Korea - Seoul : Cafes Hopping in Seoul

Korea trip Oct 2013

Cafes hopping is one of the IN things to do in Korea! They have so many interesting cafes to go to. Do you see real sheeps in the cafe before? Been to a Korea-TV-show-filmed-cafe? Cutest cafe ever? A place that you and your pets can enjoy together?

Yays to own time own target from now on! Waking up 5 or 6 every morning for 7 days straight is crazy for a holiday!

Let's roll..!

1) Miss Lee Cafe

If you are a loyal follower of the Korean reality TV show "We Got Married", you will know and should visit this Miss Lee Cafe. In season II, couple "YongSeo" (Yonghwa of CN Blue and SeoHyun of Girls’ Generation) filmed in Miss Lee Cafe. The cafe is full of their pictures too.

(source: http://missleecafe.com/) 

We went to the Myeongdong branch as it is very near to our hotel (Savoy Hotel, 5 minutes walk from Myeongdong train station). It is located towards the end of the shopping area. You can ask those student volunteers within Myeongdong shopping street for direction. It is also next to A Twosome Place - a dessert cafe which I will introduce later.

Miss Lee cafe occupies the whole level 2 and 3. The wooden exterior really stands out from the other buildings. 

Saw many students heading in too.

Whole cafe is plastered with little notes. 

Over thousands of wishes hanging on the tree/walls/everywhere. One of them is "I wan be RICH". lol

Miss Lee Cafe is very famous for this metal-container-lunch-box which is called as Bibimbap (6,000 won). The concept is inspired by the Korean children brought metal containers with rice, seaweed, kimchi, fried egg and sausages for their lunch during the old days.

What you will need to do is: stir mix the ingredients first then close the metal container and begin to show off your shaking skill.

Before and after shot.

Okay lah.. its just a korean kimchi rice lor...lol anyway the food variety is quite limited too. 

So what's next??

Miss Lee Cafe

Address: Star Miss Lee Cafe Season 3 Myeongdong Seoul Jung-gu 199-12 Floor

Nearest train station: Myeongdong station line 4, exit 5, 6 or 7

Other branches:

Season 1 by Miss Lee Cafe in Insadong Seoul Jongno-gu, 2nd Floor Gwanhun 144

Nearest train station: Anguk station line 3, exit 6

Star Miss Lee Cafe Daehakro Season 2: 1-74 Dongsoong dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 1st floor

Nearest train station: Hyehwa station line 4, exit 1 

2) A Twosome Place

This cafe is highly recommended by my friend. A Twosome Place is a European style dessert cafe that offers wide selection of cakes and premium beverages. Sounds like an atas (high class) cafe.

Myeongdong branch is just beside Miss Lee Cafe. It is located just above Olive Young. We spent around 10 minutes finding the way up to second floor where the cafe is located. We went up the staircases both beside Olive Young but turned out it linked to other shops. The correct way up is to take the staircase in Olive Young store. HELLO, Twosome Place, please put big big sign outside okay.....

Grapefruit cheese mousse (5,300 won)

Tiramisu (5,300 won)

Verdict: Both cakes are good. Grapefruit cheese mousse - a unique flavour that can not find in Singapore. Tiramisu - is the kind of tiramisu that I like. Not too wet, not too dry, just nice, plus a thick layer of cocoa powder on the top layer. 

A Twosome Place

Address: same building as Miss Lee Cafe in Myeongdong

Nearest train station: Myeongdong station line 4, exit 5, 6 or 7

3) Thanks Nature Cafe

Dogs or cats cafe are too mainstream. Korea has a cafe where you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the company of SHEEPS!

Thanks Nature Cafe, also known as Sheep Cafe, located near to Hongik University. Hence, you can expect to see many students there. OH, "We Got Married" also filmed in this cafe as well.

Sheep decoration everywhere

Sheeps are free to roam around the cafe. omg so cute lah!

A mummy still put her boy in the barn to play with sheeps. This shows how friendly the sheeps are. Okay I start to like sheeps already~

Mocha (5,000 won)

Ice Cream Waffle (7,000 won)

Though sheeps is the main attraction for me to check this cafe out, I quite love their mocha there. 

Thanks Nature Cafe

Address: 121, B1F Prugio, 486, Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, Korea

Nearest train station: Hongik University Station line 2, exit 9

Direction: Walk upstreet towards Hongik University. Find "Cafe Cantata" on your left and Thanks Nature Cafe is just at the basement floor.

Opening hours: 11am to 11pm

4) Homestead Cafe

I passed by this cafe alot of times at different locations. Hence, bf and I decided to try their food since they have sooo many branches in Seoul. #ShouldTasteGoodRightSinceSoManyBranches?

I have a conclusion that Koreans are crazy over coffee. I see cafes everywhere. Other than kimchi, their second love is coffee. #Isayone lol

This is the branch near Anguk station.

its like Starbucks in SG

Green Tea Cookie Waffle (12,000 won)

Actually we were quite full from the previous meal and this was our high tea. Bf still managed to finish the waffles because it was so damn good. It was crispy outside, soft inside. With chocolate and honey sauce plus his favourite green tea ice cream *slurp*

Homestead Coffee Cafe

Nearest train station: Anguk station line 3, exit 1

5) BAU House

My camera battery died on me before I reached BAU House. Probably because we reached there quite late already.. 

Only drinks are served there probably because they afraid the fur will drop into the food lol. Anyway, dogs lovers go there and play with dogs right? Nobody would want to have a main course there and chill. 

Most of the dogs there were brought by their owners so dogs can interact with one another.

If you have no dogs, just walk in, sit down, order a drink and play with other people's dogs.

Singapore should have open more pets cafe! I would want to bring my snowy there and cold stare/bark at other dogs or maybe the owners lol #justkidding 

BAU House

Address: 394-44 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (Je-il Building, rear entrance, 1st floor)

Opening hours: 1:30pm – 11:00pm weekdays, 12:30pm – 11:00pm weekends

Nearest train station: Hapjeong Station line 2, exit 3 or 4

Direction: Make a U-turn after exit 3 or 4, turn in to alley next to a black shiny building. Walk for 1 minutes and you will see the cafe on your right.

6) Capi Capi Loom Loom (Rilakkuma Cafe)

Everybody! Here's the Rilakkuma Cafe I have been wanting to go since last year~

For the benefits of those who do not know what is rilakkuma, its a japanese character produced by San-X. According to wikipedia, true to his name, he enjoys relaxing and his favorite things include sleeping, lying around, watching television, listening to music and soaking in hot springs. Just like me ^.^

Two long stretch of rilakkuma products. So cute how to resist??

I want to buy one giant rilakkuma bear and put on my bed. Oh wait, then where do I sleep?

It is really a very cosy cafe. I can spend all day there lazing just like rilakkuma. This is truly my favourite cafe in Korea =D I would want to go back again next time~

Green tea latte and cheesecake. The latte is so-so but the cheesecake is surprisingly nice. 

Capi Capi Loom Loom (Rilakkuma Cafe)

Nearest train station: Sungshin Women's University Station line 4, exit 1

Direction: Turn right into the alley before KB bank and walk straight until you see a cross junction. Turn left and keep right. The cafe is on your right. 

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, this is a MUST TRY in Korea! Banana milk!! Go to any 7-11 store and buy it! If I'm not wrong, it is priced at 1,100 won. No regret trying. Out of 10 days in Korea, I drank for 4 or 5 days. #kiasusingaporean

Back to Korea - Jeju : Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) + Seongeup Folk Village
Back to Korea - Jeju : Cheonjeyeon Falls + Jusangjeolli Cliff + Teddy Bear Museum
Back to Korea - Jeju : Mysterious Road + Yongduam Rock
Back to Korea - Namiseom Island
Back to Korea - Mount Sorak (Seoraksan)
Back to Korea - Seoul : Making Kimchi + Everland

The Traders Hotel at Puteri Harbour Nusajaya, Johor.

The Traders Hotel (N1.41773 E103.65641) is located next to the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park at Nusajaya, Johor. The hotel was just started operation in the year 2013 which only few months ago...
There is a highway connected to the Second Link and North South Expressway to the location, so there shouldn't be any problem if you drive from the north or even coming from our neighbor country - Singapore. (you can refer from the G map below)

"The mid-market Traders brand, managed by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, cater to today's savvy and passionate traveler with brilliant simplicity and warm sincerity. They provide a friendly yet professional environment designed to complement guests at work, rest and play.

In 1989 the first Traders Hotel opened in Beijing to complement Shangri-La's China World Hotel. Building on Traders Hotel, Beijing's success, today there are 15 Traders hotels in operation, with a scheduled opening in Doha Qatar."

Traders Hotel, Nusajaya - Johor.

We were having our 2 days 1 night city escape trip in the hotel on one of the weekend during this school holiday.
The hotel provided 2 storey of basement parking and limited parking at the front of the hotel. The lobby is situated on the 1st floor and the whole lobby is decorated by the nature theme of ocean. You can see the shape of waves are decorated everywhere included the lighting, reception counter and the sofa for the guests. The carpet is pepper stone design in the wave shape too, and if you notice one of the wall paper is in blue color that represent the ocean...
This lobby is special!

The lobby of Traders Hotel

The comfort lighting in the shape of waves

The carpet at the lobby

Even the lift lobby also having the wave's shape wall light...

We were invited politely to the Lobby Lounge by the women at the counter while waiting for our room checking...impressed.

The Lobby Lounge
The lounge is just located next to the lobby and it was a relax and comfort place to have a drinks or enjoy your favorite coffee. The lounge is having a simple and yet relax design, it'll be a good area for a tea break with your friends or clients.

Photos of the Lobby Lounge :-

The old Johor map on the glass. This is the map where Johor was started.

I was surprised when the staff brought over their iPad for my signature to check in the room, and I found out later that the hotel is practice in the paperless concept to "Protect and save the Earth"! There will be no paper during your check-in and check-out, if you insist on the receipt while check out, the management will email it to you. Amazing and I like it very much!
This was the first hotel within Johor I came across practicing this 'green' concept. Excellent!

Let me bring you for a virtual tour around the hotel before the rooms...

The function rooms are located at the 4th floor (which also the top floor) of the building 1, and we walked passed the main ballroom...

The corridor access to the Main Ballroom

The decoration of the ballroom is mainly about wood, and we saw some interesting 'Batik' wood craft decor in the room...

 The Batik wood craft as a decor in the room

There's also a VIP waiting room situated at the lift lobby of the 4th floor, provided for those who are waiting for the event.

Walk across the sky-bridge to the building 2, the roof top garden is perfect relax area for guests and you can capture the breathtaking view of the Puteri Harbour.

Puteri Harbour of Nusajaya, Johor.

At the left side of the roof top garden, there's the Traders Club Lounge exclusive for VIP guests. It's the place for VIP guests to meet and dine their clients who visit them. There's also a meeting room in the Traders Club Lounge where the guests to held a discussion with their customers.

Once you step into the lounge, you'll see rows of comfort sitting area...where you can having a chat or reading your favorite books...

The lounge designed a full grass on the other side that makes a nice view of the Puteri Harbour.

The dining area is located next after the relax area...

All the decorations are based on nature and fishermen. If you notice the walls are decorated like the fishing net and the main attractive area is the foods area. There are many different type of fishes hanging on top and there are beautiful! Nice!

Awesome decor of the Traders Club Lounge

You will have a option to choose a privacy dining area which is separated. The fishing net deco are more clearer at this corner...

The harbour view meeting room has all the basic facility such as fax machine, printer, internet access and etc.

On the right of the Roof top garden is the health and fitness center.

The health and fitness center of Traders Hotel, Nusajaya

The GYM center

It's definitely a nice place for gym because it has a nice harbour view from the glasses...

The health center will be start operating soon in the months later...

After walk through the fitness center, another sky bridge connected from building 2 to 3. I like this well designed bridge very much! The Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park is on my right and the Puteri Harbour is on my left. I cross it many times...:)

On the other side of the bridge, we reached the infinity swimming pool and the SkyBar of Traders Hotel.

There are children pool, jacuzzi pool and a big pool overview the scenic view of the harbour, coastal of Johor, Straits of Johor and partial of Singapore.

Lazy chair are ready to serve in every corner of the pool...

You even can enjoy a few mugs of ice cold beer or your favorite cocktail in the SkyBar (just open not too long ago) just next to the swimming pool...the SkyBar is a total new concept that you can refer to my previous post.

The SkyBar of Traders Hotel Puteri Harbour, Johor.

Among all the area in Traders Hotel, I like this view (below) very much! Standing on the bridge connected building to building overview the Little Red Cube below...(I snapped more than 30 photos just about this view...)

Me and my family had awesome breakaway on the 2 days 1 night city escape! We all love the hotel and the surrounding very much! I over heard the conversation between my wife and my daughter said...they want to come here and stay always...:)

Below photo was one of the wood (tree) decor I like, it located at the forth floor of the building 2.

Please visit their official website (below) for the rooms rate. Their rates are different that depends on the earliest booking, means if you book early you'll get a better rate!

I'll continue the room that we stayed and other type of room available on my next post, that will also include the delicious meal that we enjoy in the hotel. Not to forget the Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park too. So stay tune!

Related post :-
*  Deluxe Harbour View Room in Traders Hotel Puteru Harbour, Johor.
*  Sumptuous 4 course dinner at SkyBar and buffet breakfast at Traders Hotel Puteri Harbour, Johor.

Traders Hotel, Puteri Harbour, Johor.

Persiaran Puteri Selatan, Puteri Harbour.

Nusajaya, Johor.

Tel : +607-560 8888    Fax : +607-560 8999

Email : thph@tradershotels.com

Website : www.tradershotels.com

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/tradersputeriharbour

Location map of Traders Hotel at Puteri Harbour Nusajaya, Johor.

View Larger Map