This isn’t the chipper salutation I’m accustomed to in Seoul hotels, but then again, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences is a unique player in the megacity’s competitive hotel game.
If you’re not familiar with Sofitel, you’re not alone. However, I have a hunch you’ll soon be hearing more about the French luxury hospitality brand celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The 2024 pipeline includes the highly anticipated Sofitel Shanghai North Bund and Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa, and the new commercial “The Encounter” starring Gillian Anderson and Dali Benssalah stylishly captures what Sofitel is all about: worldliness, creativity, and a passion for life.
Opened in mid-2021, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul is a sublime example of the brand’s ethos. While all of the flagships are situated in the most sought-after destinations, Seoul’s less-obvious address positions it as an even more compelling stay. Instead of busy Gangnam-gu, Myeongdong, or Itaewon, you’ll find Sofitel in Jamsil, an affluent neighborhood made famous by Seokchon Lake—consider this Seoul’s version of Central Park—the world’s sixth-tallest building Lotte World Tower, and Songridan-gil, a street lined with buzzy cafes and restaurants. Jamsil’s a bit removed from where visitors tend to congregate—making it a smart choice for those who want to swap out the fray with a more under-the-radar experience.
As a full-service luxury property, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel has every amenity and perk under the sun for all types of travelers. There’s an indoor pool and fitness center; a spa spotlighting the French cult skincare brand Biologique Recherche; kids lounge; and five restaurants and bars. Keeping in line with Sofitel’s mantra “Where life lives with a French zest,” three of the concepts, including the lively brasserie Fait Maison, celebrate French gastronomy. Jardin d'Hiver, in particular, has emerged as one of Seoul’s most popular bakeries for its whimsical cakes, pastries, and sweets.
The 403 guest rooms and suites are among Seoul’s most stylish and gracious. They’re kitted out with oversized windows; a crisp palette; timeless furnishings; sparkling bathrooms with Diptyque toiletries; and the latest technology so you can adjust the lighting, temperature, and curtains to your liking. Perhaps most important is how blissfully quiet they are—a welcome touch in a non-stop city like Seoul.
To make staying here even more unforgettable, consider booking club-level accommodations. (The beyond spacious Prestige Suites with their residential layouts are especially dreamy.) In a few short years, Sofitel has become synonomous with one of Seoul’s best hotel club lounges. Perched on the 32nd floor, Club Millésime is a chic
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Have you been to Amsterdam? If so, there’s a good chance you’ve flown on a plane without knowing it. The company, better known by its catchier acronym KLM, is the flag carrier of the Netherlands and the world’s oldest airline operating under its original name.
Self-drive boating holidays redefined A new agreement between Le Boat and Groupe Beneteau under their Delphia brand in Poland will see Europe’s largest boat rental company invest over £100m into its international fleet over the next ten years. The deal will ensure travellers have an even greater range of options to choose from when planning their self-drive boating holidays and provides innovation to the current charter market as it stands. Of the 400 new Delphia boats slated to be built over the coming decade for Le Boat, 100 will be made in the next three years, including at least 25 in 2025. These orders will be a combination of the current Horizon range, plus 34 of a premium new one to two cabin boat, aptly named “Liberty” which will be launched in 2025. As part of the Luxury range, designed for premium comfort, these new superior boats will be found on the canals and water ways of France including, Brittany, Lot, Alsace, Burgundy, Loire-Nivernais, Midi and the Camargue as well as the Thames, Germany and the Netherlands.
Chances are, you’ve heard of the hit Australian kids’ TV show, Bluey. But have you heard a Bluey-themed theme park is opening in Brisbane this November, and that Tourism & Events Queensland is offering one lucky family a 12-night trip to visit the Bluey’s World in real life?
While we often celebrate our favorite hotels around the world, we rarely spotlight the spaces within the hotel that make the property shine. Often, these are the areas—the bars, the restaurant, the rooftops and more—that become destinations unto themselves, pulling in a devoted set of locals to help turn a hotel into a place that residents use, too. So, as an extension of our recently released 2024 Hot List of the best new hotels in the world, we are highlighting the best new hotel restaurants, spas, and bars, as picked by our editors. Below, the hotel restaurants that compete with the best places to eat, anywhere—and the dishes you can't miss.
Normandy Tourism, with the support of the Normandy Region, is proud to announce the launch of the “Explore Normandy Pass,” dedicated this year to Remembrance Tourism to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. This innovative digital solution offers an enriched exploration of the cultural and historical wealth of Normandy. Michael Dodds, Director of the Normandy Regional Tourist Board, emphasizes the importance of these remembrance sites: “These places of remembrance, which welcome visitors throughout the year, are still the best way to understand the historic events that shaped our present. This Web App is part of our desire to contribute to remembrance and transmission. We hope that these visits will be an opportunity to celebrate, reflect and remember, as well as a special moment that visitors can share with their families and the younger generation.”
Varenna is the perfect Italian village, from its hilltop castle to the shore of Lake Como. Easily accessible by train or ferry, it is host to a spectacular botanic garden. The meandering Passeggiata degli Innamorati – the Lovers’ Footpath – brings you in 20 minutes from the ferry to Villa Monastero (entry €10, open March-November). With pillars and pergolas, palm trees and pines framing views of the deep blue lake and mountains beyond, scented by citrus and herbs, the garden is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. And there’s a bar. Perfect happiness.Maartje Scheltens
Not long after my 48th birthday, in August 1999, my husband Barry invited me out for a margarita at Compadre's, a Mexican restaurant near our home in Palo Alto. It turned out he had an agenda.
While the Belle Epoque facade and beautiful bones of the iconic 1913 Le Negresco hotel are well preserved, inside, its vast art collection, Michelin-starred dining, and ultra-luxe guest rooms and suites marry classic with contemporary.
Trek Travel, a leader in cycling tours for more than two decades, has announced that it will offer new Hiking and Walking Tours as of the fall of 2024. Long established as one of the best biking tour companies in the world and lauded for creating memorable cycling vacations, Trek Travel is a subsidiary of Trek Bicycle Corporation, which has been around since the mid-1970s.