Podo Hotel, how adorable is its name? Podo means “grapes” in Korean, and the name was given because the hotel, designed after Jeju oreum (volcanic cones) and traditional thatched roof buildings, looks like a bunch of grapes from a bird‘s-eye view. Podo Hotel is located in the tranquil nature of Hallasan Mountain for visitors to enjoy private and luxury vacations, so it is frequented by presidents of mega-corporations, celebrities, etc.

The work of Itami Jun, a global architect who loved Jeju Island

Podo Hotel boasts the gorgeous architectural beauty that made it selected as one of the “7 Most Beautiful Constructions in Jeju Island.” Buildings designed after Jeju’s volcanic cones and soft lines of thatched roof houses blend in with nature marvelously, and they are the works of Itami Jun (original name Yoo Dong-ryong), a global architect. A globally-renowned Korean-Japanese architect, Itami Jun was the first architect to have a solo exhibition at the Musee Guimet in Paris, France, received the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France, and won many architectural awards in Korea and Japan. He has a special love for Jeju Island and has left many architectural masterpieces, including the Podo Hotel, Bangju Church, and Water Wind Stone Museum. Podo Hotel is a masterpiece that re-interprets Jeju’s nature and regional traits in contemporary architectural design and is regarded as the most iconic work of Itami Jun with his architectural philosophy. Like his philosophy of “a building must breathe with the land where it stands,” he put a lot of effort into the spatial placement. Rooms are designed so that windows in each accommodation overlook the beautiful nature of Jeju at all times.

Premium accommodation, quality hot spring water

Podo Hotel is a single-story hotel with about 26 rooms in total. Guests may choose to stay in its Presidential Suite, Royal Suite, and Deluxe rooms, which come in Korean rooms and Western rooms. Korean rooms are built using the traditional method with eco-friendly materials. The rafters are visible, and the walls and floor are finished with clay, with Korean paper on the ondol (under-the-heating system) floor. It is a Korean-style room with beds for foreigners to relax in a familiar setting. Western rooms are simple but sensual in design. Both rooms have outdoor terraces so that guests can enjoy the view of nature. The finest accommodation, the Presidential Suite Room, is like a hotel within the hotel, with its outdoor swimming pool and a private garden.Another pride of the hotel is that all rooms are provided with quality aragonite hot spring water. Aragonite hot spring has a discharge temperature of about 42°C, unlike other general hot springs, which makes it a high-temperature hot spring and contains great components such as potassium and magnesium. One of its characteristics is its milky opaque color. Guests in every room can enjoy a private hot spring spa. Its traditional Korean room has a premium Japanese cypress bathtub, and the Western-style room has a marble bathtub. Podo Hotel has few rooms, and the privacy of each room is well-kept, so it is loved by many celebrities. It is known that CEO Chey Tae-won of SK Group loves to stay here whenever he visits Jeju Island.