JJstay Guesthouse Jeju

We never ended up staying here. The property looked very messy, and the whole experience was frustrating enough that we booked another hotel. We’d emailed earlier that day to say we’d arrive at 8:30 p.m., within the advertised check-in hours of 10 p.m., but after getting there we waited 40 minutes for anyone to come to the desk. They had cancelled our reservation without notifying us or explaining why. Trip.com was helpful, but had no record of the cancellation. Then the hotel tried to charge us a higher rate for a new room, even though we’d already paid and hadn’t been refunded. There was no parking either, despite it being advertised.

The staff handled their jobs well, and the room was bigger than I expected for Korea. It’s a handy base whether you’re spending the day out or mostly relaxing: convenience stores and restaurants are nearby, and the bus stop is about a four-minute walk away. That’s pretty much all you need.

The rooms are fairly spacious, the beds are comfortable, and the shower facilities are decent. The rest of the place feels a bit worn and dated, and some floorboards in our room were loose. We also spotted a few small insects crawling around. They advertise free parking, but that really means finding a spot on the street outside. Apart from those things, it wasn’t too bad.

My son left and checked into the nearby Astar Hotel, which was lovely. He couldn’t stay in the icy room at Jeju R. He arrived mid-afternoon for a solo holiday on Jeju Island, checked in at an almost empty hotel, then went to ask reception about the cold room. He was told it would warm up if he waited. After going out for a meal, he came back to find it just as cold and was again asked to give it more time. Several hours after check-in, there was still no one at the desk, though it was meant to be open. He called the listed assistance number, explained the problem, and was cut off while speaking after being told they’d deal with it in the morning. Avoid Jeju R.