Gyeongwonjae by Walker Hill Review: Staying in Korea's First Hanok 5-Star Hotel Before Flying Home

We had never stayed in a Hanok-style hotel before this trip. Gyeongwonjae by Walker Hill in Songdo, Incheon is considered one of the few five-star Hanok luxury properties in Korea, and it recently came under Walker Hill management (previously operated under Ambassador). We booked through Booking.com and paid 330,000 KRW (~$220 USD) for one night in a Deluxe Undo Room. When we checked in and politely asked about upgrades, the front desk surprised us with a complimentary upgrade to a Deluxe Suite Room (Tamong, Room 304). Off to a great start.

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Why Gyeongwonjae?

This is not a typical high-rise city hotel. The entire property is built in low-rise traditional Korean architecture with tile roofs, wooden beams, and courtyard layouts. It is quiet, calm, and completely different from the energy of central Seoul. If you are looking to slow down, experience traditional Korean culture, and still have modern comfort, this is the place.

Location: Songdo, Incheon. Not Seoul. The Incheon International Airport is only 30-40 minutes away by taxi, which makes this an ideal stop for your last night in Korea before flying home. Right next to Songdo Central Park, so the area is walkable and open. The Incheon Urban History Museum is right next door, and there are restaurants and shops within walking distance.

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The Room: Deluxe Suite (Room 304)

First impressions

Every room has a small private front courtyard when you enter. You walk through a traditional wooden gate with a classic Korean lock mechanism (no keycards here, just a wooden pin-and-slot system), take your shoes off before stepping inside, and immediately feel like you have stepped into a completely different world.

The walls are covered in hanji (traditional Korean rice paper), the ceiling beams are exposed wood, and the floor is traditional ondol heating. The whole room felt considered and intentional.

Living area

Spacious main room with a couch, a low floor-level seating pad (for the traditional Korean way of watching TV on a heated floor), and a large Hanok-style cabinet for storage. The TV is around 60 inches and positioned well for both seating options.

There is a separate tea room tucked behind one of the doors, with beautiful hanji wall art and a low table for sitting and having tea. It looked designed for relaxing and taking in the surroundings, not just passing through.

Multiple window configurations: sheer, screen (keeps bugs out), and full blinds. Thoughtful for different times of day.

A back door leads out to a small courtyard that can connect to neighboring rooms if you are traveling with a larger group. The hotel offers adjacent rooms that can essentially become one big connected suite.

A few details we loved:

• The floor heating (ondol system) was set to 29°C and kept the floor genuinely warm throughout the night. Korea uses floor heating instead of forced air, which means the room stays comfortable without drying out. It is also why Koreans traditionally sit and lie on the floor, and why they do not wear shoes inside. The hotel fully commits to this.
• A traditional yo (floor mattress with blanket) is provided if you want to sleep on the floor. With four people you could comfortably use both the bed and the floor.
• A microwave is provided. Most hotels skip this. It is useful.
• All mini bar drinks are fully complimentary. Coway water filter (hot/cold/room temp), Nespresso machine and pods, teas, and the fridge selection. No hidden charges for drinks.

Bedroom

King bed with labeled soft and firm pillows. This sounds minor but it is genuinely helpful and we rarely see it done clearly. The backdrop behind the bed has a traditional maehwa (plum blossom) design.

A large Hutech massage chair takes up one corner. We fought over this. Well worth it.

The room control tablet looks old school but worked smoothly. From it you can control: lights, floor temperature, AC, service call, do not disturb, and get facility info. There is also a second control panel at the desk for lights and temperature, and individual floor heating controllers. Everything was accessible and functional.

Netflix is available via a connected device plus HDMI. YouTube is not available on the TV system directly. HDMI and USB-A ports are at the desk for your own devices.

A humidifier is provided in the bedroom. A very Korean touch since heated rooms in winter can get dry.

Bathroom

Big wooden bathtub. Easily the standout feature. It is family-sized. Vincent and I sat in it with room to spare and commented that four people with kids could fit. It takes a while to fill because of the size, so start the water earlier than you think you need to.

The tub is positioned so you can look out through the window while bathing. There are blinds for privacy when you want them.

Shower has a semi-waterfall head and handheld. Molton Brown London amenities throughout (body wash, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, hand wash). Smells very good. Dyson hair dryer provided.

One note: toothbrush and toothpaste are not provided. Bring your own.

The tile detailing behind the shower has small traditional Korean design patterns. These small touches are all over the room and they add up.

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The Hotel Grounds

This is where Gyeongwonjae really separates itself from a regular hotel.

The Secret Garden

There is a locked garden that is only accessible to hotel guests. The gate requires a key and reads "access for hotel guests only." Inside: lotus flowers, koi fish, stone paths, traditional landscaping. The lotus flowers were in bloom and genuinely beautiful. The koi came up to the edge expecting to be fed.

The garden also connects to Songdo Central Park, so you can walk from the private garden out to the public park where people were cycling even in the rain.

It is called the Secret Garden and it earns the name.

Courtyards and Photo Spots

The entire property is laid out like a traditional Korean village. Multiple courtyards, tile walls, wooden pavilions, and a large open water feature with koi. There are photo spots everywhere, and we saw guests using the space for family photos, a first birthday (doljanchi) photo shoot, and what looked like wedding preparations.

The hotel is well established as a wedding venue and you can understand why when you see the ceremony spaces up close. The traditional wooden architecture and courtyard design make for a genuinely beautiful setting.

Facilities

• Bio Gym: Small but functional. Open 7am to 9pm.
• Dining: Reservation required for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is available at 35,000 KRW per person, Korean style with rice, soup, and all the side dishes (banchan). We did not book it in advance but saw the spread and it looked solid.
• Wedding and event spaces: Multiple ceremony venues including an outdoor traditional Korean wedding space.

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Dining Outside: Hanyang Restaurant

We decided to eat outside the hotel and found Hanyang, a local gogi restaurant just next door. The name means "old Seoul" (the historical name for Seoul).

The food was excellent and very authentic. An enormous number of side dishes came out before the main. The galbi (ribs) was the highlight: not overly sweet, well seasoned, very different from the Korean BBQ you typically get outside Korea. We both finished everything.

If you are near the hotel and want a local meal without the hotel price, this is worth trying.

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WiFi, Practical Details

• WiFi speed: 91 Mbps. Solid.
• Parking available on site.
• Check-in upgrade possible if you ask politely at the front desk. We simply asked if anything was available and they upgraded us at no extra cost.
• The hotel was recently acquired by Walker Hill management. We booked shortly after the transition and the standard of service and facilities felt consistent with a five-star property.

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Our Verdict

This was our first Hanok hotel stay and it completely exceeded what we expected. The property is beautiful in a way that photographs do not fully capture. The ondol floor heating, the hanji walls, the wooden bathtub, the secret garden, the koi, the courtyards. It all adds up to something that feels genuinely special and not something you can replicate at a standard city hotel.

We would absolutely come back. We only had one night and left wishing we had booked two.

Who this is perfect for:

• Anyone who wants to slow down and experience traditional Korean culture in comfort
• Travelers wrapping up a Korea trip before flying home (30-40 minutes to Incheon Airport by taxi)
• Couples, families, anyone celebrating something
• People who want something completely different from the standard high-rise city hotel

Practical tip: Ask about upgrades at check-in. We spent $220 on a standard room and ended up in a suite with a full living area, tea room, courtyard, and wooden bathtub. Politely asking costs nothing.