JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square

The location is the thing at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square — not the only thing, mind you, but enough of a selling point that they’ve made sure it’s front and center in the hotel’s name. Though it’s centrally located and fairly convenient for business, Dongdaemun Square is first and foremost Seoul’s biggest shopping district, famous for its night markets and home to a number of shops that only a shopping-mad city like Seoul could possibly support. The hotel’s location also puts it within easy range of many of the city’s top sights, starting with Dongdaemun itself, the city’s historic 600-year-old East Gate.

Of course any place worth its salt is more than just its address. Part of Marriott’s luxury boutique line, the hotel combines a sleek modern design with the full suite of business and leisure amenities. That’s a fancy way of saying that it’s home to several good restaurants and bars, a well-equipped spa and fitness center, and some 10,000 square feet of meeting space and business facilities.

For business travelers, it’s easy to get some work done in the guest rooms as well. Each comes with a decent-sized work desk, complimentary high-speed wired and wireless internet, and plenty of peace and quiet — the latter somehow enhanced by impressive views of the sprawling city below. (It’s something about the contrast between the city’s enormousness and the silence of it from behind glass.) Add to the mix some spa-like marble bathrooms, high-end king-size beds and all the proper technology, and it feels like the complete package for business and leisure travelers alike.