Emerald Ace Hotel

Coffee, bread, and tangerines were available downstairs, which was a nice extra. The room was on the second floor; it showed some wear but was clean and looked after. You can collect a key and head to your room without speaking to a clerk, since the unmanned setup is standard here. For a budget hotel, it’s pretty ordinary, but there’s decent space and comfort for the price.

A lot of Jeju’s cheaper hotels have interiors that feel stuck in the 1980s. Go in with business-trip expectations and treat it mainly as somewhere to sleep, and you’ll be more comfortable with it.

At this low price, it’s the sort of place where you have to be content with just one night’s stay.

The price is why I’m giving it three stars, though it could use renovation. It reminded me of my grandmother’s house, with dishes, soju glasses, and a microwave there to use. The shared top-floor space had two rooms, one with two beds and another with a roomy ondol heated-floor area, plus one bathroom. The blankets were fluffy, and there was enough space for a family, even if the place felt old and a bit like staying in the owner’s home. Noise was an issue in both rooms: the bedroom window faced the street and didn’t block sound, while the ondol room was quieter but its door wouldn’t shut.