Yeosu Hotel Hygiene Controversy: Providing Guests with Towels Marked 'Rags'

A well-known hotel in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, is embroiled in controversy for providing guests with towels labeled as 'rags.' This incident comes shortly after Yeosu faced criticism for neglecting solo diners, raising renewed concerns about the service quality in the 'tourist city' of Yeosu.

On the 5th, an online community post shared the unpleasant experience of a guest, referred to as A, who stayed at the hotel.

A was traveling to Yeosu with family and discovered that the towel used to wipe his children's bodies was marked with the word 'rag.'

A lodged a complaint with the hotel but was only told that "the towels might have been mixed up during the washing process," with no replacement provided. Ultimately, A had no choice but to use a towel he had brought from home.

The Realities of Hotel Service and Customer Reactions

A expressed disappointment, stating, "I traveled all the way to Yeosu, expecting a hotel with a water park, only to doubt my eyes when I saw the word 'rag' on the towel."

He particularly lamented, "Considering that the water park fees and accommodation costs were not cheap, it's truly regrettable that this happened, and I find it hard to understand."

The hotel in question reportedly charges around 400,000 won per night, which adds to the shock regarding the poor service at a high-priced accommodation.

A further revealed, "I felt very uncomfortable, and I started to question whether this place was hygienically safe. Personally, I wouldn't want to visit again," displaying a lack of trust in the hotel.

Official Apology from the Hotel and Announcement of Preventive Measures

Following the incident gaining traction online, the hotel issued an official apology.

The hotel stated, "We acknowledge that there was inappropriate handling of towel requests, which did not meet our service standards, and we deeply regret this. In the future, should the same situation arise, we will refund the full amount and strive for more thorough pre-checks and service operations to minimize customer inconvenience."

They also added, "The issues you raised regarding room conditions and service cannot be taken lightly. We will thoroughly improve our overall operations."

In a subsequent post on their official Instagram, they stated, "It is an issue we approach with caution in mentioning, but we will not hide from this matter and will face it head-on. We do not want to evade responsibility by saying, 'Mistakes happen because people are involved.' This was the result of our shortcomings, and we sincerely regret it without excuse."

They continued, "Above all, there was also a lack of response following the situation. We are reviewing from the basics about 'how to talk and how to act' with all staff."

Currently, the resort is overhauling its entire operational system for towel and bedding management, room inspection, and service manuals.

A representative stated, "We will ensure that this incident does not become just a temporary response, and we will transparently disclose all future processes. We will change quietly but clearly, proving ourselves through actions rather than words."

Yeosu City is also taking this issue seriously, providing verbal hygiene guidance and recommendations for preventing recurrence to the hotel.

Image source: Online community, Instagram 'calacatta_hotel', Instagram 'yeosu_laterrace_official'