Increasing Number of Korean Hotels Are Ditching Their Name Brands
Via a reader tip comes news that an increasing number of hotels in South Korea are ditching their name brand:
The Namhae Hilton also changed its name to the Ananti Namhae in January 2018, while the Hyatt Regency Jeju also converted to the Shore Hotel Jeju.
Korea Times
Two Walkerhill hotels also ditched the brands Sheraton and W of the global hospitality giant Marriott International in 2017 and turned into the Grand Walkerhill Seoul and the Vista Walkerhill Seoul.
Speculation was rampant that Shinsegae Chosun Hotel that operates four Marriott-brand properties ― the Westin Chosun hotels in Seoul and Busan, the Four Points by Sheraton Seoul Namsan and the JW Marriott Seoul ― might part ways with the Westin brand, but it renewed the contract recently to retain the name.
However, the company plans to launch five new hotels by 2023, but it has yet to decide whether to go into partnership with global hotel chains, according to its officials. Last year, Shinsegae opened its first standalone brand L’Escape Hotel in Seoul.
“The reason more local hotels are ending their relationships with popular global brands is that the benefits of using those brands are not as significant as expected,” a hospitality industry official said.
“In addition, some owners are unhappy about complying with strict instructions from brand headquarters to meet their standards.”
In addition, with online travel agencies (OTAs) gaining a bigger presence in the hospitality sector, local hotels are relying more on these platforms rather than focusing on partnership with global brands.
You can read more at the link, but I know for me the brand is important because of points programs that lead to free stays. That is going to be a major market that will be lost by ditching major name hotel brands.
The quality also goes down the drain. At least the brands would enforce standards for certain things but Korean owners just charge what they want, use the cheapest amenities and products and don’t care about service recovery.
This has long been a barely real Hilton, with a terrible location to boot. Have to taxi anywhere if just visiting on business. I’ve wondered too why the Chosun removed the popular O’Kim’s bar some years ago as well.
O’Kim’s was actually fun for Koreans and us waygooks, unlike most of the places run by hotels.
Andrea Rice and Fee Dobbin were delightful musically and hilarious while gently mocking drunks who thought it was a karaoke bar. I bought a couple CDs back in the day. https://www.andreariceband.com