WORLDHOTELS' Affiliate Lotte Hotel Seoul Awarded 'Best Individual Hotel in Asia' by Global Traveler USA Magazine

(Hong Kong, April 15, 2009) – WORLDHOTELS’ Deluxe Collection affiliate Lotte Hotel Seoul has been voted 'Best Individual Hotel in Asia' for the third year in a row by the prestigious Global Traveler USA magazine.

Lotte Hotel Seoul which is the flagship of the group of five Lotte hotels throughout South Korea was given the award ahead of several of the region’s premier hotels including InterContinental Bangkok, Park Hyatt Tokyo and The Peninsula Hong Kong.

The accolade was based on an in-depth survey of business traveler readers of the US publication.

"The honour rewards Lotte Hotel Seoul’s continuous efforts to create change and innovation across all operations including upgrading its facilities, improving service quality, adding great new restaurants and overall enhancing its competitiveness and increasing business," said Roland Jegge, Vice President Asia Pacific for WORLDHOTELS.

With a total of 1,124 rooms, Lotte Hotel Seoul has recently completed and unveiled its brand new Ladies’ Floor, becoming the first hotel in Korea to dedicate an entire floor exclusively for the use of female guests.

The Main Building has been under renovation since 2007, with four of the most world-renowned hotel design firms, SOM, Wilson & Associates, HBA, and Babey Moulton engaged on the project. Each of the guest floors in the hotel has been designed differently. Meanwhile, the third phase of the hotel’s renovation is currently underway and will be completed in this year.

At the Global Traveler USA magazine awards ceremony held in Los Angeles, Sales & Marketing Director of Lotte Hotel Seoul, Robert Ro said: "Since the opening in 1973, Lotte Hotel has invested more than US$ 1 billion in Korea’s hospitality industry and now operates five luxury hotels nationwide. We have begun making forays into overseas markets with plans to open hotels in Russia, China, and other parts of the world.”

“Lotte Hotel is proud to offer the best facilities and services in Korea. We aim to go beyond Asia and become a global leading hotel”, he added.

With over 500 outstanding hotels in 300 destinations, across 70 countries, WORLDHOTELS is the most established Europe-based global marketing and distribution network for independent hotels and regional hotel brands, with a strong emphasis on hotels with character and distinction.