I’m always amazed by how small Seoul can feel for such a massive city.  While Co-Pilot lives on a military base in Korea, his cousin and her boyfriend live live and teach in Suwon!  Suwon is technically part of the Seoul subway system.  Since they’re leaving to go back to the States soon, we wanted to head down to see them.  Staying at the Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon was an amazing surprise and a real treat!  While we were invited guests of the hotel, views and opinions are my own.  I didn’t expect much as the name”value” typically equates to “budget”, but we were very happily surprised.

We arrived at Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon just before check-in time at 2 PM.  Underground parking was right around the back and was very easy to get into.  Our license plate was scanned upon entry and exit determining the amount we owed ($0 as guests at the hotel).  Check-in was as easy as it could be with a quick ID check and signature before we headed up to our corner room on the 17th floor!

We had a corner room for the night and the view day to night was fantastic.  The Jr. Suite was quite a long room with plenty of space for both Co-P and I to get some work done.  I had a few deadlines coming up and he’s working on his MBA.  Being able to work comfortably (and independently) was a huge bonus.

Having so much storage space was really convenient as we did dress up a little for dinner.  The closets were well out of the way, and we even had a mini fridge with complimentary bottled water.  We had brought some snacks for our Sunday trip and wanted to do a lot of walking.  The fridge and the water were really handy when we wanted to get up and go!  The bathroom had a great soaker tub as well as 2 shower heads.  I love the feeling of the rain shower head, but when washing my hair I need the water pressure of a regular one.  Our suite had both!  We also had a fancy Japanese toilet.  Have you ever used any of the special features?  We were too scared!

The bed was supportive – normally I’d say firm, but comfortable.  I woke up with my back feeling better than ever.  While I would have liked the flatscreen to be in the corner so we could have enjoyed TV from the bed or the cozy chairs, I did enjoy waking up and watching National Geographic in English under the covers!

Co-Pilot has a big obsession with hotel breakfasts.  The buffet breakfast included at the Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon did not disappoint!  There were plenty of Korean options like rice, fried eggs, kimchi, side dishes, and mandu (dumplings).  There were also the continental breakfast menu items one would come to expect from a Western Hotel experience.  They had a great salad bar and tons of fruit.  Coffee was hot and tea was available.  They even had a cereal bar!  I always love a good made-to-order omelette, and they didn’t skimp out on any toppings!  While we didn’t overindulge, we were certainly full for the rest of the day.

We checked out the gym and the terrace on Saturday and loved the amenities.  The fitness center at Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon was a small, but mighty, gym.  They had well-maintained cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes), free-weights, and even a lat pull-down.  Some cardio equipment even had TV’s with headphone jacks.  You could definitely earn your breakfast calories with a workout here!

We found that the location of Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon was really central.  The convenience of being about a $5 taxi ride from Suwon Station, the downtown area (“Soju Street”), the Arts Centre, World Cup Stadium, and UNESCO World Heritage site, Hwaseong Fortress, couldn’t be beat.  The hotel is close to Everland Amusement Park and the Korean Folk Village.  These are also easily accessible by subway and by bus.

On Sunday we visited Suwon’s famous Hwaseong Fortress. Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon guests can actually buy tickets to the fortress at the hotel,  eliminating the need to stand in line on site.

Hwaseong Fortress was constructed from 1794 to 1796 in the latter part of the Joseon Dynasty.  The grounds make for a nice picnic or afternoon stroll.  As with most Korean walled cities, there are 4 main gates Janganmun (north), Paldalmun (south), Changnyongmun (east), and Hwaseomun (west).  While we were there, there wasn’t much to do although cultural performances are said to take place around the grounds.  I think it would be a great place to go for a run or bike ride as the fortress wall stretches for nearly 6 km.  It was built out of bricks and has strategically placed holes through which guns, arrows, or spears could fit in case of an attack.  Archery is actually taught at Hwaseong Fortress.  There don’t seem to be many safety precautions, so make sure to keep an eye out for bows and arrows!

Have you stayed at any of the Hotels in the Vantage family or even the Vantage Value Hotel Worldwide High End Suwon?  What are you favourite things to see and do in Suwon?  

Let us know in the comments!

 

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