Imperial Palace, No. 1 choice for businesspeople in Gangnam

In the heart of Gangnam, Imperial Palace Hotel is the ideal place for those doing business in southern Seoul.

Operating under the motto, “The Best of Everything,” the hotel’s convention center has two grand ballrooms and five small and medium-sized conference rooms, suitable for events of all kinds, including weddings, family gatherings, seminars and international conferences.

Duhbe Hall, capable of accommodating up to 1,000 people, and Selena Hall, up to 500 people, both offer state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities. Reception areas of the halls feature an antique-style dining room with a cozy atmosphere.

The hotel has 430 guest rooms and 13 restaurants and bars. Aiming to be a total cultural experience beyond just lodging, works of art fill the halls and lobbies.

In a European decor, guest rooms are equipped with up-to-date facilities, such as 42-inch LCD or PDP TV and high-speed, wireless Internet service. Rooms on the fifth to ninth floors have been recently renovated, with iPod stations in each room.

The hotel boast splendid suites; the Royal Suite for VIPs has elegant and magnificent baroque style interiors, with Bang & Olufsen sound systems and a 63-inch PDP, while the Duplex Suite features an equally comfortable and spacious living space.

Club Imperial Lounge, the executive floor lounge, is designed as a “hanok,” or traditional Korean housing. Teas and snacks are available throughout the day, along with some Korean dishes from the royal court menu.

The hotel’s tailor-made service is well recognized. Some of the services include one-to-one escort of guests from the front desk to their rooms, free valet parking for female customers, and waiters at restaurants closely attending to customers.

Imperial Palace is also firming up its status as a global chain. In December 2007, it opened IP Hotel Fukuoka in Fukuoka, Japan, with 217 rooms, five medium-sized conference halls and a luxury spa. In September 2009, Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort and Spa opened in Cebu, the Philippines, with 557 rooms, including pool villas, a water park, spa, marine sports facilities, an exclusive beach and a kids’ club.

The hotel’s other branch, IP Boutique Hotel, also opened in March last year in Seoul’s tourist district of Itaewon, with 142 rooms and a buffet restaurant. It was named one of the hot spots in Seoul by the New York Times last November.

For more information about Imperial Palace Hotel, call 02-3440-8000 or visit www.imperialpalace.co.kr.