Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
Sheraton Seoul D Cube City opens
By Kim Rahn
By Kim Rahn
The skyline of southwestern Seoul now includes a new Sheraton hotel offering a top-tier hotel option in the region with a sky lobby and other high quality facilities.
Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel began service on Sept. 16. It is the third Sheraton hotel in Korea, followed by Sheraton Grande Walkerhill and Sheraton Incheon Hotel.
While most five-star hotels in the capital are positioned in central or southern Seoul, guests can directly link to Sindorim Station at the newly established D Cube City. Sindorim, along with Guro neighborhood, has been home to small- and medium-sized companies with factories, and D Cube City is a new culture complex providing apartments, department stores, restaurants, shopping and a musical theater.
Regarding the unusual location, General Manager David Stewart Cuddon said the hotel will be a new landmark in the area. “We are proud to be the first five-star hotel in southwestern Seoul. Together with Times Square in Yeongdeungpo, we are changing the face of Sindorim and Guro,” he said in a media briefing on Sept. 15.
Cuddon added the hotel will benefit from the location as it is close to Yeouido, where domestic and foreign financial institutions are clustered and the International Financial Center will open soon.
Sales and marketing Director Paul Huh also said there has been demand for a top-class hotel in the region. “It is a new market where new demand is expected. We already have 95 percent booking rate for September. We can also attract convention customers to our Grand Ballroom,” he said.
The hotel is also not far from Gimpo and Incheon airports.
Sky lobby
With design consultation from the U.S.’ Jerde and Japan’s Mori, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel has a variety of unique features. And the most special part is the lobby, located on the top floor ― the 41st ― of the building, overlooking Mok-dong, Guro, Yeouido and even Incheon.
“The beauty of this hotel is we have a sky lobby. It is the highest lobby in Seoul and the view is spectacular,” Cuddon said.
While other hotels offer a sky lounge or suites on their top floors, the lobby of the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City allows not only VIP customers but also all guests checking in and out to enjoy the wonderful city view on the 41st floor, in 360 degrees from the cylinder-shaped building.
On the top floor are also Feast, Sheraton brand’s signature all-day dining restaurant, the reception area, and the Lobby Lounge, while Link@Sheraton Internet service is also accessible there.
A total of 269 rooms are located between the 29th and 40th floors. Guests can get a good night’s rest on the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed II, introduced for the first time in Asia. The hotel also offers five special rooms especially for females, called “Her Room,” which is decorated with feminine touches along with items women prefer, such as a tea set, fashion magazines and luxury bath amenities.
A fitness center, swimming pool, sauna and golf practice ranges are available. The hotel’s Aequalis Spa is directly managed by MSpa International, a Thai spa company ― the first service by the firm in Korea.
The hotel has 12 meeting rooms, including the Grand Ballroom which can accommodate up to 900 guests. Any type of event, ranging from a wedding and convention to business meetings and seminars, is available.
D Cube City, the nation’s largest shopping complex, is also an attraction of the hotel. “It is a fully integrated area of hotel, office and shopping center,” Cuddon said. The hotel plans to present various packages by taking advantage of the facilities, including D Cube Arts Center and the Pororo Theme Park.
Future
Cuddon, an hotelier with 18 years in the industry, has successfully launched several hotels for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, the parent group for Sheraton. The hotel expert forecasts long term potential in Korea’s hotel industry.
“Hotels had big growth in Seoul for the last three years. It is expected to continue to grow in 2012 and 2013. There is also strong domestic business on weekends,” the 52-year-old said.
He said Seoul and Korea has high potential unlike Japan and China, so Starwood head office directly sent its development team here to examine the market, adding data by a Singapore-based research company also supported the prospects.
“Starwood is looking at this opportunity to operate out of Seoul, as there are few top-class international hotels,” Cuddon said, hinting the hotel group may open more hotels in cities other than Seoul.