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.
Hotel Lobby
Westin Chosun Seoul
For the fifth year in a row, the Westin Chosun Seoul has been selected among Asia’s top 25 business hotels in the 2012 Best in Travel Poll conducted by online travel magazine Smart Travel Asia.
The Westin Chosun Seoul ranked 14th, along with the St. Regis Singapore. It was the highest placed hotels in Seoul with the Shilla Seoul 15th, Park Hyatt Seoul 18th, and Grand Hyatt Seoul, 19th. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore topped the list, followed by the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and Island Shangri-La Hong Kong.
The magazine, boasting about 1 million readers, conducted the survey from May to July to select the best hotels, airlines, airports, holiday destinations, shopping cities and business cities.
By Kim Rahn
Ritz-Carlton Seoul
The Ritz-Carlton Seoul has invited Matthew Morrison, executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, for an “American Culinary Delight” steak and barbeque festival featuring a variety of U.S. meats at its restaurant, The Garden.
Jointly held with U.S. Meat Export Federation, the promotion offers the chance to enjoy a diverse range of premium American meat in a lunch buffet, a six-course dinner and a la carte menu through Oct. 28. The menu will include rib eye steak, shabu-shabu salad, boiled rib eye carpaccio, poached lobster, barbecued smoked rib eye, and foie gras and premium fillet mignon.
Besides The Garden, other restaurants of the hotel will also present various dishes featuring American beef.
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul
Guests of the Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul can take advantage of a 30 percent discount during weekdays through the end of October.
The deal is available when staying for at least two days. It includes accommodation, breakfast for two at the Granum Dining Lounge and free use of the hotel’s outdoor swimming pool, Oasis. Couples can enjoy 30 percent off on a body massage program at the spa while single guests can receive a 20 percent discount.
The price differs according to the room type and starts from 802,000 won for two nights. For more information, call 02-2250-8000.
Grand Ambassador Seoul
The Grand Ambassador Seoul presents a Falling in Musical package through Oct. 1 which offers tickets to a musical performed inside a palace.
The package includes a one-night stay at a superior room and two R-class seats for “The Celestial Watch” about the life of Joseon’s scientist Jang Yeong-sil on a special stage set up in Gyeonghee Palace.
Those choosing the package can also use the swimming pool and fitness club as well as enjoy two Nespresso coffee capsules for a total 240,000 won. A room upgrade is available for an additional charge. For more information, call 02-2270-3112.
Hyatt Regency Incheon
Restaurant 8 at the Hyatt Regency Incheon introduces the Autumn Signature Menu through Nov. 30.
It has been created to celebrate the restaurant’s recent wining of the Award of Excellence in magazine Wine Spectator’s 2012 Restaurant Wine List Award, as well as the Ospitalita Italiana certification by the Italian Chamber of Commerce and other Italian organizations.
The six-course menu by Italian executive chef Mirko Agostini can be matched with three northern Italian wines from the restaurant’s award-winning wine cellar. The meal on its own costs 77,000 won and is 104,500 won including the wine. For more information, call 032-745-1234.