Koryo Hotel

Infobox Korean name|context=north

---

hangul=고려호텔
hanja=高麗호텔
rr=Goryeo Hotel
mr=Koryŏ Hot'el
The Koryo Hotel is the second largest operating hotel in s underneath low-dispersion glass panes, which are replaced biannually to preserve the mosaic's luster.

The hotel is rated three stars by western standards. [http://www.koryogroup.com/tips/index.html] North Korea rates it as five stars.http://www.hotelchatter.com/country/kr/] The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes it as "Deluxe" and the "best international hotel in Pyongyang". [http://www.infoexport.gc.ca/ie-en/DisplayDocument.jsp?did=69303]

Location

The hotel is situated along the Taedong river in Chung-kuyok, central Pyongyang at coord|39|0|31.47|N|125|44|9.92|E. [ [http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/2cb95 Virtual Tourist] ]

Accommodations

The hotel offers 500 rooms [http://www.koreakonsult.com/indiv-hotell%202008_eng.html] although only about 50 rooms are occupied at any one time [http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/2cb95] [http://www.gluckman.com/NKtrain.html] [http://books.google.com/books?id=kU8N7e0I9SsC&pg=PA146&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1KDTE8wcXmJ1kvJtnGP6FNot9asw Eye on Korea] By James V. Young, William Whitney Stueck, page 146] (giving it an occupancy rate of 10% compared to Seoul with an 80% occupancy rate in its high end hotels [http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/seoul/Hotels-211568] ), usually by business people from China, Africa, and the Middle East [http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2002nn/0204nn/020416nn.htm] and UN staff. [http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/Pyongyang-Koryo-Hotel-P1000611615.html] The "Washington Times" claims most of the hotel's foreign guests are international arms dealers. [http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2002/200205/news05/20.htm] The hotel does achieve full or near capacity every April 15 with delegations invited to celebrate Kim Il Sung's birthday. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=tp9DA0dzroAC&pg=PA100&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1uvQNwJKrguXWEpLp4c9S1BPkKtw Korea Briefing] By David R. McCann, Asia Society, page 100]

It would appear the US State Department has been using a guest room in the hotel since 2007 as a de facto office by a single employee to handle administrative affairs. [ [http://www.nkeconwatch.com/2007/11/26/us-diplomat-permanently-stationed-in-pyongyang/ U.S. denies North Korea diplomatic ties report] ]

Rooms and Rates

According to the World Health Organization [http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/Meetings_visitors_info.pdf] , the rates are as follows:

single, upper story room: $112
double, upper story room: $121
single, lower story room: $102
double, lower story room: $112

Rooms, services, food, and other goods within the hotel appear to be priced in dollars. [http://www.snkr.org/stories/news/news.html]

In room TVs carry three channels. [ [http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294444-d306459-r3198078-Koryo_Hotel-Pyongyang.html Trip adviser] ] Guests report power outages and recommend packing your own flashlight. [ [http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels/Asia/North_Korea/Pyongyang_si/Pyongyang-1249150/Hotels_and_Accommodations-Pyongyang-BR-1.html virtualtourist.com] ] [http://books.google.com/books?id=kU8N7e0I9SsC&pg=PA146&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1KDTE8wcXmJ1kvJtnGP6FNot9asw Eye on Korea] By James V. Young, William Whitney Stueck, page 146] Rooms are equipped with a mini-bar and are checked each day by a team of three people, of which one person inventories, the second recounts and a third supervises the pair. [http://books.google.com/books?id=kU8N7e0I9SsC&pg=PA146&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1KDTE8wcXmJ1kvJtnGP6FNot9asw "Eye on Korea"] By James V. Young, William Whitney Stueck, p.146]

Amenities

Amenities include a hard currency gift shop, gym, a swimming poolhttp://www.countriesandcapitals.com/north-korea/hotels-pyongyang.html] , a revolving restaurant on the 45th floor [http://hotels.lonelyplanet.com/hotel/Pyongyang-Koryo-Hotel-P1000611615.html] , a circular bar on the 44th floor [http://nucnews.net/nucnews/2002nn/0204nn/020416nn.htm] and two movie theaters (one 200 seat cinema and one 70 seat cinema) .http://www.northkorea1on1.com/attractions.cfm?aid=pyokoryohtl] The hotel also features a billiards roomhttp://www.northkorea1on1.com/attractions.cfm?aid=pyokoryohtl] on the second floor [http://books.google.com/books?id=tp9DA0dzroAC&pg=PA98&vq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U3bI_baqIXwnAyFKpQb5EL5PZvNOQ Korea Briefing] By David R. McCann, Asia Society, page 98] and a casino in the basement. The casino offers blackjack, roulette, and slot machines [ [http://www.northkorea1on1.com/EImages/Photos/700/korn-Pyongyang-Koryo%20Hotel-200206-DSC05044-crop.jpgImage proporting to be slot machines in the hotel] ] . The casino is staffed by Chinese workers. [http://www.yunkai.de/stories/northkorea/page1/northkorea1.html]

Restaurants

Each tower is actually topped by a revolving restaurant, however only one is open. [http://www.gluckman.com/NKtrain.html] One can order steak ("the best steak in town") at the restaurant. [http://books.google.com/books?id=tp9DA0dzroAC&pg=PA98&vq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U3bI_baqIXwnAyFKpQb5EL5PZvNOQ Korea Briefing] By David R. McCann, Asia Society, page 98] The revolving restaurant apparently had a 9 pm closing time but in recent years the closing time has been extended or relaxed based on the quality of the guest's tipping. [http://www.jonathandamien.com/] Based on a comparison of an [http://books.google.com/books?id=fg15OViIgIEC&pg=PA182&vq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22+river&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U2GG6MtkdUl5RD_r_Jh0v-6_OVXMw#PPA116,M1 older photo] and a [http://www.jonathandamien.com/images/Koryo%20Hotel%20-%20Pyongyang.jpgnewer photo] , the revolving restaurants were not part of the original design and a later addition in what was obviously a major renovation (note also the addition of a sky bridge).

Aside from the single open revolving restaurant, the hotel has four other restaurants including a Japanese restaurant and a Korean BBQ restaurant.http://www.northkorea1on1.com/attractions.cfm?aid=pyokoryohtl]

The restaurants are run by Japanese expatriates and are run as private businesses but must pay a fee to the state. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=kU8N7e0I9SsC&pg=PA146&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1KDTE8wcXmJ1kvJtnGP6FNot9asw Eye on Korea] By James V. Young, William Whitney Stueck, page 148]

Guest liberty

By some reports guests are prevented by guards from leaving the hotel. [http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294444-d306459-Reviews-Koryo_Hotel-Pyongyang.html] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=fg15OViIgIEC&pg=PA182&vq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22+river&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U2GG6MtkdUl5RD_r_Jh0v-6_OVXMw#PPA116,M1 North Korea through the looking glass] by By Kong Dan Oh, Ralph C. Hassig, page 130] However, others report the ability to wander off the hotel grounds. [http://www.baks.org.uk/NK_Report_Sep_2005.html] [http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/travelog/2006/07/hot_spot_1.html] If one can wander off the grounds, the hotel is a few blocks from the city's restaurant district and the Pyongyang Railroad Station. [http://books.google.com/books?id=tp9DA0dzroAC&pg=PA98&vq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&source=gbs_search_s&sig=ACfU3U3bI_baqIXwnAyFKpQb5EL5PZvNOQ Korea Briefing] By David R. McCann, Asia Society, page 98]

Older Koryo Hotel

The Koryo Hotel replaced an older hotel of the same name, but in a different location. For a time after 1946 the leader of North Korea's Democratic Party Cho Man-sik was kept under house arrest in the older Koryo Hotel. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=__KrOBLF3_gC&pg=PA40&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U0zMkYGjSht8Aih29YusaKoXOkr_A#PPA40,M1 The Unfinished War] By Bong Lee, page 40] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=-RNAZMMxwCoC&pg=PA82&dq=%22Koryo+Hotel%22&sig=ACfU3U1QILjI31-RSPVyy_s_Y7FbPofbWQ#PPA82,M1 From Pusan to Panmunjom] By Paik Sun Yup, p.82] When United Nations forces threatened to overrun Pyongyang in October 1950, it is thought he was executed. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=Di6NcxSxUPkC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=Cho+Man-sik+executed&source=web&ots=WMlFnaaaQV&sig=gXAmvxPRKHGzp-CrxnNnosbf0O4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result The North Korean Revolution, 1945-1950] By Jerrold M. Post, Charles K. Armstrong]

Koryo Hotel in South Korea

There is also a Koryo Hotel in Bucheon, South Korea. [http://www.koryohotel.co.kr/en/] Bucheon is satellite city of Seoul (located roughly half way between Seoul and Incheon).

References

ee also

*Tourism in North Korea
*Transportation in North Korea

External Links

* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/2603179299/ Flickr: Picture of the lobby]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/2603187853/ Flickr: The billiards room]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/2605003784/ Flickr: Casino entrance]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/2604172695/ Flickr: Swimming pool]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/2604008674/ Flickr: Guest room]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/sarah_in_seoul/2600015140/in/photostream/ Flickr: Another guest room]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/sarah_in_seoul/2599188823/in/set-72157605743403288/ Flickr:Beside night stand in guest room]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/1026443877/ Flickr: Hotel entrance]
* [http://flickr.com/photos/fljckr/1026440905/ Flickr: Hotel gift shop]
* [http://urinal.net/koryo/ Urinals in, presumably, the men's washroom of the billiard's room]