'Hotel on Han River Bridge' Booking Period Extended to 6 Months and Peak Season Designated... Increasing Foreign Visitors

'Sky Suite'... System Overhaul Amid Soaring Popularity
Exclusive to Domestic Guests... Reservation Window Adjusted to 6 Months
Peak Periods Designated During World Fireworks Festival... Resale Management Implemented

The reservation period for 'Sky Suite,' the first bridge-top hotel introduced in Korea by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be extended to 6 months, double the current duration. This decision was made after reviewing the operational status since its opening, as all reservations were made exclusively by domestic guests, limiting the promotion of Seoul's brand to international visitors. In particular, a separate peak season period will be designated to maintain price parity with other hotels.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the 9th, the city reviewed the operation of 'Sky Suite,' which opened on the 16th of last month, and decided to apply these improvements.

'Sky Suite' is a space remodeled from 'Jiknyeo Cafe,' a Han River view cafe. It has an area of 144.13㎡ (approximately 44 pyeong) and includes a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchenette. A large window is installed on the southwest side of the bedroom, offering a panoramic view of the Han River stretching from Nodeul Island to Yeouido. The public's enthusiastic interest continued as well. Reservations, which began on the 1st, were fully booked until the end of September within just four days. Reservations are made through the Airbnb platform, and currently, all available reservation pages are fully booked.

However, after about a month of operation, some issues have emerged. As of the 7th, all dates until the end of October are fully booked, and all guests are confirmed to be domestic. Due to the nature of the Airbnb platform, if no dates are available for reservation, the booking window does not appear, so foreign visitors, who usually book accommodations 3 to 6 months in advance, were not informed about 'Sky Suite.'

Concerns about the resale of rooms by guests have also arisen due to relatively low room rates. Although the 144㎡ space can accommodate up to four people and offers the closest view of the Han River, the price, including Airbnb fees, is only up to 500,000 KRW. This is 15-25% cheaper compared to hotels with similar conditions, and some secondhand trading sites have seen people interested in acquiring 'Sky Suite' room vouchers. Additionally, because Airbnb reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis, it has been practically impossible for the Seoul Metropolitan Government to secure dates for public use of the facility.

Therefore, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to extend the current 3-month reservation period to 6 months to maximize the exposure period on Airbnb. Internal analysis expects that this will also increase reservations by foreigners.

The pricing policy will also be revised. Early October, when the World Fireworks Festival is held, and the period from late December to early January, the year-end and New Year holidays, will be designated as peak seasons. During these times, prices can be separately set up to 1,000,000 KRW with Seoul Metropolitan Government approval. Seoul explains that this will maintain price parity with other hotels and reduce concerns about room voucher resale.

Dates for public purposes will also be secured in advance. A preliminary survey will be conducted across all Seoul city departments, and priority paid allocation will be given only for public purposes. If there is no demand two months prior, the dates will be opened to the general public. Providing accommodations to promote Seoul's culture and tourism is a representative example. A Seoul city official stated, "As Sky Suite has established itself as a representative brand of Seoul, we will continue to consider service improvements that match this status."