Lively music and spa at night on Jeju

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Province ― Nighttime on Jejudo Island can be quite boring for tourists. After the beautiful sunset, the breathtaking views of the pristine landscapes are shrouded in darkness.

At Kensington Jeju Hotel, which opened last year in Seogwipo, there’s a lively night scene with DJ music at the rooftop bar and swimming pool.

The strong music beat signals the start of the poolside party at 8:30 p.m. The mix of dance and hip-hop music is played by a professional DJ until 10 p.m. Hotel guests can attend the party for an entrance fee of 30,000 won ($27), which includes cocktails, and sparkling, white and red wine. Guests on the all-inclusive package are eligible for free entry. 

Just sipping a cocktail at the bar is not enough for the first night out on Jejudo. Guests in swim suits can immerse themselves in the warm swimming pool, feeling the cold winter air on their faces. The infinity edge swimming pool glows with colorful fluorescent lights, making the party a stylish escape.

The 25-meter infinity edge pool is what sets the hotel apart from other luxury lodgings on Jejudo. During the day, it offers a mesmerizing view of the southern coast of Seogwipo and the snow-capped Mount Hallasan. At night, it turns into an edgy, funky party venue filled with young couples and groups of friends. As it’s 140 centimeters deep, the pool is only open to adults. 

Most of the time, there’s a fierce wind at night on Jejudo, especially in winter. The warmer whirlpool bath next to the swimming pool relives tense muscles and travel fatigue. The Finnish dry sauna facility, set at 54 degrees Celsius, on the rooftop is a total escape from the cold. Wrapped in a bathrobe, one feels a pleasing sense of warmth spreading through the body.

The hotel is a perfect destination for swimmers. Every morning, a swimming lesson is conducted at the rooftop swimming pool for 30 minutes for a maximum of four guests. For kids, the pool on the ground floor offers swimming lessons twice a day, open to children aged 6 or above. The hotel runs separate outdoor hot tubs on the ground floor until midnight.

The hotel offers a convenient all-inclusive package, which includes accommodation, dining and major outdoor activities on Jeju. The package, starting from 510,000 won, includes a one-night stay at a Deluxe room, breakfast and lunch or dinner for two, a 33-hour rental car service, a day tour program, admission to the poolside party at night and a guided hotel gallery tour. The package is available until Feb. 28.

Guests can choose from more than 10 kinds of outdoor activities for their daytime tour, guided by hotel staff. Popular programs include snow trekking on Mount Hallasan or hiking on small volcanic hills called “oreum” in Jeju dialect, and a tour to local tangerine, coffee or dairy farms.

For more information, visit www.kensingtonhotel.com.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)