Cover The Grand Hyatt Jeju is within the iconic Jeju Dream Tower, the tallest and largest skyscraper on the island
The Grand Hyatt Jeju is within the iconic Jeju Dream Tower, the tallest and largest skyscraper on the island
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The Grand Hyatt Jeju was the "paradise" hotel featured in season three of Single’s Inferno. We check in and suss out if it lives up to the Paradise label
One of my vices, that my wife really doesn’t get, is that sometimes, especially after long and stressful days, I like to unwind at the end of the day with a nonsensical Korean reality show. One of my favourites is Single’s Inferno, in which self-absorbed, fame-seeking 20- and 30-somethings stranded on a desert island vie for romance and dates to “paradise”, which in each season is a different luxury hotel a short helicopter ride away.
Paradise in season three was the Grand Hyatt Jeju, a luxury hotel on Jeju island that opened four years ago. The show made it look glamorous, opulent, chic and romantic. The couples who earned overnights there enjoyed sumptuous feasts, rejuvenating spa treatments, sexy swim times, and access to truly over-the-top modern and luxe hotel suites.
I just so happened to need to pass through Jeju en route to board a ship (but that’s a whole other story), so instead of flying in and heading straight to the port, I asked the kind folks at the Grand Hyatt Jeju if they’d be kind enough to open the gates of paradise for me—and in true Single’s Inferno style—for just one night.
Read more: 6 Korean design hotels in Seoul and Jeju to visit during autumn
First Impressions
Above The lobby is an oasis of calm despite the size of the hotel
Above With 1,600 keys, the Grand Hyatt Jeju is the largest Grand Hyatt in Asia
The lobby is an oasis of calm despite the size of the hotel
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Having never been to Jeju before, I was immediately struck by how close the hotel was to the airport. It took us just under 10 minutes to pull up the iconic Jeju Dream Tower, the tallest and largest skyscraper on the island. The hotel is one of three major parts of Jeju Dream Tower, heralded when it was built as the first urban integrated resort in the country. The other two parts are a foreigner-only casino and a shopping mall named Han Collection.
The entrance for the property was vast, befitting the largest Grand Hyatt property in Asia and second-largest in the world, yet remained elegant. And while busy, it was highly civilised. Having been offered a room that gave us Grand Club access, an incredibly cordial member of the reception staff took us to the level six premier lounge and while we enjoyed a lovely breakfast, checked us in. It was one of the smoothest ways to arrive and get settled into a hotel—of course, if you feed me perfectly cooked crispy bacon and ply me with good coffee, I’ll always be happy.
Do Not Disturb
Above The rooms are charming and modern
The rooms are charming and modern
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Once we had wolfed down our breakfast in the Grand Club, we were shown to our room. This property boasts an impressive 1,600 keys, ranging from 65 sqm rooms to palatial 260 sqm suites. All of these boast floor-to-ceiling windows and stunning views of the sea, Jeju city or the Unesco World Heritage site, Halla Mountain.
We loved the luxurious and clubbed interiors of our room. I’m a sucker for hardwood floors and a careful use of colour so I appreciated the decor here. Warm and neutral tones were offset by pops of bright shades that gave the space a very mature yet fun vibe.
We were given a lovely 65-square-metres King Sea View room on the club floor. The views were incredible—we could see the city and Halla Mountain. The room was equipped with a massive TV, sitting area, and well-stocked pantry (I’m always pleased to have my own Nespresso machine in the room). While the smallest sized rooms on the property, these are still far larger than the norm.
Above The suites offer huge living spaces
Above As well as private dining areas
The suites offer huge living spaces
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Of course, if you had watched Single’s Inferno, you would know that the couples didn’t stay in any simple suite, but had access to the property’s 195 sqm Diplomatic Suite and 260 sqm Presidential Suite. The latter, situated at the top of the hotel, boasts impressive 2.7-metre floor-to-ceiling windows with 180-degree panoramic views of the Jeju skyline. Furnished with contemporary French furnishings by Roche Bobois and modern Korean art, this suite comes with a separate bedroom and living space, lounge and dining area, kitchenette, island bar, massage room, sauna, marble bathroom and two super king beds.
Food & Drink
Above Visit Pocha for elevated local street food
Visit Pocha for elevated local street food
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The Grand Hyatt Jeju really spoils guests when it comes to dining. Given the sheer number of rooms, it only makes sense that the hotel offers multiple dining options. There are 14 unique restaurants and bars on the property.
Some highlights include China House, which specialises in Northern Chinese, Shanghainese and Sichuan cuisines; Noknamu, a Korean BBQ dining with traditional Korean premium beef; Grand Kitchen, the hotel’s buffet restaurant with dynamic show kitchens serving international flavours; Yumeyama, the property’s Japanese restaurant showcasing izakaya favourites, sushi and teppanyaki; and Café 8, a poolside cafe serving up authentic Italian cuisine
Special mention should go to Pocha, located on the top floor of the building (level 38), which offers a variety of street food delicacies and local liquors. Pocha means small tented wagons that are used to sell street foods accompanied by drinks in Korean. The restaurant serves hearty local breakfast dishes from 7 am to 1 pm and then reopens at 5 pm till late. In the evenings, guests can enjoy unparalleled views of the island alongside perfectly fried chicken with cold local beers, Korean seafood pancakes with makgeolli, and Korean skewers with soju. The restaurant's music choice also showcases the best of oldies K-pop to get you in the mood.
Above Steak House serves fabulous seafood and meats in an elegant space
Steak House serves fabulous seafood and meats in an elegant space
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We had dinner at Steak House, located on the same floor as Pocha, but on the other side. The restaurant is overseen by Executive Chef Burton Yi, who ran Wynn Palace's SW Steakhouse in Macau and has worked at Spago Beverly Hills and Cut by Wolfgang Puck in Singapore. For years, I’d read and heard about how good Hanwoo beef is but hadn’t had the opportunity to try it, so I was looking forward to enjoying it at this gorgeous elevated restaurant.
We started our meal with a curated and perfectly prepared Seafood Platter on Ice. With a variety of fresh and impeccably cooked local and foreign seafood, this platter was an amazing start to an indulgent gastronomic journey. We were then served a massive Hanwoo Porterhouse with various sides. The beef was a perfect medium rare and was bursting with umami goodness. I was surprised and enthralled by the deep flavour of the meat. It’s safe to say that I am a fan of Hanwoo beef now.
Read more: 5 Seoul sizzling new Korean barbecue spots in Singapore
The Extras
Above The Korean "bath house" is a must visit
Above The red clay room
The Korean "bath house" is a must visit
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Some signature elements of the property are its pools and its Korean Jjimjil Spa. The spa comprises four speciality rooms: Red Clay, Salt, Cypress and Ice. Inside, guests can enjoy a full body detox on the Jeju lava-stone floors (“ondol” in Korean) and relax in the steam room or dry sauna. The spa also offers hot, warm and cold baths that will leave guests relaxed and refreshed. Therapists are also available for massages and other dry body treatments.
Above The outdoor pool is made for selfies
Above The indoor pool is amazing on bad weather days
The outdoor pool is made for selfies
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The Grand Hyatt Jeju has both indoor and outdoor pools. Unsurprisingly, the outdoor infinity pool is popular for selfies and wefies. Guests can lounge on the pool deck at the cabanas and day beds, as well as soak in the nearby hot tub. Children can play at an accompanying kid’s pool.
Tatler Tip
Most guests spend just one or two days at the Grand Hyatt Jeju, before venturing to other parts of the island. But while there, do check out the Han Collection, located on the 3rd and 4th floors of the property. It’s a unique shopping experience with over 300 local brands curated across 14 thematic shops.
Take a walk and explore the neighbourhood just south of Jeju Dream Tower. There are many great local eateries and very trendy cafes just a few minutes walk. One in particular that we highly recommend is Shortblack, a charming Aussie-style cafe with fabulous drinks, welcoming staff that speak English and delicious lemon-glazed madeleines. A must-vist if you are in search of good coffee in the area.
About
Aun started his career in media, working at illustrious publications in NYC, Paris, and Hong Kong before launching his own Asia-regional lifestyle magazine, East, that was called "Asia's hippest magazine" by Asiaweek and "an Asian Vanity Fair" by Fortune. Committed to community service, Aun has helmed the visual arts and literary arts divisions for the National Arts Council in Singapore; led the marketing, communications, and corporate community investments teams at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre; was the founding Chair of the Pangdemonium Theatre Company; and currently sits on the Board of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. In 2006, Aun co-founded The Ate Group, a content strategy and communications agency specialising in F&B, hospitality, luxury and lifestyle. Aun has run the content and communications teams at Tripadvisor; similarly run content and communications at a sustainability focused tech start up; and run marketing and communications at a global BPO with over 17,000 employees worldwide. Aun has also been a consultant for Mediacorp and has produced and hosted two food & travel television series for them. In 2015 he began working on the creation of a private members club, Straits Clan, which he launched in 2019 and sold the following year. Returning to his roots, Aun joined Tatler Asia in 2023 as editor-in-chief in Singapore and is committed to telling great stories of change makers through Tatler’s online and offline platforms.
Work
As Editor-in-Chief of Tatler Singapore, Aun leads all the content teams: branded content, print, digital, and the creative teams. He works closely with the heads of each team to ensure that Tatler continues to cover the most important, inspiring and exciting stories that are affecting Singapore and our region. He also works closely with the events and commercial teams and is always excited to collaborate on new ideas and projects that the Tatler team can activate.
Follow Aun on Instagram at @aun_koh (primarily a food account) and on Linkedin here.
