Bucket

Such a beautiful building, with plenty of spots to hang out, get work done or find some privacy. The location is perfect, really close to the beach and just a short walk into town. I was there in January, so it felt a little chilly, though it is a heritage building.

I don't understand how this place has a rating above the bottom end. It's a mess throughout. The building already looks neglected from outside, and inside the persistent urine smell from the ground-floor toilets spreads through the hostel. It's really unpleasant. Temporary volunteers seem to run the place, and the lack of real management shows. There are no clear standards and nobody seems responsible for keeping things clean. Maybe people don't care because they aren't staying long. From around 7am to 11pm every day, loud AI-generated music comes from a cheap, distorted hallway speaker. It's repetitive, artificial and grating, and you can't escape hearing it anywhere in the hostel. The sustainability claim feels hollow when they loop this stuff all day instead of playing ordinary music made by actual artists. Guests are told not to touch the speaker, so you're stuck with it. A previous review raised this too, and despite saying they would address it, nothing has changed. The beds are rock hard, like concrete slabs. Privacy is poor, especially on the top bunks, where there's no curtain and light shines straight in. One bathroom is badly laid out: its shower is beneath a sloping ceiling, so anyone over about 5 feet has to crouch to stand under it. There are no shower curtains, leaving the floor wet all the time. The kitchen has a serious hygiene problem. There are confirmed rats. Staff admitted it openly and had put out traps after catching some recently, while another rat was still running around. Yet the kitchen continues to be used as usual. The rest of the place is dirty too: floors, poorly washed utensils, old worn sponges that should have been discarded weeks ago, and fridges that look long overdue for a clean. The place felt unhygienic and poorly managed at a basic level, even compared with some pretty questionable places I've stayed over the years. There are much better places on Jeju for not much more money. Don't book here.

A roomy, cozy house that works well for a longer stay, or just one night before heading to Gapado Island. The hosts replied promptly online, and the balcony has a great sea view.

I loved my stay at Bucket Jeju Guesthouse. My room looked out over the beach, a peaceful, beautiful view every day, and I met lots of kind, friendly people. The welcoming atmosphere and tips from other guests helped me explore more of the island. The meals were delicious, too. It's a little far from the city, but buses made it easy to get to different tourist spots, which added to the adventure. A relaxing and memorable place to stay in Jeju.