St. John's Hotel

The place looks impressive online, but in person it was a letdown. Our corner room, Ocean Tower 6063, smelled of mildew, and there was no partition or door between the bathroom sink and the bed, so you can hear everything if you're sharing the room. The valet staff were a group of young men who didn't seem trained to welcome guests, and they didn't help my wife with our luggage. The layout was confusing, with more than six painfully slow elevators. I'd look elsewhere and only stay here as a last resort.

I often book St. John's Hotel for business trips to Gangneung because it has several conference rooms suitable for workshops and seminars. There’s also a convenience store and café inside, handy for late nights. The hotel is right in front of Gyeongpo Beach, and the East Sea view is stunning. You can step outside in slippers for a peaceful walk, and there's a sculpture park along the shore. Gyeongpo Beach is a 10-minute walk away, which makes getting around easy. WalkintoKorea selected it as one of the “Top Travel-Friendly Hotels.” A nice place to spend a few days by the sea.

We lost the whole day and our money waiting to check in, and it was a horrible experience. My family had booked two rooms, but we waited two and a half hours with around 200 other people. There was a self check-in machine, but it couldn't help because neither of our rooms had been cleaned by 6 pm.

If you arrive before check-in at 16:00, register for a place in the queue at the lobby kiosk. Self-registration is quicker than asking a staff member. When check-in begins, you'll get a KakaoTalk alert in your turn order, sent when 10 groups are ahead, so you can explore or wait nearby. If you miss your turn, tell the concierge for help. There's also luggage storage in the lobby if you're traveling without a car.