The Korea Herald

H.K. hotel recreates protest camp for guests

Dec 26, 2014

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protest camps may have been swept away but one man has recreated a rally site as an Occupy hotel ― where guests now pay to spend the night in a tent.Set up in a small apartment in the Causeway Bay shopping district, which was previously home to one of three protest camps, visitors pay HK$100 ($13) to stay in one of two small tents surrounded by protest memorabilia. The walls are draped with pro-democracy banners, and a cardboard cutout of Chinese Presi
Unique wedding ceremonies in Maldives

Dec 26, 2014

Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts presents unique romantic travel packages at its resorts in the Maldives. The Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru is a unique venue to tie the knot underwater. Couples can enjoy a wedding ceremony surrounded by splendid coral and witnessed by tropical fish. The underwater wedding package includes a wedding coordinator, certificate and photographs. The price starts from $2,000. Another resort in the Maldives Angsana Velavaru offers the chance to have a private wedding ceremony on
Discover relaxation, retail therapy at the Renaissance

Dec 23, 2014

The Renaissance Seoul Hotel in Seoul (Renaissance Seoul Hotel)Hotel / WeddingRENAISSANCE SEOUL HOTELIn celebration of the New Year, the Renaissance Seoul Hotel is offering special “Discover Packages” for those looking for a relaxing weekend without having to deal with the hassle of packing up and leaving town. The “Cinema Paradise Package” is designed for a relaxing time and includes one night in a deluxe room with free in-room Wi-Fi and two Megabox movie tickets. However, for those who prefer
Business with pleasure at Hotel Hyundai Ulsan

Dec 23, 2014

Hotel Hyundai UlsanHotel / Business / ProvinceHotel Hyundai UlsanWhether you’re traveling to Ulsan for business or tourism, Hotel Hyundai Ulsan is the place to stay. As a five-star hotel in Ulsan, an industrial city which is home to the world’s largest shipyard, Hotel Hyundai is ideal for business travel, meetings and seminars as well as weekend getaways. It is renowned for having accommodated many celebrities and internationally famous guests, such as the Brazilian soccer team, including star
Oakwood Premier Coex Center redefines luxury

Dec 23, 2014

The interior of the Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul’s one-bedroom superior apartment. Oakwood Premier Coex Center SeoulServiced Residence /World WideOAKWOOD PREMIER COEX CENTERThe Oakwood Premier Coex Center Seoul, the city’s first deluxe furnished serviced residence, combines the elegance and services of a luxury hotel with all the comforts of a private home. The property offers 280 furnished apartments including studios and one- to four-bedroom apartments. Each residence has separate living
Ritz-Carlton, Seoul celebrates 20 years of luxury hospitality

Dec 23, 2014

A painting displayed in the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul (The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul)Hotel / Luxury The Ritz-Carlton, SEOULNext year, The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its opening and its luxury hospitality service that has left a lasting impression on foreign and Korean guests since 1995. The hotel, one of the first foreign luxury hotel chains in Korea, has become an ideal destination for business and leisure travelers and a frequent home for world stars, includin
Sheraton Seoul D Cube City, hub of southwest Seoul

Dec 23, 2014

A night view of Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel (Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel)Hotel / GreenSheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelSince opening in 2011 as the third Sheraton hotel in Korea, Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel has provided business and leisure travelers with access to diverse activities in southwest Seoul. Located near sights, shopping, entertainment and offices in Guro-gu, Seoul, the hotel is also connected to D-Cube Department Store and D-Cube Art Center. It has served as a conveni
Somerset Palace Seoul brings comforts of home

Dec 23, 2014

Serviced Residence / International Luxury PremierSomerset Palace SeoulThe Somerset Palace Seoul is near the largest palace in the capital city, Gyeongbokgung Palace. Its location is ideal for those who seek both homey comforts and urban amenities, not to mention easy access to the magnificent palace, one of Seoul’s flagship tourist spots.The 18-story residential facility is in the heart of Seoul’s diplomatic, business and administrative district. It is within a walking distance from must-see tou
Muslim-friendly restaurant guidebook published

Dec 22, 2014

Despite the increasing number of Muslim tourists and expats in Korea, finding decent halal restaurants is a challenge for many Muslims here. The state-run Korea Tourism Organization has released a guidebook on Muslim-friendly restaurants to help Muslims here find halal cuisine more easily. The guidebook, available only in English for now, classifies 118 selected restaurants into five groups according to their degree of Muslim-friendliness. The five groups are halal-certified, self-certified, Mus
Holidays are merry moneymakers for theme parks

Dec 19, 2014

LOS ANGELES ― While children waited in line to snap photos with Santa Claus, the aroma of freshly steamed tamales and hot cocoa lingered in the warm fall air.“Yay, it’s snowing,” a teenage girl screamed at the tiny bubbles that masqueraded as the white stuff sprayed from electric blowers hidden in nearby trees. Christmas tunes blared from outdoor speakers, the music mixing with the rumble of a roller coaster speeding along steel tracks.The holidays have arrived in a big way for the first time at
Public art aplenty in Boulder City, Nevada

Dec 19, 2014

BOULDER CITY, Nevada ― Your savvy, but ultimately foolhardy, tourist on his way to Hoover Dam will take a sharp left on the Highway 93 bypass and avoid this city’s “historic” downtown altogether.Yet what the traveler saves in time and gas mileage, always important in these frugal times, he will lose in the immeasurable realm of the sublime. He will miss a lovely Art Deco-drenched, Depression-era town forged by the New Deal, a town that takes aesthetics so seriously in its urban core that it coul
TV programs sway Koreans’ choices of overseas travel destinations

Dec 19, 2014

More than half of Koreans said the recent hit travel reality shows “Youth over Flowers” and “Grandpas over Flowers” affected their plans for overseas travel, according to a recent survey conducted by the Korea Tourism Organization. The Korean overseas travel pattern survey showed that about 84 percent had watched the TV series and more than 64 percent said the series had affected their decision to travel overseas. The tvN series featured groups of celebrities traveling in European countries, Tai
Lotte Hotel Seoul named best hotel in Korea by Global Traveler

Dec 19, 2014

Lotte Hotel Seoul has been named the Best Hotel in Korea by the U.S.-based travel magazine Global Traveler for the year 2014. The selection is based on the magazine’s annual readers’ survey. More than 26,000 readers participated in the survey on the best hotels, airlines, credit cards, duty-free shops and more. Lotte Hotel Seoul topped the best hotels list in Korea, followed by Park Hyatt Seoul, W Seoul Walkerhill, The Shilla Seoul and Grand Hyatt Seoul. The five-star hotel in Seoul has top rest
Oahu combines big city buzz, history, rural beauty

Dec 12, 2014

Although some visitors head straight for other islands when visiting Hawaii, thinking they’ve done and seen it all on Oahu, Hawaii’s most populous island is always worth another visit. Oahu has the buzz and attractions of a major city combined with solace and scenic beauty just a short drive away.Don’t get me wrong. I love the other islands, too: Lanai and its two Four Seasons resorts, where I stayed when the properties first opened under different management 20 years ago, and recently revisited
Hike, soak in a natural hot spring in New Mexico’s funky Jemez area

Dec 12, 2014

Fair warning, hikers. If a little nudity makes you squeamish, steer clear of the picturesque little hot springs scattered in the hills around the Jemez area of New Mexico.But if you’re all for taking a dip in the wilderness and don’t mind a bare bun or two, you’ve got plenty to choose from.The volcanic activity that formed the Jemez Mountains created an array of hot and cold pools, some of them within easy hiking distance, where you can soak tired legs under a canopy of pine trees. More refined