Lodging Profi le Dragon Hill Lodge: or two decades, the Dragon Hill re- Dragon Hill Lodge Celebrating 20 Years as a cently celebrated 20 F(DHL) has served years of service with as a year-round vaca- a ceremony that fea- tion destination for ser- Korean Vacation Destination tured FMWRC Execu- vicemembers and their families stationed in Korea. tive Director/Chief Operating Offi cer Richard Gorman, who Located on the South Post of Yongsan Garrison in Seoul, served as DHL general manager from June 1998-March 2005, Dragon Hill is one of fi ve Armed Forces Recreation Centers as the keynote speaker. operated by the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recre- ation Command (FMWRC), along with the Edelweiss Lodge HISTORY and Resort in Garmisch, Germany; Resort in Fagan noted that Dragon Hill supports personnel assigned Orlando, Fla.; the in Honolulu, Hawaii; and or employed by the USFK, their family members and guests. The Cape Henry Inn and Beach Club in Fort Story, Va. Built without congressional funding support, Dragon Hill Featuring a total of 394 guest rooms, eight food locations, opened on June 15, 1990, with 277 guest rooms in its Dragon robust banquet facilities and a state-of-the art fi tness center, Tower, fulfi lling the need for an on-post community center DHL provides a home away from home for military travelers in Yongsan, and to accommodate leave/pass and permanent- on vacation in Asia, nestled in the teeming city of Seoul, with change-of-station (PCS) guests, both arriving and departing. approximately 14 million residents. To better meet guest and local community demand, an an- “DHL is the premier lodging facility for U.S. Forces in nex was added in 1993 that featured an additional 22 rooms, Korea (USFK),” said General Manager Edward Fagan. “The as well as a physical fi tness center called The Point. In August Dragon Hill Lodge proudly serves over 180,000 hotel guests 2000, a 95-room tower — the Soldiers Tower — opened to and feeds about 600,000 people bring the total number of guest rooms to 394. annually, and most signifi cantly, Overall, the hotel property is situated on 11 acres (479,160 greets most of the 28,000 service- square feet), with Dragon Hill spanning just over 460,000 members on their fi rst night on the square feet of the property. The challenge of developing a de- Korean Peninsula and sets the stage sign scheme for Dragon Hill centered on fi tting a large facility for meeting our command objec- on a small military compound, and making it blend in so that tive – ‘To make Korea an assign- it does not stand out. ment of choice.’” One idea was to provide a dash of Asian fl air in the lobby, with wall murals that go from the ground all the way to the ceiling on The Dragon Hill Lodge has served as a home both sides of the lobby, displaying away from home for everyday life in Korea. military travelers on Other artistic elements featured vacation in Korea for throughout Dragon Hill include Fagan 20 years. the Oasis Garden — located on the grounds in the rear of the lodge — that features a pagoda and a breathtaking waterfall; and Sables Courtyard, which also features a beautiful waterfall.

AMENITIES Dragon Hill offers numerous amenities for guests during their stay. “The hotel’s elegant interior and its professional staff can easily lead one to believe that they have en- tered a premier commercial hotel,” Fagan said. “The 394 guest rooms and suites feature a classy yet ca- sual, contemporary décor with elegant furnishings, and are specifi -

SEPTEMBER 2010 | MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY 27 Lodging Profi le cally designed with comfort and FOOD AND BEVERAGE convenience in mind.” Thousands of miles from Each room offers a queen- home, Dragon Hill provides its size bed and a sleeper sofa, guests with all of the culinary private baths, a 32-inch HD comforts of home at one of sev- Samsung television with satel- eral restaurants and retail food lite channels, including the lat- outlets offered at the lodge. est in movies, news and family “Guests can enjoy home- programs, radio, a DVD player, style menus such as Tex-Mex, a direct-dial telephone, ironing barbeque, steaks and fi sh, along board, mini refrigerator, micro- with the Dragon Deli, which of- wave, coffee maker and fi re- fers grab-and-go meals, sand- proof safe. All rooms have the FMWRC Executive Director/Chief Operating Offi cer Richard Gor- wiches and baked goods made ability for hi-speed Wi-Fi Inter- man (right), who served as Dragon Hill Lodge general manager fresh daily,” Fagan explained. net access. from 1998-2005, delivers the keynote address during ceremonies Among the restaurants to The Dragon Experience marking the AFRC’s 20th anniversary, as Fagan looks on. choose from are Greenstreet, a guestrooms are upgraded rooms contemporary American cuisine that provide guests with superi- restaurant with a view of the or accommodations offering fi rst-class amenities. They range waterfall and pagoda, and Oasis, a Southwestern/American from spacious rooms to suites, with an elegant sitting room bar and grill that features Tex-Mex buffet and Southwestern and Jacuzzi bath. Dragon Hill Lodge also offers conference menu favorites such as fajitas and chimichangas, along with rooms for meetings and special events. hickory-smoked barbecue. Fagan added that Dragon Hill is helping guests “Discover In addition, Dragon Hill Lodge manages the Hartell Seoul” with a full spectrum of tourist programs with associ- House, the Commander in Chief’s mess, which opened in ated marketing campaigns to brand the image of Dragon Hill 1950 during the and serves the commanding Lodge as the servicemembers’ leisure travel gateway to the generals of the United Nations Command (Korea), Republic heart of one of the world’s most vibrant capital cities. — Continued page 38, Dragon Hill Lodge

28 MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY | SEPTEMBER 2010 Lodging Profi le

— Continued from page 28, Dragon Hill Lodge of Korea/U.S. Combined Forces Command, USFK and the Eighth U.S. Army. “The Hartell House Restaurant is open to the community, and it presents a great alternative for elegant dining,” Fagan said.

PROMOTIONS As an AFRC, the Dragon Hill Lodge has many “Discover Seoul” guestroom promotions, daily tours and special events that help military personnel enjoy the host country. The hotel also has an elegant Romantic Package offering champagne, a bouquet of roses, chocolate-dipped strawber- ries and an intimate dining experience. In addition, there are The Dragon Hill Lodge features 394 guest rooms with a queen- Junior Enlisted specials and several Point Health Club mem- size bed and a sleeper sofa. bership promotions and more. Special events at Dragon Hill After 20 years of serving troops and their families, Dragon range from special-interest appreciations to large-scale events Hill continues to be, as Fagan called it, “the social center of like New Year’s Eve and Oktoberfest. the Yongsan Military Community and U.S. civilian personnel “Each event, large or small, is focused to bring wholesome stationed in the Republic of Korea. fun and enhance the quality of life for our military families,” “Recognizing the commitment and increasing sacrifi ce Fagan noted. that the military and their families continue to make every Room reservations are accepted up to 365 days prior to day, it is Dragon Hill’s philosophy that servicemembers and departure date for PCS only, and LEAVE/PASS/Temporary their families are entitled to the utmost quality in service and Duty (TDY) reservations are accepted six months in advance commitment from our staff and facility. It is our charge to of checkout date. Reservations may be made for a maximum of ‘Serve Those Who Serve,’ which makes Dragon Hill Lodge 30 days for LEAVE/PASS per year based on space available. one of the best places to stay in Asia.” —MCH

WANT MORE INFORMATION? Company Page# Phone# Fax# Email/Web site Contact A-1 Textiles & Hospitality Products 28 800-351-1819 800-453-0952 www.a1textiles.com Belson Outdoors Inc. 26 800-323-5664 630-897-0573 www.belson.com Celina Tent 24 866-438-8368 www.gettent.com Economy Tent 25 800-438-3226 305-835-7098 [email protected]; [email protected] Shelly Lapping Emeco 21 717-637-5951 x0 [email protected] Engineered Plastic Systems,LLC 29 800-480-2327 www.epsplasticlumber.com Excel Dryer 12 413-525-4531 ww.exceldryer.com Bill Gagnon Excel Laundry Co. 8 800-334-1824 908-686-8756 www.excel-laundry.com Gasser Chair Company 17 800-323-2234 330-759-9844 www.gasserchair.com Gill Marketing TriMark 16 800-666-1418 east / 800-777-1418 west www.gillmarketing.com Grand Rapids Chair Company 33 866-4LEGS4U www.grandrapidschair.com Hot Stuff Foods 13 877-841-1431 www.hotstufffoods.com Impact Enterprises, Inc. 39 845-988-1900 845-988-1910 [email protected]; www.impactenterprises.com KD Kanopy, Inc. 26 303-650-1310 303-650-5211 www.kdkanopy.com Kay Park 16 800-553-2476 319-987-290 www.kaypark.com Kraft Foods 7 847-924-2451 [email protected] Joseph Kruszewski Paramount Industrial Companies, Inc. 23 757-855-3321 x307 757-855-2029 [email protected] PepsiCo. Foodservice & Vending 2 914-253-2470 914-249-8188 Polar King Int’l Inc. 36 260-428-2530 260-428-2533 www.polarking.com R.J.Thomas/Pilot Rock 30 800-762-5002 712-225-5796 [email protected] Refi nishing Touch, The 8 800-523-9448 www.therefi nishingtouch.com Royal Cup Coffee 34 800-366-5836 [email protected]; www.royalcupcoffee.com Steve Hartman Ruiz Foodservice/El Monterey 4 800-477-6474 www.ruizfoodservice.com; www.elmonterey.com SoftBrands 11 800-497-0532 www.softbrands.com/hospitality; [email protected] Southern Aluminum 9 800-221-0408 www.aluminumtables.com Stewart Military Signs 33 800-237-3928 www.stewartsigns.com Taylor/Scotsman 36 800-999-2422 301-773-2720 www.taylor-equipment.com Mark Smith Tyson Foods Inc. 15 800-24-TYSON x588 www.tysonfoodsinc.com John Vaillancourt Ultimate Textile 32 800-567-4451 [email protected]; www.ultimatetextile.com Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. 40 800-223-7979 www.valleyforge.com

38 MILITARY CLUB & HOSPITALITY | SEPTEMBER 2010