First Fairfield in Korea
The first of Marriott’s Fairfield Properties in Korea, the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul opened at the beginning of April 2018. The Marriott Brand of Fairfield is named after their farm in Virginia, which is approximately 3 hours North from where I grew up in Virginia.
Therefore I found it extraordinarily fitting to call the new Fairfield by Marriott Seoul, my “home away from home” for nearly a month. The property is as modern as a new Korean Hotel can get. I love the parallels of having grown up in my family home in rural Virginia, and during a transitional move Seoul, and finding the hospitality that the Fairfield Brand represents.
I could not have asked for better hotel to call home.
Lobby & Computer Area © Flyga Twiga LLC
The Details
There are 4 pillars to the Fairfield Brand – Stay Productive, Stay Balanced, Stay Rested, and Stay Fit. The Fairfield by Marriott Seoul generously provides each pillar.
The hotel was surprisingly quiet during the day. I work out of my home. Thus, when residing in a hotel, I need quiet to concentrate on working with clients & business associates, writing, and researching. The Fairfield by Marriott Seoul provided me with all I needed to live and work comfortably in my new hotel home, helping me Stay Productive.
With nearly 30 years of some form of travel for business, I can personally guarantee not all Business Travelers want to try some new, exotic Breakfast Food 2 hours before an important meeting. During my stay a large group of Indians came to attend a conference. The Fairfield arranged for the restaurant to provide, in addition to the regular Western & Asian Breakfast Items, special Indian dishes, such Vegan Options, Curry Samosas, Curry Chicken, and Whole Milk Indian Yogurt. Helping all guests to Stay Balanced.
And, Staying Rested is more than just about a comfortable bed with lots of pillows. Each room in the hotel offers a spacious rain shower, in addition to the traditional hand shower. The Fairfield by Marriott Seoul has three large handicap rooms with an adjacent room for the caregiver and family. An extremely thoughtful detail.
One of my favorite aspects of the hotel was the gym. While compact, as would be expected of a downtown, urban hotel, the gym offers all the amenities to Stay Fit. The facility includes numerous machines and an extensive choice of weights. The towels are replaced hourly, with water and handwipes on always on hand. The unique Stay Fit design to this property is the “Forest” to give a fresh, outdoor feel to the gym.
Gym © Flyga Twiga LLC
Yeondeungpo Market © Flyga Twiga LLC
Best of Old & New Korea
There are three Marriott Properties in close proximity at Seoul Times Square - a Courtyard, a Marriott, and the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul. By far the one which offers the best of old and new Korea is the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul.
Less than a block from the hotel is Times Square, a beautiful, vibrant mall. Also next to the hotel are the Korean Department Stores, Lotte and Shinsagae. After you’ve shopped all the luxury brands such as Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci, and the rest, then step across the street from the Fairfield for authentic old Korea.
There are more traditional restaurants than one can count. From Korean BBQ, to Sushi, to ChiMek, to a plethora of Asian Dining of almost every variety. In the mood to see a real Korean market? Yeongdeungpo Market is two blocks away. As this is truly a traditional, functioning “people’s market,” be prepared for the sights, sounds, and smells of a market unchanged and untouched by modern Korea. This is not a tourist trap – this is the real deal!
Times Square © Flyga Twiga LLC
Caters to Diverse Clientele
While it has almost become a cliché in the Asian Hotel Market of “East meets West,” it is vital in today’s market to cater to both Eastern and Western, Business and Tourist, Guests.
The Fairfield by Marriott Seoul has already hosted guests from America, Taiwan, Hong Kong, PR China, India, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, France, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Brazil, and, of course, Korea! These include numerous Business Travelers as well as Leisure Tourists.
Only having been open 6 months, the Hotel Sales Team has done an outstanding job of cracking the competitive Meetings & Events Market. With seven levels of underground parking, the Fairfield by Marriott is an ideal location for local businesses to host meetings. The hotel offers meeting rooms of varying sizes, as well as the ability to cater meetings with full breakfasts, lunches, or dinners.
And, working with such a diverse clientele requires an immense team effort and a highly trained staff. I believe Koreans give the absolute best Customer Service in the World. Bar none. Even with that preconception, the professionalism of the staff – from maids to office manager to sales to the front desk staff at Fairfield by Marriott Seoul – have blown me away.
For the Staff to be so well trained and polished in dealing with such diverse clientele, in 6 short months, is amazing. It is one of many ways this property stands out among the 29 Brands under the Marriott Properties.
View from Meeting Room Area © Flyga Twiga LLC
It’s a Find in Seoul!
Toward the end of my 28 day stay at Fairfield by Marriott Seoul, I was walking through the Lobby and heard a conversation which perfectly sums up how I and others are feeling about the hotel.
There was a nice Indian Businessman speaking with a female Vietnamese Colleague. She was asking him how he found the hotel. He proudly said “I found it myself on the internet. Isn’t it a great find?”
I thought, that is how many of us feel right now about the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul. We found an amazing property at the beginning.
The quality of the product, combined with the exceptional pricing and superb location, make the Fairfield by Marriott Seoul a genuine “find” in the competitive Hotel Market.
I truly found “a home away from home” in Seoul!
View From My Window © Flyga Twiga LLC
Note the Green Dome of the National Assembly Building.
