Daea Ulleung Resort

After the 2-hour-and-40-minute ferry trip from the mainland, I was glad to lie down and rest. The resort is peaceful and removed from the city, with a great view. Getting from the main building to the cabins takes quite a hike, though, and while there are some escalators, the top one wasn't working. The food was healthy seafood with plenty of seaweed side dishes. At 4 a.m. I woke up because the group next to us had the Korean soccer team's World Cup preliminary match on. I can't blame them for cheering.

The scenery and the view are nice, but that's about all I liked. The resort feels run down and in horrible condition, like it might have been worth staying at 20 years ago. The rooms are dirty and poorly maintained, and the pool is rotting away along with the rest of the property. There were buckets catching water from holes in the ceiling. The price was wildly too high.

We paid for several nights, but changed hotels without even asking for a refund. The smell hit us first, like wet, rotten socks mixed with ammonia. There were exposed wires hanging off the walls, and the bathroom had mold and yellowing fixtures. The sheets still smelled of the previous guests, and my wife got four nasty bites on her back from whatever was in the bed. Breakfast was served like a military or school cafeteria, with food slopped into the compartments of the tray.

The hilltop setting is lovely, with a view of the ocean. Honestly, it's a nice place, though it's a shame the swimming pool is out of service. They should repair it.