Jeju Backpaecus Villa

I called late at night after struggling to find somewhere to stay. The place was hard for me to reach, so the owner kindly came and picked me up. I was able to settle in comfortably, and the facilities were clean and looked after.

I got there at 1, even though check-in was supposed to be at 4, and asked if I could leave my bags. They asked me to wait a little, then cleaned the room and let me check in early.

The location is good, but I won't stay here again. It feels like a backpacker hostel: there’s a bed, bathroom, and one air conditioner. No actual TV, just a big monitor, and no fridge, water, or toilet paper. The single bed is tiny, with a waterbed mattress and a thin blanket. The bedding looked unclean, too. The room itself is okay, but the building is still under construction. The room next door was a construction area, and with only one room per floor, it felt like sleeping on a work site. There was no manager around, which felt scary. I suspect they kept the place open during construction because of money troubles, but hospitality is a service business. The negative reviews piling up could make it hard to keep going. A sensible business would have closed during the work or given guests enough notice so they could understand what to expect.

The view is lovely, with a pier, little park, convenience store, and public parking right out front. The property parking is there too, and the floor-to-ceiling windows make it easy to sit and stare at the scenery. Inside, the room was neat and clean, without hair, and had what I needed for a simple stay: a small fridge, huge TV, hair dryer, mirror, kettle, mosquito spray, and microwave. Hot water and water pressure were good. Soap, toothpaste, and shower items were free, and there were plenty of clean towels and bedding. The building itself gave a very different impression. The entrance and halls looked abandoned, with big cobwebs, spiders that had caught cockroaches, and dust all over the stairs. There was mold and dust on some furniture in the corners. I couldn't tell if the vintage, abandoned look was deliberate or if the place was just poorly maintained. Construction supplies and random things were piled in some first-floor rooms and office areas. The front door lock was broken, so anyone could get in, and the room doorknob was loose, maybe from a loose screw.