Why President Mohammed Chose THIS Hotel in Seoul for His Visit

On May 29, United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Korea for a brief two-day visit and one night. The hotel where he stayed during his visit, and the people he met have sparked considerable interest.

He chose the Lotte Hotel Seoul, located in Sogong-dong, Seoul, as his accommodation. This place is famous for being used by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia when he visited Korea in 2022 for two days and one night.

Sheikh Mohammed is said to have chosen the Royal Suite on the 32nd floor of the Executive Tower, the top-level room of Lotte Hotel Seoul. This place boasts about 460 square meters and is said to be equipped with a private elevator. It is also reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman used this room during his stay.

Although Lotte Hotel Seoul is located in the city center and is perceived to be challenging to guard due to the many high-rise buildings and floating population around it, it is known that many state guests and entrepreneurs choose this hotel as their accommodation. The background includes having the most rooms among single hotels in Seoul, with over 1,000, and being preferred for its structure divided into two buildings and convenient locations.

Famous individuals who have used this hotel include Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Corporation, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, and high-ranking national figures such as former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and former French President François Hollande. These figures, who either represent a country or boast enormous influence, often choose this hotel, making it a topic of conversation each time.

In the case of a state visit, the government pays for the accommodation after the embassy selects the hotel and shares the information. Typically, the accommodation is chosen according to the size of the delegation and the purpose of the visit to Korea. In the case of a head of state, large hotels are preferred due to the delegation size, centered on VIPs, which can number in the hundreds.

As an example, Crown Prince Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is said to have rented over 400 rooms for two weeks. In this regard, a hotel representative explained, “In the past, when state guests such as heads of state visited, we canceled existing reservations and event schedules to accommodate them, but now we can’t do that.” He added, “In the case of the presidential delegation, hotels with many rooms are positively considered due to the scale of usually hundreds of people.”

Another advantage of the hotel Sheikh Mohammed chose is that it is convenient for business meetings. It is near the presidential office, other state institutions, and Euljiro, Seoul’s central business district. During this visit to Korea, Sheikh Mohammed held a tea party with several corporate CEOs. The attendees included executives from Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, Hanwha, HD Hyundai, CJ, GS, and representatives of ICT and entertainment/fashion companies such as NCsoft, HYBE, and Musinsa.

Sheikh Mohammed also met with former South Korean President Lee Myung Bak. On May 29, Sheikh Mohammed personally visited Lee’s home in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

A welcome sign from the former president’s residence read, “Welcome, dear friend, Sheikh Mohammed.” The national flags of South Korea and the UAE were displayed together, symbolizing the strong friendship between the two nations.

Sheikh Mohammed and Lee exchanged friendly greetings, and their conversation also became a topic of discussion. Lee greeted him with, “Good to see you, my friend,” Sheikh Mohammed said, “Oh my god, my friend,” and hugged him. The meeting lasted about 55 minutes, and according to insiders, they discussed recent Middle East issues, climate change, the upcoming U.S. presidential election, and other topics.

Their friendship has been built over a long time. Lee Myung Bak visited the UAE twice in 2014 and 2016 at Sheikh Mohammed’s invitation.

During this meeting, Sheikh Mohammed asked Lee to revisit the UAE. The two are known to have built a close relationship when Lee persuaded Sheikh Mohammed for five days in 2009 when Korea won the contract for the first nuclear power plant construction project in the UAE.