Memory Maker

If you’re happy to spend 400,000 won for a miserable stay, this is the place. I’ve never had an experience like it: there were dead bugs throughout the room and bathroom, and the room was freezing. I booked on the day and came prepared because they’d warned me the seasonal weather could make it cold. They reassured me it would be okay. I even arrived after 9 p.m., since they said it would warm up around 8, but it was still bitterly cold. The only heater was about the size of a coffee pot. It was 20 degrees Celsius near it and under 17 in the living room. I ended up covering myself with the room towels. When I called to complain, they only responded in the morning, saying they’d been asleep and hadn’t seen me. They apologized for saying it might be cold, and that was it. I’d expected at least a blanket if I called at night. Is it really supposed to be so cold here that you can see your breath?

The building is beautiful enough to win an architecture award, and the room was very warm. There were plenty of towels and dishes, which I appreciated. But the room is much smaller than it looks in the photos, and the whole stay had problems. I couldn’t get hold of staff, and they didn’t return calls or texts, so I’m not sure they were actually working. The shower drained so slowly I felt like I was taking a foot bath, and the water pressure was weak. To get through the entrance barrier, you have to call. The website says they don’t operate after 10 p.m., so anyone planning to go out during the day and return later than that should avoid this place. I wish they’d explained such an important detail in person. There wasn’t a separate guide for the accommodation either, so I had to figure out the rules from the booking texts. The lobby coffee machine was out of water and wouldn’t work, and the bottles beside it were empty too. By the time I was writing this, I was wondering what the staff were even there for.

The stargazing at night and sunrise in the morning were lovely, and that’s why I gave it one star. At 450,000 won, though, I have no desire to return. The cleaning was awful, and nobody was at reception. The spa water outlets were covered in limescale. Even in winter, the neglected trees made the grounds feel like a haunted house. The bathroom was tiny, and the shower stall wasn’t big enough for one person comfortably, let alone a family or couple to use together. There wasn’t even a spot by the sink for soap. The cookware was just small pots, barely enough to boil ramen for two, so a family of four would need a larger one. The frying pan was small too.

The steep road in and the limited parking are the downsides. The view, the building, and the atmospheric facilities are lovely, and the staff are friendly too. Lying in the jacuzzi with “Kokomo” on while clouds drift past felt completely healing.