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