[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Multi-resort complex Jeju Shinhwa World offers two packages for autumn season Jeju Shinhwa World offers the Poolside Picnic Package and the Lounge & Cozy Package for travelers going to Jeju Island. The Poolside Picnic Package comes with a one-night stay at the Marriott Resort, premium breakfast for two at Sky on 5 Dining restaurant, a special chicken-and-beer set at the poolside cafe and free use of the guest room minibar. The package is available until Dec. 29 for 230,000 won. The Lounge

Oct. 16, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotion and Packages

Andaz Seoul Gangnam releases 100 Lucky Room Vouchers Andaz Seoul Gangnam is launching a special Lucky Room Voucher offer to 100 guests, worth a maximum of 12 million won ($10,400) in celebration of its first anniversary on Oct. 8. The Lucky Room Voucher includes a one-night stay in a randomly assigned room, which means guests can get anything from a standard room to the top suite, the Gangnam Penthouse. Also included in the voucher are breakfast for two at the Jogakbo restaurant, the Andaz Se

Oct. 8, 2020

New rice cakes break away from traditions

One of the traditional foods associated with Chuseok is tteok, or rice cakes. When people think of tteok, many think of traditional forms like baekseolgi and garaetteok that have a rich rice flavor, but in recent years more and more tteok treats have strayed from traditional flavors, and cooking methods targeting younger customers have been coming into the spotlight, with social media marketing leading the trend. The rise of fusion tteok like cream-filled tteok and ice cream tteok came with th

Sept. 28, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

‘Thanks Mom’ package at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Doksan Novotel Ambassador Seoul Doksan prepares a special staycation package for the upcoming Chuseok holidays for children to give their mothers a relaxing night at the hotel. The package includes a one-night stay, complimentary use of the swimming pool and fitness center and a lalaChuu makeup gift package. The lalaChuu makeup gift package includes six different makeup items -- tension cushion (No. 21), ampoule cleanser, soothing e

Sept. 25, 2020

Artisanal sausages, cold cuts and ham at Xesc Menzl

After a brief stint in the skillet, Xesc Menzl’s debrecener sausage emerges smoky, laced with spices and slightly piquant. Juicy and finely textured, the debrecener requires no additional condiments thanks to its complex and fragrant medley of flavors. One bite unleashes a pop of nutmeg and the heat of chili. “The debrecener is a Hungarian sausage,” said Xesc Menzl owner-chef Kim Jung-hyun, 33, in an email interview. “It is crafted with pork and pork back fat, ca

Sept. 19, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Autumn packages at Walkerhill Grand Walkerhill Seoul offers three fall packages for those looking for a fall staycation and a hike on Achasan. Two Falling in Fall packages include a one-night stay in a grand deluxe room and a choice of chicken and beer or pizza, at starting prices of 184,000 won and 194,000 won. The hotel also offers the Autumn Sky package, which includes a one-night-stay in the club suite room, along with breakfast and happy hour at the club lounge starting at 330,000 won.

Sept. 18, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

InterContinental to offer 2020 Chuseok Gift Sets Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas and InterContinental Seoul Coex in Samseong-dong are offering delivery of the 2020 Chuseok Gift Set to help communicate best wishes to loved ones from a distance. Alongside the 40 carefully selected premium products, a premium memorial rites table for ancestors prepared by InterContinental’s Korean cuisine chefs is also available this year for the first time. The Chef’s Assorted Memorial Service T

Sept. 11, 2020

Barrel-aged beer at OBC

Amber-hued, redolent of honey and toasted walnuts, Original Beer Company’s barrel-aged Moonlight Scottish ale walks the line between whisky, wine and beer with its potent, full-bodied flavor profile and relatively high alcohol content. Boasting 9.5 percent alcohol by volume, this brew is stronger than an average ale, and that is no accident. The newly minted craft brewery is tapping into the global trend of barrel-aged beer -- where beer is fermented in barrels often previously used to

Sept. 5, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

‘Starry Starry Night’ Package at Seoul Dragon City Hotel-plex Hotel Seoul Dragon City offers the Starry Starry Night package for couples hoping to spend a romantic staycation. The package includes a one-night stay, Fantini Gran Cuvee Bianco Swarovski (Italian sparkling wine) with a crystal embedded on the bottle and dessert as room service. Only 10,000 bottles of this particular wine are produced each year. The package starts at 236,500 won for the Grand Mercure Ambassador Hotel

Sept. 4, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Stay at Mayfield Hotel with Asiana Airlines mileage Mayfield Hotel Seoul is offering a chance for guests to use their Asiana Airlines mileage while COVID-19 precludes international travel. Guests can reserve rooms at the hotel with Asiana mileage until Sept. 16 for stays before the end of the year, excluding blackout days (Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, Oct. 31 and Dec. 24-26). Guests interested in using mileage will have to call the hotel for a reservation number and present personal identificatio

Aug. 28, 2020

Classic bites at Oui Madeleine

Sequestered in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong, Oui Madeleine stays true to its name. There is only one item on the menu –- the shell-shaped madeleine. Asked why she specializes solely in these sponge cakes, owner-patissier Ryu Hye-sun answered, “While I love to explore that which is new, I have a penchant for the basics and classics and that is reflected in my decision to focus on the madeleine.” Before Ryu soft opened Oui Madeleine on Aug. 7, she studied pastries at Le Co

Aug. 22, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Stay at Mayfield Hotel with Asiana Airlines mileage Mayfield Hotel Seoul is offering a chance for guests to use their Asiana Airlines mileage while COVID-19 precludes international travel. Guests can reserve rooms at the hotel with Asiana mileage until Sept. 16 for stays before the end of the year, excluding blackout days (Sept. 30 through Oct. 3, Oct. 31 and Dec. 24-26). Guests interested in using mileage will have to call the hotel for a reservation number and present personal identificatio

Aug. 21, 2020

New cultural experience: Scandinavian food in most Korean setting

Located across the west wall of the palace Changdeokgung in Wonseo-dong in central Seoul is what, at first glance, looks like a hanok cafe. Inside, however, authentic Scandinavian dishes are offered on Royal Copenhagen porcelain, offering a cuisine unfamiliar to many Koreans at perhaps the most Korean place. Sogongheon, meaning “a place that brings people together to do good,” opened after two years of construction. The two-story hanok, with a separate hanok annex behind it, breaks

Aug. 8, 2020

'Agitated' Pour-Over Coffee at Danil

To agitate or not to agitate -- that is the question that baristas perfecting their pour-over coffee may find themselves asking at one point in their careers. At Danil Seoul, the answer is a resounding yes as one will discover watching a small spoon being used to stir the coffee grounds during the extraction process. “There are several reasons we use a spoon,” Danil Seoul roasters Ahn Sung-min, 34, and Lee Jae-woo, 29, explained in an e-mail interview.  “First, it er

Aug. 7, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

‘Relax 26 Hours Package’ at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotel & Residences presents a staycation package, “Relax 26 Hours Package.” The package includes a one-night stay, 30,000 won worth of food credit and free use of the hotel’s swimming pool, fitness center and kids’ zone. Guest can check in early, starting at noon, and check out late at 2 p.m. the next day for a total stay of 26 hours. The package, price

July 31, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Starry wedding at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotel & Residences presents small wedding package “Art Collection: The Starry Night.” The wedding package is available at grand ballroom Rahan or at the hotel’s rooftop garden. Decorations, inspired by the famous oil painting “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh, complement a private wedding ceremony. The wedding package is priced at 9.9 million won for 100 guests, inclusiv

July 24, 2020

Traveling the world through international themed food

The food and beverage industry is targeting customers unable to travel abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic with international themed menus, partially quenching their longing for travel. One internationally famous restaurant, Eggslut, opened in Korea in COVID-19 era, capturing customers with its Californian taste. Eggslut, famous for its egg sandwiches in California, opened its first store in Korea at Coex mall in Seoul on July 10. As one of the must-try restaurants when visiting California alon

July 18, 2020

Natural wines at Vinosn

To curious passersby, Vinosn may look like a run-of-the-mill wine shop. One step inside reveals this shop stocks exclusively natural wines and Grower Champagnes and that the owner, Agnes Kim, boasts over five years of experience and a dedicated passion for these increasingly hip and sought-after libations. “Before natural wine was imported to Korea, I drank it abroad,” Kim, 49, said in an email interview, recalling how she first encountered this much-buzzed-about wine. Then in

July 17, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Summer staycation at Haevichi Jeju Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju offers the Summer Break package deal for guests seeking a summer staycation experience on Jeju Island. The package includes a one-night stay, breakfast for two, use of the hotel’s indoor and outdoor pools, and two glasses of craft brew Haevichi Wheat Beer. Guests booking a two-night stay via the package will be offered apple mango bingsu, while guests who book for a three-night stay will receive a complimentary upgra

July 17, 2020

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and Packages

Art-filled staycation at Andaz Seoul Gangnam Andaz Seoul Gangnam’s all-day cafe lounge A’+Z has collaborated with Gana Art Center and Perrier, offering a unique staycation experience to its guests. The hotel has transformed its cafe A’+Z into an art gallery this month, displaying art works by three artists -- Lionel Esteve, Yoriko Takabatake and Park Young-nam -- who express their appreciation of nature in different ways. The exhibition continues until the end of July. Mean

July 10, 2020