South Korea Archives • Onwards and Upwards

After having come from such an incredible trip throughout Japan, we landed in Seoul wondering if it would even compare. We had an idea of what was in store for us, but thought that Seoul was just going to be another item to scratch off of our bucket list. However, there was one thing that we did differently — we stayed at the W.

W Walkerhill

Upon our arrival we were escorted into a posh lobby with vibrant colors, beautiful people, funky music, and a great atmosphere. Followed by a week stay that was no less impressive. It seemed that the W staff was always ready to preempt our every request.

The first day of our stay I got to know my W family. I sat down with the resident W Insider, and we planned the majority of our trip in just one sitting. She was a fantastic asset while staying there, and my trip to Seoul would not have been half as enjoyable should it not have been for her. She was able to help me with everything from reservations at restaurants and nightclubs to site-seeing and shopping; she was able to facilitate it all without any hesitation.

Initializing the Insider

Mingling with W Marketing

Working with the Team

Having followed the W Insider’s advice; we were very happy with what we were able to see while in Seoul. We explored through the bazaar-like area of Hongdae, went on a day trip to the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone), enjoyed numerous authentic Korean meals, experienced the lively parties at Woobar as well as other features of the W, and explored the different districts in Seoul to a level that we would not have been able to do on our own. Believe it or not, the recommended restaurants were not only unique culinary experiences, but they were actually economical as well! Not a very typical type of recommendation for a hotel concierge, but one that I appreciated because we were truly able to have some real Korean food.

WET at the W

Woo Bar during the Day

Woo Bar

The W: Macaroon Style

The motto of the W is ‘Whatever, Whenever’, and we put that to the test one day when my girlfriend asked to plan an impromptu surprise birthday party. I did not think that it was going to be possible on such short notice, however within hours; our friends at the concierge were able to arrange an unforgettable experience for our birthday guest.

Sweet Surprises

The Surprise Party Set Up

The Birthday Girl

I came to Seoul without a single thing planned, and I would do it all over again without the blink of an eye. I can honestly thank the W for my entire trip there.

We Love SPG Too!

Driving up is pretty intimidating — South Korean military board every bus and screen every individual prior to going into the DMZ. The surrounding landscape is littered with barricades and barbed wire almost giving off the sense of a high security prison.

Welcome to the DMZ

Soldier Outpost

Warning: No Cameras

DMZ Station

You are restricted from taking photos at about 90% of the DMZ, but the story we got while there made the trek worth it. People go to check out the underground tunnel dug by the North Koreans that pointed all the way to Seoul — so, after walking through the security checkpoint we made the hike down into the tunnels as far as they would let us. I wish we could have taken some of our equipment down, but they weren’t keen on people taking anything down with them, not even their keys.

These are some of the more touristy pictures we were able to get while there — so just use your imagination on the rest! 🙂