Hotel Shalom Jeju

The rooms were shabby, with torn wallpaper, worn carpets, bathroom mildew and water damage. Water was also leaking from somewhere I couldn't identify, and chunks were missing from the stucco near the windowsill. The pillows were flat, and when I asked for another one, they tried to charge me. Korean hotel ratings seem to count things like lobby size and on-site food rather than quality, which makes them easy to game. This place didn't meet the standard of quality or service I'd expect from a 4-star hotel.

Convenient location, but the parking garage is VERY TIGHT and the wifi is VERY spotty. I wouldn't call this a 4-star hotel, it feels much closer to 3 stars.

The breakfast was awful, with very limited choices, food I found unpalatable, and coffee without much flavor. The restaurant felt like a cafeteria. The restaurant manager also told our group to bring our crockery, utensils, and tray back to the return area. We were the only ones clearing tables for other people, even though there were others around. At check-in, the front desk manager argued with our group leader in Korean about room allocation and complimentary breakfast. Reception had refused our request to turn on the air-conditioning, saying they only start it in April, even though it was warmer near the end of March. Service felt rude the whole stay, from reception to housekeeping, with no smiles. I strongly wouldn't recommend this hotel. It didn't live up to what I expected from a four-star place.

The staff were welcoming, and a kind woman with glasses helped us on our first day when my brother lost his wallet. She was great at translating with the bus company, and I think she speaks Korean, English, and Chinese very well. I was glad she was there to help. We had two large rooms for the family, and they were happy to put them next to each other, though they weren't connecting rooms. Each had a kettle, AC, tabletop, armrest chair, and a nice bathtub. I don't recall them providing a razor, but we'd brought our own. Coming from NYC, I had a great stay in Jeju. It may not feel like a resort, but the location is handy to many bus stops, so we could get to lots of sites quickly.