A320 EOW

Press Release Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

W Hotels Checks in to Asia with Its Third International Property, W Seoul-Walkerhill
Monday August 23, 3:47 pm ET
Unique Culinary Experiences, Most Extensive Spa in Korea, Jet-setting Woo Bar: Guests Will Be Welcomed to Seoul W-Style this August

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 23, 2004-- W Hotels Worldwide, a collection of world-class hotels with a unique balance of comfort and leading design, will enter the Asian market with W Seoul-Walkerhill, opening its doors in August 2004. Located on the slopes of Mount Acha in the resort district of Walkerhill, this 19th W property will be the first to offer customized guestrooms by color and scent, three distinctive restaurants and one of the most extensive spa facilities in Asia. W Seoul-Walkerhill in South Korea is W's third location outside of the United States following Sydney, Australia and Mexico City. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT - News), W's parent, operates more than 90 hotels in Asia Pacific.

"We are thrilled to open a W Hotel in a city with such vibrancy," says Barry Sternlicht, Chairman and C.E.O. of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT - News). "W Seoul-Walkerhill personifies this with inspirational design and food and beverage experiences that will woo the senses of Seoul's leading tastemakers."

The location of W Seoul-Walkerhill offers travelers a taste of two worlds. Part of the resort town of Walkerhill and a short drive from downtown Seoul, the W sits 14 stories above an underground city where Seoul's only casino, connecting luxury retail shops, restaurants and theatres cater to every fancy. The unique structure of the hotel was developed by a team of leading international architects and interior designers, including Studio GAIA, Tony Chi and Associates of New York and Aaron Tan of RAD, Hong Kong.

Upon check-in, guests are invited to immerse in W's signature Living Room experience - a vast, ethereal space where egg-shaped chairs suspended from the ceiling and soothing beats and scents seduce them into play. Interactive digital artwork adorns the walls and bar tops, creating a unique synergy between hospitality and design.

Wide terrace steps lead up to cabanas on the mezzanine while five working fireplaces frame the scene. A mix of natural fibers, textures and colors throughout the hotel reflects Asian influence sprinkled with Western Modernism.

Guestrooms

With 253 rooms, including 30 suites, guests can choose from four different room types, all with lavish comforts and unobstructed views: Wonderful Room, with its dramatic red and white interiors; Media Room, complete with a round bed, Jacuzzi bath, private projection LCD screen and home theatre system; Spa Room in cool grays with a bath that sits at the edge of the window, and Scent Room, which allows guests to pre-select from a customized menu of aromas for the room, and includes an outdoor terrace. The hotel will also have "eWow" and "Super Spa" Suites for the over-indulgent.

W's signature bed is the focal point of the room, with its pillow-top mattress, 400-thread-count linens and goose down comforters and pillows. In-room features include an over-sized desk; two telephones, one with dataport and speakerphone capabilities; high speed internet access; Bose CD radio; DVD player; 29"-color flat screen TV; plush terry-lined bathrobes, and custom-formulated bath products. 24-hour access to W's signature "Whatever/Whenever" service is available in every guest room.

Yum

W Hotels continues to build on its reputation as a home for restaurants that are destinations in themselves with Namu, Kitchen and Tonic, a formidable culinary trio. Namu's cuisine is best described as "Asia Tomorrow," an enlightened combination of Modern Asian cooking creatively and imaginatively weaved with tradition while still retaining its culture. Namu is divided into areas representing the natural elements: the bar area Liquid; dining areas Ice, which features a variety of fresh sushi and sashimi; and Fire, complete with Teppanyaki tables.

For a more international flavor, Kitchen, located adjacent to the lobby, presents guests with a true home kitchen experience. Throughout the day, guests are encouraged to indulge in a selection of juices and yogurts from the kitchen "pantry". A gathering table that seats 20 guests provides a warm, familial setting. Kitchen also houses the Maze, a circular, winding sculpture designed by notable Korean artists.

The third restaurant, Tonic is located in AWAY SPA. Tonic is expected to become a fast favorite for its approach dedicated to healing the Mind, Body, and Soul - the sustenance of which, lies at the very heart and doctrine of Tonic's food.

Nightlife in Walkerhill will never be the same with the 10,000 square foot Woo Bar in the Living Room, featuring a DJ booth, soothing beats and mood-infusing lights.

Sensory Setup

The W Seoul-Walkerhill will include 1,500 square feet of meeting space divided into three studios- and supported by a full service business center, 24-hour room service and concierge. "Sensory Setup", a W practice designed to liven up meetings with soothing music, explosive tastes, signature scents and stimulating visuals, will ease guests into a creative frame of mind.

Live Well

The first-ever full service spa in Korea, AWAY SPA at W Seoul-Walkerhill spans 50,000 square feet and provides guests with the ultimate rejuvenation experience with its unique array of both traditional Asian and cutting edge therapies. AWAY SPA will have 21 treatment rooms with WIP together suites, single sex zones with seven water experience pools, outdoor treatment area overlooking the Han River and two Hinoki soak tubs, plus a comprehensive range of over fifty body, facial and wrap treatments. Unique to AWAY SPA is the first ever Turkish Hamam to be introduced in Asia, an ancient Turkish ritual administered by therapists called 'Tellaks'. The W gym SWEAT, fulfills every workout need whether its swimming laps in the indoor 30-meter pool, WET, or taking an outdoor yoga class on the terrace.

For retail therapy, the W Seoul-Walkerhill offers an eclectic range of shopping locales. W Hotels the Store, the 7th W retail boutique in the brand, will carry unique and limited edition fashion and accessories from around the world. At Wishes, guests will find an international assortment of candy, gifts and party goods. There are also two distinct retail outposts located in the AWAY SPA.

P.A.W. - Pets Are Welcome

As part of W Hotels' P.A.W program, pets will be pampered with plush beds, water bowls, treats and more upon check-in. If you must leave your puppy at home, guests will have access to a Sony AIBO robotic dog when they check in. The highly evolved AIBO understands 100 voice commands, retrieves a toy bone and his favorite pink ball and performs different commands. It even can recognize its "owner's" face and voice.

W Hotel's Newest Wonderland

W Seoul-Walkerhill marks the first property to open under W Hotels' brand-wide retreat for the senses, "Wonderland." Wonderland elements include seductive new lighting, signature scents and luscious botanicals. At all 19 hotels, guests will receive surprise treats from the W Store and other partners upon check-in. During their stay, they'll be greeted by whimsical messaging, vivid images from the Wonderland ad campaign and unique post-stay gifts for Starwood Preferred Guests (SPG) platinum members. For more information, please visit www.wseoul.co.kr or www.whotels.com/seoul

About W Hotels: The first W Hotel opened in New York in December 1998. There are now five W Hotels in New York City and 19 hotels brand-wide in the U.S. and abroad. W's first property in Latin America, W Mexico City, opened its doors in December 2003 and new W Hotels are under construction in Montreal, Dallas and Fort Lauderdale. In addition, there are more than a dozen W Hotels in development in city and resort destinations around the world. For more information, please visit www.whotels.com

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels and resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton, W brands, as well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts. For more information, please visit www.starwood.com.
Contact:

For W Hotels, Dan Klores Communications
Jennifer DeMarchi/Dave Donovan/Marissa Mastellone
212-685-4300
or
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
KC Kavanagh, 914-640-8339
or
W Hotels
Lisa Zandee, 212-407-2923


Source: Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040823/235680_1.html

Mileage Schemer

Initial impressions:
Stayed last weekend at this fairly new hotel on an award stay. This is Asia's first 6 star hotel and I was impressed with the lobby an Woo bar. There are thousands of hip, young employees everywhere but I would classify the service as mediocre. I say this after spending 45 minutes in a restaurant even though we were the only patrons, and after waiting nearly an hour at Woo bar for a waitress that never came. However, I feel that their employees are empowered as my bagboy (is this term still pc?) was especially helpful in getting us an upgrade.

SPG Benefits:
This hotel is new and I do not think that the hotels SPG coordinator knows their job or has yet to properly educate management. First of all, this afternoon I had the Westin Chosun exec lounge staff try to book me a stay at the W but their reservations did not know what an SPG50 certificate was nor did they think that it applied to W hotels... Secondly, when I stayed on an award stay, I was booked in a "Wonderful Room" which is their standard room and was told my Platinum Status gets me only a 1 category upgrade thus I was upgraded to a river view room. I attempted to "educate" the front desk on the T&Cs of SPG membership but was given an incredulous look. To upgrade to a Media Jr. Suite they wanted $300 or another 10000 points. Eventually after talking to the gentleman who had helped me with my bags, he said he would talk to reservations for me and I received a call saying that I could be upgraded to a Media Room (not the Jr. Suite). When I tried making a reservation today I was given the same story... Platinums get a 1 category upgrade. I decided against staying since I did not want to risk getting stuck in a standard room.

Wonderful Room:
The "Wonderful Room" is modern and everything is lined with thin white curtains and all furnishings are done in red and white. The general feeling you get is of a high scale "love motel" or massage parlor common in Korea. The bathroom had a rainforest nozzle and the view of the river was great, a nice break from the hustle and bustle of Seoul. This place is fairly far away from the city. It is a good 30-60 ride to downtown and popular areas of Seoul depending on location and traffic.

Media Room:
After fighting for my upgrade I got into the media room. Wow! This place is incredible. The ultimate bachelor pad with a 50 inch plasma screen tv, bose stereo surround system around the "Austin Powers" style round bed, remote control curtains, and a spacious closet with all glass walls and a great fiew. The bathroom was equipped with a large circular bathtub, lcd tv, shower with body and rainforest nozzles, and goldfish cups... everything was red and white but this place was a big change from the Wonderful Room. The room was quite spacious, plenty of room for a small get together of 6.

Woo Bar:
This place is split into 3 levels, with the bar at on the first level, sofas and tables, and dj on the 2nd, and mroe tables, sofas, bed-style seating and a Twister board on the 3rd. Slow service if you're waiting for a waitress. A great lounge, comfy, and cool ambiance,.No dance floor. The age group seems to be mid-20s to mid-30s.

Conclusion:
I have stayed at the Westin Chosun over 20 times and the W was a nice treat and a great addition to the Starwood portfolio in Asia. However, this hotel still has a ways to go in terms of training up its inexperienced staff and learning about SPG benefits. This hotel is a category 4 hotel, the same as the Westin Chosun, but considering that rates are nearly double that of the Westin, this seems like a bargain for points but a bit pricey with cash. The hotel is currently listed under cash and points. I initially saw days available with cash and points but believe that the hotel recently pulled all of its available cash and point rates.

Korean Guy

I agree in that they seriously lack professionalism in their service.
Here are some photos of W Hotel Seoul and Woo Bar.

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/koreanguy&article_id=2611740

Elena

Has anyone stayed here recently?

Wondering if there are still only one category upgrades available to Plats? I have my heart set on the media suite (or media jr suite)- what would be one category under that- the media room?

KosherKimchee

Really doesnt matter how nice the W is, the location is too remote for any leisure/business in Seoul.

fly co to see the yanks

wonderful review. thank you.

in terms of the issues above, i sincerely hope you contacted SPG customer care. this is the most effective way to ensure the staff is properly educated about SPG benefits.

Fly Me To The Moon

I stayed here for one-night two weeks ago on an SPG 10,000 points award. Also stayed at Park Hyatt Seoul for three nights prior to that on 3 x 15,000 points awards. I could have stayed at the PHS for the entire trip, but wanted to get to the W Seoul to see what the hype was about...wrong decision.

A few weeks prior to the stay at the W, sent two emails to their concierge asking them to take care of a few matters for me, including prebooking tickets for the show at the neighboring Sheraton Grande. Never had a SINGLE REPLY from the hotel, and I did not get around to calling them on the phone. Finally had to take care of all these matters upon arrival. Minor issues, however.

Arrived at the hotel via taxi about 1:00pm in the afternoon (weekday). Bellboys were very efficient to grab the luggage out of the car. No smiles and no welcomes, however. They just seemed like robots doing their job. Got to the checkin counter, and the Platinum Desk was unmanned. So, had to check in at the "normal" counter. Reception lady's attitude was OK (slightly snobbish IMHO), and not overly friendly. Checkin was quite quick. As a Platinum, got the upgrade to the Junior Media Suite on the 13th floor. Won't repeat the details of the room design, since this has been discussed previously already. Suffice to say that the pictures on the spg website match the actual room decor and details.

Room was extremely hot when we got there, and we wanted to set the aircon to full blast. However, after an hour, still could not get the aircon working. Got two techs to come up to fix the issue, and they said that the filter was quite dirty preventing the air from coming in, so they just removed the filters on both aircon units. They said they would come back in 30 minutes to check on the room. We didn't wait that long, but went down to Kitchen Restaurant for lunch (see below). Came back after lunch, and found that the room's curtains had been drawn closed (so the room would cool down), but the aircon units still not working. Stayed in the room for 2 hours to freshen up for show and dinner. Making a long story short: came back around 10:00pm, and room still hot. My girlfriend started getting asthma and an allergy (probable because the aircon filters had been removed and dust blowing into the room). Finally, at 11:30pm had to request a room change. This was to an identical Junior Media Suite one floor below. Not a great way to end the day/night.

Lunch at Kitchen Restaurant: very slow on the weekday we were there. FOOD WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. We had two mushroom soups, a hamburger, a pasta, and one non-alcholic drink (I had water). The bill was the equivalent of USD 110. Everything else on the menu was quite overpriced, but nothing special about the offerings.

Had dinner at the Japanese Restaurant at Sheraton Grande. Ordered two servings of shabu shabu (average quality beef), and a side order of assorted tempura. The bill was USD 200.- Also quite expensive.

We had drinks (and to watch the World Cup football match) at the Woo Bar. Quite busy during the game, but after it ended, the place emptied quickly. As you can imagine, drinks and appetizers also expensive. The Bar, especially the sofas and "cabanas" in the terraced section are quite comfortable.

Actually, the most suprising thing about the W Seoul (to me) was the shockingly low level of English proficiency of 90% of the staff. Those I dealt with (bellboys, reception, restaurant staff) could only reply to me in broken English, and answered my questions with one-/two word replies. They seemed very nervous to speak English. Perhaps the W caters more to local residents than to foreign visitors?

Another issue with the hotel: beware that any prices (for the room, food, etc.) are tacked a 10% service charge AND a 10% tax on top. So, that's a 21% increase on top of anything you are paying for. I think that's what makes things so expensive here. Luckily, I used points for the room, so the service charge and tax were included, but for those of you paying, remember the extra 21%. I mention this because the Park Hyatt Seoul only adds on 10% (it's the tax, I think), and the other 10% (the service charge) is already included in their prices. I compared the prevailing rates of both hotels during my stay, and the PHS was about the same as the W. However, since the PHS includes one of the 10%, the PHS is actually the cheaper option. And if I were to compare the two hotels, I would say that PHS wins hands-down. Excellent service throughout, good English proficiency in all the staff, a very warm attitude from everyone,...in short, a perfect stay of three nights there.

After I came back home, I wrote a letter to the W Hotel to advise them of my unpleasant stay. They took the criticism quite constructively. It was quite unexpected that 10,000 Courtesy Points was given to me, and appeared on my account a week afterwards. The Rooms Director wrote me an email to personally apologize, and to offer a suite upgrade upon my next stay. I didn't ask for any of this, and it was indeed a kind gesture.

The only "good" thing about the stay itself? Bobbi Brown Cosmetics had an event/show at the hotel during our stay there, and there were a lot of good-looking, nicely-dressed girls around the hotel modelling for the photo shoots. My girlfriend wasn't too impressed about this, however.

Karter

People keep saying how far it is from downtown, but is there a metro/train station nearby that guests could get to? I like to stay places where I can avoid taxis if possible.

tfong007

I think its at least 45 minutes from the Westin. It could be even longer depending on traffic and from other parts of the city.

bgriff

I'm planning a trip to Seoul in April (location chosen primarily based on frequent flyer award availability--thankfully this is the only group of people on Earth that can understand me when I say that) and am considering hotels. The consensus on the W Seoul Walkerhill seems to be that it's very far away from the action, but it looks like a much nicer property than the Westin and so I'm trying to get a sense of just how far away it is. For example:

--Is it reasonably accessible by subway? How long of a subway ride are we talking to the city center? I'm not at all worried about taking the subway to get around, so if it's reasonably easy to do, I'd consider that a vote in favor the W.

--How much would a taxi cost to get from any of the main tourist and nightlife areas back to the W?


I've never been to Seoul, so am going to be doing the basic tourist things--a bit of shopping, seeing the major tourist sites, and heading out for some nightlife. A convenient location would be nice, but I don't mind spending some time in transit (and thereby getting to see a bit more of the city, both above and below ground), and a nice hotel would be better.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Shanghai

I used to travel to Seoul several times a year. I usually stayed at the Westin Chosun and found it very nice and well located to the downtown & Southgate areas. I stayed at the Walker Hill a couple of times, but as you said, it is quite a distance to downtown. The traffic is pretty bad in Seoul just about any time, but the morning rush hours are brutal. There also is the Lotte hotel next to the Chosun which is also very nice. Enjoy your trip and be sure to go shopping at Itewon.

sy7

The hotel runs 2 separate shuttle buses to 2 subway stations fairly frequently (so in effect there is a shuttle every 10 min). Otherwise it is probably a 10-15 min walk down a hill to the station. From the subway, it will be another ~30 min train ride to the center of the city. The Westin is much better located.

Also, I don't know how long you'll be in Seoul, but I didn't think it was a great tourist destination. The shopping wasn't that interesting because it isn't nearly as cheap as some of the other Asian locations, and it doesn't have as many of the cute gadgets that Tokyo for example has. However, I hear that the surrounding countryside is nicer though.

KosherKimchee

First of all, the Westin Chosun is a VERY nice hotel. Way better than your average US Westin. Rooms are very nicely appointed, not worn, many (most?) equipped with cell phones, computers, flat screen TVs.

Secondly, Seoul is a GREAT tourism city. One of my top 2 favorite cities to visit (other being Prague). Great food, great cultural attractions, tons to do at any hour (can shop and eat and drink at midnight it that's your thing), pretty women everywhere, neat shopping, it is about as clean and safe of as city as I can think of, the list goes on and on.

sy7

Yeah, I was probably a bit harsh on Seoul as a tourism city. I think (almost) any city is worth spending a couple of days in, but I personally would not want to spend say a week only in Seoul.

For example, if you compare it with Tokyo, I would say Tokyo wins hands down. Tokyo has more interesting architecture, nicer shops (yeah, it is more expensive but not that much more) and is cleaner and safer than Seoul (or most other cities). However, the royal palaces were pretty nice (and definitely better than what is in Tokyo) but unless you're interested in Korean history, 1-2 days is more than enough to experience them. Korean food in restaurants was great in Seoul, but in terms of the street food/snacks, I wasn't that impressed--eg tasty but not extraordinary. Actually, Tokyo isn't even that high up on my list of "must see cities" in Asia, but I wouldn't hesitate to return or book stopovers in it, whereas I probably wouldn't go back to Seoul unless necessary.

Anyway, I probably shouldn't derail this thread anymore .

DownUnderFlyer

The W is a great hotel with a great hip bar during night time. Seouls in-crowed can be found there (or people who think they are the in-crowd). Rooms are stylish and the service is good. BUT, it is not a good place to explore Seoul. I use it when I have one night in Seoul and the hotel is the attraction itself.
I agree with the others: The Westin Chosun is a fantastic hotel, Mrs. DownUnderFlyer loves it. Great location and close to attractions on the north of the river.
Another great hotel is the Ritz Carlton. Even better service and a super location in Kangnam, one of the best spots south of the river. Some of the rooms have fantastic views over the entire city.