Fireworks-view rooms top $1,500 in Seoul as festival nears
Hotels near Seoul's fireworks festival are nearing full occupancy as premium rooms surge above 2 million won ($1,500) a night.
Fireworks light up the night sky during the 2022 Seoul International Fireworks Festival at Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on Oct. 8, 2022.
NEWS1
Hotel rooms with a view of Seoul's fireworks festival are selling for more than 2 million won ($1,500) a night, with occupancy topping 90 percent, according to the hotel industry Tuesday.
This year's Seoul International Fireworks Festival, annually hosted by Hanwha Group, will run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday around Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul.
Occupancy rate at the Conrad Seoul, a five-star hotel in the Yeouido Business District, is running at about 90 percent for the day of the festival, as of Tuesday. Occupancies at Kensington Hotel Yeouido and Hotel Naru Seoul - MGallery Collection were above 90 percent.
Room rates have consequently jumped sharply. On the online travel platform Tripbtoz, a premium city-view room with two queen beds at Conrad Seoul was listed at 2.06 million won for a one-night stay on Friday — about 90 percent more than the 1.09 million won price for the same room type the following weekend.
The hotel is also running fireworks-themed promotions in its executive lounge, bar and restaurants.
Hotel Naru Seoul - MGallery Collection, a five-star riverside Accor property in Mapo District, western Seoul, rolled out a festival package bundling a night's stay with a dinner buffet, unlimited drinks and admission for two to an infinity pool party.
Bookings have surged even at hotels without a direct view of the fireworks. The Kensington Hotel in Yeongdeungpo District, despite offering no festival-specific packages, has seen occupancy climb above 90 percent. Industry watchers attribute the demand to visitors seeking accommodation near the venue to avoid the severe traffic congestion that typically follows the show.
The fireworks festival has become a signature autumn draw for hotels along the Han River. Properties within range of the event averaged 95 percent occupancy in 2024. This year, the Seoul city government is set to deploy some 6,800 personnel to manage crowds and handle emergencies.
"The fireworks festival is the event that fills up hotel bookings fastest every year," a hotel industry representative said. "This year in particular, since the festival was moved up earlier than usual, last-minute demand for hotels in Yeouido and along the Han River is likely to intensify as the date approaches."
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
