Yeongdeok Ganggu Port Into

The ocean-facing room south of the house had no air conditioning and felt like a sauna. In the two-bedroom apartment with one living room, the living room unit was from 2009 and couldn't cool below 28 degrees, even after running all day. The owner blamed the recent heat when I brought it up, and I couldn't sleep all night. The refrigerator was very old and barely cooled, and the freezer hardly worked either. The dishes apparently hadn't been cleaned, and the tongs and scissors were covered in soot, though I couldn't tell if it was burnt dirt or mold. I didn't barbecue, but those utensils were still there. I asked for more pillows and didn't get any. I tried sleeping in the living room and the small room, but there was only a thin summer blanket to put on the floor, so I couldn't rest. There were no other lodgings, pensions, or motels nearby, and even the convenience stores shut before 11 p.m. With facilities like this, I'm surprised the pension is still operating. I won't be going to Yeongdeok again.

The owner was friendly, and it was nice to unwind looking out at the winter sea. I was surprised the beach was so close. The facilities are a little dated, but I didn't run into any real inconvenience. Since I was only there to sleep for the night, the value for money felt really good.

The sea is right outside, so it's great for kids to swim, and there's a spot nearby to rinse the sand off. Parking was a little short, and some guests kept barbecuing, talking loudly, and smoking until dawn without the staff stepping in. Even so, it's hard to beat the value for money.

The ocean-facing view is nice, but for a VIP room, the price doesn't feel justified. It also smells of cigarette smoke, and the bathroom isn't very good.