Chungju Suanbo Park Hotel

The open-air hot spring was a highlight for me. Sitting in the warm water, I could smell the pine trees, with birds calling from all around. The hotel is up on a hill, looking out over the surrounding mountains, and the twin room had a big balcony open to the sky. We came for quiet and untouched nature, and even more so with the extra space and peace during Corona, it felt restorative. It's a place where you can spend the day relaxing with a book. The building is clearly old, but its different corners still work as they should. In the lobby, there were beautiful dishes made for the presidential residence in Blue House, along with many finely designed bone china pieces for sale. The owner has a well-known bone china brand in Korea. This three-star hotel seems especially appreciated by older local Koreans who have come to value nature's deeper calm, rather than by young people.

There’s a steep, almost crazy hill right before the hotel, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re cycling the Seoul to Busan route. If you’re driving, you may get more out of the facilities. The room amenities were decent, but Suanbo Park costs more than a motel, and I skipped the extra spa fee. For food, it’s about a 10-minute walk into town.

The spring water is still outstanding, even though the facilities are very old.

The location is good, and there’s a sauna, though the hotel is very old.