Three IJE Hotels in South Korea Are Joining Design Hotels

Three small IJE properties in South Korea are scheduled to join Design Hotels through Marriott’s wider portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The current openings list includes IJE Busan with 21 rooms, IJE Gyeongju with 31 and IJE Namhae with 34. Together they represent a deliberately small-scale alternative to the large urban hotels more commonly associated with global loyalty programmes.

Independent design enters global distribution

Design Hotels is built around individual architecture and creative identity rather than a standardized brand template. The IJE additions show how Marriott’s ecosystem can include properties with fewer than forty rooms while still connecting them to international discovery and booking channels.

The three locations also broaden the geographic story beyond Seoul: Busan brings a major coastal city, Gyeongju a historic cultural destination and Namhae a quieter southern island landscape.

Marriott currently lists all three for Q4 2026.

Source: official brand information.