Cassia Sokcho

For a one-night stay costing around 600,000 KRW (with check-in at 3 PM and check-out at 11 AM), I arrived 1 hour and 20 minutes before the official check-in time to secure my place in line. Despite this, it was already past 3 PM by the time it was my turn. When I explained the situation to a staff member who appeared to be a manager, I was curtly told that check-in was strictly by order of arrival and nothing could be done. My turn at the front desk finally came about 5 minutes after the official check-in time. Upon collecting my pre-purchased breakfast coupons, I was informed that only the first and last of the three available time slots remained, forcing me to choose between them. Eventually, I did receive a call that a spot had opened up for the middle breakfast time, and I was able to exchange my coupon. However, the entire system felt very confusing and inefficient. On a positive note, hotel guests have complimentary access to the facilities. The room and the view, however, were absolutely magnificent.

A truly exceptional hotel on Korea's East Coast! Our request for an ocean view was granted, and we were absolutely thrilled. We enjoyed a wonderfully restful stay. Our sincere thanks!

The breakfast was delicious, and the view from our suite was fantastic. Our stay was incredibly clean and comfortable. I'd love to come back with my family sometime. Plus, Daepo Port is just around the corner!

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 ocean view room was truly breathtaking. The rooftop observation deck offers stunning views of both Seoraksan Mountain and the East Sea. The gym boasts ocean views and even doubles as a dance studio. The mango smoothie in the 4th-floor lobby was delicious. A game room in a hotel was a first for me! It's only a 10-minute jog to the Sokcho Ferris Wheel, and right behind the hotel is a port famous for its fresh seafood and crabs.

Due to the triangular room layout, it's awkward to fully open the curtains and enjoy the ocean view from the bathtub while naked. Breakfast was included in the package, so I ended up taking it, though I would've much preferred to sleep in. I ate it so it wouldn't go to waste, but honestly, at this price, it's definitely not something I'd actively choose or pay extra for.