Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Gangwon Pyeongchang

The staff weren't friendly or helpful, and the hotel manager accused my wife and me of not paying for ski lift tickets bought at the hotel shop. We had never booked tickets through the hotel; we bought them online on klook. He didn't believe us until we showed the receipt and explained it several times, and even then he was angry. They charge a lot extra for everything. We politely asked for a second blanket, but staff rudely demanded to know why we needed two. They wanted 88'000 won for one blanket for four nights. Even the pool and gym cost extra. I would never stay here again or recommend it. Stay away.

It's a handy base for visiting places like Odae mountain, and there are some good restaurants just a 5-10 minute drive away. The bathroom was decent, though the room was a little small.

We spent five nights at the Ramada. Its location worked well for skiing and seeing the Pyeongchang area, and you can walk downhill into town. The room was a decent size, with a mezzanine sofa bed, but sleeping up there would be tough because the room gets so warm. There's also a kitchenette, though a notice says cooking isn't allowed. The grocery store on site was handy. Heat was the biggest problem. The controls wouldn't let us set it below 24 degrees, and when we switched it on the automatic setting showed 32. We were on the fourth floor, where heat from below seemed to collect, so the room was baking even with -19 degrees outside. We had to switch the heating off and leave the door open around the clock to make it bearable. We've heard others had the same issue. The breakfast buffet was good, but 30,000 won per person felt expensive. The hotel charges for nearly everything: 10,000 won for a lost key card, 12,000 won for the sauna, and another 10,000 won to check in an hour early even when the room was ready. The hotel restaurants were only average compared with the great food options at Mona at YongPyong. The shuttle to YongPyong ski resort was usually useful, but one evening it never came, so we had to take a taxi back. Reception staff were friendly enough, but their English wasn't good, and we couldn't get an explanation about the bus. The ski shop was helpful and its rental prices were reasonable. They arranged a ski lesson and lift passes too, though those had to be paid for in cash. The passes were quite a bit cheaper than buying them at Mona YongPyong, so I'd recommend the shop. It was a decent stay, but there's plenty the hotel could improve, and it's good to know about these things in advance.

The valley view was lovely, though you’ll want a rental car since restaurants and other amenities aren’t within walking distance. We had a pleasant two-night stay in the very new rooms, and the concierge was helpful. The gym is small but has what you need. Good value for the money.