Luxury resort brand Capella to land in S. Korea

Global resort brand Capella announced its South Korean debut in Yangyang, Gangwon Province, some 107 kilometers from Seoul.

Under the 830 billion won ($584 million) project, the luxury beach resort will be constructed near Songjeon beach by the second half of 2025.

The company said Capella Yangyang aims to become the largest wellness resort here with a total of 261 rooms. There will be restaurants, convention halls and a total of five swimming pools, a mixture of indoor and outdoor. The resort is directly connected to the beach as well, it added.

Mastern Investment Management is taking the lead in the construction project with Taeyoung E&C as the construction company and Mirae Asset Securities in charge of financing. Luxury resort developer Ayumm is participating as the project manager.

South Korean architect Lee Ki-chul and Thierry Boon, who designed the Qiandao Lake Andaz in China, are leading the resort’s design and planning. Lighting designer Andrew Jaques, landscape designers Lee Ho-young and Lee Hae-in, and a food and beverage manager from AvroKo Hospitality Group are also joining the project.

Capella currently operates six hotels and resorts in five countries -- Singapore, China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

In 2018, Capella Singapore was selected as the venue for the North Korea-US summit meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and former US President Donald Trump.

In 2020 and 2021, Capella was selected as the world’s second-best hotel brand by the New York-based Travel + Leisure Magazine.