#TravelTuesday Is this the coolest pet friendly bar in Seoul?

From making sure it is the Doggy Beer you ordered, to a pet friendly menu, the Side Note Club at Ryse, Autograph Collection Marriott, is all about taking pampering your precious pooch to another level!

Side Note Club ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Located on the top, 15th floor of the Ryse Hotel, the Side Note Club overlooks energetic and vibrant Hongdae, Seoul. But, who can enjoy an evening out without your best fur buddy?

Ryse in the Evening ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Ryse is a Pet Friendly Hotel, with major emphasis on “friendly”. Upon arrival, your pet is welcomed with a bed and bowls awaiting in the room. If you pass by the Concierge Desk, a jar of Dog Treats is immediately brought out for your pup.

Pet Menu ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Dubbed Pet.Project, Side Note Club offers a menu for both Cats and Dogs. During our stay, Fynbos decided to try the Dried Sweet Potato and the Chicken Breast Jerky. As a Korean Village Dog, he should have preferred the Sweet Potato. Instead, he ate the Chicken Breast Chicken so fast, we ordered more.

Please note: While Pets are most definitely welcome, minor humans are not allowed in the bar after 6:00 pm.

Checking out Dog Friendly Beer ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

And while he seemed to be more partial to licking the botte than drinking the nonalcoholic “Doggy Beer”, it was super fun when the Waiter offered him to see if it was the Beer he ordered. It was just enough theatrics and silliness to be perfect!

Needless to say, Side Note Club is Fynbos APPROVED and we will most, most definitely be back.

Well done Ryse Hotel’s Side Note Club!

Fynbos at Side Note Club ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

#TravelTuesday Trip Report - Back to Seoul - Traveling during a Pandemic with a Puppy!

Welcome Picture with our Puppy © Flyga Twiga™ LLC

243 Days Ago

That was how long it had been since we stayed in a hotel. Oh, so much has changed & so much has stayed the same!

With the entire Korean Peninsula once again open for travel, we were SO happy to be traveling again.

Our first issue was finding a (nice) hotel which took Pets. We found the wonderful RYSE Hotel, part of the Marriott Properties “Autograph Collection.”

Sitting Area Producer Suite RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

The Property

RYSE is an awesome hotel, "for creative originals", in the heart of the vibrant Hongdae area of Seoul. They welcome up to two pets per room. As I had been sitting on numerous Marriott Reward certificates, points, and upgrades, we booked one of their 14 Suites and arrived on a Friday evening.

We were immediately struck with friendly, fun staff (shout out Greet Supervisor Chloe Choi!). We felt welcomed like family coming home. And, they went out of their way for our Pandemic Puppy. Fynbos had a comfortable bed, dog food, and dog bowls waiting for his arrival.

Fynbos Welcome Area RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Bathroom RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

The Bathroom

If you are a “bathroom” or “bathing” person, this is the hotel for you! While I am rarely impressed with hotel bathrooms – this one blew me away. And although I am a shower girl, I do appreciate a well designed bathtub.

Well done RYSE!

Spacious, Beautifully Designed Bathroom RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

Hotel Guidelines© Flyga Twiga™ LLC

What has changed?

There are a myriad of changes due to the Pandemic. Others may have noticed altered conditions I didn’t. Yet, there where three most visible changes which stuck out.

Plastic Covered TV Remote Control ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

1) Plastic Wrapped Remote Control

I found this reassuring, yet interesting. No other surfaces or items in the room were wrapped. Glasses were all the same as usual. The hotel was still using “large supply” soaps, shampoos, and lotions. I guess this is one of the highest touch items in the room.

Empty Hotel Lobby Area RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

2) Empty Hotel Lobby

So many hotels, pre-Covid19, were designed to have the Lobby as a focal point, a meeting place. RYSE’s Lobby area was empty, as far as we could tell, during our three night stay.

Communal Areas – in all forms – have taken a hard hit. Which leads me to the greatest change I noticed.

CHARR Restaurant a la Carte Breakfast Menu ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

3) Breakfast a la Carte

One of my favorite parts of a (good) hotel was the opulent Breakfast Buffet. For example, 15 On Orange, in Cape Town, South Africa, had one of the best Breakfast Buffets I have ever experienced. And those of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, are legendary.

RYSE had a good, varied a la Carte Breakfast Menu. That said, by day 3, I would have liked more variety, especially as I do not eat beef or pork.

And, I have to admit to my one “freak out”. For some reason, on Day 2, I really wasn’t in love with having to use tongs, that everyone else had used, for getting ice and the using the communal coffee machine.

The day prior, (and then again the next day), the Wait Staff had offered to get our drinks. In fact, the last morning there was no communal option. The inconsistency felt un-reassuring.

Avocado Toast Breakfast RYSE Hotel ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC
Note: This was not the original plating. I asked for the salad on the side, as I felt the Balsamic Vinaigrette didn’t go well with the toast.

Would we do it again?

ABSOLUTELY! We have found a nice, clean, friendly place to stay with our little Fynbos Asan in Seoul. And, more importantly, we have proven that there will be travel again – and it can be enjoyable – in our new world.

Cheers!

CHARR Restaurant, RYSE Hotel, Seoul ©Flyga Twiga™ LLC

#TravelTuesday Could You Live in a Hotel? If its Fairfield by Marriott Seoul You Could!

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.

Happy Seollal - Korean Lunar New Year 2018 - Year of the Dog!

What is charye? 
Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year, often involves the ritual of charye, paying memorial to your ancestors.

How do I wish someone good fortune?
Say, “Saehae bok mani badeuseyo”  새해 복 많이 받으세요 which translates to “Please receive a lot of luck in the New Year!”

#TravelTuesday I've lived over 3 Years in South Korea & now only 1 Month to the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics!

Korean Air Morning Calm © Flyga Twiga LLC

Click here the Morning Calm picture above or here to go to the Official PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics Site!

You're Invited! KOTFA

You are invited to join us at the 31st Annual Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) - South Korea's largest travel expo - at Seoul's COEX from June 9th - 12th. Flyga Twiga is the exclusive partner of the Kenyan Embassy in Seoul. We look forward to seeing you there!

2016년 제 31회 한국국제관광대전(코트파)에 여러분을 초대합니다.
이번 국제관광대전에는 케냐 대사관의 파트너로 Flyga Twiga가 독점 선정되었습니다.
2016년 6월 9일부터 12일까지 서울 코엑스에서 진행될 국제관광대전,
Flyga Twiga가 여러분 모두 환영합니다!  

Lion © Airports&BeyondTours

The below from afar!

Sent from my iPhone Content & Media ©FlygaTwigaLLC

One of the reasons I love the ROK - building & making things better!

Sent from my iPhone Content & Media ©FlygaTwigaLLC

This cat creeps me out!

Sent from my iPhone Content & Media ©FlygaTwigaLLC

While I have stared down Mambas in South Sudan - This ROK Soldier - at the JSA in North Korea - sends chills down my spine! They Rock!

ROKSoldier_JSA_NK2015©FlygaTwigaLLC

Cous Cous Tunisian Seoul ROK

Sent from my iPhone Content & Media ©FlygaTwigaLLC

One of my favorite Lunch places in Seoul!

Click on picture for more photos!

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year!

As I write, it is already Orthodox Christmas in South Korea. What a special day to announce some wonderful new adventures for Flyga Twiga!

• Safaris: Working with my partners in East Africa, there are several amazing safari opportunities for August through November 2015. Specifically, in Kenya we are designing a unique opportunity to visit with Elephant and Rhino Conservationists and preservation groups, not usually open to the public. While in Uganda, with only 750 Mountain Gorillas left in the world, an extensive, luxury gorilla trek is being designed.
   
• New Travel Adventures: Also, during the first part of 2015, I have been given a rare opportunity to tour extensively South Korea and other parts of Southeast Asia. With the "Land of the Morning Calm" as my base for the next half year or so, I will be posting on the Flyga Twiga Blog my experiences and travels.
   
• Wildlife Conservation: With my passion for wildlife and conservation, being based in Southeast Asia couldn't come at a better time. With parts of Southeast Asia the source of so much of the poaching industry, I hope to bring awareness at this critical point in history - with Elephants and my precious Rhinos facing extinction. Interesting how God puts you where you are needed.

I look forward to sharing my adventures and hope 2015 brings us all happy days and safe safaris!

Time to celebrate new adventures! Champagne @ Karen, Nairobi, Kenya ©Flyga Twiga LLC