Gangneung family stay with split 1st/2nd floor villa: Yeongjin-gil 51

Why I chose Yeongjin-gil 51, an ocean-view pension in Gangneung

When you're hunting for an ocean-view pension in Gangneung, sometimes you book off photos alone and the actual space turns out kind of iffy, right? I dug through a bunch of Gangneung pension reviews and found one I really liked, so I booked it on Naver and went!

Since it was a family trip, we were looking for a private villa in Gangneung with multiple bedrooms and a place where we could comfortably eat meals in.

And the most important condition was a spa. My boyfriend and I both love spas, so we picked Yeongjin-gil 51 for its hinoki spa.

The beach was a 3-minute walk away, so it really delivered on the whole reason for coming to Gangneung.

3 minutes on foot to Yeongjin Beach, ocean view from the 2nd floor

Yeongjin-gil 51 is close to Yeongjin Beach. The beach was about a 3-minute walk from the villa, which made it great for a morning or evening stroll.

It's a bit of a letdown when you come all the way to Gangneung and the beach is far, right? Here, the beach is right there, so the whole time I stayed I kept thinking, "I'm really in Gangneung."

From the 2nd floor bedroom you could see Yeongjin Beach, so waking up in the morning felt great too. If you're looking for an ocean-view pension in Gangneung, you'd care about both the view and beach access, and this part really satisfied me.

Being a true private villa made it that much more comfortable

Yeongjin-gil 51 is a private villa with the 1st and 2nd floors separated.

There's a yard too, with barbecue possible in it, and a fire pit zone was set up as well.

Since our trip was just one night, we didn't get to do barbecue or the fire pit, but if we'd had more time, spending the evening in the yard would have been really nice.

Parking also had its own separate spot by the yard, which made unloading luggage easy.

With a private villa in Gangneung, the space matters, but whether you can park right there matters more than you'd think too. Being able to park right in front when you have a lot of luggage was definitely a big plus.

1st floor layout and dining room at Yeongjin-gil 51

On the 1st floor there were 2 rooms, 1 bathroom, a dining room, a kitchen, and a living room.

One bedroom had a really comfortable queen bed, and the other room had a TV and sofa bed, good for either resting or sleeping.

The living room and dining room were separate, so it didn't feel cramped even with several of us. The 1st floor dining room was my favorite part in particular.

We ate meals together here, drank, and played board games.

If you're spending a lot of time at your stay, a table space like this really matters.

It wasn't just a place to sleep — having a space to spend time together made the trip more fun.

The 1st floor kitchen was well equipped too

The 1st floor kitchen had a microwave, induction stove, fridge, coffee machine, electric kettle, and dishware all well prepared. If you're planning to eat meals at your stay, the kitchen condition really matters.

Yeongjin-gil 51 had the basic tools well set up, so it was easy to eat takeout food or heat up simple dishes.

It's a layout that fits people like us — buying sashimi at the fish market and drinks or groceries at the mart, then eating simply at the villa.

Having a coffee machine was great too.

Brewing a cup of coffee in the morning really adds to that stay vibe, you know?

2nd floor layout and ocean view

On the 2nd floor there was a bedroom with a beach view, a bathroom with a hinoki tub, a dining room, and a kitchen.

With the 1st and 2nd floors each separated, it was really good for splitting up spaces.

Whether you come as a couple, a family, or a group of friends, everyone can have their own separate space to rest. For a family trip like ours with my boyfriend, this layout was especially convenient. When we wanted to hang out together, we gathered in the 1st floor dining room, and when we wanted to rest, we could split off comfortably by floor.

The 2nd floor also had a microwave, induction stove, and fridge, plus a wine cellar. If you love wine, you'll probably like this part too.

There was also a rooftop space with an ocean view

Yeongjin-gil 51 also had a rooftop space. Our schedule was short so we didn't get to spend much time up there, but on a nice-weather day, having brunch up there would be really lovely. Next time I go back, I definitely want to have a leisurely brunch on the rooftop.

The hinoki spa was great

The biggest reason I chose Yeongjin-gil 51 was the hinoki spa. It was the part I was most looking forward to while searching for a spa pension in Gangneung, and actually using it, it was satisfying.

Coming back from looking at the ocean during the trip and soaking warm in the spa felt like it washed away all the fatigue.

Both the 1st and 2nd floor bathrooms had separated shower stalls, which made it comfortable for several people to use.

Partway through I didn't know how to drain the spa water, so I contacted the host. They replied right away, and I solved it easily. That kind of quick response really boosts how satisfied you feel with a stay.

Comfortable beds and bedrooms

Each bedroom had bedding well prepared, so we could sleep comfortably at night. Some places don't have enough sleeping space or have so-so bedding when you go with a group, but Yeongjin-gil 51 held up fine as a family trip stay — the bedding was clean and good.

After a full day of touring Gangneung and sleeping soundly, my condition the next day was pretty good too.

Dinner at the villa — 10 minutes to Jumunjin Fish Market, 5 minutes to Hanaro Mart

In the evening we picked up takeout sashimi from Jumunjin Fish Market and ate it at the villa.

Jumunjin Fish Market was about a 10-minute drive away, making it easy to pick up sashimi to go.

Hanaro Mart was also about 5 minutes away, so it was easy to grab drinks, ramyeon, and snacks.

There was also a bakery and a convenience store each about 5 minutes away, so I liked the nearby amenities.

Picking up sashimi, buying drinks at the mart, and eating it all together in the dining room was more comfortable and fun than going out to a restaurant. That's exactly where the advantage of a private villa in Gangneung really hits you.

Who does Yeongjin-gil 51 fit best?

I'd recommend Yeongjin-gil 51 to anyone looking for an ocean-view pension in Gangneung, anyone who wants a spa pension in Gangneung, or anyone looking for a private villa in Gangneung for a group to share. It especially suits family trips, two couples traveling together, or trips with friends.

With the 1st and 2nd floors separated, it's great for hanging out together and resting apart, and the kitchen and dining space are well set up, so eating at the villa is easy too. Next time I look for a place for a group to stay together in Gangneung, I'd love to come back to Yeongjin-gil 51 with friends!

• 📍 Yeongjin-gil 51: 51 Yeongjin-gil, Yeongon-myeon, Gangneung-si, Gangwon State, South Korea (detached house)
• Check-in 15:00 / Check-out 11:00