Fitness club membership invitation at Conrad Seoul

The hotel’s fitness club Pulse 8 is recruiting members before its official opening on Nov. 12. The club, located on the 8th and 9th floors, has a gym, indoor swimming pool, sauna, spa and indoor golf range with an urban-style design. The spacious gym features 280 new pieces of fitness equipment and a 25-meter indoor swimming pool. Pulse 8 will recruit only a limited number of members to maintain exclusivity and maximize the comfort for its members. The Conrad Seoul, a branch of Hilton Worldwide,

Aug. 17, 2012

Special weekly event at Imperial Palace Seoul

The hotel’s restaurant Garden Terrace will have special discounts for visitors during the months of August and September. The restaurant, open from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., offers a variety of barbecue dishes and desserts along with the bar’s fresh draft beers. Every Monday, male guests get a 15 percent discount at the “Gentlemen’s Night” event. The restaurant also offers a 10 percent discount for couples on Wednesday’s “Romantic Night” and 20 percent discount for female customers on Thursday’s “Lad

Aug. 17, 2012

Hyatt Regency Jeju offers late-summer package

For families and couples who haven’t gone on a summer vacation, the hotel is offering the “Late Summer Cartel Package,” from Aug. 27-Sept. 27. The package includes a one-night stay in a room with a mountain view, breakfast for two at Terrace Caf, two tropical cocktails at The Balcony and the use of a rental sedan for 24 hours. For guests planning to visit tourist attractions in Jeju, the hotel offers a map and a coupon book that offers discounts at Jeju’s major tourist sites. For guests with bab

Aug. 17, 2012

Hobakjuk (pumpkin porridge)

Hobakjuk is a porridge of boiled and sieved pumpkin, sweet red beans, soybean and rice cake balls. Hobakjuk is a typical Korean porridge; it stimulates the appetite with its sweetness and tender color. Hobakjuk is low in calories and a good diet food. Ingredients● 700 g sweet pumpkin, 5 cups steaming water● 2 cups water ● 25 g red beans, 4 cups boiling water ● 15 g kidney beans, 4 cups water● 100 g glutinous rice powder, 3/4 cup water ● rice cake ball dough: 75 g glutinous rice powder, 0.5 g sal

Aug. 17, 2012

The cold brew

Pearl tea and ice cream tea floats in seasonThis summer the cold brew of choice could very well be tea. Iced tea-based concoctions that tickle the palate are popping up on menus throughout the city, including two establishments that specialize in pearl tea and ice cream tea floats. OSULLOC Tea HouseThe prominent South Korean tea house chain headed by cosmetics maker AmorePacific Corp. demonstrates a knack for combining tea, a latte and an ice cream float into one addictive dessert beverage perfe

Aug. 17, 2012

Cranberries too good just for Thanksgiving

Cranberries are full of nutrients and antioxidants, and should not be used only on Thanksgiving, a U.S. expert says.“Cranberries are low in calories -- 25 calories per one-half cup of fresh cranberries -- contain vitamin C, manganese, vitamin K and fiber, as well as high quantities of antioxidants,” Phil Lempert, a food industry analyst, trend watcher and creator of supermarketguru.com, said in a statement.“Cranberries are good for kidneys, gastrointestinal and oral health, if unsweetened. They

Aug. 14, 2012

Dessert promotion at Ritz-Carlton Seoul

The hotel’s Ritz Deli is introducing a traditional French dessert promotion from Aug. 1-31. “Pop Torta Colonel” is made with a refreshing lime-tinged mousse of white chocolate, glazed and coated with a vodka lime jelly topping. “Apple Terraza” contains hazelnut chocolate mousse and sweet smelling cinnamon-and-caramel-salted apples stuffed on top of an almond sponge cake base. The French “Macaroon Tart” has grape, strawberry, and lemon macaroons heaped with blueberries, blackberries and cherries.

Aug. 10, 2012

Eel dishes at Grand Hyatt Seoul

The hotel’s Japanese Restaurant Akasaka presents a wide variety of special eel delicacies from Aug. 1-15. During the promotion, Akasaka will offer a wide array of eel dishes created by Keiichi Watanabe, the executive chef of Akasaka restaurant. Chef Watanabe’s seasonal eel delicacies will be available either la carte or set menus, which include eel lunch box, broiled eel with teriyaki sauce and broiled and braised eel. These eel specials will be offered at Akasaka Restaurant at Grand Hyatt Seoul

Aug. 10, 2012

French delicacy at Millennium Seoul Hilton

The hotel’s French restaurant Seasons offers the cuisine of Provence, the southeastern region of France to celebrate the summer season throughout August. The executive chef’s Provence-inspired course menu includes salmon pastrami braised endive salad in orange peppercorn sauce, bouillabaisse cappuccino soup, sauted foie gras with tomato tartare and tomato basil sherbet. The course menu is priced at 120,000 won, excluding tax and service charges. For more information, call (02) 317-3060.

Aug. 10, 2012

“La Boheme” package at Banyan Tree

The hotel is offering the “La Boheme” package, which presents a one-night stay at its presidential suite as well as a chance to watch the opera “La Boheme.” The presidential suite provides a luxurious mood and the hotel pool provides panoramic views of Namsan. The “La Boheme” package includes two opera tickets (R seat) for the Sept. 1 performance, breakfast for two, free access to the Oasis swimming pool, Cabana dinner for two, a 90 minute-massage for two persons and a 20 percent discount for an

Aug. 10, 2012

Lotte Hotels offers 50 percent discount for Hana Club SK card holders

Lotte Hotel will hold “Restaurant Super Week,” inspired by the New York City Restaurant Week which offers a chance to dine at some of the finest restaurants at a discounted price from Aug. 13-19. The Restaurant Super Week will be held at Lotte Hotel Seoul, Lotte Hotel World, and Lotte Hotel Ulsan. Flagship restaurants like Pierre Gagnaire Soul (French), Mugunghwa (Korean), Toh Lim (Chinese), and Peninsula (Italian) will be participating in this event and offer “Super Week Tasting Menu” composed

Aug. 10, 2012

Yakgwa (deep-fried honey cookies)

Yakgwa is a type of cookie made by kneading wheat flour with sesame oil, honey and refined rice wine. It is pressed into a square mold, or flattened with a mallet and cut into a square. It is then fried in oil and dipped in honey. This is the most luxurious and tasteful traditional Korean cookie. It is served on festive days, at ceremonial feasts and memorial services. Ingredients● 1 cup and 8 tbsp wheat flour (medium viscidness), 2 tbsp sesame oil ● Honey cookie seasoning: 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp

Aug. 10, 2012

Survey finds rare sharks in fin soup

ORLANDO, Florida ― Imagine a bowl of steaming soup with succulent morsels severed from the tail of a cruelly slaughtered manatee.It sounds awful but isn’t far-fetched. Sharks are served in restaurants around the world in fin soup, even though about one-third of the 450 species are threatened with extinction. And there’s no way for diners to know the type of shark they are consuming.To find that out, shark-attack survivors associated with the Pew Environment Group, working with the Discovery Chan

Aug. 10, 2012

Afternoon tea at Lotte Hotel Seoul

“The Lounge” and “Salon de The” at Lotte Hotel Seoul are serving “Royal English Tea Set” and “Champagne Afternoon Tea Set.” The afternoon tea set menus serve delicious pastries prepared by a pastry chef working with three-Michelin star chef Pierre Gagnaire. Pastries include ginseng and pear glass, sable Breton berry, chocolate mousse cake, lemon tart, marble cake, orange financier, macaron, scone, chocolate, and assorted sandwiches. The Royal English Tea Set offers a choice of coffee or tea, ser

Aug. 3, 2012

Seafood barbecue at the Ritz-Carlton Seoul

The hotel’s restaurant The Garden presents “Summer Mediterranean Seafood Barbecue Promotion” from Aug. 2-31. Offering fresh seafood and natural ingredients like tomatoes, olive oil, fruits, nuts, grains and cheese, the menu is rich in nutrition and taste. The Mediterranean seafood barbecue dinner buffet includes garlic buttered grilled king prawns, king crab stew marinated in citron and thyme, lamb steak garnished with fresh summer peach chutney, and 40 other dishes all prepared and grilled by t

Aug. 3, 2012

‘Chuseok Package’ at JW Marriott Seoul

The hotel presents “Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day) Package” giving major discount to guests who purchase the hotel’s early bird promotion by the end of August. The package offers the lowest price of the year. The package consists of a one-night stay in a superior room, two movie tickets at Megabox Central and access to the hotel’s fitness club and swimming pool. Visitors may also enjoy shopping at Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam directly connected to the hotel through underground passag

Aug. 3, 2012

Summer package at the Grand Hilton Seoul

The hotel recently completed a full guest-room renovation and is now offering a range of relaxing summer packages from Aug.16-Sept.5. The “Cool Package” provides a one-night stay in a deluxe room and free access to the gym as well as its swimming pool. The “Healing Package” offers a one-night stay, breakfast, gelato ice cream and free access to the sauna. The “Family Package” for families of three or more, presents one night in the Grand Suite Residence, breakfast buffet, ice flake “patbingsu” a

Aug. 3, 2012

Summer cocktail at Imperial Palace Seoul

The hotel’s Zoe Bar presents a cocktail promotion with its famous bartender, Ssami. Ssami has won the “Green Day Midori New Recipe Seminar & Bartender Contest” for two consecutive years in 2011 and 2012. He will also compete in the World Cocktail Competition’s Bartender Contest, which will take place in Prague in 2013 as Korea’s representative. Guests may enjoy the “Fresh Breeze,” the prize winning cocktail of the 2012 contest, and “Day of Heaven,” the prize winning cocktail of 2011 as well as a

Aug. 3, 2012

Gegamjeong (crab stew)

Gegamjeong is a stew made of blue crab and red pepper paste. In olden days, it was often served on the king’s dining table. The delicate crab flesh and spicy soup give gegamjeong a unique taste. The crab is tasty and nutritious, and there is a saying, “Travelers should not look at the blue crab.”Ingredients● 2 bodies blue female crab ● 120 g beef (minced top round) ● Seasoning sauce: 1/2 tsp clear soy sauce, 1/2 tsp minced green onion, 1/4 tsp minced 1/2 tsp sesame salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pep

Aug. 3, 2012

The shake bingsu

Add Bing’s milkshake-inspired, red bean-free bingsu is a tasty, dessert hybridBingsu is the summer dessert of the nation. At legendary bingsu spots, people will wait in droves for a bowl of those cold flecks of shaved ice, topped with sweet red beans. In Busan, one can even enjoy this dessert at street stalls, where it is made on the spot and served up in quaint little bowls. In short, bingsu is a ubiquitous treat and can be easily found in most cafes and bakeries around this time of year. While

Aug. 3, 2012