A Budget-Friendly Stay at Gurye Jirisan Resort: A Review
Gurye, nestled between Jirisan Mountain and the Seomjingang River, is a perfect destination for a healing autumn getaway. If you're planning a trip to Gurye to see the autumn foliage of Jirisan, here's an introduction to a cost-effective accommodation option: Gurye Jirisan Resort.
Searching for accommodations near Jirisan or in Gurye can be challenging, as there aren't many options, making it difficult to find a place you truly like. When I traveled to Gurye for summer vacation during peak season, many places were already booked or overpriced for the facilities they offered. That's when I discovered Gurye Jirisan Resort. Room rates start from around ₩80,000 per night for a room accommodating two (up to four) people.
When booking, I chose this resort based on previous reviews highlighting its affordability rather than luxurious facilities.
First Impressions of Gurye Jirisan Resort
The resort felt different from other accommodations I'd stayed at. As we walked down the hallway, my kids kept asking, "Is this really our hotel?" with wide eyes.
The lobby has plenty of chairs and tables, making it a great place to relax. There's also a Starbucks capsule coffee machine available.
Gurye Jirisan Resort is a remodeled former KT training center. It's unclear if renovations are still in progress, but the atmosphere of a training center still lingers. Nevertheless, it's a fairly large resort with facilities like a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue area, and a breakfast restaurant – it has everything you need.
Review of the Family Room with Ondol (Korean heated floor) – A Clean and Simple Room
I chose the family room with Ondol because I was traveling with three children. I had heard there would be an extra charge for additional guests, but it seems they only charge extra if you request additional bedding. We received a traditional key and headed to our room on the 3rd floor.
The Ondol room was spacious enough for four people to sleep comfortably and looked even simpler due to the Ondol flooring.
The family Ondol room had clean wallpaper, seemingly recently replaced, and the bedding was well-maintained. There was a large TV, and the air conditioner and fan were in good condition, so I felt comfortable and secure about the cleanliness. The refrigerator was a bit small. Two bottles of water were provided, according to the standard occupancy.
The bathroom was clean and quite spacious. Shampoo, body wash, and soap were provided, and there was also a laundry drying rack. The water pressure was good, and the hot water worked well, so there were no inconveniences.
Breakfast at Gurye Jirisan Resort – Great for Adults, Not So Much for Kids
You need to decide whether to have breakfast when you check in and pay in advance. The price is ₩10,000 per person. There are many restaurants near Hwaeomsa Temple that serve breakfast, but I had seen many positive reviews of the resort's breakfast, so I decided to try it.
Breakfast starts at 7:30 AM, and you should arrive no later than 8:30 AM. The breakfast restaurant also has a training center vibe. It felt like being in a company cafeteria as I grabbed a tray and joined the line.
The breakfast is a Korean buffet style. The soup and side dishes seem to vary daily. Most of the dishes were not heavily seasoned and were quite bland. As someone who enjoys Korean food, I found it quite tasty, but my picky kids complained because there weren't many dishes they liked.
Gurye Jirisan Resort's breakfast even includes mugwort soup.
I guess it was worse because the soup that day happened to be mugwort soup.
In the reviews, I had seen donuts, yogurt, and tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patties) offered, so it was a somewhat disappointing breakfast for children.
Even so, the breakfast was neat and well-prepared for adults, and the ₩10,000 price was reasonable. However, if you're traveling with children, keep in mind that there may not be many options that appeal to them.
Gurye Jirisan Resort Swimming Pool and Sauna
My children wanted to swim again even after they had already swam.
I went to check out the children's swimming pool in advance, as I heard it was open. The children's pool is open from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The swimming pools, both indoor and outdoor, were large but seemed to be under maintenance.
The indoor adult pool was under construction and blocked off, so it wasn't really suitable for swimming. Even the kids didn't say anything about swimming. I hope they complete the construction and fully open the swimming pool in the future. I'll have to wait until next year. Instead, many guests were using the sauna. The discounted rate for guests is ₩6,000, which is quite affordable, and it's open from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM (with a break from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM for maintenance).
Location and Surroundings
After checking out the swimming pool, I took a walk around the resort.
The outdoor auditorium and barbecue area are quite large. It's great for taking a stroll, and the surrounding scenery is beautiful. It was a shame that the neglected and outdated facilities weren't properly maintained, as it could be a perfect family hotel where you could spend the whole day.
Gurye Hwaeomsa Temple
The resort's location is also good for traveling around Gurye. It's about a 10-minute drive from the resort to Hwaeomsa Temple. I visited Hwaeomsa Temple alone early in the morning while my children were asleep.
I would consider staying here again when visiting Gurye.
Although my children were initially disappointed when we arrived at the resort, they quickly adapted and had a great time visiting the convenience store, playing in the lobby, and taking walks. There was even an amusing incident where we had to evacuate due to a fire alarm in the early morning, but it became an unforgettable memory with my children.
In conclusion, Gurye Jirisan Resort is a clean and cost-effective accommodation option in Gurye. It's suitable for families even during peak season, thanks to its reasonable prices, and it's convenient to have breakfast available. I expect it will provide even greater satisfaction once the outdated facilities are further renovated.
✔️ Staying at Gurye Jirisan Resort was not a bad choice for accommodation near Jirisan or in Gurye.
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