5-Star Hotels in Gangwon State, South Korea

Traveling with a 2-year-old child It was nice that there was a children's playground, an indoor pool, and a large hot spring bath. The child was very satisfied. The dinner buffet had delicious snow crab and sashimi. There were various activities on site, as well as a convenience store, restaurant, and cafe, so we could enjoy ourselves all day at the resort. About 20 cm of snow fell in the middle of the night, but the staff worked hard to shovel it away, which was great. There were mats laid in the pool to prevent slipping, but they were not all over the place, so the tiled parts were slippery, so please be careful if you have small children. I asked for bed guards when I checked in, but they never came to install them.

Also good location and my room was overlooking view of the lake.  The check in took a long time and too many people at the lobby due to the check in machine was out of order.  Also too many people using the elevator and it should be improved somehow.  I don’t think I will come back for this hotel especially during peak season. There are many shops including twosome place and bhc checking and CU convinient store inside were convenient though.

We arrived late at night, so we didn’t have much time to explore the hotel. One thing we appreciated was that the hotel has a gym, as well as a bakery and a convenience store on site. Since room service is quite expensive, being able to grab some ramyeon as a late night snack was a great alternative because who doesn’t love ramyeon? The next morning, we finally had time to look around. The swimming pools were drained, which meant the terrace area was closed. That was a bit disappointing, but since I wasn’t planning to swim anyway, it wasn’t a major issue. The outdoor garden is beautiful, with plenty of photo spots where you can take lovely pictures. The beach is relatively small, but definitely worth visiting. The water is incredibly clear and the scenery is stunning. Getting to the beach was an adventure in itself. You have to walk across a bridge, head all the way down, and pass through a few access checkpoints. However, the journey is worth it, as it allows you to see another side of the hotel and enjoy the surrounding views. Overall, we had a great one day stay and enjoyed our experience. One tip: if you’re checking out and planning to take a taxi, it’s easier to leave from the beach side entrance, where taxis are much more readily available.

I had a very comfortable stay for three nights in Gangneung, thanks to how clean and well-maintained the accommodation was. The breakfast was fairly simple, but more than enough to start the day, and I especially appreciated the sense of space, which made the whole experience feel relaxed and comfortable. Getting around was easy whether by bus or taxi, and the location made it convenient to visit nearby attractions like Ojukheon and Jungang Market. For those travelling by car, the spacious parking area is definitely a big plus. There’s also a lovely pine forest path just behind the property, perfect for a quiet stroll. The ocean view from the room really added to the holiday atmosphere, and being able to enjoy both the sunrise and sunset was one of the highlights of staying at Shilla Monogram.

While clean, the room was much smaller than I anticipated. Check-in took an incredibly long time; I waited for three hours! They claimed to be following check-in numbers sent via KakaoTalk, but this wasn't actually the case. Someone making a lot of complaints was prioritized, and the whole situation was just chaotic. The room was surprisingly small and looked nothing like the photos. I was assigned to Building A, but the pictures on Trip.com were completely different from the room I received (I suspect they were of Buildings B and C). I initially wondered if the hotel had given me the wrong room, but upon re-examining the photos, the very last one did seem to be of Building A. Honestly, I feel deceived, having chosen the room based solely on those initial, misleading pictures. The swimming pool also incurs an additional charge of 80,000 KRW per person (I didn't use the pool). There's a bakery area, and its lobby is so close to the pool that everything is visible from there. While waiting for check-in, I had coffee in the lobby, and it felt rather awkward seeing people in their swimsuits so close by. Breakfast is divided into two time slots, so you must arrive at your allocated time. The coffee service, where staff pour it for you, was also quite inconvenient. Normally, one would get coffee from a self-service machine, but here there's a dedicated 'coffee zone' where you have to place an order with staff. When there's a queue, you end up waiting with your food in hand, which is truly inconvenient. And the coffee wasn't even exceptionally delicious. Despite having three staff members at the coffee zone, the whole process felt incredibly inefficient. The breakfast food itself, however, was tasty. Oh, and a quick note: Netflix isn't available in the rooms, haha. I honestly think the Lotte Resort, where I previously stayed, is far superior. Their rooms are much more spacious, the pool is complimentary, and it definitely has a more luxurious vibe. Breakfast at Lotte is also tastier, in my personal opinion (and you *can* watch Netflix there!). To sum up, Cassia offers breathtaking scenery. The breakfast was varied and delicious! However, I feel they haven't made effective use of the hotel's interior space. It's genuinely vast, and as you wander, you encounter tables, uncomfortable chairs, and very large art books on display, but it all feels a bit forced and out of place. I never felt like sitting down and relaxing on the chairs, which were also uncomfortable. The overall interior design felt somewhat unkempt and disjointed. It's a shame such a large space wasn't utilized more thoughtfully. Next time, I'll probably opt for Lotte Resort over Cassia.

The overall facilities and environment are decent, but the check-in and check-out times are completely unreasonable. You can't check in until 3 PM, yet someone was knocking on the door by 11 AM the next morning to rush us out, and they were quite rude about it, which really soured the experience. On top of that, the air conditioning in the room couldn't be adjusted, making it very inconvenient. I really hope the hotel can improve its service procedures and room amenities.

I didn't have high expectations when we arrived, but we ended up having a fantastic 2-night, 3-day stay. We had booked a room in the hotel wing, and it was conveniently close to Ocean Play. The facilities were excellent, so we had plenty to keep us entertained without even leaving the hotel. Our room was also clean, and the baby crib and bathtub we requested were provided and very useful.

Fantastic hotel! Unbeatable sea views and beautiful sunrises. The hotel is right next to the beach, perfect for camping, picnics, and there's even a Muscle Beach nearby. So convenient and definitely worth staying here!

The condition of the convention tower room was good. The snowy scenery was also very nice. There were many places to go and things to do for a vacation, so it was good. The water park, swimming pool, sauna, Unamjeong, *** (Kangwon Land), gondola, skiing, sledding, etc. were spread out, so it wasn't too crowded even though it was a holiday, which was even better. ㅎㅎ I'm even more satisfied because there's something for everyone, from children to adults. It's a bit far to get there, but it's definitely a vacation, so I'd like to visit again^^

My friends and I came to Intercontinental Alpensia because we got a really good deal and expected to experience snow right at the resort. The snow arrived a bit later than we hoped but honestly, we still had such a good time! The room was lovely, the weather was perfectly chilly (sometimes too cold.. so come prepared!) and we were lucky to catch real snow at Mount Balsangwan by taking the cable car at nearby resort (Mona Yongpyeong) We have to give a huge shout out to the in-room dining service; the Beef Risotto and Frutti di Mare Pasta were soooo good. Truly delicious! The whole area is so pretty and calm, especially with the Christmas vibe when we visited. Everything felt cozy and magical. We definitely plan to return! ❄️💙