Korea Travel Guide
Tags: Hotel Hype / Thompson Hotels / Studio Gaia / → All Tags
Thompson Seoul is Still On; Possibly Puerto Rico Too
Last week we saw the model rooms that design firm Studio Gaia did for the upcoming Thompson Toronto hotel and thanks to an equally nerdy hotel geek, we learned that the same firm is doing Thompson Seoul.
We're actually quite surprised that Thompson is still going ahead with Seoul in these times but it is some very welcome hotel news for the hospitality industry which has of late been socked by hotel delays and canceled projects.
Tags: Seoul Hotels / South Korea Hotels / Hotel Boutiques / Leading Hotels of the World / → All Tags
Duty Free for You and Me at The Shilla Seoul
Since 1986, one hotel has dominated both the luxury sleeping and shopping scene in Seoul: The Shilla. Although the hotel has been around for a little longer than that, 1986 was the year that it birthed an independent duty free shop, making the upper echelons of luxury goods available at a price that was almost a deal. The Shilla now operates more shops on the Korean holiday island of Jeju and in Incheon airport, but its original two-floor boutique remains a cult shopping destination.
For anyone who feels the salacious temptation of a duty free catalog in the seat-back pocket, a stop in at The Shilla may be deadly (to your bank account). Being surrounded by smiling, impeccably-coiffed salesgirls and shiny products proves a drug for those who achieve VIP status at The Shilla shops.
Tags: Hotel News / Thompson Hotels / Hotel Hype / Seoul Hotels / Stephen Brandman / → All Tags
Thompson Hotels Looking to Get Some Seoul
That's right. Thompson Hotels, having finished with their monopoly on New York, is expanding overseas to Seoul, Korea.
We have to say, this destination is shocking. We thought for sure a London property was in the works. Yet today a press release was making the rounds of the interweb that Jason Pomeranc and co. are heading off to Seoul.
Tags: Cubicle Dreamin' / Korea Hotels / Island Getaways / → All Tags
Cubicle Dreamin': Beauty and Technology on Jeju Island
I've just been invited to a wedding in South Korea and although I won't get there unless my fairy godmother springs for a plane ticket, it doesn't hurt to dream. If I get there I'll head down to Jeju Island, a romantic spot off the south-west corner of the country. I hear it's sometimes overflowing with honeymoon couples but that seems to fit in well with a wedding trip anyway.
My hotel of choice (I've been tipped off by an insider) is The Shilla, Jeju, a resort on a 21-acre property on the cliff-top overlooking the Pacific. It only opened in 1990 and was South Korea's first 5-star resort. Sounds good so far, right?
My room of choice will be a Pacific Suite (I don't need the Presidential) which has views over the gardens and the ocean; it's also in the even newer part of the building complex. It's around US$330 a night--though that shoots up to $860 if I go for the superior suite.
There's one more thing that really tickles me about the Shilla, and it's a neat little piece of technology:
If a phone call is made when you are watching television, the volume is automatically controlled as you pick up the receiver. If you hang up the receiver, the volume is reset as it was.
Not sure I'll be using this feature too often, but it's great to know it's there.
[Photo: kellchan]
Tags: Korea Hotels / Seoul Hotel Reviews / Hotels Under $100 / Hotel Heaven / → All Tags
Behind the Anti-View: Metro Hotel Myungdong Redeems Itself
Have you heard about Seoul's hotness? South Korea's hipper-than-thou capital is gaining street cred due to a recent opening of a 10 Corso Como, a Fashion Week growing quickly in international regard, and not to mention the popularity of Korean TV dramas around the world.
The development of Seoul as a sort of new Tokyo (albeit slightly more affordable) is creating a distinctive thirst among tourists and locals alike: for luxury and high design.
This is why, in a city where women wear high heels everywhere, the Metro Hotel Myungdong looks and feels so good. So it doesn't have the best views, but then what is a great view in a city planned without much regard to green spaces and well...city planning?
Tags: Anti-View / Seoul Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Room With an Anti-View: Aesthetically Unpleasing Architecture in Seoul
You know the scene. You open the door to your brand new hotel room, run over to the window, open the blinds and bam, you are hit with the anti-view. Maybe you are looking down a dirty alley, witnessing a drug deal, staring at an air shaft in the face, or seeing a brick wall. Whatever you are viewing it is not extremely pleasurable. Help out your fellow hotel mavens by uploading your anti-views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number with the not-so-easy-on-the-eyes view.
Before we talk about the view from Seoul's Metro Hotel Myungdong, let's talk about what their website promises:
A Journey ... Not the Same ... You will have plenty to feel satisfied about, plenty to smile about in Metro.
That's a big promise and if we check the view from this room, we're not smiling too hard or feeling enormously satisfied yet. There's a lovely concrete jungle, if you can smile about that kind of thing, and some weird architecture going on with the building next door. What are these big squares all about, and who is meant to see them, other than guests at this level or higher in the Metro Hotel? It kind of looks like a part of the building that they've put on in the wrong place.
We shouldn't be too hard on the Metro Hotel's view--Seoul's a huge city and there can't be too many killer views from Seoul hotels. To its credit, the Metro is centrally located and offers reasonably-priced rooms from around $100 a night. There are 75 rooms that include an internet connection, satellite TV channels and double glazed windows to keep out some of the city noise.
If you're still balancing up the bad view versus the decent hotel ideas, here's a quote from the Metro's website to tip the scales: "Seoul's Metro Hotel fits like a well-made Korean glove." Say no more.
[Photo: xeeliz]
Related Stories:
· Hotels in Seoul [HotelChatter]
· Travel Stories in Seoul [Jaunted]
Tags: Seoul Hotel Reviews / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Not Much Soul at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, But Enough Shopping
The Lotte Hotel Seoul just won a gong as the "Best Individual Hotel in Asia", as decided by Global Traveler USA magazine. The Lotte Hotel is a 1349-room extravaganza, recently refurbished (and 370 rooms were added brand new), and with a new grand lobby on the 14th floor.
While its specialization is "super-deluxe service for business travelers", there are obviously enough rooms for everyone and tourists also pick it for the central location. A few gripes include the expensive charges for the internet and the hotel's so big that it can sometimes feel a bit impersonal.
The Lotte Hotel is actually part of a huge complex called Lotte World which also includes an amusement park, sports center, water slide park, folk museum and a huge shopping center--promoters describe it as a mini-city. So you could go to Lotte World, stay in the luxury of the Lotte Hotel, and never actually see Seoul, apart from the trip from the airport. But that'd be a bit Seoul-less, wouldn't it?
[Photo: paris03]
Related Stories:
· Lotte Hotel Seoul reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Hotel Openings / Hilton Hotels / South Korea Hotel Reviews / → All Tags
Newest Hilton Worldwide Resort Opens in South Korea
You may not be able to travel to North Korea these days but South Korea's still game.
Just the other day the Hilton Namhae Golf & Spa Resort opened up and it's no regular Hilton. While this is the fourth Hilton in the country, its the first of Hilton's Worldwide Resort brand, meaning its huge and ultra-luxe.
Aside from the 170 all-suite and villa estate, the focal point of this hotel is its seafront 18-hole golf course (that can be played year-round) and its funky clubhouse which was designed to resemble "an unfolding prism, which houses restaurants, bars and a large spa with a panoramic ocean view."
There's also a private marina on-hand with a yacht service and water sports activities.
As for the rooms, all the suites have two bedrooms, common areas and can fit up to four golfers or families with children. The amenities are skimpy either with 42-inch flat screen TVs, small private pools, and courtyard gardens.
We had to doublecheck to make sure this was afterall, a Hilton. However, the place is so new, there aren't any real photos on its website. Just a rendering, but we think you get the picture.
Related Stories:
· Can you still travel to North Korea [Jaunted]
Tags: Hotels / → All Tags
Checking-In at W Seoul
Hotel Maven hmlauer clues us in on the ins and outs of W Seoul:
I stayed at the W in Seoul back in June. Definitely one of the coolest places in town - both for locals and travelers. The rooms are very space-agey in feel. Everything is either red or white. And the views of the surrounding area are pretty great (assuming it's not cloudy). The only downside is that it is at least a 15 minute taxi ride from the central business district. But I'd definitely recommend it.
We here while the W is on the outskirts of Seoul, they do offer a free shuttle to the Subway station, however, you are still a good distance from the city--guess it all depends how close to town you need to be.
Tags: Hotel Deals / → All Tags
Free Stay At The Ritz Carlton Seoul...If You Can Get There
Emirates Airlines is celebrating the launch of its new daily flights to Seoul by giving away complimentary hotel stays to First and Business Class passengers.
Just fly to Seoul on Emirates between May 1st and July 31 and you can get up to three complimentary nights at the Ritz Carlton Seoul.
The "just fly to Seoul" part is easier said than done, we know.
Related Stories:
· Ritz Carlton Seoul Deal [Emirates Airlines]
· Ritz Carlton Seoul Reviews [TripAdvisor]
Tags: Hotel News / → All Tags
Love Hotels: Moral maladies or a convenient place for a quickie?
Love hotels, which are geared toward adult trysts and have strict age requirements, are coming under fire by a group of NIMBY leaders in Korea.
Their argument? These parents feel that having rent-by the-hour Love Hotels in the vicinity of schools is a moral crime, and they are looking to eradicate these love shacks.
Oh the drama.
Related Stories:
· Japanese Love Hotels [HotelChatter]
Tags: Hotels / → All Tags
W invades Asia
The third international W is now open for business.
W Seoul-Walkerhill, located on the slopes of Mount Acha, will be the first property to offer rooms by color and scent.
Before you get carried away, there appear to be four room types:
Wonderful Room, with its red and white interiors; Media Room, complete with a round bed, Jacuzzi bath, private projection LCD screen and home theatre system; Spa Room colored in grays with a bath that sits at the edge of the window, and Scent Room, which allows guests to pre-select from a customized menu of aromas for the room, and includes an outdoor terrace.
W is offering some sort of Jag transportation package, and complimentary spa treatment, as part of their grand opening offer.
If you find yourself in Seoul you may want to look into this place.
Doesn't it seem like a new W is popping up every week?
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