“We deeply regret that we have caused inconvenience to our customers when using some facilities in the women’s sauna in the Grand Josun Jeju Hill suite for missing mirror coating for some windows and [problems in] operation of the blinds, ”said the statement posted on Feb. 18.
“Sauna operation has been suspended and we are closely monitoring the deficiencies and taking immediate action to address them.”
The hotel explained that the special coating makes it impossible for people to see in the sauna during the day, but it doesn’t work the same way at night, which is why the blinds should go down as soon as it is dark.
“I went on a honeymoon to Jeju Island and stayed in a suite at a newly opened five-star hotel, but my honeymoon turned out to be the worst memory of my life,” the blogger wrote, explaining that he and his wife enjoyed using the swimming pool and sauna facilities.
He adds: “On my last day, I went for a walk, but when I looked at the sauna windows, I found out that I could look into the sauna from the outside. I could see the thermometer in the sauna through the windows. We could see the inside of the showers and bathrooms from the outside, from the hotel entrance, walkway, parking lot and even from the hotel room balconies.
“My wife and I were shocked to find this out. The thought that we may have used bathrooms and showers in front of a lot of people gives me chills and we are receiving therapy.”
According to Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, local Seogwipo police were called when guests started complaining to hotel staff. The hotel’s manager was out of town for the Chinese New Year holiday, the blogger claimed.
Police are now viewing CCTV footage to determine if someone was exposed while using the facilities or if someone took illegal photos or videos from outside.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, steam and dry sauna rooms have been closed, but general tubs have been open with capacity limits. With the country’s borders closed to non-residents and quarantine laws in place, many Koreans have opted for domestic vacations this year.
Top Image: A general image shows beachgoers on Hamdeok Beach in South Korea’s southern resort town of Jeju on Aug. 24, 2020. (Photo by Daniel De Carteret / AFP via Getty Images)