Review / Where to stay in Seoul’s Mapo district: Hotel Naru Seoul takes inspiration from the artists and poets who once flocked to the area, and boasts a rooftop infinity pool and incredible Han River views

May 20, 2024

Views for days: Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery has a warmed infinity pool with views across the Han River. Photos: Handout

Visitors to Seoul looking for somewhere other than shopping and nightlife hotspot Myeong-dong should opt instead for Mapo, a nearby area once frequented by the capital’s poets and artists

After a day sightseeing at Gyeongbokgung Palace or the hipster-heavy Insa-dong and Ikseon-dong neighbourhoods, retreating to Hotel Naru’s calming interiors is a smart move

Despite spending most of my life in Hong Kong, I had yet to visit Seoul until this spring – which is why I took a while deliberating over which neighbourhood to select as a base when booking my hotel. I finally went for the popular recommendation for first-timers, Myeong-dong, but also booked myself into Hotel Naru Seoul – MGallery in Mapo just a short taxi drive away.

Hotel Naru Seoul in hip Mapo sits on the northern bank of the Han River

Part of the MGallery Hotel Collection of boutique hotels across the globe – itself part of hospitality group Accor, which also owns Raffles and Sofitel – Hotel Naru opened at the end of 2022, and admittedly jumped out at me for one reason: its gorgeous, sweeping views of the Han River. I may have initially just daydreamed about lounging by the Insta-worthy infinity pool but, upon checking in, I quickly found plenty more reasons to be tempted not to leave my room during my stay.

The design