Jeollanam-do(Gangjin-gun)

'Dahyang Sochuk is a traditional Korean guesthouse located near the entrance to Dasan Chodang (Dasan Jeong Yakyong Historical Site) in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do. The guesthouse is like a folk museum where guests get to see the items that Korean ancestors actually used. One of the advantages of staying at Dahyang Sochuk is that you can have all the green tea you want because there are wild green tea plants growing around the building. The areas around the guesthouses are decorated with unique bonsai trees and flowers all seasons for the guests to enjoy. All the rooms are coated with red clay and furnished with naturally dyed linens, both of which are healthy for the body while very smooth to the touch and aromatic. Right before winter, an array of potted chrysanthemums is placed along the entranceway, making you forget the cold weather for a moment. All in all, it’s a great place to stay and relax amid nature.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Pohang-si)

BENIKEA Hotel Pohang (Formerly Ramada Encore Pohang Hotel) is independently owned by AT Holdings Ltd. and operated by AT Hotels Management Ltd. under license from Ramada International. BENIKEA Hotel Pohang has 90 simple but stylish guestrooms each outfitted with a shower, AC, wireless high-speed internet, high-quality linens, an LCD TV, and a phone. Coffee and traditional tea are provided and each room is soundproof, ensuring guests a pleasant night’s sleep. The business center has a state-of-the-art meeting room and guests can enjoy hotel services such as a simple breakfast meal or drinks. From the HUB, a multi-purpose complex area located at the first floor, guests can engage in all kinds of activities ranging from having breakfast or a cup of coffee to conducting business transactions.


Gyeongsangbuk-do(Bonghwa-gun)

Located in Chunyang-myeon, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Seongamjae is a traditional hanok built with pine trees (Geumgangsong) in 1915. It was owned by Seongam Gang Seungwon, the third son of Uijae Gang Pil of distinguished service to independence. Seongamjae is the place where Mr. Uijae Gang Pil delivered fund to the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai, which was then used by the 3rd division of army during the Korean War. Now, the grandson of Mr. Seongam Gang Seungwon and his wife are keeping the place and named it Seongamjae after his grandfather. They run it as a hanok open to the public in order to help spread history and culture. The owner couple has committed themselves to keeping the house and gardening. Nevertheless, the traditional hanok is equipped with modern facilities so that people of all age groups, Koreans and foreigners alike, may have a relaxed time here. Bordering Seongamjae is the National Folk Cultural Asset No. 279 Bonghwa Mansan Gotaek, home to the family of the owner of Seongamjae, and open to everyone who stays in Seongamjae. Cooking is limited in the hanok but there are restaurants nearby. Korean style Yeonbab is provided at 15,000 won per person when breakfast is booked in advance. As Chunyang Station of Yeongdong Line is a 5-minute walk away, the accommodation is conveniently located for train travelers. Note that luggage storage service is provided after check-in while visitors are enjoying walking, trekking, or travelling by train.


Sejong()

Mokhyangjae, which literally means a ’house with tree fragrance,’ is a traditional Korean pension house which stands alone beside a boulevard surrounded by apartment complexes. Entering the garden with a low fence, you will be greeted by the antique two-story Korean style building. The building of Mokhyangjae was built in the style of a palace with red pine tree used for the crossbeam and pillars. With a feeling of magnificence and coziness at the same time, the rafter ceiling shows the wood grain and the sliding door pasted with traditional Korean paper adds to the flavor of the traditional Korean style house. The rooms are composed of the traditional Ondol Room where one or two persons can stay; the Ordinary Room is equipped with a bedroom and an attic; and the Deluxe Room has a wide traditional Ondol room for guests from solo travelers to families. The bedroom and the living room also have traditional display cupboard and heavy hardwood table which had been used by the owner of the house, adding to the flavor of the traditional Korean style house. Equipped with cartoons and picture books, the attic is a favorite place of children. Scattered with stepping stones, the front yard of the house is filled with Sansuyu, magnolia, and cherry trees that blossom in spring. Mokhyangjae is running a traditional teahouse as well. The teahouse was opened thanks to the Chinese husband who enjoys tea, and most of the teas are imported from China. You can have a taste of dozens of kinds of teas including puer tea and red tea, along with a simple tea confectionery.


Seoul(Jung-gu)

Seoul Youth Hostel is a recreational and educational facility supported by the Seoul Metropolitan City. Equipped with a range of function rooms as well as guestrooms, the hostel is suitable for holding seminars, workshops, banquets, etc. The hotel also has a rock-climbing site, a single track stroll path, a rooftop cafe, a library and a self-served kitchen to accommodate for physical and/or cultural programs.


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.