4-Star Hotels in Gangwon State, South Korea

Hotel Sokcho is located a 5-minute walk away from the Express Bus Terminal. This is very convenient for catching early buses back to Seoul. There’s a large supermarket nearby as well as convenience stores and eateries. Sokcho Beach is also about a 10-minute walk down the road. The rooms are bright and spacious, with amazing views of the sea. But what we really appreciated was the remarkable standard of service offered. Late one night, our toilet got choked and the flush stopped working. We called the front desk and within a mere 10 minutes, a smartly clad staff appeared at our door, very politely fixed the uncomfortable issue and very politely left, all in a matter of a few minutes. Minimum fuss, maximum efficiency. We were impressed.

Overall, it was a fairly standard stay, saved by the brand reputation and great location, but the value for money was low. 2400 a night for a five-star hotel was indeed a bit pricey. I chose it because it's under the Banyan Tree brand, and there's a lot of hype about it on Xiao Hong Shu (Redbook), but the actual stay wasn't great. The front desk is on the second floor, and check-in was smooth. The staff's English was decent, and they spoke a little Chinese, though there weren't many Chinese guests there anyway. The room wasn't very big. The mattress firmness and size were reasonable, and the windows were floor-to-ceiling. The downside was that they couldn't be opened, so ventilation relied entirely on the air conditioning. Upon entering, there was a noticeable smell of fresh paint. Room service ended at 9 PM. The infinity pool is on the 21st floor, which seems to be the hotel's main selling point. Hmm... the good thing is the water quality is excellent, but the water temperature was too high. It would probably be great in winter. The pool isn't very large, and there's also a warm pool next to it. The lounge chairs were packed very tightly, probably mostly for sunbathing, and the flow of traffic felt a bit congested. Usage hours were from 8 AM to 12 PM. According to Korean law, children are not allowed in after 8 PM, which is pretty standard across Korea. Next, the worst part of the experience: the soundproofing was terrible. I could clearly hear guests walking and talking in the next room. We were woken up in the middle of the night after falling asleep, and it took two calls to the front desk and about 30 minutes for someone to come and speak to them. The room environment and service level truly don't match the brand and price! I hope they can improve, which is why I've offered these suggestions.

Nice hotel well situated by the night market, Abai Village and Rodeo Drive. Easy to walk around and explore. The rooms was well kept with no issues. Only downside was lack of parking. They will try to accommodate you so you won't be stuck, but was inconvenient.

Ramada boasts truly stunning ocean views. The location is superb, ideal for a leisurely stroll after a meal. We decided to have breakfast on our last day and were pleased to find they've added pho (rice noodles) to the menu. My mother, who had been craving something warm since morning, absolutely loved it and ate it all up.

The room was new, very clean, and spacious, with a small private terrace. Overall, it was great, but the room didn't have universal power outlets, which was quite inconvenient as I didn't bring an adapter. The bathroom was nice, but the lights were under the mirror, making it less convenient to use. Also, the hotel is located on a hillside. It's easy to walk down, but going back up, it's best to take a taxi as it's quite a distance, and carrying luggage would be a real test of stamina. The lobby on the first floor is very upscale, with decor similar to a high-star hotel. There's also a convenience store on the first floor, which makes it easy to buy things.

The room's cleanliness was generally good, but the hotel's location is quite far from the city center, which is really inconvenient without a car. It was hard to get an Uber, but thankfully the front desk staff were great; they helped me call taxis a few times and were very patient, which I appreciate! The hotel is part of a resort. I had fried chicken downstairs, but for other meals, I took a taxi to the city, which cost nearly 100 RMB per trip. If you're staying at the hotel, you get a 10% discount at Ocean Play; remember to mention your room number when buying tickets at the front desk. It's divided into a sauna and a swimming pool. I mistakenly went to the outdoor area of the sauna, thinking it was the famous Instagrammable pool, but there are still outdoor hot tubs there.

This was a very pleasant place to stay before and after a hike in Seoraksan National Park. Lovely view from the balcony. Very clean and comfortable, and helpful staff! Very convenient location. The local bus to the national park is right across the street from the hotel, and the hotel is 10 minutes walk from the express bus terminal. I was pleasantly surprised by a washing machine in the room, which was great to clean my muddy clothes after my hike (you'll need your own laundry detergent). The room had a kitchenette with sink, hot plate, and full-size refrigerator and freezer. The only problem is there was no pot or pan to use on the hot plate, so I could not actually use it to warm my food (unless I would travel with my own pot)! It would be nice if the room provided a hair dryer and if the hotel had some breakfast option. The cafe downstairs offers only drinks, not food, and doesn't open until 11 a.m. The entryway light is motion activated, and there are many electronic buttons and panels around the room that emit light, so if you are sensitive to light while sleeping, you will have to cover your eyes with a sleep mask. Also note that it you close the sliding door between the bed and living area while the air conditioning is on, it will prevent the cold air from reaching the part of the room where the thermostat is located, so the air conditioner will remain on indefinitely, and the sleeping area will get very cold. The various panels for lights and temperature were a bit difficult to understand. English labels would be helpful. But the receptionist was helpful and came up to my room to show me how to use the air conditioning. The USB port on the nightstand worked some of the time and sometimes it didn't. I couldn't figure out if there was a switch or setting somewhere in the room to make it work, or if it was just malfunctioning.

Hotel is very conveniently situated close to the Sokcho Express bus terminal (not to be confused with the Sokcho Inter-city bus terminal which is about 25 minutes busride away. Very well kept hotel. Microwave available close to reception. Fresh towels daily. Water bottles daily. If you're lucky and get a higher room facing north you will be impressed by the view of the lake which the town surrounds and also the impressive red bridge (Blue bridge wasn't visible from the 7th floor) and lovely sunrises and sunsets to the right in the morning and to the left in the evening. (Blue and Red bridges are called Seorak and Geumgang Bridges).

Perfect stay! The room had a wonderful view of the ocean and coast, we took many nice pictures. The hotel is literally in front of the SokchoEye, perfect to relax after a long drive! The room was spacious, we had a tiny kitchen which was extremely appreciated! Easy parking. The self check-in and self check-out were the cherry on top 🥰 I’ll definitely stay here again in the future!

Appeared to be newly renovated. The rooms were spacious, had a small equipped kitchen, and great a/c. No conditioner for hair and only three hand towels in the bathroom. But really amazing value for the price, esp for families for small kids. There’s a kid zone in the hotel with arcade and fun games and of course water park next door. Starbucks and GS25 in hotel too.