Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel

Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel

Despite its rather staid name, the Imperial Palace Boutique Hotel (not to be confused with its nonboutique, five-star cousin in Gangnam) has a fresh and fun approach to design, from the green vinyl swings in the lobby to the colorful pop-art murals in the white-and-glass guest rooms. On the ground floor, a Japanese restaurant serves rice and noodle dishes next to a Godiva chocolate shop, and the hotel can arrange for a halal breakfast to be delivered to your room. Guests have access to a gym but may prefer sweating it out on the dance floor downstairs at Club Made. Just don’t overexert yourself: The hotel is smack in the middle of Itaewon’s trendy bars and restaurants and a few minutes’ walk from the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, and Seoul’s contemporary art scene.