Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul

Banyan Tree has won itself a loyal following by bringing a dose of urbanity to its luxurious spa resorts in far-flung tropical locales. In Seoul, they’ve reversed the equation, bringing a full-scale spa resort — enormous suites, sprawling grounds, pampering service and all — to one of Asia’s most bustling cities. Set at the foot of Mt. Namsan, with a wash of green (the mountain’s wooded slopes) on one side and the lights of the city skyline just off in the distance on the other, the hotel feels like a tranquil, self-contained world unto itself — and yet downtown Seoul is only ten minutes away.

Here’s how far they’ve taken the classic oasis-in-the-city concept: they’ve gone and put a pool in nearly every room. The business traveler–oriented club rooms are the exception, and even there you’ve got a very large soaking tub. Walk-in closets and wall-to-wall views come standard as well. If you wanted nothing more than peace and quiet — whether to get some work done or merely to loaf about your room, staring out the windows and ordering room service — this would be a fine place for it.

As frankly luxurious as the guest rooms are, the real fireworks are in the public spaces. The high-tech driving range is run by the internationally recognized Troon Golf Academy; the soccer field is associated with a highly regarded (soccer) academy of its own, and that’s before we even get to the basketball and tennis courts, or the various pools they’ve got outside the guest rooms. Suffice to say you won’t go bored. Nor hungry — nearly any cuisine you could crave is on offer at one of the hotel’s many restaurants or bars.

And then of course there’s the spa. Banyan Tree has quite a reputation to live up to when it comes to its spas, and in a place with as rich a spa-going tradition as Korea, the expectations only get higher. The result is a world of truly eclectic treatment facilities (ice fountain, anyone?) run by highly trained therapists out of Banyan Tree’s own academies in Phuket and Lijiang.