Marriott International’s Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts has officially expanded into South Korea with the opening of Le Méridien Seoul, the brand’s first hotel in the country.
Owned by Cheonwon Ind. Co., the hotel underwent a multimillion-dollar transformation, including a design revamp on its 336 rooms from London-based architectural and interior design firm David Collins Studio.
One standout architectural feature is the hotel’s atrium, accentuated by a geometric grid pattern in a nod to the mid-century French department store Le Bon Marché in Paris. The property also has one of the largest cultural and artistic spaces amongst hotels in Korea, with a total of 1,157 square meters (3,796-square-feet) throughout the first floor.
The hotel’s lobby space features the brand’s signature Le Méridien Hub: coffee house by day, cocktail bar by night. Each guestroom and suite has an open layout and color palette with hues of green, blue and lavender with leather screens in a pojagi pattern that reference the hotel’s Korean heritage. Elements include dark eucalyptus timber, custom oak flooring, and velvet upholstery, along with local artwork, books and low-level lighting.
Designed as a duplex, the Presidential Suite features a high-level screen inspired by the work of French architect and mid-century designer Pierre Chareau, realized with eucalyptus and antique brass trims. The suite has six rooms, including a show kitchen; living and dining spaces; and a spiral staircase that leads to an upper terrace and outdoor dining area.
The hotel also has four culinary options: the all day dining Café Mid-Century and Chef’s Palette, while Elements & Lab24 are helmed by Chef Edward Kwon and are centered around Asian cuisine and a re-interpretation of Korean staples.
