A Cruise on Dry Land – Korea’s Unique Cruise Ship Hotel

Sun Cruise Resort & Yacht is a hotel resort in Jeongdongjin on the east coast of South Korea. Designed in the image of a cruise ship, the hotel is 165 metres (541 ft) long and 45 metres (148 ft) tall and overlooks the beach resort.

Believed to be the first of its kind, the setting gives the image that a cruise ship has run aground. Built at the top of a large cliff, the hotel looks out over the sea. The town of Jeongdongjin has a reputation for the views of the sunrise and sunset over the Sea of Japan and is itself a tourist destination. This has been furthered by the construction of the hotel, with its unusual design making it one of the most popular attractions in the country.

The hotel has 211 rooms, including bedrooms and apartments, and six function rooms.

There are six restaurants serving Korean and European food and a rotating bar on the top floor, giving visitors a panoramic view of the horizon and the famed sunrises.

Sporting facilities include a netted golf range, volleyball court, and a fitness club.
The cruise ship theme is enhanced by the sound of crashing waves played on speakers throughout the hotel and the use of salt water in the swimming pool.

The resort also contains a park located adjacent to the hotel.Prominent within the landscaped gardens are "The Hands of Promise", two giant hands rising from the ground, along with a variety of other sculptures. There is also an observation area with a glass floor suspended above the sea, an exhibition hall, and a lake.

In 2003 the Titanic hotel, a construction with a similar cruise-ship theme, opened in Turkey.