Douglas House at Walkerhill: A Christmas Forest Staycation in Seoul
Contents
- Where to Spend the Christmas Holiday
- Check-in: The Journey Starts at Grand Walkerhill
- The Room: Douglas Deluxe Twin
- The Douglas Lounge: Three Servings a Day
- Light Snack (15:00–17:00)
- Douglas Hour (19:00–21:00)
- Light Breakfast (07:00–10:00)
- Facilities: From the Lobby Fireplace to the Pool
- Lobby Lounge & Fireplace
- Multi Room (Pool Table, Board Games)
- Grand Walkerhill Pool & Fitness
- Verdict: Who I’d Recommend It To
- What I Liked
- What Fell Short
- Pricing
- Who It’s For
- Wrap-up
- References
Where to Spend the Christmas Holiday
With the end-of-year holidays coming up, I went back and forth on where to stay and finally settled on Douglas House at Walkerhill. What I wanted was somewhere I could feel a bit of nature and rest quietly without traveling far from the city, and a no-kids hotel surrounded by forest was exactly that. I stayed one night starting December 25, and got the full Christmas atmosphere out of it.
What is Douglas House? It’s a 1963 building designed by Kim Swoo-geun, one of Korea’s defining architects, and it takes its name from General Douglas MacArthur. After a renovation it now operates as a 65-room, no-kids boutique hotel (guests must be 13 or older). A shuttle connects it to Grand Walkerhill Seoul, so you can also use the main building’s pool, fitness center and other facilities. The whole Walkerhill complex sits on the slopes of Achasan, a wooded hill in eastern Seoul overlooking the Han River.
Check-in: The Journey Starts at Grand Walkerhill
Checking into Douglas House works a little differently. You first go through a pre-check-in at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul main building, then take a free shuttle over to Douglas House. The shuttle runs 24 hours and the wait was never more than about five minutes, so it wasn’t an inconvenience.
The moment I walked into the Grand Walkerhill lobby, the enormous Christmas tree caught my eye. Because it was Christmas Day, a jazz band was playing live — so I was already deep in the holiday mood before I’d even checked in.
During the Christmas season, the Grand Walkerhill lobby sometimes hosts special performances. If you time your arrival around check-in you can catch the show and look around the lobby, so I’d recommend getting there with time to spare.
The Room: Douglas Deluxe Twin
I stayed in a Douglas Deluxe Twin. Open the door and a warm, wood-toned interior greets you. The whole room feels cozy, and the beds in particular were wide with soft bedding — I slept well.
Step out onto the terrace and the Han River and the Seoul skyline open up in front of you. In the evening the lights of the Grand Walkerhill main building come on across the way, and in the morning you get the river laid out in sunlight. There aren’t many places inside Seoul with a view like this, which made it feel worth it.
The ceilings may feel a bit lower than in a typical hotel. That comes with the age of the building, though it also adds to the cozy feeling. Worth knowing if you prefer wide open spaces.
The Douglas Lounge: Three Servings a Day
The lounge is far and away the heart of Douglas House. Access is included in the room rate, and the spread changes depending on the time of day.
Light Snack (15:00–17:00)
This is the afternoon tea service you can use right after check-in. There’s coffee from an illy machine, an assortment of teas, and desserts like peanut-hazelnut cake, cookies and macarons. Sitting by the window with the Han River below and a cup of coffee was a good way to spend an hour.
Douglas Hour (19:00–21:00)
In the evening they serve wine, beer and self-serve cocktails along with light snacks to go with them. You can enjoy it in the lounge, but takeout is also allowed. Each guest can take one snack box and a bottle of wine back to the room, so I took mine to go and had it out on the room terrace with the night view.
Pro tip: Pizza Hill + Douglas Hour Grab a pizza to go from Pizza Hill in the Grand Walkerhill main building and pair it with your Douglas Hour takeout for an excellent dinner. Pizza Hill specializes in Korean-style pan pizza; I ordered a half-and-half of combination and seafood. The seafood side in particular was loaded with toppings and very good. Takeout comes with a 20% discount, which brought it to just over 70,000 KRW (about $52) — not cheap, but the toppings are generous enough that it felt reasonable.
Light Breakfast (07:00–10:00)
In the morning they put out bread from the Walkerhill bakery’s pâtissiers along with salad, cereal, yogurt and milk. It isn’t a full buffet spread, but it’s simple and well put together. More than anything, eating breakfast while looking out at the Han River made it feel special.
The lounge doesn’t offer a huge variety of food. If you want a substantial meal, you can pay extra and eat at The Buffet at Grand Walkerhill instead.
Facilities: From the Lobby Fireplace to the Pool
Lobby Lounge & Fireplace
The Douglas House lobby has a fireplace with what looks like a real fire burning in it. Sitting on the sofa next to the Christmas tree and zoning out in front of the flames is a good way to rest. It’s the space where the whole winter-staycation mood really lands.
Multi Room (Pool Table, Board Games)
Downstairs in the basement there’s a multi room with a mini pool table. There are board games too, so it’s an easy way to pass some time with whoever you came with. You can also reserve it as a private room.
Grand Walkerhill Pool & Fitness
Douglas House guests can use the indoor pool and fitness center in the Grand Walkerhill main building for free. The pool isn’t especially large, but it was plenty for a few easy laps. The shuttle gets you there in five minutes, so it was no trouble to go.
A swimsuit and swim cap are required at the pool, and there are no rentals, so bring your own. You can’t use the pool after checkout, so plan accordingly.
Verdict: Who I’d Recommend It To
What I Liked
The quiet of a no-kids property. Ideal for couples or for anyone who wants to rest alone in peace.
Nature as the setting. You get the feeling of being surrounded by forest while still inside Seoul.
The lounge program. Three services a day makes the rate feel like good value.
The Han River view. The outlook from the room terrace is excellent.
The Grand Walkerhill connection. You also get the main building’s pool, fitness center and restaurants.
What Fell Short
The amount of food in the lounge. If you’re expecting a full meal, you may be disappointed.
Ceiling height. It can feel a little low, which comes with the age of the building.
The check-in route. Having to go through Grand Walkerhill first can feel convoluted the first time.
Pricing
For a Douglas Deluxe Twin, expect somewhere between 300,000 and the low 400,000s KRW per night (roughly $220 to $300) on weekends and holidays. On weekdays you can book it in the high 200,000s (around $210). Given that lounge access is included, I think that’s fair.
Who It’s For
I’d recommend it to couples who want a quiet break near Seoul, anyone who prefers a no-kids property, people looking for a boutique hotel with a forest setting, and anyone who wants a hotel staycation and a bit of nature at the same time.
Wrap-up
I got to spend a special stretch of the Christmas holiday without going far from home. It has a cozy, quiet appeal that’s a different thing entirely from the grandeur of Grand Walkerhill. Next time I’d like to come back in autumn, when the leaves have turned.