The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul provides luxury, comfort

The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul has been awarded numerous prestigious awards including the Best Brand Awards by The Korea Herald for its quality service and innovative management philosophies. Since its opening in 1995, the hotel has established a reputation as a high-end luxury hotel in Seoul with its signature luxury interior, attentive service and comfort. It earned the prestigious Korean Architecture Award in 1995 and topped the National Customer Satisfaction Index, issued by the Korean Standards As

Dec. 25, 2012

Imperial Palace Seoul ideal place for social gatherings

Imperial Palace Seoul offers versatile banquet halls and meeting rooms that can accommodate various events. With state-of-the-art facilities and easy access to public transportation, the hotel enables guests to hold any type of gathering, from large international events, high-tech conferences, seminars and business meetings to gala events and theme parties.The Dubhe Hall, decorated in antiques, can accommodate up to 1,000 guests and the Selena Hall can serve up to 800 guests. Five other halls ar

Dec. 25, 2012

Calendar

Theater“Miss Julie”: Swedish playwright August Strindberg’s 1888 naturalistic play “Miss Julie” is being staged as a musical by a Korea’s Street Theater Troupe. The show takes place in the summer of 1874, and tells the story of Miss Julie, a young noble woman, who secretly attends a party hosted by her servants. She is tired of the strict social mores of her noble family and flirts with one of the servants named Jean. Eventually, she is asked to run away with him. The show runs from Dec. 20 to J

Dec. 21, 2012

Budget carriers can give you an unexpected bonus

GIRONA, Spain ― Many European backpackers on a budget have braved the world of the “budget” airline. As if draconian bag fees and cramped seating weren’t enough, many budget carriers serve satellite airports, dumping passengers far from their ultimate destinations. That means more time and euros spent on buses, trains and taxis.In the case of Girona, Spain, though, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.For travelers to Barcelona on Ryanair, Europe’s ubiquitous budget carrier, the quintessentially S

Dec. 21, 2012

‘Bearding winter’ at British Columbia’s Siwash Lake Ranch

KAMLOOPS, Canada ― “It’s a true thing,” as my grandmother used to say. Luxury lodging is in the eye of the beholder.Whether it’s an inn, hotel, resort, even a campsite, all the assorted bits that meet to make a hotel feel like a home will never be to everyone’s taste. Colors and styles that speak to you might leave me yawning. And vice versa.But luxury comes in different flavors in Canada, where most land area is either lightly populated or wilderness. We’ve flown along the coasts and over the i

Dec. 21, 2012

Luxury spa to ocean suites: one place for all

If you haven’t booked your Christmas holiday yet, and you want to spend it with your family, Singapore’s integrated resorts could be the ideal choice. From Marina Bay Sands’ famous infinity swimming pool to Resorts World Sentosa’s Universal Studios and Marine Life Park, the casino-based vacation resorts offer something for everyone regardless of their age.Among the two, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) recently celebrated its grand opening. The $4.93 billion resort is developed by Malaysian conglomer

Dec. 14, 2012

Ireland, Myanmar, Marseille on travel list

NEW YORK (AP) ― Myanmar, Marseille, New Zealand and Gettysburg are all on the travel radar for 2013 thanks to new tours, events and anniversaries. But the best pitch for travel in the new year might just be coming from Ireland, which is running ads “calling all Flynns, O’Malleys and Schweizenbergs’’ to the Emerald Isle for a unique grassroots homecoming called “The Gathering.’’Here are details on these and other places, events and travel trends for 2013.Ireland’s ‘The Gathering’“It’s a citizen-l

Dec. 14, 2012

Sheraton Incheon Hotel recognized as ‘World’s Leading Green Hotel’

Sheraton Incheon Hotel received the “World’s Leading Green Hotel” award at the 2012 World Travel Awards ceremony held at the Oberoi hotel in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday. The hotel’s green policy, along with the continuous growth in business, has been recognized with numerous international awards around the world. The World Travel Awards acknowledge and celebrate commitment to excellence in the hotel industry and rewards organizations that have continued to raise the standard of their product

Dec. 13, 2012

Fraser Suites in Insa-dong celebrates year-end with concerts

Fraser Suites Insa-dong, Seoul hosted an opera night on Dec. 6 as part of its pre-Christmas celebration and to express gratitude to its long-term guests. The “Night at the Opera” featured famous songs from operas and Christmas carols sung by celebrated singers in Korea. The two-hour event featured performances by singer Choi Si-sun, soprano Yoon Ji-young and tenor Yang Seung-yeop, who captured the audience with stunning performances and beautiful and joyful voices in celebration of the Christmas

Dec. 9, 2012

Malaysian islands named after Korea’s ‘Nami,’ ‘Jara’

Two nameless islets near the famous Malaysian resort island of Langkawi were named after two famous holiday spots in Korea.The two islands were named “Nami Island” and “Jara Island” after the spots, near Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, respectively, at a ceremony held by the Langkawi Development Authority and Nami Island Inc. on Monday. The naming was part of Korean Culture Month held at the Oriental Village of the Malaysian island. It follows Malaysian Culture M

Dec. 7, 2012