[WEEKEND GETAWAY] 'Tis the season to try a little luxury

K-campus

Published: 09 Dec. 2022, 14:44 Updated: 03 Mar. 2023, 18:13

[WEEKEND GETAWAY] 'Tis the season to try a little luxury

[SHUTTERSTOCK]

As the Christmas season approaches, the number of hotel bookings are beginning to soar. It’s already almost impossible to get a weekend reservation.

When it comes to five-star hotels, reservations are filling up rapidly. According to an employee at a five-star hotel in Seoul, “more than 80 percent of the rooms and restaurants are booked up until the end of the year.”

If you are interested in celebrating the holidays with a bit of luxury but weren’t able to secure a spot of your own, here are some major end-of-the-year events hosted by luxury hotels that you can check out without competing for a reservation of your own.

Paradise City's Christmas Market is back for the first time in three years. Thirty different stores will be lined up at the hotel's Plaza along with a variety of different events. [PARADISE CITY]

Paradise City

The reason many people enjoy visiting hotels at the end of the year is due to the ready-made Christmas atmosphere. At Paradise City, you can celebrate the upcoming holidays by taking a look around the Christmas Market.

Paradise City’s Christmas Market is back for the first time in three years and is bigger than ever.

Open from Dec. 16 to Jan. 1, 30 different stores will be lined up at the center of the hotel’s Plaza, selling various Christmas-themed products like Disney toys, Christmas ornaments, accessories, baked goods and more.

Aside from the Christmas shops, there will also be a Santa Village that resembles Santa Claus Village in Finland and a 72-meter (236.2-foot) Christmas-themed media façade show. Every Saturday, there will also be a live-busking event.

The best part about all of this is that you can enjoy everything without having to pay anything.

“As this is the first time since the Christmas Market event is taking place in three years, the space in which the event is being held has expanded and the number of participating companies has doubled compared to previous years,” said a Paradise City spokesperson.

@paradisecity_seoul
Admission fee: Free
186 Yeongjonghaeannam-ro 321-gil, Jung District, Incheon
Website: www.p-city.com
Phone number: 1833-8855

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul's Oasis Ice Rink will also be open for the first time in three years. It will be decorated with beautiful lights to create a feel of the festive season. [BANYAN TREE CLUB & SPA SEOUL]

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul

Located in Yongsan District, central Seoul, Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul is opening its Oasis Ice Rink on Dec. 10. The ice rink is actually an outdoor pool that transforms into an ice rink during the cold winter months.

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul’s ice rink boasts marvelous views as it is surrounded by snow-capped Namsan Mountain and is decorated with beautiful lights.

Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul’s ice rink is also opening for the first time in three years and will be using an expanded ice rink compared to previous years. While the ice rink is usually open until 7 p.m., it will be open until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of December.

Due to the hotel’s Night Skating Promotion event, the ice rink will be closed at 5 p.m. on Dec. 23 and 24.

@banyantree_seoul
Ticket fees:
Ice rink ticket: 26,000 won (19.69 dollars) on weekdays, 32,000 won on weekends
Ice skate rental fee: 20,000 won
60 Jangchungdan-ro, Jung District, central Seoul
Website: https://banyantreeclub.com/en/theclub/ice-rink.asp
Phone number: 02) 2250-8000

Andaz Seoul Gangnam's Jogakbo restaurant is hosting the Aperitivo Paradisio Happy Hour event from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every week from Monday to Friday, where diners can enjoy various drinks and food that are in the happy hour menu for 10,000 won. [ANDAZ SEOUL GANGNAM]

Andaz Seoul Gangnam

If you are searching for a nice and affordable place to host a small gathering or to go for a drink at the end of the year, find hotels that run Happy Hour events like Andaz Seoul Gangnam. Here, you can enjoy food at a special price during a fixed period of time, and it is quite cost-effective.

Andaz Seoul Gangnam’s Jogakbo restaurant is hosting the Aperitivo Paradisio Happy Hour event from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every weekday. For three hours, visitors can try various happy hour items like wine, beer, cocktails and Mediterranean-style cuisine and snacks for 10,000 won each.

At 8 p.m., Jogakbo also runs a “Lucky Draw,” where diners get a chance to win hotel vouchers and dining vouchers. Besides Fridays, it isn’t difficult to make a reservation — so if you are interested, hurry and save your seat!

Besides Andaz Seoul Gangnam, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul in Songpa District, southern Seoul, Grand Hyatt Seoul and Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul in Yongsan District, central Seoul are also running Happy Hour events.

@andazseoulgangnam
Price: 10,000 won (for happy hour items only)
854 Nonhyeon-ro, Gangnam District, southern Seoul
Website: http://bitly.ws/xwq6
Phone number: 02) 2193-1191

The Westin Josun Hotel is selling its ″Turkey To-Go″ set for those who wish to enjoy Rubrica's signature dish at home during the holidays. [RUBRICA]

The Westin Josun Seoul & Park Hyatt Seoul

Ever since the spread of Covid-19, takeaway menus that allow customers to enjoy dinner made by hotel chefs comfortably at home while also avoiding the competition to reserve a table have grown extremely popular. If you are in the mood to celebrate at home at the end of this year, The Westin Josun Seoul and Park Hyatt Seoul offer fancy takeaway menus that could be of interest.

The Westin Josun Seoul is selling Rubrica’s signature dish for takeaway — a seven-kilogram (15.4 pounds) roasted turkey. Rubrica is an Italian restaurant located inside the hotel, and the roasted turkey is a popular dish for the season.

The hotel plans to sell up to 100 sets, which consist of one roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, Brussels sprouts and two different types of sauce. Those who wish to buy the “Turkey To-Go” set must make a reservation three days prior by phone, or four days prior online through Naver.

Park Hyatt Seoul is also selling the Beef Wellington Promotion set until December 29 available for takeaway. [PARK HYATT SEOUL]

Park Hyatt Seoul is also selling its Beef Wellington Promotion set until Dec. 29 to take away, available for pick-up until Dec. 31.

There are two different sets — with Set A’s beef wellington being made with American beef, and Set B’s beef wellington being made with hanwoo (Korean beef). Both sets consist of truffle madeira sauce, Dijon mustard, baked vegetables, mashed potatoes and mushroom casserole.

Those who wish to purchase Park Hyatt Seoul’s Beef Wellington Promotion set must make a reservation at 4 p.m. two days prior to the pick-up date.

Turkey To-Go – The Westin Josun Seoul
@thewestinjosunseoul
Price: 430,000 won
106 Sogong-ro, Jung District, central Seoul
Reservation link: https://naver.me/Fpm6nik1
Phone number: 02) 317-0033

Beef Wellington Promotion – Park Hyatt Seoul
@parkhyattseoul
Price:
Set A: 230,000 won
Set B: 282,000 won
606 Teheran-ro, Gangnam District, southern Seoul
Website: https://www.seoul.park.hyattrestaurants.kr/en/web/promotion/view.php?bid=102
Phone number: 02) 2016-1202, 1211

BY LEE JUNG-JOO, BAEK JONG-HYUN [lee.jungjoo@joongang.co.kr]