L’Escape, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Myeongdong

The aesthetics at L’Escape are truly stunning—I found myself constantly captivated and taking photos throughout my stay. From the moment I arrived, the service was impeccable; the staff were incredibly welcoming and professional, making the check-in process feel effortless. The attention to detail in the rooms is wonderful and really sets the atmosphere. While my schedule didn't allow for a full dinner at the hotel restaurants, I thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast and the cocktails at the bar. The food was delicious, and the drinks were beautifully presented with exquisite garnish. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone who appreciates a private, boutique-style experience.

My sister and I recently stayed at L'Escape Hotel from July 2–5, and while our trip started with a few hiccups, the exceptional service recovery completely won us over. We will absolutely be returning on our next visit to Seoul! ​We arrived early at around 8:30 AM, and though our room wasn't ready immediately, the front desk graciously managed to get us checked in by 1:00 PM—well ahead of the standard 3:00 PM time, which we highly appreciated after a long flight. ​However, we weren’t thrilled with our initial room layout. The low partition between the bedroom and the bathroom didn’t block the light properly, which made it difficult for my sister to sleep. Unfortunately, our request for a room change couldn’t be accommodated on Day 1 due to high occupancy. ​On Day 2, my sister followed up, and we were incredibly fortunate to be assisted by Sidney Lee. Sidney was a total game-changer. She was remarkably efficient, immediately checked the inventory for the same room class, and recommended her personal favorite layout that specifically addressed our lighting issue. She even took the time to show us the new room first. Within a few minutes, everything was seamlessly settled. Sidney’s outstanding professionalism completely erased the frustration of our first day and is the exact reason we will continue to patronize L'Escape. ​Beyond the room change, the rest of our stay was spectacular: ​Palais de Chine: We discovered this incredible Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant right inside the hotel and loved the food so much we ended up dining there twice! ​The Concierge Team: They were immensely helpful throughout our stay. One lovely lady went above and beyond by recommending her favorite breakfast spot, Perment Bakeshop in Seoul Forest. It was a fantastic recommendation—not only was the cafe great, but it led us to discover an amazing neighborhood where we spent the afternoon shopping for local Korean designers. ​What started as a rough first night turned into a perfect trip, all thanks to the attentive staff and the hotel's boutique charm. Thank you, Sidney, and the rest of the team for taking such wonderful care of us. We can’t wait to come back!

Well trained staff

Having stayed in Seoul before and experienced a more standard, modern hotel room, we thought we’d try something a bit different and would perhaps be more of an experience whilst also giving a relaxing night during our layover. Unfortunately, what we got was far from this. While most people rave about L’Escape’s unique, bougie style and its bold French-inspired decor, for us, the atmosphere felt more eerie than elegant. The dark, moody lighting and intense design choices created a vibe that was better suited to a thriller movie or a brothel than a hotel room meant for unwinding. The room itself, though stylish, wasn’t as comfortable as we’d hoped. The shower had a full glass window looking directly into the bedroom, offering no privacy and making the whole layout feel awkward and exposed, with lots of dark shadowy areas. The lighting system was also very strange and aided the whole murder-y vibe. As we explored further, we couldn’t help but notice stains on the walls and on the sofa at the end of the bed. In the hallway, the protruding lamps had clearly been knocked into repeatedly and were held in place with tape that had been painted over to blend with the wall — a clear sign they’d taken a lot of damage. What really threw us off, though, was the in-room speaker system. We assumed it was just for playing music and requesting amenities etc, but whilst talking in bed, it randomly triggered itself, giving us a response. That’s when we realised it was always listening — similar to Apple HomePod, Alexa or a Google Home. We couldn’t find a way to mute or disable it, and in a private hotel room, it left us feeling quite uncomfortable and uneasy. The TV also being put behind a mirror made this even more so considering concerns around hidden cameras and general hidden devices in hotel rooms. Even checkout wasn’t a smooth experience. We were told at check-in that a room inspection would be necessary due to us using a debit card for deposit. So we used the in-room checkout system to save time, but this told us to contact the front desk. When we got to the front desk, we were told it would take just five minutes. However, it stretched to over 20 minutes, which led to a series of delays. We just missed the subway, which meant a 10 minute wait, this subsequently made us miss three airport trains — including the express service we’d planned as a backup — and almost missed our flight altogether (partially our own fault for expecting to get to the airport around 1hr30mins before the flight, but equally this delay meant we ended up getting to the airport 50 minutes before). We planned around an issue with the subway, as it is around a 15 minute walk to Seoul station, but because of the 20 minute room check this eroded even that additional time. While L’Escape is undoubtedly unique and boasts an upscale, bougie vibe that many guests enjoy, our stay felt more uncomfortable than charming with a dirty, brothel like vibe. The location was convenient, and the design certainly makes a statement, but the overall experience was not the relaxing escape we were hoping for.