A Whirlwind 2-Day Stay at Paradise City, Incheon: A Parent's Survival Guide
Where am I...?
My whole body aches.
I open my eyes and realize...
This is Paradise City, Incheon.
It's morning.
Why aren't I home...?
Somehow, it's Day 2 at Paradise City, and the real test of endurance has begun.
If yesterday's swimming pool session was a warm-up, today is a full-course, kid-centric experience.
Paradise City Hotel in Incheon boasts a kids' cafe, Playlab, and an outdoor playground all on the 3rd floor, creating a non-stop 'kid-friendly route'.
We chose to make an extra payment on our mortgage instead of having breakfast at the hotel.
A quick search revealed that breakfast at Paradise City costs roughly ₩70,000 per adult and ₩30,000 per child.
The breakfast cost alone was almost as much as our room rate, making our hands tremble.
'If we put that money towards the principal on our mortgage, wouldn't the interest decrease by at least ₩1,000 next month?'
We boldly skipped the hotel breakfast and headed to the hotel's restaurant area.
It was quiet in the morning. Most restaurants seemed to open after 11 AM.
We opted for Paul Bassett.
A sandwich and an Americano for us, and juice for the child – a much more practical choice.
What more can I say about the price and taste?
While Paul Bassett wasn't the perfect substitute for the hotel breakfast, it was an excellent alternative.
Next up: the Family Lounge on the 3rd floor – a world of educational programs.
Right after breakfast, we headed to the Family Lounge on the 3rd floor.
It's not just a kids' cafe.
They offer 'My Little Tiger' programs, Mensa Select toy experiences, and even British English programs.
If you're a parent looking to combine education and play, this is worth checking out.
However, our main goal today was the kids' cafe.
Our package included free access to the kids' cafe until 1 PM on Day 2.
The kids' cafe impressed us with its cleanliness.
The child's eyes sparkled at the sight of the spacious area. It had everything: slides, blocks, dinosaurs, and even a play kitchen.
While the scale and facilities might be slightly less impressive than dedicated kids' cafes...
It felt like the cleanest and best-maintained kids' play area we've ever been to.
Thanks to CESCO, it felt very trustworthy.
Plus, they had plenty of the toys that kids love, including dinosaurs, animals, blocks, a play kitchen, and LEGOs.
It's a space that kindergarten and daycare-aged children will truly enjoy.
There's even a spacious outdoor playground, perfect for changing the atmosphere when things get a little dull.
If you have children, I highly recommend visiting.
Next up: Playlab on the 2nd floor. This is a nostalgic space that parents will love.
Our next stop was Playlab on the 2nd floor. It's packed with arcade games and large gaming machines.
This is where mom and dad get to have some fun.
First up, Sonic Origins – dad's specialty.
Then, Gran Turismo – mom's specialty (sort of).
Thirty minutes flew by in an instant.
After checking out, we grabbed a meal at a local restaurant.
After checking out of the hotel, we went to a nearby restaurant called Irio Nera.
A hearty serving of warmth.
We ordered grilled fish, nutritious stone pot rice, and seafood pancake. The mackerel was especially amazing.
Even after pouring cold water, the scorched rice in the stone pot continued to bubble.
It was a realistic taste that was different from the hotel buffet. The price and taste were both satisfying.
If you're getting tired of hotel food, I recommend it.
(Note: Haven't tried the Paradise City hotel buffet myself)
It's a 10-minute drive away.
However, the surrounding area is somewhat underdeveloped.
Lastly, Eulwangri Beach – the child's first time at the beach.
Our final stop was Eulwangri Beach.
It had been almost 20 years since I last visited Eulwangri, when I came with friends on a late-night trip.
The child looked incredibly happy just touching the sand.
Seeing the child's excited expression as they walked along the beach with their mom for the first time made for a perfect end to our two-day trip.
Back home, it's back to reality.
As soon as we arrived home, it was back to our usual routine.
The child went to Taekwondo with mom,
and I quickly unpacked, started the robot vacuum and laundry, and fed the snails.
A little later, as I went to pick up the child, I looked at the scenery in front of our house,
and I realized that this trip had gone really well.
A recap of our one-night, two-day staycation at Paradise City Hotel in Incheon.
Day 1: Swimming pool and hotel buffet. Day 2: Kids' cafe, Playlab, and Eulwangri Beach.
If you're looking for a hotel to visit with children, you won't find a more packed and fulfilling itinerary.
Just be sure to pack extra energy for the parents.
Filling the two days focused on the child exhausted the parents, but seeing the child say they want to go to 'hotel home' again made it all worthwhile.
That's all that matters.
- End of my first staycation review -
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