Urban Design Hotel opens in Seoul
A member of Design Hotels, Glad Hotel Yeouido has opened in Seoul’s skyscraper-filled district.
Featuring a façade of unusual brick pattern, the hotel stands out from its neighbours’ modernist glass buildings. A common building material in South Korea, bricks also feature inside the hotel, as the interiors are further enhanced by quirks throughout such as street signs and posters quoting renowned thinkers. The effect is traditionally rooted yet irreverent design concept.
A local type of brick was chosen as the dominant structural material to give Glad Hotel Yeouido the warmth and soul of a traditional South Korean home. The vision of award-winning design agency Joh & Company, led by creative director and founder Suyong Joh, allows the hotel to display a unique yet functional design. The hotel also adheres to the national environment-friendly standard and utilises geothermal energy.
High quality natural materials used in the bedding and interiors of guestrooms and suites give the spaces a sense of calm and warmth. Posters in each guestroom play on the hotel’s “glad” motif, with quotes from renowned thinkers such as Eleanor Roosevelt and William Shakespeare. The 319-rooms are spread across eight room categories, varying between 23m2 and 48m2. Standard rooms feature open shelving and exclusively designed bathrooms, while Deluxe guestrooms offer views over Seoul’s downtown area. The Heritage Ondol suite features time-honoured Korean design with a modern twist to create a distinctly unique space. Fitted with underfloor heating, surround sound speakers and a 42-inch LCD TV, the suites’ interior is juxtaposed by a traditional Korean yo bed and two ondol seating areas.
The hotel’s bar is named after author and whiskey enthusiast Mark Twain. “Mark T” features the city’s most extensive Single Malt Whiskey collection alongside an array of signature cocktails. The hotel’s “Greet” restaurant and café serves a fusion of Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. The interior design has a contrasting mix of bricks, bronze and marble, with two private dining rooms available for an intimate setting and private events. Glad Hotel Yeouido also offers a banqueting hall seating 420 guests, an Editorial Room for business meetings, and the Creative Lounge, fitted with comfortable lounging areas.
Yeouido is located on one of Seoul’s largest islands in the centre of the city on the Han River. Aptly nicknamed Seoul’s Manhattan, it is home to South Korea’s largest banks, major broadcasters and technology companies. Merged with a booming contemporary art scene, fashionable stores and a thriving pop and youth culture, the district is also a hub of creativity and sophistication.
