Located 9 kilometers north of Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol, the hanok property opened just one year ago
Situated before the scenic Seondol rock formation where the Seogang River bends
Wins 'Best New Hotel' at Tatler Best Asia Pacific Awards 2026
The Hanok Heritage, an artfully designed property located about 9 kilometers north of Cheongnyeongpo in Yeongwol — known as the "city where a king once lived" — has been named the best new hotel in Asia-Pacific just one year after opening.
The hotel announced Monday that it received the Best New Hotel award at the Tatler Best Asia Pacific Awards 2026, held recently at Yan Garden in Shanghai, China.
Tatler Asia is a luxury lifestyle media outlet covering travel, gastronomy, art and architecture for affluent and influential consumers across Asia. Now in its third year, the awards unveiled a selection list of 100 hotels, 100 restaurants and 100 bars — 300 establishments in total — along with its Best in Class honorees.
According to Tatler, more than 900 judges participated in the evaluation and voting process. Establishments selected in individual markets then undergo a regional Asia-Pacific assessment to determine the Best 100 and Best in Class winners.
The Hanok Heritage was the only hotel in South Korea to appear on this year's winners list.
The hotel opened in September 2025 with a guiding philosophy of "Living Heritage" — connecting Korea's traditional culture to contemporary life.
Set in a hanok facing the Seondol rock formation, where the Seogang River curves through Yeongwol, the property has been designed — in both its spaces and cultural programming — to immerse guests in the aesthetics and way of life embedded in Korean food, clothing and shelter.
The Tatler recognition marks The Hanok Heritage's fourth international award or selection. Following its world title in the hotel category at the 2024 Prix Versailles architecture awards, the latest honor further raises the property's international profile for its architectural interpretation of hanok and the stay experiences built around it.
The Hanok Heritage is preparing to formally open Raon Jae, a Korean-style wellness space, in November. Centered on an indoor swimming pool, dry sauna and spa, Raon Jae will offer a distinctly Korean form of rest organized around five sensory qualities: stillness, flow, vitality, warmth and depth. The hotel plans to broaden its offerings through accommodation packages combining culture, gastronomy and wellness, as well as day programs for non-staying visitors.
"It is deeply meaningful to stand alongside hotels that represent Asia just one year after opening," said Jo Nam-hee, executive vice president of The Hanok Heritage. "This recognition belongs to the staff who have worked to give each guest a special experience, and to the guests who have stayed with us and helped complete this space. We will continue to share Korean culture, gastronomy and wellness in the way that is most true to The Hanok Heritage, and to build a form of Korean hospitality that guests will long remember."
The Hanok Heritage is a hanok cultural platform built on a 336,600-square-meter site in Mungaesil village in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. Grounded in the "Living Heritage" philosophy of connecting Korean tradition to contemporary life, the property offers a contemporary reinterpretation of hanok architecture and stay experiences centered on Korean food, clothing and shelter. It features 20 hotel rooms and five standalone guesthouses, along with the hansik fine-dining restaurant Monto, the all-day dining venue Namu, the lounge Goyo, the gallery Gyeol and the pavilion Byeoljae.
The property has received the world title in the hotel category at the 2024 Prix Versailles architecture awards and the hotel category prize at the IIDA Global Excellence Awards. It subsequently won the Dramatic Design category at Robb Report Hong Kong's Best of the Best 2026 and the Best New Hotel award at the Tatler Best Asia Pacific 2026. It has also been selected for Forbes Travel Guide's invitation-only global program, the Curated Membership. The hotel says it will continue to expand as a cultural platform connecting traditional culture and contemporary lifestyle — and sharing the beauty of Korean culture with the world — under the banner of "Living Heritage."
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