[Luxury World] Luxury Resort Perfected by Butler Service... Multi-Billion Won Memberships Sold Out

Grand Kensington Experience
One-on-One Butler Service, Personalized Care
100% Membership System... 130 Million to 340 Million Won
Resort Memberships Range from 100 Million to 400 Million Won
Prices Vary by Shared Ownership and Membership System

"Hello, this is the Grand Kensington Butler Team. May we confirm your expected arrival time today in advance?"

Sunrise view from the 'Noblian Suite' room at Kensington Seorak Beach. Both rooms face Kensington Beach (coast), allowing guests to enjoy the sunrise from the bed. Photo by Minji Lee.

Kensington-Style Luxury 'Grand Kensington'... Differentiated Service Is Key

On June 22, I visited Kensington Seorak Beach in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province. Arriving at the scheduled time, the first meeting with the assigned butler took place at the private parking lot located right in front of the resort. After parking in the designated spot, the butler carried the luggage to be brought to the room and bypassed the queue at the front desk, heading straight to the 'Grand Kensington Exclusive Lounge.' This cozy space offers a panoramic view of the beach embraced by the resort. Reserved for customers who have purchased Grand Kensington memberships, it allows guests to enjoy light refreshments in a quiet environment, free from outside noise.

Although Kensington Seorak Beach is a four-star resort, it offers services typically found only at luxury hotels. The resort has created a 'Noblian Suite,' a preview room for the upcoming 'Grand Kensington Seorak Beach' launching next year, and provides butler service exclusively for Grand Kensington members. The butler service is a one-on-one guest service, often referred to as a 'personal butler.' Global luxury resorts have long provided such services to differentiate themselves.

A lounge space created for Grand Kensington members. Beverages and snacks are provided. It is a great place to relax while enjoying the view of the beach.

Grand Kensington is the first luxury brand introduced by E-Land Park, which operates Kensington Hotels & Resorts. Starting with 'Grand Kensington Seorak Beach,' set to open in the first half of next year, the company plans to sequentially launch properties on the 5.1 million square meters (1.54 million pyeong) of land it has secured nationwide over the past 30 years, including ▲Grand Kensington Jeju Aewol ▲Grand Kensington Pyeongchang ▲Grand Kensington Seorak Valley ▲Grand Kensington Seorak Beach II.

The experiential rooms allow guests to indirectly experience the luxury that E-Land Park pursues. Since these are existing rooms that have been remodeled, they are not exact replicas, but the room layout, in-room amenities, and butler service allow guests to truly feel "what it would be like to stay at Grand Kensington." Experiential rooms are also available at the Kensington Pyeongchang location in addition to Seorak Beach.

The Noblian Suite at Kensington Seorak Beach consists of two bedrooms, a living and dining area, a private terrace, and two bathrooms. It is a scaled-down version of the Grand Kensington Seorak Beach 'Ocean Suite' (186 square meters), and the actual room includes a jacuzzi. The largest room, The Penthouse (396 to 462 square meters), features a terrace pool and a dry sauna.

A simple note and the prepared appearance of 'Welcome (Welcome) fruit'.

The core of Grand Kensington is 'ultra-personalized service' for guests. Upon entering the room for the first time, guests are greeted with a small name card bearing their name and a welcome fruit arrangement, creating the feeling of arriving at a luxury hotel. There is also a small tablet in the room, allowing guests to order anything they may need during their stay with just a click. For example, if guests purchase food from outside and wish to enjoy it with drinks, they can request ice, a tong set, and a wine basket. If the design or height of the pillow is not to their liking, they can select and order a different type of pillow. A Kensington Resort representative stated, "By operating experiential rooms, we have been able to directly reflect the various suggestions received during guest interactions into our services."

Previously, in April, E-Land Park established the 'Service Talent Development Center,' an organization dedicated to service innovation, in order to strengthen butler services. This was part of an effort to standardize and elevate service quality, and the company has also developed its own manual based on customer feedback. Ultimately, the goal is to train VIP service specialists through continuous education and training.

The Noblian Suite room consists of two bedrooms, a living and dining area, a private terrace, and two bathrooms. This is the view of the largest bedroom.

The highlight of the stay was the view. Grand Kensington Seorak Beach is designed so that guests can see 'Kensington Beach' from inside their rooms, and the scenery visible from the room is truly exceptional. The next morning, thanks to the clear weather, the sunrise painted the sky red, with the glow reaching all the way into the room. A Kensington Seorak Beach representative said, "Among resorts operated by major domestic companies, this may be the only place where you can see such a clear sunrise from a location so close to the sea," and added, "Guests who have stayed in the experiential rooms often cite the view as the best part, expressing high expectations for Grand Kensington Seorak Beach."

Meanwhile, there is fierce competition to reserve Grand Kensington experiential rooms even on weekdays, due to the consistently positive reviews. In addition, more than 70% of guests who have stayed in these rooms have gone on to purchase Grand Kensington memberships. The attentive butler service, expansive views, and the opportunity to enjoy art exhibitions, such as the Picasso ceramic collection, at the resort were cited as major advantages.

Multi-Billion Won Premium Memberships, Selling Out Despite High Prices

To use the Grand Kensington Resort, one must purchase a membership.

Construction site of Grand Kensington Seorak Beach as seen from Kensington Beach. It is located right next to Kensington Seorak Beach.

Resort memberships are divided into 'shared ownership (registration-based),' which is recognized as a property right and can be traded, and 'membership-based,' where members pay a fee to obtain usage rights. Typically, for membership-based systems, as with a lease contract, one pays an entrance fee according to the desired grade and receives usage rights for that grade. The entrance fee varies depending on whether the membership is named (for a specific person) or non-named (usable by anyone, and more expensive), and is refundable after the contract period ends.

Grand Kensington operates on a 100% membership basis, providing 30 nights per year (1/12 share). The entrance fee is refunded after 10 years of use. The membership grades are ▲Emerald ▲Sapphire ▲Ruby ▲Diamond, and the available room types differ by grade.

Prices range from 130 million won to 340 million won. Despite the multi-billion won price tags, memberships are selling quickly, particularly among high-net-worth individuals who value comfortable relaxation. Notably, all available Diamond-grade memberships (48 shares), the highest tier, have been sold. The Diamond grade grants access to 'The Penthouse,' the most luxurious room at Grand Kensington.

Interest is also high in memberships for Sono Hotels & Resorts, which owns brands such as Sono Belle, Sono Calm, Sol Beach, and Sono Felice. According to the company, the number of consumers seeking memberships has increased since the renewal of membership programs and the launch of the new Sol Beach Namhae earlier this year. Sono Hotels & Resorts memberships are divided into the shared ownership 'Sonorium' and the membership-based 'Sonorus' and 'Noblian Black.' For Noblian Black, if joining under non-named membership and 'entrance fee usage' conditions, the fee is 435 million won.

Hanwha Hotels & Resorts operates 'Le Ciel Members' as a premium membership in the form of a membership system. In addition to basic membership benefits, members can use Premier Suite Rooms at Yeosu Bellmer and Seorak Sorrano. Benefits include access to an infinity pool, complimentary breakfast vouchers, and golf course discounts. Members receive 30 nights per year (1/12 share), and the non-named membership fee is 150 million won.

Ananti, which has established itself as synonymous with luxury resorts, offers memberships priced between 170 million and 200 million won. Ananti memberships are shared ownership, and the price varies depending on whether the membership is named or non-named. Members receive 30 nights per year. At Ananti hotels and resorts, some locations require a membership for access, while others do not. Properties requiring membership include The Penthouse, Ananti Cove (Busan), and the large-scale resort Village de Ananti. Due to the abundance of luxury accommodations, Ananti memberships are highly popular among wealthy individuals. During the COVID-19 period (2020?2022), Ananti memberships recorded an average price increase of 27% compared to the initial sale price.