Oakwood, first serviced apartment in Songdo

Oakwood Premier Incheon is the first serviced apartment in Songdo. / Courtesy of Oakwood Premier Incheon

Wayne Nakagawa

Wayne Nakagawa is a retired America pilot for Continental Airlines and Eva Air. Now, he works as an aviation consultant and travels to Korea to train pilots for a Korean carrier every month.

He stays at Oakwood Premier Incheon, a serviced apartment located on Songdo International City on the western coast near Incheon International Airport.

Hes been traveling to Korea for nine years. Before Oakwood opened last year, he stayed at hotels in the city.

He said the decision to move to Oakwood was easy after he saw the apartment. For him, the washing machine and dryer were what he liked most about the apartment.

When staying in a hotel, we always had to take our clothes to the cleaners, Nakagawa said. There are many places around here that will clean your clothes, but you have to pay for it (each time.) And its a lot of trouble picking your clothes up.

The retired pilot said he also appreciated the apartments kitchen, which is equipped with a stove, full­size refrigerator, cooking utensils, dishes, convention oven, coffee maker, toaster, microwave, rice cooker, dishwasher and electric kettle.

He does not cook every meal at the apartment, and Songdo has a burgeoning commercial section filled with restaurants. But he said its nice to have a fully equipped kitchen in which he can cook whenever he wanted. He cooks at the apartment when he feels like having something simple. He fixes his own breakfast almost every morning.

A bedroom in a one-bedroom apartment

Another one of Oakwoods conveniences is its proximity to a grocery market. Nakagawa walks to Lotte Mart, which is accessible through an underground parking lot.

He is among the many satisfied residents at Oakwood, which opened in July last year.

The propertys 423 furnished apartments come in six types studios, one­bedroom, two­bedroom, three­bedroom and four­bedroom suites; and the penthouse.

Each apartment has a king­sized bed, bathroom with steam sauna (one­bedroom suite and above), dining area, fully equipped kitchen, washing machine, dryer, free Wi­Fi and LED TV with satellite channels. Each room also has a personal telephone number and voice mail system.

A kitchen in a three-bedroom apartment at Oakwood Premier Incheon

For those who dont cook, the apartment buildings restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Oakwood also has conference rooms, a business center, fitness center and childrens playroom, as well as a small library from which residents can rent DVDs.

As the building is one of the tallest in Korea, all the apartments have a stunning view of the Yellow Sea and the island.

Incheon International Airport is only 20 minutes away by car or a short ride on Oakwoods shuttle bus service.

For more information about Oakwood Premier Incheon and reservations, call (032) 726­-2000.