Fairmont Ambassador Seoul wants luxury to be accessible, not just for 'rich and famous'

In a fiercely competitive city full of top-notch five-star hotels, Fairmont Ambassador Seoul has chosen a different tactic: expanding accessibility while stripping away exclusivity.

Franck Loison, general manager of Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul [FAIRMONT AMBASSADOR SEOUL]

[INTERVIEW]

In a fiercely competitive city full of top-notch five-star hotels, Fairmont Ambassador Seoul has chosen a different tactic: expanding accessibility while redefining exclusivity. “You are the new baby,” said Franck Loison, the hotel's general manager, during a recent interview with Korea JoongAng Daily at the property. “You need to make your own name.”

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul opened five years ago in the busy business hub of Yeouido in Yeoungdeungpo District, western Seoul, joining the ranks of Seoul’s five-star hotels.

The hotel is part of Accor, which operates a multitiered portfolio ranging from economy to luxury brands. Fairmont sits at the very top of that hierarchy — a positioning that comes with strict standards, but also room to interpret what luxury should feel like.

Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdungpo District, western Seoul [FAIRMONT AMBASSADOR SEOUL]

One way the hotel sets itself apart is by avoiding what Loison describes as “cheap” practices. Despite its luxury profile, Fairmont deliberately steers clear of needlessly restrictive policies often associated with high-end hotels in Korea, such as banning outside food deliveries or charging extra fees for facilities like swimming pools.

“At the end, you cannot oblige them to pay a penalty because they bring their pizza in the room,” Loison said. “It's a bit cheap to do that. And after all, you upset them and then they don't come back.” The hotel does not charge extra for pool access either.

Loison has also pushed to make the hotel feel more accessible, emphasizing that five-star hotels are not only for the “rich and famous.” Last year, the hotel sold scones and baguettes for 1,000 won (70 cents) at its cafe to mark its fourth anniversary.

“Sometimes, people are scared to come to five-star because they think it's super expensive. But you can come for a coffee, a pastry or bread. You can use the toilet, sit in a nice chair, use the Wi-Fi. You are welcome and it's not necessarily very much expensive.

“It's not because we're desperate,” he added. “It's to show that we are affordable. See for everyone that this space isn't only for the rich and famous.”

Franck Loison, general manager of Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul [FAIRMONT AMBASSADOR SEOUL]

Celebrating its fifth anniversary on Feb. 24, the hotel did not get off to a smooth start.

“It was the first hotel that did its grand opening online,” said Loison. The hotel opened in 2021, at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. “It was basically a Zoom call. It wasn't the best time to open a hotel.”

In its early days, Fairmont Ambassador Seoul relied almost entirely on domestic demand, with couples filling its rooms for staycations. “Ninety-five percent of the guests at that time were Korean.”

As international travel resumed, the hotel focused on drawing guests from nearby shopping complexes such as IFC Mall, home to major corporate tenants including Apple and IBM Korea, as well as The Hyundai Seoul, now one of Korea's trendiest shopping destinations.

The hotel has since actively collaborated with luxury brands launching at the complex, an approach Loison said helped “drive traffic and interest.”

“International travelers come and stay with us and talk about it,” Loison said. International customers now account for about half of the hotel's occupancy. “I think this year will be 50, 50.”

Sponsoring and hosting high-profile sports teams, such Newcastle United and last year, MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani's team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, have also boosted visibility.

This gradual rise in awareness is what Loison says he is most proud of during his three years at the hotel. “We can see now that people are more aware of this brand and this destination, and I think that's one of our success.”

With 28 years of experience in the hotel industry — spent exclusively in Asia — Loison, who joined Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in January 2023, says there is one thing that he also came to prioritize specifically for the Korean market: precision.

Korean customers, he said, tend to follow policies strictly.

“If it's written, the check in time, check out time, if the price is like this, if the room is like this, it has to be like this.”

That level of precision, he said, works well — as long as hotels are equally clear in their communication. “We need to be very specific,” he said. “But at the end it's great because it works.”

A lobby of Fairmont Ambassador Seoul in Yeongdungpo District, western Seoul [FAIRMONT AMBASSADOR SEOUL]

Loison, however, acknowledges that the hotel is still less widely known compared to long-established luxury properties such as the century-old The Westin Chosun Seoul and the five-decade-old The Shilla Seoul. “There are still a lot of people in Seoul who haven't been here.”

“It takes time to build a reputation. [...] We will keep pushing our reputation, guest experience and our F&B outlets.”

To that end, the hotel is trying to drive more interest by deepening collaborations with brands launching at The Hyundai Seoul. “Our marketing is very much connected to the mall,” explained Loison. “We try as well to do afternoon tea with luxury brand. We are working on some projects,” he said, adding that such collaborations “really open an eye and people are very curious.”

More, he said, is on the way. “For our fifth anniversary, there will be some very exciting promotions and activations.” He hopes people will visit — even briefly — “to see the lobby, look at the atrium and take a photo before going to the mall.”

“Try us and come back.”

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]