I had covered the hotel’s service and facilities in my previous post (read about them here), this post will cover my review of the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite.

The Suite

The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite is the biggest suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences, with a massive 81㎡ of space in the hotel’s residence wing. While the Premier Suite in the hotel wing adopts a wooden decor, this Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite uses a contemporary granite decor. The suite is very well-designed in terms of space allocation and facility fitting.

Entryway

The entryway to the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences was furnished with an enclosed shoe cabinet. The entryway is also home to the entrance to the powder room. At the end of the entryway, the hotel furnished two large cabinets, perfect for us to stow away our shopping.

Powder Room

The granite decor in the living room flows into the powder room, showing the consistency in design that the hotel employed when designing this suite. The powder room has fairly simple furnishings, fitted with a Japanese-style toilet and a fairly large sink. This powder room provided us with an alternate place to use the toilet and allowed our friends to use the toilet without barging into our bedroom.

Living Room

The end of the entryway leads into the living room, which takes up about half of the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite space. The living room comprises the kitchenette and the lounging area.

Kitchenette

The kitchenette is nestled by the wall that separates the powder room from the living room. With two induction cookers next to the kitchen sink and pots and pans, the full kitchenette is very well equipped with facilities that enable one to whip up a meal. The kitchenette is also equipped with a microwave oven, and we even found a rice cooker in the drawer beneath the microwave. The hotel also stocked the kitchenette with china and cutlery for four guests to enjoy a home-cooked meal. Instead of providing bottled water, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences fitted a filtered water machine capable of dispensing hot and cold water with the press of a button by the sink. We also found a washing machine cum dryer in the cabinets beneath the sink, the hotel also thoughtfully provides laundry detergent for its guests to do their laundry.

The kitchenette has a full-sized fridge designed to blend into the room’s decor. The full-sized fridge with a freezer at the bottom allows guests to do grocery shopping and cook their meals in the suite. I like the island table design in the kitchenette area, where the hotel maximises space by installing drawers to stow kitchen equipment. The hotel installed a Nespresso machine on this table island. Despite supplying two Nespresso capsules, I find it weird that the hotel does not provide sugar. As we did not see any work desk in the suite, I would have assumed that this island table was meant to double up as a work desk, as there is a power outlet fitted at the table.

Lounging Area

Past the island table in the kitchenette area and demarcated with a large grey carpet is the space the hotel created as the lounging area. The lounging area is furnished with a large grey fabric couch, and an elongated section at the end of the couch allows us to rest with our feet up. The couch can accommodate four adults comfortably; with the inclusion of the elongated section, the couch can comfortably seat up to six adults. I like how the hotel chose the colour of the carpet and couch to emphasise the granite theme in the suite. A large white coffee table sits in the centre of the couch, allowing us to place our snacks and drinks on while being entertained by the channels on the TV. The 55″ LED TV in the lounging area is mounted onto a granite-looking wall facing the couch. We mainly found Korean channels on the TV, with a handful of English and a few Chinese channels.

Bedroom

The bedroom entrance is next to the full fridge in the kitchenette area. The bedroom takes up about  ⅔ of the space beyond the wall that separates the living room from the bedroom (the remaining ⅓ is allocated to the bathroom). Our attention was directed to the large king bed, sitting on a grey fabric bed frame with another grey fabric bed end bench upon entering the bedroom. We found the sleep quality on the king bed to be excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed every morning. The pillow was a tad too soft for my liking. Fortunately, Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has a small pillow menu, allowing us to choose firmer pillows to enhance the sleep quality on the king bed. A couple of two-tiered bedside tables are designed into the bed’s headboard. The space afforded on the top tier of these tables is rather small, leaving us little space to place our mobile phones, and it does not help that the hotel placed the room control tablet on one bedside table and the in-house phone on the other. I guess the hotel intends for guests to use the lower-tier bedside table, which requires guests to use longer charging cables, which was a little inconvenient. I like the armchair furnished between the king bed and the floor-to-ceiling window, allowing guests to relax by the window while enjoying the sight of Seoul. Another 55″ LED TV with the same entertainment options as the living room is mounted on the wall facing the king bed, allowing us to receive entertainment while lying on the bed.

The wardrobe area in the bedroom sits between the sleeping area and the bathroom. The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite is furnished with two wardrobes, one with three panels and the other with two panels. The space afforded in these wardrobes was very generous. The three-panelled wardrobe is mainly designed with hanging racks, with the larger segment designed with a two-tiered drawer. Here, we found the in-room safe hidden in the top drawer. The other wardrobe opposite the three-panelled wardrobe is slightly smaller, with only two door panels. Despite the smaller size, the space afforded by this wardrobe was also rather sizeable. Despite having so much space for hanging and storing our clothing, the hotel supplies limited hangers that we had to request additional hangers. I was pleasantly surprised to find an LG Styler machine between the king bed and the wardrobe. This styler machine not only dries our clothing, but it also reduces the wrinkles on our laundry.

Bathroom

The bathroom was segregated from the bedroom with a large three-panelled sliding door. The bathroom also has the same granite decor seen throughout the Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite. From the entrance, the sink was immediately spotted occupying the space on the left side. I applauded the hotel for fitting one sink in the bathroom, which gave us lots of countertop space to place our toiletries. The open cabinetry space beneath the sink, mainly used by the hotel to place toilets, increases our storage space. A large, deep-seated round bathtub took up the space opposite the sink, which we used to soak away the fatigue we gathered from the shopping and sightseeing in Seoul. Due to its size, filling up the bathtub took a while. Two glass panel cubicles sit at the back of the bathroom. The cubicle on the left houses the walk-in shower, equipped with both regular and rain shower heads. I like the spaciousness in the walk-in shower, while the ledge installed in a corner here gave us space to place our dental kits and facial washes. The toilet, fitted with a Japanese-style bidet, occupies the cubicle on the right. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences supplies its bathrooms with Deep Nature spa shower amenities that have a nice ocean smell and leave the skin feeling soft after showering.

Overall

The Residence Premier 1-Bedroom Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is spacious and well-appointed. It has the essentials of an apartment and creates a home away from home with the convenience of appliances furnished in the suite. The washing machine, dryer, and the Styler meant we did not have to return home with a bag full of dirty laundry. The kitchenette allows one to whip up a decent meal. The sleep quality on the king bed was superb, enhanced by the pillow menu that the hotel offers its guests. The wardrobe space was generous, and we could stow at least two weeks of clothing. Despite not being fitted with two sinks, I thought the bathroom was well-designed and the space was maximised. I would return to Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences the next time I return to Seoul for its well-appointed rooms and the conveniences of being very close to the subway and the airport bus stop.

Location

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is located north of the Han River in the Dongdaemun shopping district, two subway stops from the city’s shopping mecca of Myeongdong. There is no lack of restaurants, cafes and 24-hour convenience shops in the vicinity of the hotel. There are three 24-hour convenience shops within minutes of the hotel: one diagonally opposite, and the other two are in the buildings to the left and right. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is also very well connected by public transport, with the nearest bus stop next to the hotel, and the nearest Subway station, Dongdaemun History & Cultural Park, is a mere 3 minutes from the hotel. On top of that, Airport Bus #6001 calls at the stop next to the hotel. With these public transport options being so close to the hotel, we found staying in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences was great for us to explore Seoul.

The Suite

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has two wings: the Hotel Wing and the Residences Wing. We checked into the 44㎡ Premier Suite, located in the hotel wing. Despite being the highest category room, the Premier Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has a Junior Suite layout.

Entryway

The entryway of the Premier Suite is home to the only wardrobe interior suite and the entrance to the bathroom. Despite having two panels, the amount of space afforded in this wardrobe was limited. The left panel was designed for guests to hang their clothing, while the right panel features a short hanging rack with three drawers. The hotel populated the left panel with bathrobes and ironing equipment, which took up a bulk of the area in the panel, leaving little room for us to hang our clothing. The space afforded by the right panel of the wardrobe is even smaller, as this is where we find a three-tier drawer. The presence of this drawer took up space, resulting in t-shirts and shirts that can be hung here. Only two of the drawers can be used as the top drawer houses a fairly large in-room safe. Fitted next to the wardrobe is a ledge that was meant for us to place our luggage. I thought having only one luggage rack was insufficient for a suite of this size, as we did not spot any other luggage rack in the suite.

Bathroom

Decked out in earthy stone grey with some woody elements, the bright and spacious bathroom in the Premier Suite of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is functional and aesthetically pleasing. Despite being fitted with two sizeable sinks, there is still plentiful sink countertop space for the suite’s occupants. The open shelving space below the sink, which the hotel used to place towels for its guests, further adds to the space afforded to the suite’s occupants. A large bathtub sits by the window at the end of the bathroom, allowing guests to soak away the fatigue accumulated from the sightseeing and shopping in Seoul while being treated to a view of Namsan from the bathroom.

Opposite the sink countertop, lined up on the right side of the bathroom, are two equally large cubicles encased in glass. These sizeable cubicles house the toilet and walk-in shower. The hotel equipped the toilet with a Japanese-style bidet, while the walk-in shower is fitted with a regular and rain shower head. I like the generous space allocated to these cubicles, especially the walk-in shower. The Deep Nature spa shower gel and shampoo smelled refreshing and had a very nice fragrance. These bath amenities left our skin feeling soft and refreshed.

Sleeping area

The sleeping area occupies the rest of the space in the Premier Suite. The first thing we saw in the sleeping area is a cabinet that houses the minibar, next to the luggage ledge which extends from the wardrobe. The minibar is equipped with a kettle, a Nespresso coffee machine, some glasses and mugs placed on top of the cabinet. A large drawer in this cabinet reveals the mini fridge, stocked with sodas and mineral water. A little further from the minibar was the slim designed work desk, sitting in one corner of the suite. This work desk was sizeable enough for guests to do some work on, and the power outlet fitted onto the wall ensured laptops are always charged up.

In the centre of the sleeping area was a large king bed and a bed-end bench, placed by a wooden wall, which took up most of the space here. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent, leaving us feeling refreshed the next day, but the pillows were too soft for my liking. Since we were only staying in this suite for one night, we did not bother requesting firmer pillows from the pillow menu. I like the addition of the bed-end bench, which provided us with an additional place to sit and a place to put our stuff. The bedside tables on each side of the king bed were designed as an extension of the king bed. However, the space afforded on these tables was a little small. Populated with a huge tablet that controls the lighting and the facilities on one of these tables, and a tissue box and alarm clock on the other table, we found little space left to charge our mobile phones overnight.

Facing the king bed, sitting on top of a large wooden cabinet, was a 55″ LED TV. A good mix of English and Korean and a handful of Chinese channels kept us entertained. The TV placement was perfect for us to watch while lying on the bed. I thought including the cabinet where the TV sits was great, giving us additional space to stow our stuff. Nestled in the innermost part of the Premier Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences, between the floor-to-ceiling window and the king bed, was the lounging area. This small lounging area was furnished with one dark grey leather armchair, a two-seater light grey fabric couch, and a small round table. This lounging area gave us a place to relax and watch the liveliness of Seoul zipping past below the hotel.

Service

The service at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongaemun Hotels & Residences throughout our stay (this one and our subsequent stay) was a mixed bag. The staff at the concierge desk on the ground floor were welcoming and ready to assist guests having trouble finding their way around the hotel or within the hotel. They were always seen wearing smiles on their faces and even volunteered to deliver our luggage to the reception on the 20th floor where we check-in. However, I find it weird that we were made to wait at the concierge desk while one of the staff punched in our reservation details into their system to confirm that we had a reservation before inviting us to proceed with the check-in on level 20.

While the concierge desk staff on the ground floor make good efforts to provide good service and impression, the same cannot be said of the staff at the reception on the 20th floor. As we arrived slightly earlier than the official check-in time, there were no signs at the reception on level 20 to indicate where the check-in line was. When it was our turn to be served by the only staff at the reception after queuing up, the staff directed us to move to one side and proceeded to serve the guest behind us instead, stating that the guest was checking out. There was also no recognition of ACCOR status, as though the ACCOR sign was there for show. Both our check-in experiences were slow, and the staff took their time to check us in. As we checked out of the hotel after a one-night stay and would return to the hotel after spending one night in Busan, we did not plan to bring our luggage to Busan and requested that the hotel store our luggage. Instead of helping us with our luggage, the staff at the reception on the 20th floor told us to go to the ground floor with our luggage and leave it with the concierge without rendering any assistance with our luggage.

Fortunately, the poor service was only isolated to the reception. The rest of the staff around the hotel, from the fitness centre staff to the staff at the lounge bar and even the staff at the restaurant, made us feel welcome. The staff at Food Exchange were observant and seemed only to appear when we left our table for more food to clear the plates. We were also warmly welcomed every morning at the restaurant during breakfast. The staff at the lounge bar was personable and friendly when we approached her to redeem our welcome drink. Overall, the service was good, but could have been better if not for the reception staff.

Hotel Facilities

Breakfast @ Food Exchange

Our stay includes a complimentary breakfast served at Food Exchange, located on level 20 of the hotel. The restaurant has a large seating capacity, and we had no trouble finding seats. There is a good variety of Korean and Western choices for breakfast. I like how the food is spread out in the restaurant during breakfast to disperse the crowd. Breads and pastries are found on a kitchen island in the centre of the restaurant, where the hotel serves up a variety of breads and pastries and accompanying jams. I was pleasantly surprised to find soy milk and Chinese fried fritters served at the bread station during breakfast. The cold cuts and salads had a station next to the bread station. Here, we found various salad vegetables and cold-cut meats. The hot food section is right at the back of the restaurant, where we found various hot food, from eggs to bacon to sausages. There is even a made-to-order noodle bar here. However, the restaurant does not serve made-to-order eggs; only scrambled and sunny-sideup eggs were available during breakfast.

Gym

A small gym is located on a corner of level 20, in the direction of the Residence wing lifts. Despite the small setup, the gym is well-equipped with machines allowing guests to do cardio and strength workouts. I like how the hotel arranged the cardio machines, like treadmills and stationary bikes, facing the window, allowing guests to look out into Seoul during their workout. The strength machines are placed facing a large mirror, allowing guests to check their postures during their workouts. There is a good variety of machines that work out every muscle group, and even a free weight area. The gym is also fitted with sauna facilities in the changing room.

Swimming Pool

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has not one but two swimming pools on the top floors of the hotel. The indoor heated swimming pool is on level 20 of the hotel, next to the gym entrance. This indoor pool is rather sizeable, allowing guests to do serious laps in the marked-out swimming lanes. There are eight deck chairs for guests to rest in between laps. We also found a jacuzzi at the entrance of the indoor pool. One point to note: guests must don swimming caps when swimming in public pools in Korea, which can be purchased from the staff at the gym. Another outdoor swimming pool is on the hotel’s rooftop (level 21). This pool is accessible via a flight of stairs from the indoor pool area. However, we did not visit the outdoor pool or the rooftop area during our stay as it was closed.

Executive Lounge

As guests of the suites and the highest tiered member of the ACCOR group, we had access to the Executive Lounge in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The lounge is perched on level 19 of the hotel, accessible from the hotel wing lifts. The hotel serves afternoon tea and evening cocktails at the lounge, but due to our schedule, we only managed to visit the lounge to take a brief tour after we checked out. The lounge felt cosy and serene during our visit (perhaps we were the only ones there). There is a good mix of seating arrangements catering to small and large groups. Outside the afternoon tea and evening cocktail hours, the lounge serves up drinks, fruits and pastries.

Overall

We had a comfortable stay in the Premier Suite at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The room was well designed and is of a good size, which does not feel compact. The sleep quality on the king bed was excellent, and the bathroom was large. What I like most about the hotel is its location, being close to the Dongdaemun shopping district and well connected by subways and airport buses. The service is generally good, except for the check-in staff.

Location

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is very well appointed. The hotel is 5 mins walk from Dongdaemun shopping district where the shops close at 5am every day. The hotel is also very accessible with a bus stop just 2 mins walk and the subway just 4 mins walk from the hotel. The nearest subway stop from Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is Dongdaemun  History & Culture Park Station, where three subway lines serve the station. The hotel is one subway stop from Myeongdong shopping district, five stops away from Gyeongbokgung Station and four stops from Seoul Station. Getting to and from Incheon Airport is a breeze with the Airport limousine Bus Stop being 1 min walk from the hotel. There are at least two 24-hour convenient shops nearby the hotel, with one located in the building next to the hotel. Numerous eateries around the hotel open 24-hour.

The Studio

The Residence Studio has a total floor area of 26m² which is quite good by Seoul’s standards. Despite its size, the interior designers of the hotel did an excellent job is packing a kitchenette in the room and yet does not make the room feel cramp.

Sleeping Area

The large king bed is the first thing that greets guests upon entering the room. The sleep quality on the king bed is excellent, leaving guests feeling fully recharged every night one sleeps on it. The pillows are of the right firmness to my liking. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences also provides guests with a choice of four types of pillows via the pillow menu ensuring guests having a better sleep quality. There are two side tables placed on either side of the bed with reading lights mounted on the headboard of the bed, thus freeing up space for guests to utilise on the side tables. There is an international power outlet as well as two USB charging ports above either of the bedside tables, providing ample outlets for guests to charge their lifestyle devices.

Next to the entrance of the Residence Studio is a couple of armchairs and a small round table, where guests can relax by and enjoy a cup of coffee from the Nespresso machine in the kitchenette. There are some more power outlets and USB ports here, providing guests with more points to charge their lifestyle devices. A large 55″ LED TV is mounted on the wall opposite the king bed and above the armchairs. There is no lack of TV programmes, both local and international ones, to keep guests of the Residence Studio entertained.

The Bathroom

The bathroom in the Residence Studio at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is a tad tight, but one will not feel too cramp inside the bathroom. A sink and a small countertop are to the right of the entrance to the bathroom. Despite being small, there is still space on the countertop for guests to place some of their toiletries. A large mirror is placed on the wall by the sink, making the bathroom look bigger. A toilet bowl, that comes with remote control bidet, is placed in the corner next to the sink. A walk-in shower with both regular and rain shower heads, enclosed in glass partition separating the wet and dry area of the bathroom, is diagonally opposite the sink. The space inside the walk-in shower does not feel cramp at all. One can still shower comfortably in the walk-in shower. I am amazed that the designers of this Residence Studio in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences manage to fit in a wardrobe in the bathroom. This ingenious design not only frees up space in the sleeping area of the room, it conveniences guests of the room in changing their clothes after a shower. The wardrobe is, however, a tad small for two guests staying in the room. The space in the wardrobe at most can hold up to one week’s clothing for one guest and maybe two guests if the clothings are hanged closely. An iron and ironing board is stowed inside this wardrobe. An in-room safe is hidden on the top drawer of the two-tiered cabinet inside the wardrobe.

Kitchenette

Despite having a total floor area of only 26m², the designers of the Residence Studio managed to put in a kitchenette area in the room, displaying their cleverness at using space in the room. The kitchenette occupies the corner of the room outside the bathroom and to the left of the entrance to the Residence Studio. The two induction cookers and the microwave in the kitchenette allows guests to cook a simple meal. There is also a rice cooker and some cookwares stowed inside the cabinet in the kitchenette area. The hotel also installed a Nespresso machine in the kitchenette for guests to enjoy quality coffee in the room. In the cabinets under the induction cookers are a washing machine that comes with dryer function and a mini-fridge.

Service

The service in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is out of this world. From the moment we step into the hotel on the ground level, we can already feel the friendliness and eagerness to help guests from the staff. We were greeted by the concierge staffs and invited to the 20th floor to get our check-in processed. The concierge staff also offered to help us with our luggage and escort us to the reception for check-in, which we declined. At the reception, the staffs welcomed us with the biggest smile on her face. She processed our check-in with such efficiency and made some recommendations for us to explore during our stay in Seoul. The staff also gave us three welcome drink passes (unlike the miserable Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae) and recommended us to use the pass at the bar on the 20th floor where the view is more spectacular.

I always thought the housekeeping staffs are the unsung heroes of any hotels. It is the same for Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. We were assured that we will always return to a spick and span suite every night after exploring Seoul. These diligent housekeeping staffs cleaned every corner of the suite and replenished all the amenities in the suite so we do not have to worry about them running out.

When we redeemed the welcome drink from the bar on the 20th floor, we were warmly welcomed by the only staff at the bar. The staff briefed us of the choice of drink we are entitled to and found us an excellent seat which gave us a commanding view of the surroundings after taking orders for our drinks.

The hotel provides free shuttle service three times a day to six major destinations around Seoul include Myeongdong, Gyeongbokgung, Changyeonggung to name a few. Guests are required to arrive at the hotel concierge early and queue up for the shuttle service. We did not manage to catch the shuttle service during our stay in the hotel as the timing does not match ours.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

The gym in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is located on the 20th floor. The gym is very well equipped with treadmills, bikes, weights machine and free weights for guests to get a good workout. I like the placement of the bikes and treadmills where guests can do their workout and get a great view of Seoul while doing so.

 

Swimming Pool

There are two swimming pools in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The hotel requires guests to wear a swim cap when using these pools. The indoor swimming is located on the 20th floor of the hotel and is opened all year long. The swimming pool is heated and is great for guests to swim a few laps in. There is a jacuzzi by the entrance to the indoor pool for guests to relax in.

 

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences also operates an outdoor swimming pool on the rooftop (21st floor). Despite being a smaller pool compared to its indoor counterpart, guests can also get a decent swim from this outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is open only from Jul to Sep each year.

 

Rooftop Garden

There is a rooftop garden on the 21st floor in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. There are some chairs in the garden for guests to relax and enjoy the view of Seoul. There is also a bar where guests can order some drinks and snacks while taking in the beautiful scenery of Seoul.

 

Overall

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is an excellent choice for visitors to Seoul. The location is excellent with the Dongdaemun shopping district right at the doorstep of the hotel. The hotel is within minutes walk from the airport limousine bus stop and the subway station. Despite the small size, the Residence Studio is very well designed in terms of space and is very comfortable. The sleep quality was excellent in the king bed. The service we received throughout our stay with Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is impeccable. We were always greeted with smiles whenever we bumped into any of the staffs around in the hotel. We felt welcome to the hotel by the diligent staffs working tirelessly around the clock to ensure guests are well taken care of. I would not hesitate to book a stay at this hotel the next time I visit Seoul.

Location

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is very well appointed. The hotel is 5 mins walk from Dongdaemun shopping district where the shops close at 5am every day. The hotel is also very accessible with a bus stop just 2 mins walk and the subway just 4 mins walk from the hotel. The nearest subway stop from Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is Dongdaemun  History & Culture Park Station, where three subway lines serve the station. The hotel is one subway stop from Myeongdong shopping district, five stops away from Gyeongbokgung Station and four stops from Seoul Station. Getting to and from Incheon Airport is a breeze with the Airport limousine Bus Stop being 1 min walk from the hotel. There are at least two 24-hour convenient shops nearby the hotel, with one located in the building next to the hotel. Numerous eateries around the hotel open 24-hour.

The Suite

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has generally two types of accommodation, the hotel side and the residence side. The residence part of the hotel has facilities similar to a serviced apartment. The Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite that my friend and I were staying has a generous total floor area of 81m². 

Kitchenette

The Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is equipped with a small kitchenette immediately after the entrance foyer to the suite. There is a sink for guests to wash their dishes, which the hotel also provide washing detergent and sponge. Beside the sink is a two induction stove for guests to do some simple cooking with the pots and pans stowed in the drawer in the kitchen island. In the kitchenette area, rice cooker and microwave machine can also be found. The hotel provides china and cutlery for up to four guests usage in the numerous drawers around the kitchenette area. A washing machine is concealed inside the cabinet under the sink in the kitchenette area. The washing machine has a dryer function which is great for guests needing to do their laundry in the suite.

On top of that, the kitchenette is equipped with a full-size fridge for guests to store the groceries they bought. A Nespresso machine and electric kettle are placed on the kitchen island, which can also double up as a dining table that comes with four high chairs. The design of the suite is so thoughtful that power outlets are installed on the kitchen island for guests to use the Nespresso machine and kettle.

Living Room

Further from the entrance to the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite, after the kitchenette area in the living room. The decor in the living room is contemporary and cosy, due to the earthy tone used in the decor coupled with the lighting from the ceiling. There is a cabinet placed in the entrance foyer next to the kitchen island, which is great for guests to stow away their shopping items without having the living room looking messy. The living room in the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is very well illuminated at all times of the day. In the day the living room is illuminated with natural light from one of the six floor-to-ceiling windows, and at night it is brightly lighted with the yellow lighting from the ceiling and the floor lamp placed in the corner of the living room. The centrepiece of the living room is the L-shaped couch, capable of sitting five to six persons. The sofa is very comfortable to sit on or lying on to watch the numerous programmes on the huge 55″ TV mounted on the wall opposite the couch. A coffee table between the couch and the TV, laid with hotel literature, is perfect for one to place their drinks or even snacks while watching TV.

Bedroom

The spaciousness of the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences extends into the bedroom. The bedroom is furnished with a large king bed which is very comfortable and made us feel fully recharged to explore Seoul every single night when we were staying in the hotel. The pillows on the bed are of the right firmness to my liking. On top of these pillows, guests can choose from a list of pillow menu to find one that one prefers to get a better night sleep. The spacious bedroom allows the hotel to place an armchair, without obstructing the space, by the floor to ceiling window for guests to relax on with their legs stretched out. I find the armchair perfect to read a book from or simply to gaze at Seoul from the chair.

Bedside tables are installed on either side of the king bed in the bedroom of Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The open style tables are a tad small with all the gadgets such as telephone on the left side table and a tablet dock on the right table. However, these gadgets can be shifted to the bottom tier of the table freeing up space for guests to charge their lifestyle devices. The hotel has excellent power options for guests. Other than the international power socket, there are USB power ports on each side of the bedside table for guests to charge their phones, tablets, etc. Switches for the lighting in the suite can also be accessible via the switches on both sides of the table. Bedside reading lamps are installed on the headboard of the king bed, freeing up even more space for guests to use on the bedside tables. The tablet on the right side of the bedside table allows guests to control practically everything in the suite. From the lighting to temperature to TV and music controls. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is the first AI hotel in Korea. Other than being able to control these from the tablet, guests can gain access to a webpage via scanning a QR code found on the light switch panel in the living room. This webpage allows guests to control everything in the suite from their mobile phone anywhere in Korea, including requests for make-up room, request for additional hotel amenities, room climate, TV control and lighting controls. I find having this control on my palm and on the go to be very interesting.

Another large 55″ smart LED TV is mounted on the wall in the bedroom, opposite the king bed. This TV has the same entertainment options as that in the living room, allowing guests to watch TV from the comfort of the bed.

Wardrobe Area

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences has a generous wardrobe area in the bedroom of the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite. The wardrobe area is an extension in the bedroom, between the king bed and the bathroom. There are a total of three wardrobes, two large wardrobes with two door panels and one smaller wardrobe with one door panel. There is no lack of storage space in this wardrobe for guests to hang out the clothing they bring to Korea. The in-room safe is hidden in one of the drawers inside one of the large wardrobes. On top of that, the iron and ironing board is also tucked away in this wardrobe. The space in the wardrobe area is so large that the hotel placed of a rectangular stool here, giving it a boutique feel, and yet still have sufficient space for guests to move around even with the wardrobe doors open. Having the wardrobe area in front of the bathroom gives guests the convenience of changing into their clothing after a shower.

Bathroom

Bedroom

The main bathroom in the Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is accessible from the bedroom. This main bathroom is huge. The bathroom is separated from the bedroom by a three-panel sliding door. Entering the bathroom, the first thing that caught my eyes is the huge circular bathtub sitting in one corner of the bathroom. This bathtub is perfect for guests to soak away the fatigue after a day’s exploring around Seoul. Despite being large, the water pressure from the tap on the bathtub fills up the tub very fast, guests do not have to wait for too long before being able to enjoy their soak.

Right by the entrance of the bathroom is large sink countertop with a single sink sitting in the middle of the countertop. The countertop occupies 2/3 of the width of the bathroom, which provides tons of space for guests to place their toiletries on. Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences provides their in-house bath amenities completed with body lotion, dental kit and shaver. The bath amenities are of good quality.

There are two cubicles furthest end from the entrance to the bathroom. The cubicle next to the sink countertop is where the shower cubicle is located. The shower cubicle has sufficient space to place bath amenities as well as a cup for toothbrushes. The shower cubicle has both regular shower head and rain shower head. The cubicle next to the walk-in shower, behind the bathtub, is where the toilet is located. The toilet is equipped with a bidet. Instead of a control panel mounted on the wall, usage of the bidet is via remote control.

Guest Toilet

There is another toilet right at the main entrance to the suite at the entrance foyer. The guest toilet, furnished with a toilet bowl with bidet and a sink, is very big. The hotel is very thoughtful in the placing of towel rack with two hand towels in this toilet. This toilet is perfect for the guests of those staying in this Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite to use without having the need to enter the bathroom in the bedroom. This toilet is also convenient for guests who wanted to use the toilet without having to walk to the toilet in the bedroom while they are watching TV in the living room.

Service

The service in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is out of this world. From the moment we step into the hotel on the ground level, we can already feel the friendliness and eagerness to help guests from the staff. We were greeted by the concierge staffs and invited to the 20th floor to get our check-in processed. The concierge staff also offered to help us with our luggage and escort us to the reception for check-in, which we declined. At the reception, the staffs welcomed us with the biggest smile on her face. She processed our check-in with such efficiency and made some recommendations for us to explore during our stay in Seoul. The staff also gave us three welcome drink passes (unlike the miserable Ibis Ambassador Busan Haeundae) and recommended us to use the pass at the bar on the 20th floor where the view is more spectacular. The staff was observant and wished my friend an advanced birthday.

I had previously requested a birthday cake for my friend whose birthday falls on one of the days during our stay in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. My request was to have the caked delivered at the stroke of midnight and the cake was indeed delivered by a hotel staff despite being in midnight. The staff wished my friend a happy birthday with the warmest smile on his face. As we were receiving the cake, we got locked out of our suite. The staff immediately went to the reception and gotten the master key without letting us wait for too long. We apologise to the staff for making him make the extra trip to get the key to open the door. The staff responded with a smile that it was no trouble and told us not to worry about it.

I always thought the housekeeping staffs are the unsung heroes of any hotels. It is the same for Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. We were assured that we will always return to a spick and span suite every night after exploring Seoul. These diligent housekeeping staffs cleaned every corner of the suite and replenished all the amenities in the suite so we do not have to worry about them running out.

When we redeemed the welcome drink from the bar on the 20th floor, we were warmly welcomed by the only staff at the bar. The staff briefed us of the choice of drink we are entitled to and found us an excellent seat which gave us a commanding view of the surroundings after taking orders for our drinks.

The hotel provides free shuttle service three times a day to six major destinations around Seoul include Myeongdong, Gyeongbokgung, Changyeonggung to name a few. Guests are required to arrive at the hotel concierge early and queue up for the shuttle service. We did not manage to catch the shuttle service during our stay in the hotel as the timing does not match ours.

Hotel Facilities

Gym

The gym in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is located on the 20th floor. The gym is very well equipped with treadmills, bikes, weights machine and free weights for guests to get a good workout. I like the placement of the bikes and treadmills where guests can do their workout and get a great view of Seoul while doing so. 

Swimming Pool

There are two swimming pools in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. The hotel requires guests to wear a swim cap when using these pools. The indoor swimming is located on the 20th floor of the hotel and is opened all year long. The swimming pool is heated and is great for guests to swim a few laps in. There is a jacuzzi by the entrance to the indoor pool for guests to relax in.

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences also operates an outdoor swimming pool on the rooftop (21st floor). Despite being a smaller pool compared to its indoor counterpart, guests can also get a decent swim from this outdoor pool. The outdoor pool is open only from Jul to Sep each year.

Rooftop Garden

There is a rooftop garden on the 21st floor in Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences. There are some chairs in the garden for guests to relax and enjoy the view of Seoul. There is also a bar where guests can order some drinks and snacks while taking in the beautiful scenery of Seoul.

Overall

Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is an excellent choice for visitors to Seoul. The location is excellent with the Dongdaemun shopping district right at the doorstep of the hotel. The hotel is within minutes walk from the airport limousine bus stop and the subway station. The Residence Premier 1 Bedroom Suite we stayed in was very spacious and comfortable. The incredible space we had in the suite ensured that we had lots of space moving around and put away our belongings. The sleep quality was excellent in the king bed. The service we received throughout our stay with Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels & Residences is impeccable. We were always greeted with smiles whenever we bumped into any of the staffs around in the hotel. We felt welcome to the hotel by the diligent staffs working tirelessly around the clock to ensure guests are well taken care of. I would not hesitate to book a stay at this hotel the next time I visit Seoul.