▲ Signing ceremony of voco Seoul Myeongdong - from left to right: James Oh, Korea Representative, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Patrick Finn, Vice President, Development, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Kim Kisun, CIO, Gravity Asset Management, Moon Il, Executive Director, Hotel HDC, Gong Sangwook, Head of Strategy, Hotel HDC

IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies, is proud to announce the signing of voco Seoul Myeongdong in partnership with Gravity Asset Management’s Seoul South Gate Hotel Operations Company and Hotel HDC Co., Ltd.

The 576-room property will be rebranded as voco – IHG’s fastest growing premium brand – ahead of welcoming guests by the middle of this year. It will be IHG’s second voco property in South Korea, following the successful brand debut of voco Seoul Gangnam in 2022.

Offering thoughtful, unstuffy and charming experiences inspired by the three voco brand hallmarks – ‘come on in’, ‘me time’, and ‘voco life’ – voco Seoul Myeongdong will follow many exciting openings for the upscale brand around the world, including voco Osaka Central, voco Ma Belle Danang, voco Xiong’An and voco Paris Porte De Clichy.

James Oh, Korea Representative, IHG Hotels & Resorts said: “We are delighted to announce the signing of voco Seoul Myeongdong – a fantastic property that adds to the great momentum of IHG’s fastest-growing brand. This is a great example of the impressive growth opportunities we’re seeing in South Korea, where we’re eager to build upon the success of voco Seoul Gangnam, which introduced the brand to the market in 2022, since when it’s been captivating guests with its unique character and charm.

“We value our relationships in South Korea very highly, and are delighted to be expanding our portfolio with first time partner Hotel HDC, and Gravity Asset Management’s Seoul South Gate Hotel Operations Company. At IHG, we’re seeing a growing trend in conversion opportunities, with voco proving popular with owners for many reasons, including its quick and swift integration into IHG’s systems, which offers rapid global exposure and the opportunity to maximise returns. With the increasing demand for upscale hotels in the country, we look forward to bringing voco’s distinctive lifestyle experience to a growing number of domestic and international travellers, and introducing more IHG brands, including Kimpton and Hotel Indigo, to the market.”

Situated at the heart of Seoul's vibrant district of Myeongdong, voco Seoul Myeongdong will attract both business and leisure travellers, who will savour its proximity to the business district and convenient access to bustling attractions such as Deoksugung Palace, City Hall, Myeongdong shopping street and Namdaemun Market.

Less than an hour’s drive from Incheon International Airport, the hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant, versatile meeting spaces of more than 140 square metres, an indoor swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and an exclusive voco hotels lounge.

Il Moon, Managing Director, Hotel HDC said: “This partnership marks a significant milestone for our company as we expand into the upscale hospitality space. We’re looking forward to leveraging IHG's global scale, expertise, and stellar reputation in the industry to bring success to voco Seoul Myeongdong, and are excited to embark on this journey together, which we hope will be the first of many collaborations.”

Since launching in 2018, voco has grown quickly around the world to reach 62 open hotels and 74 in the pipeline. It offers a premium experience to guests, combining the informality and charm of an individual hotel with the quality and reassurance of a respected global brand.

This signing of voco Seoul Myeongdong reinforces the brand’s ambition of having 200 properties in leading urban and leisure locations by 2028. It continues to command high guest satisfaction scores thanks to its distinctive charming experiences.

IHG is growing its estate across South Korea, where it has nine open hotels across four brands – InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express and voco hotels – and three properties in its pipeline.