Why is it hot? The hotel opened in 1979 but it's been given a complete overhaul by California-based hotel-design guru Peter Remedios. History buffs will know The Shilla is named after the Korean dynasty of the same name (57BC-935AD).
So what's new? Last year, The Shilla (below) refurbished the traditional Korean palace located in front of the hotel. The Yeong Bin Gwan, which roughly translates as 'stately hall' is used for visiting dignitaries, as well as banquets and weddings. The interior boasts a minimalist design, with natural materials and ancient Korean architecture blended with a modern sensibility. Three banquet halls open onto a private garden at the centre of the compound.
Inside the hotel, Remedios used leather, wood and dark marble to give the double-storey lobby and lounge a sleek, streamlined feel. Overhead, the light sculpture An Aggregate 10-0810, by Korean installation artist Bahk Seon-ghi, sparkles with thousands of white and red acrylic beads.
So there's an artistic touch? The hotel prides itself on its extensive art collection, which includes eight Picasso prints and works by Salvador Dali. There is a sculpture park that winds its way along a 1.6-kilometre path, beyond Seoul's old castle walls. Here, there are 21 pieces, including works by some of Korea's best-known artists. There's also a bust of Lee Byung-chull, founder of the Samsung Group, which owns The Shilla.
What else is there to do? The Shilla's lush grounds occupy nine hectares of the slopes of Namsan, a 263-metre hill smack in the city centre. If you fancy a jog, you can run up the hill to N Seoul Tower, which has a great Korean restaurant, Hancook, with panoramic views of the city. Strangely, The Shilla closed its Korean restaurant and now has only Western, Japanese and Chinese eateries. The hotel has indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, a Guerlain spa and a golf driving range.
Who stays here? The Shilla was a hive of activity over the G20 Summit in Seoul last November, when President Hu Jintao stayed at the hotel. Other notable guests include Bill Gates, George W. Bush, Tom Cruise and tennis star Maria Sharapova. Hu and Bush stayed in the two presidential suites. The North Wing is an impressive 4,900 square feet suite featuring a Steinway piano, a Finnish sauna and a jacuzzi. The South Wing, redone in 2002 by French design studio Atelier OD, is popular with the fashion crowd - LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault and Hermes boss Jean-Louis Dumas have both stayed here.