Canopus Resort Pension

We stayed from midnight on October 24, 2023, until the morning of October 27. If you’re going mainly for the views, arrange everything in advance. I meant to leave this review unwritten, but here I am a month later. The resort looks out over tangerine groves and mountains, and the sitting area was lovely. We booked a 3BHK, but the rooms and bathroom were much too small. The kitchen was nicely stocked with utensils. Hot water ran out after three hours, so we had to take a cold shower. The place is far from tourist spots, about 50 minutes to an hour and a half away. Getting a taxi can be difficult, and the restaurant closes around 7 pm, so don’t take dinner planning lightly. It may suit people who are happy to stay in and enjoy the view. The service was so bad I’d give it a minus rating if I could. Our flight from Busan was delayed, and it was our first time in South Korea. With the language barrier, it took time to find a taxi, and people weren’t sure about the address. The taxi driver was wonderful and made the three of us, traveling from India, feel safe. He left our bags at the entrance, and we called the owner. He was angry that we’d arrived so late, as though we’d chosen to come then. My foot was injured from a sprained ankle, but he didn’t help with the luggage; we carried it into the beautiful house ourselves. He explained the AC and other things too quickly for us to understand. When we asked him a couple of times to repeat it, he got upset and said, “These foreigners, I can’t deal with them.” We felt like a bother and told him we’d manage. Later, we realized there was no water in the room, but it was late and none of us felt able to ask him, so we went to sleep. In the morning, reception was empty. The little cafe area at the back was closed, but I found a woman and asked for water. She gave me two bottles. I said there were three of us, but she didn’t listen. After sightseeing, we expected they might provide drinking water again. We returned at 8 pm, and when I asked the owner, he looked angry and refused, saying, “You have to bring your own water.” We were stunned, so we arranged a taxi and bought bottles ourselves. We didn’t try speaking with him again for the rest of the stay. When we left in the morning, I thought we should at least say goodbye. I went over, but as I was about to greet him, he saw me and shut the door. I nearly cried.

The scenery inside the Hanok is lovely, and the window screens are well made. Still, it’s a Hanok, so insects can get in. I visited last year, and both the room and bathroom were quite small. The showers are outside and shared, so bear that in mind if that would bother you.

A Hanok stay can be a good experience, but rural noise and pests are hard to avoid. I’d suggest a short visit rather than a long one. The laundry facilities were in poor shape and badly maintained, and detergent sometimes seemed to remain on the towels because they hadn’t been rinsed well.

The Hanok traditions are still very much alive here, and the Pu'er tea is delicious.