Strawberries & Seoul: The Lotte Hotel Seoul Buffet Experience That Will Make You Book a Flight

By far one of the most memorable buffets I’ve ever had the pleasure of indulging myself in has been the seasonal Winter Strawberry Buffet in South Korea. I genuinly find myself reminiscing about these Korean Winter Strawberries I ate every month and the entire experience is an absolute core memory from my trip to Seoul. This letter will share everything I can recall along with my tips on how to secure your spot because you won’t want to miss this. It is really that good!

While Seoul offers numerous Korean Winter Strawberry Buffets throughout the city, I visited what is widely considered the most renowned option at Lotte Hotel Seoul. This past season’s offering was titled “2025 Must be STRAWBERRY: Starry Starry Strawberry,” hosted in the hotel’s elegant Peninsula Lounge & Bar. The experience combines an unlimited afternoon tea service with an indulgent dessert buffet, all set against the serene ambiance of cascading waterfalls, creating an atmosphere that’s both luxurious and unexpectedly tranquil.

We were escorted and seated into comfortable lounging chairs and presented with our choice of a Welcome Drink and Second Drink choice to select. In addition, we got an adorable mini hand mirror gift with a special strawberry illustration celebrating the hotel’s 5th Must Be Series Anniversary.

You’ll find the complete drink menu detailed below, available in both text and photo format, along with an image of the special commemorative hand mirror gift!

Non-Alcoholic: Hibiscus Special Tea

Alcoholic: Graham’s 10-Year Tawny Port

Caffè Einspänner

Espresso

Americano

Café Latte

Cappuccino

or

Princess Wedding

Princess March

English Breakfast

Earl Grey

Darjeeling

Assam Bari

Jasmine

Mint & Fresh

Rooibos Cream Orange

Sweet Berries

Fruity Chamomile

I selected the Graham’s 10-Year Tawny Port as my welcome beverage, while my boyfriend opted for the Hibiscus Special Tea. Though both were expertly crafted and enjoyable, I found myself genuinely impressed by the non-alcoholic hibiscus option. Judging by the choices of fellow diners around us, it appeared to be the crowd favorite.

For our second beverage selection, we both gravitated toward the tea offerings. While I’ll admit my knowledge of tea varieties is somewhat limited, I did a quick search on my phone to explore the options that caught my interest. I believe I settled on one of the “Princesses” blends, while my boyfriend chose the classic Darjeeling. Luckily both proved to be excellent choices that perfectly complemented our meal.

I apologize for not having a comprehensive list of every food offering, but I captured plenty of photos to give you a glimpse! After all, part of the joy of any buffet experience is discovering the delightful surprises as your explore.

Every dish exceeded my expectations. The savory options were phenomenal, featuring memorable options like escargot, pine nut fried rice, short rib patties, and lamb chops! Those lamb chops deserve special mention as they were incredibly tender and flavorful without any overpowering gamey notes.

However, I must share what truly stole the show! Despite the exceptional quality of both the savory dishes and elaborate strawberry desserts, the simple, fresh Korean winter strawberries were absolutely delicious. Served exactly as nature intended, just freshly washed and unadorned, they struck the perfect balance of sweetness and subtle tartness, offering a refreshing flavor that left me completely enchanted.

Be sure to browse through the photo carousel to get a preview of what awaits you next season!

I strongly recommend securing a reservation to experience this exceptional buffet. During my visit, I witnessed the staff constantly turning away walk-in guests without reservations, highlighting the importance of advance booking. Fortunately, my stay at the Lotte Hotel Seoul provided a distinct advantage in this regard.

From my hotel room, I contacted their service line to ask about availability. Despite being fully sold out for the dates of my stay, the accommodating staff graciously placed me on hold while they explored alternatives, ultimately managing to squeeze in a late afternoon slot for the following day. We willingly restructured our itinerary to accommodate this precious opportunity, recognizing that such flexibility was essential if we were going to experience the buffet this trip!

My key recommendations: contact the hotel’s reservation line directly to engage with their professional staff about securing a table, and call well in advance to ensure your preferred date and time. With sufficient foresight, you might even secure the coveted window seating adjacent to the waterfall, a detail that would make the experience more wonderful.

The total cost came to 141,000₩ ($95.66 as of 12/2024) for two guests during our visit. This seasonal buffet typically operates from late November through the end of April, making it a special winter and spring offering worth planning around.

Dear Visitor, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this delightful experience. This was truly one of the most relaxing highlights of my entire trip, a feeling that has only grown stronger with time. As I complete this post nearly nine months later, I still find myself craving those incredible strawberries and the peaceful atmosphere of that afternoon.

I’ll definitely be returning to this wonderful spot, and I’m already planning to bring along some of my favorite people to share in the experience. There’s something truly special about finding a place that leaves such a lasting impression.

I hope this overview has been helpful for planning your own visit. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or want more details about any aspect of the experience. I’d especially love to hear if you decide to visit during their 2025 to 2026 Strawberry Buffet season.

Looking forward to sharing more travel discoveries soon!

Best, Jacklyn