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Seoul hotel comparison: The Shilla Seoul vs Josun Palace for a Christmas staycation

A Christmas staycation in Seoul,
between a Namsan garden
and a 26th-floor pool in Gangnam

A resort-style luxury hotel on the slopes of Namsan in Jangchung-dong and a high-rise luxury hotel on Teheran-ro.
This guide covers winter indoor-pool age limits, sauna terms, and when Christmas dining reservations open.

By

7 min read
A. The Shilla SeoulSeoul · Jangchung-dong
B. Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul GangnamSeoul · Teheran-ro

Seoul Christmas staycation hotels: start with pool age limits

  • If the plan is to swim with kids on a weekday first check the guardian rules at Josun Palace, which runs a 26th-floor indoor pool with no age limit.
  • For a Christmas itinerary moving between Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun look at the routes and hours of The Shilla Seoul's shuttle.
  • If the plan is to spend Christmas evening inside the hotel check both hotels' dining reservation opening dates and weekend limits before booking the room.

Before you read

This is not a review based on a stay. It compiles seller-provided information and each hotel's official information. Of the displayed prices, The Shilla Seoul's is a pre-tax amount checked on 2026-10-27, and Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam's is an example amount; pool age limits, closing days, and Christmas package inclusions should be rechecked for the stay date. Bookings made through affiliate links may earn a commission.

The Shilla Seoul vs Josun Palace for a Christmas staycation at a glance

Compare them with the same dates, guests, and inclusions. In this table, A is The Shilla Seoul and B is Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam.

Seoul hotel comparison · Displayed prices checked 2026-10-27 (some are examples) · 2 adults, 1 night, breakfast not included (assumed)
ItemA.The Shilla SeoulB.Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam
Listed priceListed priceKRW980,000Checked · MyRealTrip listing
Displayed price excludes tax · confirm the final amount at checkout		Listed priceKRW800,000(example) · No rooms on sale for this date on Myrealtrip or Agoda when checked on 2026-10-27 · Example amount
Location249 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu · Exit 5, Dongguk University Station (Line 3)Per official directionsCenter Field West Tower, 231 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu5–10 min walk from Yeoksam Station · Official sources differ, so checking a map is recommended
Opened · RoomsOpened March 1979 · 464 roomsPer official introductionOpened May 2021 · 254 rooms (44 suites)Per opening news coverage · Rooms on floors 27–35
Indoor pool3F, 25 m · 06:00–22:00 · Ages 13 and older on weekdaysUnder-13s with a guardian on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays · Closed on the third Wednesday26F, 25 m · 06:00–22:00 · No age limitUnder 7 with a guardian · Closed on the first Monday
Outdoor poolUrban Island open 3/23–11/15 · Separate admission feeCheck hotel notices for winter operation after 11/16None (indoor pool open year-round)Per official facility information
Sauna3F 05:30–22:30 · Ages 13 and olderClosed on the third Wednesday26F dry and wet sauna · No entry under age 16Extra charge for rooms without sauna access
BreakfastThe Parkview 06:00–10:00Non-guest access restricted on weekends and public holidays in October–NovemberConstans (24F) 06:30–10:00No reservation needed · 2-hour limit on weekends
With kidsKids Lounge (5F) free for guests with young children, 10:00–19:00Per official informationUp to two children under 14 stay free with existing beddingPer official policy
Parking · ShuttlePaid valet parking · Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun shuttlesMyeong-dong route 11:00–20:00, hourlyFree for up to two cars per guest · No shuttleAirport limousine is paid and by reservation
Check-in · Check-outCheck-in and check-out times not officially listed15:00 / 12:00Per official FAQ

Example stay dates: Dec 24–25, 2026 · 2 adults · Breakfast not included (assumed). Terms vary by room type and promotion. The amounts above are displayed prices at the time of checking and do not represent the actual rate or availability for that date.

The Shilla Seoul

The Shilla Seoul is at 249 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, near Exit 5 of Dongguk University Station on Line 3. According to its official introduction, it opened on March 8, 1979, and has 464 rooms. As a resort-style hotel with gardens on the slopes of Namsan, it offers a different feel from Gangnam's high-rise hotels. Official information lists a Myeong-dong shuttle route (11:00–20:00, hourly) and a Dongdaemun route, which makes it easy to combine with shopping downtown.

A. The Shilla SeoulJangchung-dong · Official hotel photo
B. Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul GangnamTeheran-ro · Official hotel photo
Location
249 Dongho-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
Indoor pool
3F, 25 m · 06:00–22:00 · Closed on the third Wednesday of each month · Ages 13 and older on weekdays; on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, under-13s may use it with a guardian, per official information
Outdoor pool
Urban Island open 3/23–11/15 · Separate admission fee · Plans after 11/16 not listed in official information
To check
Check-in and check-out times · What the Christmas package includes · Christmas dining reservations

Winter swimming is handled by the indoor pool on the third floor. According to official information, it is 25 m long, open 06:00–22:00, and closed on the third Wednesday of each month. The point to watch is the age limit. On weekdays, only ages 13 and older may enter; only on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays may under-13s use it with a guardian. Since 12/24 (Thu) is a weekday and 12/25 (Fri) is a public holiday, whether children can enter depends on which day the swim is planned.

The outdoor pool, Urban Island, operates only from 3/23 to 11/15, charges a separate admission fee, and is listed as free only for guests on rates that include it. Winter plans after 11/16 could not be confirmed on the official page. The sauna on the third floor is open 05:30–22:30 for ages 13 and older and closes on the third Wednesday. The Kids Lounge on the fifth floor, for guests with young children, is listed as free from 10:00 to 19:00.

Breakfast is served at The Parkview from 06:00 to 10:00, with a notice that non-guest access is restricted on weekends and public holidays in October and November. The Christmas season (12/18–31) is marked as a higher-priced period, and reservations for 12/24 and 12/25 open on 11/15 at 09:00. Parking information covers paid valet parking and an annex parking lot (233 Dongho-ro), and check-in and check-out times could not be confirmed at the time of writing.

One more thing before booking

The official page lists the Christmas season at The Parkview (12/18–31) as a higher-priced period and states that reservations for 12/24 and 12/25 open on 11/15 at 09:00. If the plan is to spend Christmas evening at the hotel, check the dining reservation opening date before the room.

Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam

Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam is in Center Field West Tower, 231 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu. According to opening news coverage, it opened on May 25, 2021, and 44 of its 254 rooms are suites. The official FAQ says the rooms are on floors 27 through 35. For subway access, the official directions give a 10-minute walk from Exit 8 of Yeoksam Station and 15 minutes from Exit 5 of Seolleung Station, while the FAQ gives 5 minutes from Yeoksam and 7 minutes from Seolleung, so even official sources differ.

A. The Shilla SeoulJangchung-dong · Official hotel photo
B. Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul GangnamTeheran-ro · Official hotel photo
Location
Center Field West Tower, 231 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Indoor pool
26F Heavenly Pool, 25 m · 06:00–22:00 · Closed on the first Monday of each month · No age limit (under 7 with a guardian), per official information
Sauna
26F dry and wet sauna · No entry under age 16 (official sauna rules) · Extra charge for rooms without sauna access (official FAQ)
To check
Walking time from Yeoksam Station (official sources say 5 or 10 minutes) · What the Christmas package includes

The reason to choose this hotel for a Christmas staycation is its pool terms. The 26th-floor indoor Heavenly Pool is 25 m long and open year-round from 06:00 to 22:00, with no age limit; children under 7 must be accompanied by a guardian. It closes on the first Monday of each month. For a weekday swim with kids, this is where it differs most from The Shilla Seoul's weekday rule of ages 13 and older.

The 26th-floor sauna has dry and wet rooms. Its official usage rules admit no one under 16, and the official FAQ notes an extra charge for rooms that do not include sauna access. For two adults planning to use the sauna, check whether each room type includes it in the rate description. Breakfast is served at Constans on the 24th floor from 06:30 to 10:00 without reservations, with a two-hour limit on weekends.

According to the official policy, check-in is at 15:00, check-out is at 12:00, and parking is free for up to two cars per guest. Free parking sets it apart from The Shilla Seoul's paid valet, while the noon check-out cannot yet be compared because Shilla's time could not be confirmed. Up to two children under 14 can stay free using existing bedding. There is no shuttle, and the private airport limousine is paid and by reservation. For a Christmas itinerary centered on Gangnam and COEX, the lack of a shuttle is not a major burden.

One more thing before booking

The official policy lists free parking for up to two cars per guest, check-in at 15:00, and check-out at 12:00. Up to two children under 14 can stay free using existing bedding, so families should recheck the occupancy terms on the booking screen.

Choosing again by the shape of a Seoul Christmas staycation

Rather than ranking the hotels, pick the conditions that matter most for this trip.

Choice criteria by travel style, with items to check before booking
Travel styleLook at firstCheck before booking
Weekday swimming with kidsJosun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul GangnamGuardian rule for under-7s · Closed on the first Monday
Plans centered on Myeong-dong and DongdaemunThe Shilla SeoulShuttle routes and hours · Route to Dongguk University Station
Two adults who plan to use the sauna tooCompare the two hotels' sauna termsShilla ages 13 and older · Josun Palace ages 16 and older, and whether the room includes access
Christmas dinner at the hotelDecide by reservation opening datesThe Parkview 12/24–25 reservations open 11/15 at 09:00 · Constans 2-hour weekend limit

Booking in this order: five steps

  1. Check the dates and days of the week first

    12/24 (Thu) is a weekday and 12/25 (Fri) is a public holiday. Because The Shilla Seoul's indoor-pool age limit changes by day of the week, note both the stay dates and the planned swim day.

  2. Check the room and what is included

    Look at room type, whether breakfast is included, whether sauna and pool access are included, and whether taxes and service charges are included. At Josun Palace, sauna access costs extra for some rooms.

  3. Cross-check closing days and package details

    Shilla's indoor pool and sauna close on the third Wednesday, and Josun Palace's wellness facilities close on the first Monday. For Christmas packages, confirm inclusions in the rate description.

  4. Compare cancellation terms and the final amount

    Many rates around Christmas come with non-refundable terms. Check the free-cancellation deadline and the total just before payment.

  5. Keep the booking records

    Save the confirmation and note the check-in time, parking terms, shuttle hours, and dining reservation times.

Seoul Christmas hotel pools — common questions before booking

Can children use The Shilla Seoul's indoor pool?

It depends on the day. According to official information, only ages 13 and older may enter on weekdays, while under-13s may use it with a guardian on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. With a 12/24 (Thu) check-in, weekday rules apply that day, and 12/25 (Fri) is a public holiday, so children may use it then. The sauna is for ages 13 and older regardless of the day. Josun Palace's pool has no age limit, and under-7s must be accompanied by a guardian.

What are Josun Palace's pool hours and closing days?

According to official information, the 26th-floor indoor pool is open year-round from 06:00 to 22:00 and closes on the first Monday of each month. The sauna does not admit anyone under 16, and rooms without sauna access incur an extra charge. The Shilla Seoul's indoor pool is open 06:00–22:00 and closes on the third Wednesday of each month; the outdoor Urban Island is listed as operating only until 11/15, so check hotel notices for operation after that.

Now, with your own dates

Check the listed price for your dates

Enter your dates and guests, then check the inclusions and the final payment amount again.

The Shilla Seoul

Check prices on MyRealTrip

Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam

Check prices on MyRealTrip

Affiliate disclosure: if you book through an official affiliate link, staydiary may receive a commission. No extra cost is charged to the buyer.

Basis date and sources

Compiled on
· Based on each hotel's official information and opening news coverage
Price basis
Pre-tax displayed prices checked on Myrealtrip on 2026-10-27 (2 adults, 1 night). No rooms on sale were found for Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam on that date, so an example amount is shown. Prices vary by booking time and room type.
Final check
Before booking, check with the hotels on The Shilla Seoul's check-in and check-out times and Urban Island's winter operation, Josun Palace's walking time from Yeoksam Station, and what the Christmas packages include.

Photo credits

Sources are The Shilla Seoul's official pages, Josun Palace's official pages (facilities, FAQ, policy), and opening news coverage. Facility operations and sales terms may change after the date of compilation.