dinner at alla prima or explore further afield with trips to Mori in Busan or Double T Dining in Gangneung if your itinerary allows. Seoul's bar and experience scene is also worth building out: see our full Seoul bars guide and full Seoul experiences guide for what to pair with a hotel stay here.
Address: 97 Saemunan-ro, Dangju-dong, Jongno District, Seoul. Reservations: Easy , no advance booking difficulty typical of this property type; standard Four Seasons booking channels apply. District: Jongno, central Seoul, within walking distance of major historic sites. Leading for: Business stays, family travel, group bookings, and using as a base for independent restaurant exploration. Wine note: Expect a broad international list; for wine-pairing-focused dinners, supplement with reservations at independent fine-dining venues.
For the full picture on where to eat, drink, and stay in Seoul, see our full Seoul restaurants guide, full Seoul hotels guide, full Seoul bars guide, and full Seoul wineries guide. If you are travelling beyond the capital, Doosoogobang in Suwon and Injegol in Inje County are worth adding to a wider South Korea itinerary. For global comparison at a similar luxury tier, Le Bernardin in New York City and Lazy Bear in San Francisco show what the leading of the international dining market looks like for context on how Seoul's scene sits globally.
For independent luxury with more Korean character, Onjium (₩₩₩₩, Korean) offers a more singular experience. 7th Door (₩₩₩₩, Contemporary Korean) is worth considering if modern Korean cuisine is the priority. For French fine dining at a step below in price, L'Amitié (₩₩₩) is a practical alternative. As a hotel, check our full Seoul hotels guide for boutique options that trade the Four Seasons' scale for more intimate service.
Booking difficulty is low relative to Seoul's most competitive independent venues. Standard Four Seasons reservation channels mean you can typically secure rooms and restaurant tables with a few days' notice outside peak travel periods. During Korean public holidays and Cherry Blossom season (late March to mid-April), book two to three weeks ahead as a precaution. The hotel's dining reservations are considerably easier to obtain than tables at Seoul's leading independents like Mingles or Kwonsooksoo, which often require weeks of advance planning.
A full-service Four Seasons property will have kitchen infrastructure to handle most dietary requirements , gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and common allergens. Confirm specifics directly with the hotel at the time of booking, as menu compositions are not confirmed in the venue data. For a restaurant-first dining experience built around dietary flexibility in Seoul's independent scene, venues like alla prima and Soigné are worth a direct inquiry as well.
The Jongno District address is well-placed for sightseeing but sits slightly north of Gangnam's restaurant and bar concentration. If your itinerary is restaurant-heavy, factor in travel time to the south of the Han River. The hotel's public spaces run large, which is useful for meetings and group gatherings but gives the property a more corporate feel than some guests expect. For a first visit to Seoul's dining scene from this base, prioritise a dinner reservation at Jungsik or Mingles , both are among the city's most decorated restaurants and accessible enough to book within a reasonable lead time.
Yes, with caveats. The hotel's scale and service infrastructure make milestone celebrations logistically easy , private spaces, room amenities, and restaurant access are all manageable through the concierge. However, for a dinner that feels meaningfully tied to Seoul itself, you will get a more memorable meal at an independent venue. 7th Door or Zero Complex (Korean-French, ₩₩₩₩) offer more distinctively Korean occasion dining. Use the Four Seasons for the stay and the room experience; book the dinner elsewhere.
Large Four Seasons properties typically operate a bar and lounge with food service, and this format usually allows walk-in access for drinks and lighter dining without a formal restaurant reservation. Specific bar seating and food availability at Four Seasons Seoul is not confirmed in the venue data , confirm directly with the hotel. For Seoul's independent bar scene, our full Seoul bars guide covers the city's strongest options beyond hotel venues.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four Seasons Seoul | Easy | — | |||
| 7th Door | Korean, Contemporary | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Eatanic Garden | Contemporary | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Onjium | Korean | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| L'Amitié | French | ₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Zero Complex | Korean-French, Innovative | ₩₩₩₩ | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
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