Hongcheon Sinyeong Pension

After dinner, my wife and I went for a swim under the lights, and I won't forget it. The pool is a lovely 11m by 5m, a good depth, and filled with water from the valley stream. At dawn, birdsong woke us up. The building and parking area are a little apart, but that wasn't much trouble for us, even as an older couple. We arrived on a weekday and couldn't see anyone at first. The place in front of us felt like a drama set, with colorful buildings, the pool, and gentle, pretty music like a drama OST filling the grounds. It gave us the strange feeling that we were the main characters in a show. After a little while, the owner, a woman around her forties with what I'd call an ajumma hairstyle, came out. She explained she'd rented the place out until now and was starting fresh after remodeling it herself. She's got a distinctive character people are likely to enjoy.

I stayed in the Wonang room upstairs, on the second floor. It was renovated in 2022, so it hasn't gotten too worn, though it isn't cutting-edge either. For peak season in July, the price felt like very good value. The pool out front was better than I expected. At night, I liked sitting on the bench by the stream with a beer and listening to the birds. The bedding had a few stains, but smelled nice, and seemed to be well cared for in the laundry. A small broom in the room would have been handy for cleaning. Otherwise, it's decent for what it costs.

The dishes were too filthy to use, and the rice cooker, microwave, and bathroom were dirty too. This is the worst accommodation I've ever stayed in, even compared with guesthouses. The place looked nothing like the photos, and I was completely fooled by all the glowing reviews. I suspect they hired reviewers to post them. Even one star feels like too much.

The adult pool is deep and fun to use, and the lights make it look nice at night. The children's pool water was muddy, though. The barbecue area is well equipped. The bathroom's small, humid, and has a weak fan. Overall, so-so.