Gangneung Tourist Hotel

- In the middle of city center so near to restaurants, shops etc - Incl free parking which was a great benefit - Large and spacious rooms - Cleaning was very good - Bathroom of good quality - Good price for the room when booking app 8 weeks in advance

- Desk in the room was torn down, ie bubbles in the wood. They should repair damaged furnitures - Upon check-in, the floor in the room was not fully clean, we saw some dust etc on the carpet floor - Hotel personnel spoke almost no English at all

Breakfast was fantastic, with a wide range of hot, cold, fruit, and traditional Korean soup options, all for just £7.50. To answer the question, "Did the price you paid match the expectations you had when you booked?" my answer is no – it exceeded all my expectations. The experience was beyond my imagination and truly incredible. I didn't realise the hotel was right in the heart of the shopping district and street markets, with stores such as New Balance, Nike, and other major clothing brands just a 2 minute walk away (although sat nav indicated 8 minutes). The area also has plenty of places to eat, with very affordable prices, and taxis are inexpensive if you want to travel further afield. I've travelled extensively and stayed in many hotels over the years, and this has been, by far, my best hotel experience. One thing I particularly appreciated was the cleanliness of the breakfast area. There were no flies around the food, which meant I could comfortably enjoy the cold breakfast options – something I rarely do at other hotels unless the food is individually wrapped. The view from the breakfast lounge was also outstanding. If you are visiting this area, this is the hotel to choose. Although English is somewhat limited (though still better than my two Korean words, "hello" and "thank you"), the staff happily use translation apps and are always willing to help. No task seems too difficult for them. My only regret is that I didn't stay longer. Truly amazing.

The only thing I didn't like was that the hotel only provided breakfast and did not offer lunch or evening meals. The breakfast was so good that I can only imagine what the other meals would have been like."

Convenient location Very spacious and comfortable Friendly and welcoming staff Modern

Distinct lack of any character (doesn’t personally bother us)

Location

The hotel looks pretty old fashioned. No views from the window and the matress was no comfortable. Good enough for a single night on the way south.