Hidden Bay Hotel

The men’s spa room was out of this world. The hotel’s architecture is beautiful throughout, and the views are stunning. Staff were friendly and always ready to help, and the food and drinks were good.

There’s plenty to do here, from walking by the beach to using the gym, pool, or sauna. The second floor also has lovely massage chairs for relaxing. Staff are polite and helpful, and the whole place feels luxurious and comfortable. Most rooms have amazing views. I loved waking up and opening the blinds. Breakfast was delicious, with lots of Korean and Western options. My one issue was the coffee: the Nestle machine on the second floor didn’t work.

Hidden Bay Hotel would be better off staying hidden. For four-star prices, this was one of the least memorable hotels we’ve stayed at. We were there for a weekend with our two toddlers, though much of this applies to other travelers too. The biggest disappointment was the indoor pool, which was the reason we chose the hotel for the kids. We planned to swim in the morning after being too tired the day before, then found out the pool didn’t open until 11 a.m. We couldn’t use it, and the kids were so disappointed. The showers and lockers are in a separate building, so you have to walk outside to the pool in cold weather, wearing wet swimwear or robes. The hours may have been on the website, but we missed them when booking, and this policy is unusual. It feels like pool traffic is managed at the guests’ expense and hurts the experience. Getting to the hotel was another letdown. Nobody helped with our luggage after the long journey, and there was never anyone around to help when we came and went. The man at reception was among the least friendly staff we’ve met in Korea. He seemed annoyed by ordinary questions and didn’t smile. Our room was small and narrow, so the sea view wasn’t great. The wooden Ondol temperature-control flooring was a plus. If you can choose, take a room with wooden floors instead of carpet. We’d also requested a kids’ tent, and they set it up. It was fine for play, but its faulty design let one of our children slip out while sleeping. He woke in the middle of the night on the floor, with cold air coming in from outside. Breakfast wasn’t worth the $50 we paid. We’ve had better food at lower-quality hotels. The Western pastries were particularly bad, everything else was bland, including the coffee, and even the Korean soups were below average. The sponge cake was the only good item. The hotel seems focused on putting attractive features and photos out front, then doing the minimum to save resources at the expense of the actual guest experience.

It’s a quiet, scenic area, though the hotel is outside the city center. Along the shore just in front of the hotel, a bike path leads past harbors and marinas, making it nice for a walk or jog. The staff are great, and the facilities are clean and well managed. A great hotel on the southern coast, and good for bringing kids.