What’s the Oakvalley Hills Village stay like?

Oakvalley Hills Village is a resort accommodation in Wonju. It’s a reasonable driving distance from Seoul, so a lot of people go on weekends or holidays. We booked an ondol room, which came to around 200,000 won during the August holiday. If your child is under 36 months, an ondol room is safer than a bed — there’s nothing to fall off of if they roll around on the floor. The facility itself is dated. We noticed stains on the ceiling and part of the floor was slightly raised. It was cleaned well, but the building’s age was noticeable. Given the price, the condition of the facility was a bit disappointing.

How does check-in work?

It’s mobile check-in. Install the Oakvalley app, confirm your reservation, and the Bluetooth door lock opens the room. No need to visit the front desk — you can go straight in from 3pm. Room selection was available, but we used auto-assignment, and we got the 3rd floor. One downside: the elevator wait is long. It was a holiday, so with so many people it took a while to catch an elevator each time. In the end, we ended up using the stairs more often than not.

What’s inside the room?

Being an ondol room, the floor is heated, and there’s a TV mounted on the wall. Blankets and pillows are stored generously in the closet. Towels were also well stocked. The kitchenette area has a fridge, sink, microwave, and electric kettle. It was convenient to be able to make ramyeon or simple food — we bought cup noodles at the convenience store and cooked them there. There’s also a drying rack, which was handy for hanging swimsuits and rash guards after coming back from the pool. There’s a hair dryer at the vanity, and shampoo and body wash are wall-mounted in the bathroom. There are no disposable amenities like toothbrushes or razors — you need to bring your own.

Can you open the window?

Better not to. There’s an outdoor AC unit right outside the window, and opening it lets in a lot of noise. We opened it for ventilation and closed it right away because it was so loud. The view is basically just the outdoor unit too.

What’s it like staying here with two kids?

Being an ondol room, it’s safe for young children. The floor is warm and spacious, so the kids had a great time rolling around. There are enough blankets and pillows for a family of 3–4 to sleep comfortably. Forest Terrace BBQ is on the 1st floor of the same building, and the GS25 convenience store is on the basement level. The pool is also in the same building, keeping everything close by. You can take the elevator up and down and handle the restaurant, convenience store, and pool without ever needing the car.