Grand Mercure Ambassador: A must-try new hotel in central Seoul
A room in the Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan/Courtesy of Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan
By Kim Se-jeong
The Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan is one of latest hotels to open in central Seoul near the U.S. military base and the Yongsan Electronics Market.
The 202-room serviced apartment property is a good option for families interested in a weekend “staycation” in the city and for long-term business travelers to Seoul.
A Kitchen in the room
Rooms
The Grand Mercure Ambassador’s room interiors reflect the local gast and culture. Guests are welcomed with heated wooden floor and Korea-themed paintings on walls and sculptures on tabletops.
Each serviced apartment has pots, pans, stove, silverware and detergent, as well as an espresso machine and capsule coffee beans. In addition, unlike many other hotels in the city, the Grand Mercure’s cable TV service caters to guests from Arab countries or those who speak the Arab language, featuring three Arabic channels.
In addition to the Wi-Fi service, each room also has a “Handy” smartphone that provides unlimited free domestic and international calls and internet use. Guests can use the smartphone in the room or on the go to speak with family and friends back home and work contacts and to navigate the city.
The Executive Lounge serves breakfast.
Dining
The Grand Mercure Ambassador has A La Maison, a deli and a wine bar and the Executive Lounge on the third floor of the building, which offers breakfast and snacks either complimentary or at an extra charge depending on the guests room rate.
Guests also have the option of going to the nearby shopping arcade and E-Mart and cooking in their hotel rooms. The hotel plans to open a new restaurant sometime next year but in the mean time, guests can also dine at the various restaurants near the hotel property.
An indoor swimming pool
Fitness center
The Grand Mercure Ambassador’s fitness center and indoor swimming pool are available to hotel guests from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. The fitness center offers Pilates and yoga sessions and indoor golf and screen baseball facilities, as well as sauna at an extra charge.
Location
The hotel is walking distance to Yongsan subway station and only one stop away from Seoul Station.
The hotel’s convenient location offers guests many opportunities to do fun activities. I’Park Mall and The Shilla Duty Free Store are less than 1 kilometer away, while the traditional Namdaemun Market, Myeongdong shopping street, National Theater and Itaewon are a quick subway or taxi ride away.
It’s about an hour away from the Incheon International Airport via shuttle bus.
Rates
The hotel room rates vary depending on room type and booking season. For more information about rates and reservations, call (02) 2223-7500.
An exterior view of Seoul Dragon City
Seoul Dragon City
The Grand Mercure Ambassador Seoul Yongsan is one of the four properties in Seoul Dragon City, a major complex of accommodation properties and indoor entertainment facilities. Besides, Grand Mercure Ambassador, Seoul Dragon City hosts Novotel Suites, Novotel and ibis Styles.
The hotels in Seoul Dragon City have a total of 1,700 rooms, six dining venues, 17 meeting rooms and two grand ballrooms.
Opened in October, Seoul Dragon City is famous for Sky Kingdom, a venue for parties, consisting of five lounge bars and party rooms. The exquisite interior design gives Sky Kingdom an atmosphere of exclusivity. The venue is growingly popular among locals.
At Seoul Dragon City, guests are welcomed with a symbolic golden dragon sculpture outside the entrance of the complex. Named “DoDo,” the gigantic sculpture was inspired by the main character in the Germany fantast novel “The Neverending Story.”
According to a Seoul Dragon City press release, the sculpture signifies that Dragon City is a gateway to the Korean fantast.