The Hanok Heritage - Inside Korea’s Largest Hanok Hotel

The Hanok Heritage in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, is the largest hanok hotel in Korea. It is not a collection of restored old houses. Every building was newly constructed to reinterpret the 1,000-year-old hanok for modern use. Its founder, an IT entrepreneur, developed a microwave method that shortens timber drying from about ten years to six months.

The estate covers 340,000 m² (about 3.66 million sq ft) around a pine forest that was preserved in its entirety. It has an 84 m (276 ft) wooden corridor, 20 hotel rooms and five private villas. It won the hotel category at the 2024 Prix Versailles.

Yeongwol: Royal History, a River Loop, and a Pine Forest

Yeongwol is a mountainous rural county of about 36,000 people. The founder searched across Korea for a site before choosing this one. A river curves around the land in a 300-degree arc, and overlapping mountain ranges surround it. This matches baesanimsu, the traditional principle of siting a building with mountains at its back and water in front.

The hotel faces Seondol Rock across the Pyeongchang River. At the center of the land is the pine forest, around which the hanok were designed. You can see three layers of landscape at once: layered mountains in the distance (wongyeong), the Seondol rock pillar in the middle view (joonggyeong), and the pine forest and hanok in the near view (geungyeong).

Yeongwol is also tied to royal history. King Danjong, the sixth Joseon monarch, was exiled to Cheongnyeongpo here, and his UNESCO-listed burial site is in the county.

To get there, take the AREX train from Incheon International Airport to Seoul Station, then the KTX to Jecheon Station, followed by a short transfer. A regional coach from Seoul Express Bus Terminal to Yeongwol is another option. Cheongju International Airport is about two hours away.

Twelve Years of Research Behind a New Kind of Hanok

Chung-il Cho founded an IT company in 1998 that now operates in more than 90 countries. After years in digital work, he wanted to create a physical space of comfort, and he chose the hanok. He found that the hanok’s traditional drawbacks, such as drafts, poor insulation and noise, came from construction techniques rather than from the hanok itself.

The first problem was timber. Wood for hanok construction needs about ten years of natural drying. The team developed a microwave-based method that does it in six months and brings moisture content to a maximum of 15%. That is lower than the 25% permitted even in cultural heritage restorations, and it reduces warping and misaligned windows. The wood is stored for drying at a timber depot in Donghae.

Modern technology was added where traditional methods fell short. Double-glazed windows with custom hinges made from specialized German metal replace the traditional paper windows (changho). Transparent fiber screens keep the principle of chagyeong, or borrowed scenery. An insulated solid wall (dangolbyeok) replaces the traditional filler between rafters. Stone is paired with timber and marble with wood, and the interiors are kept minimal so the architecture stays in front.

The Hanok Heritage opened in 2023 as a private, members-only retreat with three villas and 10 guest rooms. It opened to the public in September 2025. The hotel’s design draws on Jongmyo Jeongjeon, the main hall of the UNESCO-listed Jongmyo Shrine. In 2024 it also won the IIDA Global Excellence Awards in the hotel category.

The 84-Meter Wooden Corridor

The estate’s corridor is 84 m (276 ft) long and built entirely of wood. The founder described it as more than a passage: it is a space that connects different areas of the estate. The hotel was built with the craftsmanship of 25 artisans.

Byeoljae Pavilion: Tea, Traditional Liquor with a View of Seondol Rock

Byeoljae is the estate’s pavilion facing Seondol Rock. Its tea house program, Chaeum and Bieum, centers on five original blends made with Rohae Seoul. Each is named for a state: Stillness, Flow, Vitality, Warmth and Depth.

You choose the blend that matches how you want to feel, and it comes with handcrafted Korean confections. The Tea Pairing Set includes tea for two and nine handcrafted desserts, which vary slightly with the season and daily availability. The tea house is open to day visitors as well as hotel guests.

In the evening, the pavilion hosts the Sulsi program, which pairs traditional Korean liquor with a seasonal juansang, an assortment of dishes. Byeoljae is also where the sound bath and yoga programs take place, and the estate lists it as a place to watch a sky full of stars.

Twelve Rooms and Eight Suites

The hotel has 20 units: 12 rooms echoing the structure of Jongmyo Jeongjeon and eight suites reflecting the flow of the four seasons. Each is designed around chagyeong, framing the courtyards, mountains, and stone walls outside your window.

The categories are:

• Sodam: four units of 45.6 m² (491 sq ft), overlooking traditional stone walls
• Gaon: six twin rooms of 45.6 m² (491 sq ft), facing the courtyard and gardens
• Sol: three units of 45.6 m² (491 sq ft) or 60.8 m² (654 sq ft), with views of forests and mountain ridges
• Corner Suite San: one suite of 91.2 m² (982 sq ft) with floor-to-ceiling windows, for up to four people
• Premier Suite Sum: six suites of 113.92 m² (1,226 sq ft), for up to four people

Accessible rooms are available in the Sodam and Sol categories at 60.8 m² (654 sq ft). Rooms sleep two to three people. A welcome tea and a minibar are provided, and you can arrange the Sulsi experience.

The Five Private Villas

The five villas surround the central pine garden, and each is rented to one group at a time. A dedicated butler is assigned to each, and stays include breakfast, dinner and the minibar. The villas differ in size and position:

• Seondoljeong: 981 m² (10,560 sq ft), four bedrooms, sleeps eight (up to 10)
• Yeongwol Jongtaek 1: 598 m² (6,437 sq ft), three bedrooms, sleeps six (up to eight)
• Yeongwol Jongtaek 2: 674 m² (7,255 sq ft), three bedrooms, sleeps six (up to eight)
• Chunhajeongsa: 288.4 m² (3,104 sq ft), three bedrooms, sleeps six (up to eight)
• Chudongjeongsa: 291.6 m² (3,139 sq ft), two bedrooms, sleeps four (up to six)

The Jongtaek villas have private outdoor pools, and Seondoljeong has a private indoor pool. Chunhajeongsa and Chudongjeongsa sit close to the pond garden. Both have a courtyard garden, a veranda facing the pond and a private wellness space. Chunhajeongsa connects directly to the fitness center and indoor pool.

Yeongwol Jongtaek: Two Villas, One Built for Rest and One for Gathering

Yeongwol Jongtaek was the estate’s first completed villa project. Jongtaek 1, named Rest (休), is inspired by Unhyeongung Palace. It has an expansive daecheong (main hall), a gallery-like dining room, a hinoki cypress dry sauna, a courtyard and a private outdoor pool.

The first floor has a bedroom with two queen beds, a living room, dining room and kitchen. The second floor has two king bedrooms (Byeolchae and Anchae), two bathrooms with hinoki cypress bathtubs, the daecheong, a garden and a Numaru terrace.

Jongtaek 2, named Joy (樂), stands at the highest point of the property, with views of mountain ridges and the evening sunset.

It has the same bedroom layout, plus a multimedia room with a 120-inch projector, a karaoke system and an LP turntable. It also has a private outdoor pool and a garden.

Seondoljeong: The Largest Hanok on the Estate

Seondoljeong is the estate’s largest hanok and is named after the nearby Seondol Rock. It was completed in March 2024, after Yeongwol Jongtaek. Its palace-inspired architecture has soaring ceilings and an open sense of space.

The first floor has two bedrooms, each with two queen beds, three bathrooms (two with marble bathtubs), a living room, dining area, kitchen, a secondary kitchen for chefs, a hinoki cypress dry sauna, a multimedia room and a private indoor pool.

The second floor has two king bedrooms (Byeolchae and Anchae) on either side of a central lounge, the daecheong. It also has two bathrooms with hinoki cypress bathtubs. A lift connects the two levels.

Outside are a water basin garden and a cultural performance hall. The interior designer is Sangyoon Kim, whose furniture collection pairs modern function with traditional craftsmanship. The guest rooms have walls of hanji, the traditional Korean paper, that let light through. The villa is set up for family stays, banquets, private weddings and brand events.

Raonjae Wellness Complex: Infinity Pool, Sound Bath, and Sunrise Yoga

Raonjae is the estate’s wellness center. It includes a Hanok Infinity Pool, a kids’ pool, an indoor pool, a spa, a wellness lounge, a restaurant and a jjimjilbang (Korean sauna).

The Hanok Infinity Pool is the centerpiece of Raonjae. It sits in a setting of hanok architecture and natural scenery. The spa offers treatments inspired by traditional Korean wellness rituals, lasting 60 to 90 minutes.

The sound bath is held at Byeoljae Pavilion and is available only if you are staying at the hotel. It lasts about an hour and is offered on Sundays, with a minimum of two participants. It starts with a tea meditation and breathing exercises. Next comes a sound meditation using 12 therapeutic instruments, including singing bowls. It ends with fragrance pairing and sound therapy.

Sunrise Yoga also takes place at Byeoljae Pavilion, under traditional wooden rafters, and is available only if you are staying at the hotel. It lasts about an hour and is offered on Sundays, with a minimum of four participants.

The program moves from meditation and breathing to yoga, then to singing bowls and rest. Mats are provided. The program draws on the Joseon-era scholars’ practice of starting the day by balancing body and mind.

Stargazing at the Hanok Observatory

The skies above Yeongwol are free of light pollution. The stargazing program is based on Joseon-era astronomy, which guided farming cycles and seasonal planning. You learn to locate the constellations that Joseon astronomers studied. The Big Dipper, Altair and Vega served as guides for night travel, and the program also covers what people of that era drew from the order of the heavens.