Restrictive clause and Participial construction

[sky3120]

The bungalow, looking down on a beach, is not easy to rent.
=The bungalow which looks down on a beach is not easy to rent.


The hotel, standing on a hill, overlooks the Thames.
=The hotel which stands on a hill overlooks the Thames.

I think one of the main reasons we get confused so many time, studying English here in my country is all because of some Korean English teachers' different opinions from that of native English teachers. Although we, students have no chocie but to rely on Korean English teachers, I can not agree with them this time that the meaning of "Restrictive clause and Participial construction" can be the same.

In my opinion, "Participial constructions" looks similar to Restrictive clause but there are COMMAs between Subject and Verb in Participial constructions, which means there exists conjunctions, so those makes meaning different, right?

Please, help me get out of this long time confusion.

[5jj]

The hotel standing on a hill overlooks the Thames.
= The hotel which stands on a hill overlooks the Thames. (1)

The hotel, standing on a hill, overlooks the Thames.
= The hotel, which stands on a hill, overlooks the Thames. (2)


Participle clauses, like relative clauses, can be restrictive/identifying/defining (1) or non- restictive/non-identifying/non-defining (2).

[philo2009]

Nonrestrictive participle clauses can also function adverbially, e.g.

Being very rich, Mr Rockefeller could easily afford a Rolls-Royce.

in which the participle clause means effectively 'because he was very rich'.

[sky3120]

I totally agree with you, so the below sentences are not the same because one has commas and the other do not have any comma, right? Thanks!!

The bungalow, looking down on a beach, is not easy to rent.
=The bungalow which looks down on a beach is not easy to rent.

[5jj]

I totally agree with you, so the below sentences are not the same because one has commas and the other do not have any comma, right? T

The bungalow, looking down on a beach, is not easy to rent.
=The bungalow which looks down on a beach is not easy to rent.

You are right. The sentences do not mean the same.

[philo2009]

As 5jj's answer has already indicated, no, not the same.

[sky3120]

Fantastic!! Thanks a lot to 5jj and philo2009.