Lotte Hotel Seoul has been named the Best Hotel in Korea by the U.S.-based travel magazine Global Traveler for the year 2014. The selection is based on the magazine’s annual readers’ survey. More than 26,000 readers participated in the survey on the best hotels, airlines, credit cards, duty-free shops and more. Lotte Hotel Seoul topped the best hotels list in Korea, followed by Park Hyatt Seoul, W Seoul Walkerhill, The Shilla Seoul and Grand Hyatt Seoul.

The five-star hotel in Seoul has top restaurants ― Mugunghwa, a Korean restaurant that reinterprets traditional Korean cuisine, and PIERRE GAGNAIRE, a French restaurant run by a chef who received three Michelin stars.

“It is our great honor to be named the Best Hotel in Seoul for three consecutive years, beating major global hotel chains in Korea,” Lotte Hotel CEO Song Yong-deok said.

The homegrown hotel chain has been expanding overseas, having opened branches in Russia, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Guam over the last couple years.

(wylee@heraldcorp.com)