JW Marriott Jeju Resort & spa offers a luxurious stay with unforgettable food.
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For decades, the hotel industry in the region was dominated by a handful of properties that were past their prime. In March, the JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa was opened. Bill Bensley, the designer behind iconic Asian properties such as Four Seasons Golden Tented Camp Golden Triangle, has created a striking, thoughtful design that pays tribute to Jeju. From the use of yellow to symbolize the earth, good luck, and the reception area inspired by hanoks, where guests are welcomed with peanut candies, the hotel is a true tribute to Jeju. The hotel’s Jeju-focused restaurants are what make it the best place to stay on the island.
Joon Ko, executive chef at the Flying Hog, instead of grilling the black pig’s belly as most locals do does by massaging Korean salt into its scored skin. He then lets the cut rest in the refrigerator for three days. He cooks the pig belly in a convection-oven at low temperatures for three hours, before finishing in a woodfired oven. It’s a round, mellow meat with a thick, bubbly skin that crackles when you bite into it. Ko visits Jeju Twins Farms twice a week to find non-native products such as apple cukes, which he found while working in Australia.
At Yeoumul a stylish omakase hidden in plain site — the entrance is next to an elevator, marked by a small sign depicting a fox looking into the water — sushi chefs showcase Jeju’s bounty of the sea with delicate, but intensely flavourful dishes such as flash-fried abalone and mackerel.