Earlier this summer, Songdo opened its doors to the newest 5-star hotel in greater metropolitan Seoul. Oakwood Premier Incheon fills floors 36-65 of the tallest building in Korea.

I went back to Korea for a business trip from October 1-5 and stayed at the hotel for a couple of nights. The hotel did not disappoint.

Hotel Room

Panoramic view from my hotel room.

My room didn’t resemble a typical hotel, but more of an apartment. There was a full fledged kitchen with a stove, pantry cabinets filled with utensils, and a washing machine.

And two dedicated closet spaces with all accessories provided.

And a bath overlooking the city. No need for the TV, the yoga mat and that view was enough.

Lots of high tech controls, no need for switches scattered around the room.

Let’s not forget about the internet. They don’t mess around here. If WiFi was this speed, I wonder what ethernet connectivity was.

Club Room

Felt like I was in an airport lounge.

Exercise room, 37th floor.

Dining

The dining was subpar to expectations. At about $30 per breakfast buffet, I expected more. Presentation and ambiance was solid, but variety and quality was mediocre.

The stay was overall pleasant, staff was courteous and professional, and the room was spacious with a wonderful view.

The City

The city used to be entirely underwater, but was excavated. Songdo is branding itself as an international business hub of Korea. The streets are extremely clean, and skyscrapers are appearing left and right. It has a feel of Singapore, but newer and less claustrophobic.

The city is also extremely safe, consistent with most of the country. Young kids walk to and from school unattended, or play until dark without supervision. Not much traffic, if any, and low crime.

At first glance, this seems like a solid place to live and raise a family. Although I’ve been here an aggregate of about 5 days, I like Songdo.