Hotel lobby

The Grand Hyatt Seoul

The Grand Hyatt Seoul will be premiering the transformation of its Japanese restaurant Akasaka, featuring a comprehensive renovation of its kitchen and its menu, starting Oct. 4.

Akasaka offers a diverse cuisine ranging from a comfortable lunch menu to authentic Kaiseki (a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner).

Akasaka has intensified its focus on rice, noodles, soy sauce, water, and “miso” soy bean paste that are the basis of its new dishes. In addition to full course menu selections, a Lunch Box will be offered. The new menu is ideally suited to compliment the wide variety of sakes (rice wine) available to complete your dining experience.

For more information, call (02) 799-8164.

The Millennium Seoul Hilton

The Millennium Seoul Hilton’s buffet restaurant, Orangerie, will showcase German cuisine and draft beer ­ in true Oktoberfest style.

Orangerie will be decorated in blue and white, the representative colors of Oktoberfest. Adding to the ambience, the wait-staff will be dressed in traditional Oktoberfest garb. Diners can feast on a Bavarian bounty including handmade German sausages, sauerkraut, German-style potato salad, German sausage salad and more.

For an additional 15,000 won to the regular Orangerie buffet price, one can enjoy unlimited quantities of draft beer, wine and soft drinks.

The Orangerie lunch buffet is priced at 52,000 won for adults and 31,200 won for children aged 12 and under. The dinner buffet is priced at 57,000 won for adults and 34,200 won for children aged 12 and under. For more information, call (02) 317-3143.

The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill

The Sheraton Grande Walkerhill is launching an audio guide tour program to give voice to the art pieces exhibited within the hotel grounds.

The “Walkerhill Art Museum,” consists of a free audio tour provided in four languages ㅡ English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Guests will be able to fully appreciate the 28 masterpieces from 20 different artists.

Works included in the audio tour are Dale Chihuly’s Walkerhill glass chandelier hanging from the hotel’s lobby, Fernandez Arman’s “Lebellule’ with its four golden wings standing outside the hotel, and Savador Dali’s “Mercurio” placed on the terrace among others.

The audio guide can be picked up at the Walkerhill’s reception desk in the lobby until Oct. 31.

For more information, call (02) 450-4669.

The JW Marriott Seoul

The JW Marriott Seoul and sister Korean hotels the Ritz Carlton, Renaissance, Court Yard by Marriott, and Marriott Executive Apartments will hold a large charity event on September 30 with an NGO working for neglected children around the world. All proceeds will be delivered to needy children.

Marriott hotels in Korea hold related charity events five times a year. After the large event on the 30th, a kimchi event for the elderly will be held at Kkotdongnae in November.

In addition to these events, the JW Marriott Seoul supports its own hotel-specific events, such as making wool hats for African children every winter and a yearly children’s Christmas fundraiser.

Proceeds from selling “griffin” dolls at the JW Marriott Seoul are delivered to tuberculosis patients in North Korea by the Eugene Bell Foundation. For more information, call (02) 6282-6113.

The Westin Chosun Seoul

The Westin Chosun Seoul has launched an iPhone Application for the first time in the Korean hotel industry.

This new App makes it possible to browse through the hotel and even make reservations or inquiries on a toll free number.

The iPhone Application has a number of convenient functions. Guests can get an overview of the hotel as well as descriptions of guestrooms, restaurants and banquet facilities. Phone reservations or inquiries for restaurants, banquets and guestrooms are also available on a toll free number.

Also, 24-hour communication is possible on top of checking in-room messages and registering for wake up calls. The application also offers tourist information, tips about traveling in Seoul and helpful Korean phrases. In case of an emergency, guests can directly contact their embassy, a police station or call for a taxi.

The hotel is holding special events to celebrate the launch of the new application ㅡ guests who download the service can try it out and send comments and suggestions from Sept. 21 to Oct. 20.

A lucky draw will take place on Oct. 27 with a variety of prizes including an Aria buffet certificate for two, a Heavenly Gown and a Vecchia e Nuovo marble cake.

The App can be downloaded either by visiting the iPhone App Store (https://itunes.apple.com/kr/app/id389321320?mt=8) or The Westin Chosun Seoul website.