Guests are surprised by life in North Korea: QR code payment, luxury hotels

(Dan Tri) - Hotels in North Korea are said by a group of Russian tourists to have strict standards to provide guests with the best quality of service.

Hotel with high quality service

White sand beaches, turquoise waters and a series of newly built seaside hotels line the Wonsan-Kalma resort. When it was first built, leader Kim Jong Un hoped the Wonsan-Kalma project would become a tourist destination in North Korea.

View of Wonsan-Kalma resort (photo: Jon Chol Jin/AP).

Darya Zubkova, 34, a tourist from Russia, was one of the first foreign visitors to visit the resort. Her trip took place in July. This was a group of about 15 people, traveling during the summer.

The resort is divided into two areas. One for international guests and one for domestic guests. The international group will be in a separate area from the North Korean guests, and will not be able to move freely between the two areas.

From their private quarters, the Russian tourists observed a large water park that catered to domestic tourists. Darya noticed that the area was very crowded.

Commenting on the hotel service, the Russian guest was completely satisfied, even surprised. Darya said that when she needed a clothes dryer, the hotel staff went to buy it and brought it to her room. She asked about balcony chairs and they were also provided. The dining area for international guests is very large with a rich menu.

Some photos in North Korea taken by Russian tourists (Photo: Darya Zubkova).

"We were treated very well. They surprised us. Maybe the hotels have set strict standards to ensure that guests get the highest quality of service," she said.

Modern Life in North Korea

If the Wonsan coastline has the air of a tropical tourist paradise, life in the capital Pyongyang has its own distinct North Korean characteristics.

On the streets of Pyongyang, the Russian tourists saw shops catering to Western customers, such as coffee shops with a style similar to the Starbucks brand, large furniture stores and phone showrooms with products selling for hundreds of dollars.

Tourists participate in the international marathon in Pyongyang earlier this year (Photo: Cha Song Ho/AP).

Johan Nylander, a Swedish tourist who traveled to Pyongyang with his son earlier this year to participate in an international marathon, found many things overwhelming.

"Mobile phones are everywhere. Even street stalls allow customers to pay with QR codes. I see people watching Premier League football on their phones, playing games. Modern life is like anywhere else in the world ," said Johan.

Having been to North Korea twice, the Swedish tourist said that participating in the Pyongyang marathon was a memorable experience. He felt free when running through the streets with people standing on both sides of the road cheering enthusiastically.

"People here are like anywhere else. They want the best for their children, entertain themselves by singing karaoke, drinking beer together, joking around. People are like that everywhere," the Swedish visitor commented.

Tourism is currently one of the fields being developed by North Korea to bring foreign currency income to the country.

Before the pandemic, international visitors could book tours to North Korea through a handful of specialized travel agencies. Trips were controlled but still feasible. Each year, the country welcomed hundreds of visitors to experience, learn, and explore .

Back on Wonsan Beach, Darya said she never felt unsafe or under surveillance during her entire experience in North Korea. She noticed that staff were everywhere, from lifeguards, waiters, cleaners to doctors and nurses.

Water park of a resort in North Korea (Photo: Kyodo News via Getty Images).

Meanwhile, the Swedish visitor believes that the Wonsan-Kalma resort has full potential.

“North Korea is a huge consumer market waiting to explode. What tourists see in Pyongyang or Wonsan should be a message that life in North Korea continues at a modern pace, even if the doors are not open,” Johan said.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khach-bat-ngo-cuoc-song-o-trieu-tien-thanh-toan-ma-qr-khach-san-sang-xin-20250903151143456.htm