Gyeongju Pension Sparks Controversy Over "No Check-In Without Extra Cash Payment" Policy

"50,000 Won for Lukewarm Pool Water... Mandatory Even If You Don't Use It"

The issue of price gouging at a lodging facility in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, the host city of the '2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit,' has sparked controversy online.

Travel YouTuber Dulsinea uploaded a video on October 26 titled, "I booked a room through an app and arrived, but they said I can't check in unless I pay extra in cash."

The YouTuber, who visited Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, explained that she was unable to book a room in advance, so she made a reservation for a lodging facility using an app at around 9:44 p.m. Upon arriving at the property 15 minutes later, she was told by the owner that she would need to pay an additional 50,000 won in cash. This was for use of the swimming pool. When the YouTuber said, "It's late, so I won't be using the pool. That's fine," the owner insisted, "Whether you use the pool or not, you must pay the additional 50,000 won."

When the YouTuber said she would cancel the reservation, the owner replied, "Go ahead and cancel, but let me know." The YouTuber then called the reservation app's customer service, where she was told that a cancellation would be possible if the owner approved it. However, the owner stated, "I told you to cancel, but I never said I would refund you."

According to the recording released by the YouTuber, the owner said, "You asked about cancellation, so I told you that you would have to do it yourself. You didn't ask if you could get a refund, did you? I never mentioned anything about a refund." When the YouTuber tried to explain, "If I say I want to cancel, of course I expect a refund," the owner interrupted, saying, "That's not the case. Just follow the rules. I told you to cancel the reservation yourself, but I never said I would refund you."

The owner further claimed, "At any pool villa, the swimming pool fee is separate. Wherever you go, there will be extra charges." He added, "It's not that we didn't provide notice; we wrote 'Pool Required' in large letters at the top. You probably missed it because you booked in a hurry. We indicated that it is a mandatory, not optional, requirement," shifting the responsibility to the guest.

Screenshot of YouTuber 'Dulsinea'

The YouTuber revealed that there was indeed a sign next to the room stating "Pool with lukewarm water required." However, she explained, "You have to check the basic information to find out about the extra fee, and even then, it's not immediately visible. You have to click 'View All,' and it's listed as the second-to-last item at the very bottom." The property requires guests to use the pool with lukewarm water, but it also stated that the lukewarm water is only maintained until 9 p.m. The YouTuber added, "Even if I pay the 50,000 won extra fee for the lukewarm water, I don't understand why we have to pay this fee when we arrived after 10 p.m. and the lukewarm water is only maintained until 9 p.m."

She also pointed out, "If it's a mandatory charge and not optional, why isn't it included in the room rate, and why do we have to pay it on-site?" In response, the owner insisted, "Other guests who arrive at 1 or 2 a.m. also pay the extra fee." When the YouTuber asked, "This could cause misunderstandings. If the room rate is 100,000 won, why not just list it as 150,000 won including the 50,000 won pool fee?" the owner replied, "You also pay a commission to the platform, don't you? We pay a 12% commission too. Deducting 12% from the room rate is already a lot, and if we also deduct 12% from the pool fee, we have nothing left."

Screenshot of YouTuber 'Dulsinea'

In the end, the YouTuber drove for about 50 minutes to use another lodging facility that night. She commented, "Since I visited after the cancellation window had closed, I understand that I can't get a refund," but also pointed out, "The information was not presented in a way that future guests could clearly recognize." She added, "The next day, I was contacted by a representative from the booking app offering a full refund, but I declined. If I accept the refund, it would be as if nothing happened, and it would make us look like people who made a fuss just for money."

She continued, "It was partly my fault for not checking all the basic information, but for a mandatory on-site extra fee-not an option like bedding or extra guests-it should have been displayed more prominently. Having to make a double payment in cash like this is very confusing, and I'm worried I might encounter similar situations at other lodging facilities." She concluded, "If you plan to visit a pool villa pension, I hope you carefully check the basic information so you don't experience the same thing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.