Kenny Stay Jeju Seogwipo

Our room was small, and despite booking on agoda for a “nice view,” we got a second-floor room with censored windows. There was no daily room cleaning, and there was no concierge for our entire one-week stay. Parking was a hassle. We couldn't park on the hotel premises before check-in. After check-in, we had to wait until every car cleared the basement before we could park there. Until then, we had to use the lots opposite and pay. None of the staff could communicate well in English. I didn't expect much, but thought it would make sense to have someone who could.

Kenny Stay has a very good price for what you get, though the inconveniences would make me consider another place next time. Its central location is a real plus: Olle market is right behind the hotel for food and shopping, Jeseong Bakery nearby has really delicious buns, and there are plenty of other restaurants close by. Parking is included, but the spaces are very tight. At first I thought there weren't many spots, until I realized there are indoor stacked spaces too. You have to insist on using them. You drive onto a revolving lazy Susan-type platform in the middle, which lines the car up with a ramp so the automated parking can take it. The attendant usually tried to put me in one of the tiny manual spots, which was a pain. Reception is fully automated for check-in and checkout, with no one around for questions. Better instructions about parking and laundry would help, since you otherwise have to figure it out yourself. The room was really hot and we couldn't control the temperature. We opened the windows to air it out, but the signs about high winds made us nervous about leaving them open. One of the hotel's windows did break during our visit, sending shards to the ground, so the risk seemed real. That left us choosing between the heat and the chance of a window breaking.

The lobby slogan says, “Why pay more? Compact but good enough.” Looking back, I should've paid more, because compact really wasn't good enough for me. The rooms are incredibly small. I barely had space to open my luggage, and I had lots of questions and problems during my stay. There was never anyone at the downstairs counter to talk to. Calling the front desk was possible, but many staff had limited English, which made it harder to communicate. I appreciate that they still tried to help, but having no one at the counter was frustrating. The one clear upside is location. The hotel is right by Maeil Olle Market, with local street food for lunch and dinner, souvenir shops, and several bus stops nearby. I also only found out after my stay that room cleaning and making up the room cost extra. That seemed odd, since at other hotels I've stayed at, it was included. I didn't realize, so my trash piled up and I was really unhappy about it.

The hotel was easy to use: self check-in, swap out your towels when needed, and take out your own trash. My corner room was compact but lovely, clean, well maintained, and everything worked properly. Breakfast was good and reasonably priced, and the laundry was easy to use. For the price, I'd highly recommend it. I have no complaints about the hotel at all. Jeju itself, on the other hand...