The Kloud lounge offers a breathtaking view of Gangnam. / Courtesy of Mercure Ambassador Gangnam

By Kim Rahn

It sits tucked behind the main street at the heart of the prosperous Gangnam district in southern Seoul, across from the towering Gangnam Finance Center and only a single minute from Yeoksam Subway Station. This is the shiny new Mercure Ambassador Gangnam.

The brand may not be familiar to Korean clientele but it is a reputable segment of Accor, the French hospitality group that has a partnership with the Ambassador Group here in Korea.

The property has 21 floors above ground and seven underground, a total of 288 rooms, including superior deluxe rooms and executive floors, explains Kim Chang-seok, general manager of the just built five-star hotel.

While Mercure Ambassador Gangnam does not have a wide range of food and beverage outlets, the restaurant Cafe Sodowe, located on the second floor offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with Mediterranean and Oriental fusion elements.

The lobby lounge Onda serves a variety of beverages and deli menu. It is a suitable business meeting venue and the Library Lounge, for Executive Floor Level guests’ use only, is the perfect place for any private business meeting.



“The indoor and outdoor sky lounge Kloud on the 21st floor has a breathtaking view and great background music,” says Kim who has been running the operation since the property’s opening early this year.

“The Business Center offers free Wi-Fi, and wired Internet service doubles as an effective business concierge,” he continues, adding that the gym and sauna facilities are offered to help guests rejuvenate after a hard and long day of work or sightseeing.

“We are in the perfect location in the highly populated business area in Gangnam. The Gangnam Finance Center and the GS Tower are within three minutes on foot and subway line No. 2 is a stone’s throw away.

“The COEX Convention Center is also located a very convenient distance from the hotel, placing it ideally for both business and pleasure,” Kim elaborates.

Transportation is so easy for guests at Mercure. Traveling by airport express bus No. 6000 means a convenient ride to Gimpo International Airport while the limousine bus No. 6020 offers nonstop service to Incheon International Airport.

“As the first Mercure brand in Korea, we serve our customers under the slogan ‘Let Good Things Happen,’” Kim says.

And, with the summer vacation season in full swing, Mercure Ambassador Gangnam has introduced many enjoyable events, including the “Summer BBQ” package and the “Girls’ Chat” package that includes use of the sun beds on the 21st floor, especially for females while drinking cocktails like pina coladas at prices that are a bargain.

With the BBQ package, customers can indulge in unlimited consumption of sirloin, ribs, prawns, sausages, salad and fruit, and that is in addition to all the beer you can possibly drink at the Kloud sky lounge.

“We are new in town but are confident that we will appeal to all sorts of clientele by offering unexpected new experiences in hospitality, comfort and excitement,” Kim says.

Information about Mercure Ambassador Gangnam is available at www.mercureseoul.com or by calling (02) 2050-6000.