JW Marriott Jeju Opens on the Cliffs of Seogwipo
Bill Bensley's first project in Korea opened in spring 2023 with 197 rooms above the volcanic south coast of Jeju, beside Route 7 of the Olle walking trail.
JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa opened in the spring of 2023 on the south coast of Jeju, the volcanic island off the southern tip of the Korean peninsula. The resort has 197 rooms, 28 of them suites, on a cliff at Seogwipo facing the sea and the uninhabited islet of Beomseom. It was designed by Bill Bensley, his first work in Korea.
The island
Jeju is Korea’s holiday island, an hour by air from Seoul on one of the busiest air routes in the world. Its landscapes, lava tubes and the central peak of Hallasan are a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is known for its tangerine groves, its black basalt walls, its fields of yellow canola in spring and its haenyeo, the women who dive without breathing apparatus for abalone and sea urchin.
The south coast around Seogwipo is the warmest and most dramatic part, with waterfalls dropping to the sea. Route 7 of the Olle Trail, the network of coastal footpaths that circles the island, passes directly in front of the resort; its 17 kilometres are regarded as the most beautiful stretch.
The design
Bensley took the island’s farming and fishing life as his subject. Where his resorts in Southeast Asia are theatrical, this one is restrained. The buildings are low and step down the slope. Basalt, timber and woven materials are used throughout, with references to the tools of the haenyeo and to the yellow of the canola fields in the colour scheme. Fields of flowers were planted between the buildings and the cliff, and the gardens change with the season.
Standard rooms measure 45 square metres, with a separate dressing area, and many have a stone bath for two beside the window. Suites are about twice the size.
Pools, spa and restaurants
The resort has four pools, indoor and outdoor, heated for use throughout the year and supplied with spring water, including an infinity pool on the cliff edge. The spa has Korean-style saunas. There are five restaurants and bars, among them an all-day restaurant built around island produce, a Japanese-influenced grill and a lounge with the sea view.
Where it fits
Jeju has many large hotels, most aimed at domestic visitors and casino guests. The Grand Hyatt Jeju, with 1,600 rooms in a tower in Jeju City, is the largest. The JW Marriott is the opposite proposition: a resort on the quiet side of the island, built for walking, swimming and the view. It is an hour by car from the airport.