Gyeongsangbuk-do(Andong-si)

'Andong City in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is a town of culture and folk traditions where one can trace the long history of eminent families. It is also a symbol of time-honored tradition to the extent that the name Andong reminds people of traditional Korean hanok houses. Isangru, an ancient hanok house with a history of 2,590 years, located in the foothills of Mt. Cheondeungsan, served as a venue for the memorial rite for Kim Seon-pyeong, the progenitor of the Andong Kim clan and a meritorious government official during the reign of King Taejo of the Goryeo Dynasty. Isangru, meaning ‘a tall majestic building built on frosty ground’, is a two-story wooden building with a tiled roof characterized by elegant curves that form a half-hipped shape when viewed from the side. The house consists of two accommodations, Taejangtaesa and Isangru, arranged in a ‘ㅁ’ shape. The large door located in the middle of the ground floor offers an open view of the beautiful natural environment including a pine grove, a pond, and wild flowers. Built in 1750, this hanok house shows its age in its wooden pillars, stone walls, and interiors decorated with wooden engraving on the handrail. Guests can stay in a room heated with wood in winter, or in a tent for a different experience in summer. The house has been well maintained with various repair works, and underwent extensive renovations, including the wallpaper and floors, in 2013. Although it is close to a road, the house is surrounded by old trees, creating the impression that it is situated in the middle of a dense forest. A path runs between ancient pine trees on the road leading to the house. There is a pond with water lilies and white lotus flowers in front of the house, while various species of wild flowers including big blue lily turf, plantain lily, montane aster, and asters come into full bloom around the house in their respective seasons. Fully maintained by the Andong Kim clan, Isangru is a large structure that can accommodate many people and is used to hold clan assemblies. This tall building is also used as a venue for concerts, seminars and traditional hands-on experience programs for students, including tea ceremony, masked dance, natural dyeing, hanji (Korean paper) crafts, and filial duty education programs. The house also offers guests a traditional nobleman’s dining table including various wild vegetable dishes for breakfast. Isangru is popular among Korean and foreign guests who want to experience traditional Korean culture or enjoy a relaxing stay with their parents amid beautiful nature. In addition, it is located between Hahoe Folk Village and Dosanseowon Confucian Academy in Andong, and offers easy access to other nearby tourist attractions including Bongjeongsa Temple, which is the oldest wooden building in Korea and is just three minutes’ drive away, and the two-hour-long Dulegil Trail.


Seoul(Jongno-gu)

As one of the traditional houses located in an alley in the residential area of Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, Nuri Guesthouse is a tile-roofed house with four guestrooms. You must pass through the wooden gate and a small front yard, where you will see a small garden and an array of earthen jars where traditional Korean sauces are stored. The eaves and ceiling beams are made of logs, and the sliding doors are also made of wood just like in the old days. The shower rooms and bathrooms are located in the front yard for common use among the guests. The bathroom is furnished with a bathtub and a washing machine. The kitchen is also shared and is open all day. There is a table in the living room for guests to have a simple snack. There are also outdoor barbecue facilities in the front yard that can be used for a fee. You must make a reservation in order to use the barbecue facilities. The guesthouse is conveniently located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, but the alley is too narrow to park cars.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Gyeongsan-si)

'Baram Haetsal Farm is located right next to a grove of jujube trees in Gyeongsan, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which is well-known for its jujubes. The guesthouse is a Korean traditional house that runs the Jujube Promotion Center and a jujube processing factory, both of which are open to the guests to experience. The house is composed of three buildings: the main building, a detached building, and a bungalow. The detached building and bungalow are where the guests can stay, each of which can accommodate up to four people. The rooms are furnished with air conditioner, refrigerator, and coffee pot. Since the guesthouse is situated right in the middle of a jujube farm, guests can try the delicious jujubes of Gyeongsan at the Jujube Promotion Center located next to the guesthouse. The center has a room for visitors to try jujubes and a seminar room. It also has processing facilities for the visitors to see how jujubes are processed. In autumn when jujubes are harvested, guests get to experience the farm life such as picking jujubes and making jujube rice cake made of flavored glutinous rice mixed with honey, dates, chestnuts, and jujubes. Reservations are required.


Gangwon-do(Hongcheon-gun)

(Korea Quality Premier Class) Located at the foot of Jongjasan Mountain in Hongcheon County, Healience Seonmaeul offers a healing program run by experts in a serene natural environment without mobile phones or television. The name ‘Healience’ is a compound word combining ‘healing’ and ‘science’. The two accommodation buildings with two stories each – Garden Building and Forest Building - were also built with the concept of harmony with nature. The garden building was designed by world-class Korean architect Seung Hyo-Sang, under the theme of “aesthetics of the poor”, which implies an environmentally friendly concept. The first floor of the garden building features courtyards which allow for a sufficient amount of light, and a walk up to the second floor reveals a skylight with a view of the stars at night, allowing the guests to fall asleep in nature. Then, at the end of 2016, the forest building was designed by Korean architect Kim Joon-seong with the concept of “construction of correspond” (two or more objects correspond to each other), thus Healience Seonmaeul consists of a total of 88 guestrooms. The subtle lighting and simple furniture were decorated for the interior of the accommodations so that guests can take a good rest without any distraction and attend a healing program. Its most popular programs are yoga and meditation in a grove of pine nut trees.


Busan(Sasang-gu)

Hotel Renaissance is located in the heart of the Sasang District, the downtown logistics hub of West Busan. Each guestroom is furnished according to a different theme, and is equipped with free WiFi, DVD, large TV, and satellite channels for business travellers. In the vicinity of the hotel there are numerous restaurants, buffets, a wedding hall, and bars, as well as Home Plus, Renecite, E-Mart, and Lotte Cinema. The hotel is very conveniently located as it's only a 1-minute walk from the Busan West Bus Terminal and Sasang Station. It's also a short ride away from Gimhae Airport, Country Clubs (Yongwon and Gaya CC), and downtown Busan. The room rates are very affordable, making it the perfect place to stay for business travellers as well as individual and group tourists. The hotel has a parking lot with spaces for up to 70 cars.


Jeollabuk-do(Jeonju-si)

'Blueboat Hostel Jeonju is one of guesthouses of the 'The Guest House' chain in Busan, Seoul, and Gyeongju. Blueboat Hostel Jeonju opened in April 2016 in Gyeongwon-dong, Jeonju-si, which is only 10 minutes away from Gyeonggijeon Shrine on foot. A number of other popular tourist destinations including Jeonju Hanok Village, Jeongdong Cathedral, and Nammun Market are also within walking distance. The hostel has seven guestrooms furnished with steel frame beds. The bathrooms and kitchen are shared among the guests, and there is a television in the kitchen. The rooms have a trendy interior design because it's mostly visited by young tourists. The guesthouse is just like one of those you can find in other countries, except cleaner.


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

Seongyojang House was built by Yi Nae-beon (pen-name: Mugyeong), an 11th-generation descendant of Grand Prince Hyoryeong (the elder brother of King Sejong the Great), and has been repaired and extended numerous times over the last ten generations. The house is composed of a variety of rooms and buildings of different sizes, and there are twelve gates between its many buildings, which include 3 ‘Byeoldang’ rooms (Dong, Seo, and Oe), Sarangchae, Jungsarang, Haengangchae, and Sadang. Seongyojang House is well known as one of the largest and greatest houses in Korea in terms of the number and size of its buildings and its total land area among houses built at that time. Interestingly, Seongyojang was built to such a great size due to the influence of the classical poem Gwandongbyeolgok (about the Beautiful Scenery of Gwandong, present-day Gangwon-do, in 1580) written by Jeong Cheol (1536-1593, pen-name: Songgang). Because of the popularity of this poem, a cultural trend emerged in which noblemen of the late Joseon Dynasty felt compelled to visit the Gwandong (present-day Gangwon-do) area at least once in their lifetime, and Seongyojang was a must-see attraction. The house experienced a crisis when only three people were staying in this vast building. However, the director of the house, Lee Kang-baek, strived to save his ancestors’ invaluable heritage and finally received the necessary administrative support. Thanks to that, all the toilets and shower facilities were modernized, and Seongyojang House now offers both the beauty of a traditional hanok building and convenient modern facilities for all its guests. Seongyojang has many wonderful structures including Hwallaejeong Pavilion, one of its most charming structures; Yeolhwadang, which was given as a gift to the Russian Consulate; Yeonjidang, which was built in an elegant style; and Seobyeoldang. In particular, the signboard of Hwallaejeong was changed and rewritten regularly by members of the Joseon literati who stayed in the house. The most famous version of the signboard was written by Gim Jeong-hui (1786-1856, pen-name: Chusa).


Gangwon-do(Hongcheon-gun)

Located in Hongcheon, Gwangwon-do Province, which is well-known for its clean air and water, Gohyangui Bom is a hanok (traditional Korean house) style of pension surrounded by a beautiful natural environment including Palbongsan Mountain to its rear and the Hongcheongang River flowing in front. The pension was built as a hanok structure with special materials such as pine wood from Unduryeong Hill at the foot of Gyebangsan Mountain and pure red clay. Many guests visit the pension again because of the clear spirit of nature and the good energy emanating from the hanok, which is said to help guests recover from fatigue and revitalize themselves. In addition, it offers guests an opportunity to swim and play in the shallow depths of the Hongcheongang River and walk along the beautiful Palbongsan Mountain hiking course. Moreover, it is adjacent to such renowned tourist attractions as Gugok Falls (near Bonghwasan Mountain; 30 minutes’ drive), which twist and turn nine times before plunging sharply downwards,; and Vivaldi Park Ocean World, which is a popular resort packed with thrilling and exciting attractions. The pension has five guestrooms – Sarang-bang 1 and 2 on the first floor, and Hwangto-bang 1, 2, and 3 on the ground floor. Sarang-bang 1 is equipped with a large living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and fireplace (only for winter), while Sarang-bang 2 is composed of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an outdoor table, and a karaoke (norae-bang) facility. Hwangtobang 1, 2, and 3 are built with red clay. Hwangto-bang 1 is equipped with a living room and a bedroom; Hwangto-bang 2 with a living room and two bedrooms; and Hwangto-bang 3 consists of one room. All of the rooms are equipped with a bathroom, kitchen, air conditioner, fridge, and toiletries. The pension is also a great place for large family meetings and company workshops as well as for friends or couples. The pension is also famous for its buffet style of breakfast, which includes rice and soup cooked by the host with local organic ingredients. Guests can also request a dinner cooked according to their preferences. Its most popular dishes include BBQ, chicken soup with rice, spicy stir-fried chicken and others dishes prepared according to guests’ preferences. The breakfast costs KRW 7,000 per person, while the dinner menu and cost can be discussed when making a reservation. The pension recommends that guests spend a whole day in the hanok’s peaceful natural environment. Guests can set up a tent on the pension’s outdoor lawn, watch a movie, enjoy a BBQ party, and make a campfire at night to create romantic memories. The deck placed across the river is another popular place for taking a nap or relaxing in the cool breeze.


Seoul(Jongno-gu)

(Korea Quality Premier Class) Hotel Nafore is a cozy hotel located in one of the alleys of Jongno-gu, Seoul. It has a total of 52 guestrooms consisting of family rooms, deluxe twin rooms, and standard twin rooms and double rooms. There is also a guestroom designed for the disabled. The elevator, hallway, and bathrooms are also disabled-friendly. Other amenities include a restaurant serving breakfast as well as computers for the guests and business room with a printer in the lobby on the first floor. The nine-story building has a roof garden that’s open for the guests. The hotel doesn't have a parking lot, but it's still a clean and comfortable place to stay for those planning to travel on foot in the downtown area of Jongno-gu, Seoul.


Busan(Jung-gu)

Hotel B.Cent is located in Jungang-dong, Jung-gu, Busan, which is currently being re-developed as a downtown area. The 'B' in the name stands for 'Busan and Business,' and 'C' stands for 'Central.' It's an 8-story building with 40 guestrooms in modern-style design, boasting of quality facilities and friendly services in addition to large and pleasant rooms furnished with high-quality bed and furniture. There are five different types of guestrooms for those on a budget, families, couples, and business travelers. The hotel is very conveniently located for both Korean and foreign guests because it's very close to Busan Station, Busan International Passenger Terminal, and Gimhae Airport. Situated in the new downtown area of Busan, it's a great place to stay for those planning to tour the city, shop, experience the culture, and have fun in the city.