accomodations

I know there are plenty of Western style accomodations in Asia but when given the option I would choose authentic over western any day.  Mat on the floor over a big fluffy bed? Definitely. Free flowing shower in the corner of the bathroom over some enclosed, claustrophobia inducing cube? Heck yes.

 I recently stayed in two hotels.  Both on the beach a few kilometers from each other, both authentic with a stack of mats for bedding. {Also came with a bed for the less bendy folks, you know who you are}. 
One smelled like an outhouse,
the other one did not.

We arrived at the stinky one first on Chuseok {Korea's Thanksgiving} so everything was shut down and it would have been obnoxious and highly improbable finding something else on such short notice.  We chalked it up to experience and that is exactly what I reminded myself when I woke up with the distinct impression of being boiled alive on my blow up mat by an over enthusiastic radiant heating system. {heating in the floor}

The second hotel was a dream in comparison.  To add to the appeal of clean, stink free, rooms; the amount of color was such a surprise I couldn't help but poke around and get a glimpse of as many rooms as I could in this little home turned hotel by the sea.  

The images I included are from the room adjacent ours.  Our room was equally colorful with at least five different wallpaper designs mixed together in one room right along with bright red cupboards and yellow tile. If I had seen everything going into the room in a pile before installation I would have laughed and suggested a specialist for the color blind. Maybe it isn't the polished look I'm used to when I think boutique hotel, but it definitely oozed charm and I completely enjoyed the stay and the very unique style.

I'm far from a hotel connoisseur, I enjoy a good hotel as much as the next person.  But I do happen to know someone who knows everything there is to know about picking the best hotel.  He just started a blog that will sure to be The Blog to check before picking a destination.  Check out Hotel Geek.