SstanloonaAn amazing once-in-a-lifetime hanok experience!! The place was absolutely beautiful, and our host was the kindest person ever. Their service was amazing, even providing us with a bottle of wine, and free breakfast even though it originally didn’t come with our booking. We visited Gyeongju for 3 nights during the windy winter of February, so some of the pros & cons may not be applicable for other seasons:
Pros:
- Amazing location: right in the heart of Gyeongju’s trendy hanok district, it is a few minutes walk from Hwangnidan-Gil street, Cheonmachong etc. Despite this district being absolutely PACKED in the weekend, our hanok was tucked in a more cozy, quiet corner, above a restaurant. It was then really quiet in our hanok, and we surprisingly didn’t have any problem of smells from the restaurant downstairs coming up into our rooms.
- Clean aesthetic that perfectly balances the vibes of a traditional hanok, and a modern hotel. Suitable for those travelling with older families, for example, who may not be able to sleep comfortably on hard floors. The interior designer for this hanok deserves a raise
- Floor heating was done well, and we didn’t feel cold at all despite the winds at night during our winter stay
- gigantic TV
- host was very kind and easy to communicate with via WhatsApp!
- appreciated that the toilet and shower were very clean and modern as well!
Cons:
- there weren’t any wardrobes, and not many hangers were provided to hang your clothes. It’s only a minor issue, since we had more coats for our winter wear. However, since most people are booking this hanok for short stays, it shouldnt be a big issue either
- as we came here via car at night, the parking lot assigned to us was a ~2min walk away from the actual hanok, so it was a bit confusing to locate the parking lot and hanok in the dark at first.
- at night, the winds in the winter get quite strong, and so like any wooden house - there will naturally be quite a bit of sound like the wooden door shaking, sound of wind etc. Coming from the city, we were a bit scared and thought there were intruders at first LOL. This isn’t a big problem (especially during less windy seasons), but I think it’s just worth keeping in mind, especially if you are very sensitive to sounds when sleeping.
If these cons aren’t applicable or big issues for you, then yes I would more than recommend this hanok stay!!! It’s a rare experience, and hence worth the money imho!
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