Hotel Hyundai by Lahan Mokpo

The hotel impresses with a blend of historical charm and contemporary elegance. Guests appreciate the attentive staff and commendable cleanliness. The breakfast menu is a highlight, featuring diverse and tasty options.

Review for Lahan Select Gyeongju Rating: ★★☆☆☆ While Lahan Select Gyeongju offers comfortable accommodations and a convenient location, my overall experience was significantly impacted by serious issues with the dining service during my stay, particularly on 28 January 2025, and the following morning. Dinner on 28 January 2025 On the evening of 28 January, we planned to dine at The Plate restaurant, only to be informed upon arrival that reservations were required and that the restaurant was fully booked. Unfortunately, this crucial information was not shared during check-in, leaving us unprepared to make alternative arrangements. With two small children who were already hungry, we had no choice but to dine at the 338 restaurant. However, the experience was disappointing, as this venue felt more like a department store food court than the high-end dining experience we had anticipated. After feeding the children, we returned to reception to inquire about alternative dining options. I was informed that room service was the only other choice, but upon returning to our room, we discovered that the room service menu was identical to the 338 restaurant’s menu, offering limited variety. To add to our frustration, we considered visiting the Strike Pub only to learn that it was closed, further limiting our options. Additionally, communication with room service and reception proved challenging as no staff seemed to have adequate English proficiency. While I understand we are in Korea, I believe a reputable hotel chain like Lahan should provide multilingual support for international guests. The Breakfast Experience The next morning, we faced yet another disappointing situation. When we arrived at The Plate restaurant for breakfast, we found an unacceptably long queue of approximately 80 people. Despite arriving early, the restaurant’s 274-seat capacity was clearly inadequate for a hotel with over 1,200 guests, leaving us with no choice but to skip the breakfast we had prepaid for. Instead, we left the hotel to dine at a nearby McDonald’s, which was far below the standard we expected from a high-end property. Comparison with Industry Norms In the hospitality industry, the standard ratio of restaurant seating to total guest capacity is between 40-60%. This ensures that most guests can dine comfortably, even during peak times. For a hotel like Lahan Select Gyeongju, which can accommodate approximately 1,200-1,300 guests, the restaurant should ideally have: • 40% seating capacity: ~516 seats. • 60% seating capacity: ~774 seats. However, with only 274 seats, the restaurant covers just 21% of the hotel’s guest capacity—far below the industry norm. This inadequacy leads to long queues, overcrowding, and a frustrating dining experience for guests. Positives: • Clean and comfortable rooms. • Convenient location. Negatives: 1. Inadequate restaurant capacity: The seating falls well below industry standards, making it impossible to serve all guests efficiently. 2. Poor communication: Critical information, such as the need for dinner reservations, was not shared during check-in. 3. Limited and underwhelming dining options: The 338 restaurant did not meet expectations for a high-end hotel. 4. Language barriers: Communication challenges with reception and room service staff made the experience even more difficult. 5. Unavailability of alternatives: With The Plate fully booked, Strike Pub closed, and a limited room service menu, dining options were severely restricted. While the accommodations met expectations, the dining experience during my stay was deeply disappointing and fell far short of industry standards. I hope management will take these concerns seriously and make improvements to provide a better experience for future guests.