Where to Stay in Haeundae (Luxury)

Looking for a luxury hotel in Haeundae? Here's where to stay in Haeundae, Busan, South Korea if it's your first time there! (I've visited all the 5-star hotels in Haeundae.)

Note: December & January, July & August are the busiest times to visit Haeundae Beach- this is Busan's most famous beach, so it will also cost quite a bit to stay here then. For a more affordable, more local option near the water, you can consider Songdo Beach.

This article is only about the 5-star hotels in Haeundae, but there are also affordable options, such as Best Western haeundae hotel, Milo oceanside hotel, and Shilla stay haeundae beach (which I'll cover in a separate article.)

On the Waterfront

Signiel Hotel

Come here for: a beautiful lobby (with dining options) + a lovely infinity pool

I stayed at Signiel Haeundae Busan for almost a week in 2023.

You can find a detailed review of Signiel Hotel if you click the first link, but the quick summary is:

Pros

• Beautiful rooftop pool (there is also an indoor swimming pool)
• Wonderful spa
• Good food
• Modern rooms (but the bathroom only has a bathtub)
• Nice lobby with a sea view
• Short walk to the beach (but you need to go through the (very empty) mall to get there- the signage, and directions given by the hotel staff, were quite bad, so I had to wander round a bit to find the beach. The link between the hotel and Mall is only open between 5 to midnight- at other times, you'll need to go out of the hotel.)
• Good Air Conditioning in the room

Note: Signiel Hotel & Park Hyatt Hotel have the highest ratings of the 5-star Haeundae hotels (4.6 as of 9 Jan 2025.)

Cons

• According to Google reviews, Signiel and Park Hyatt are the best hotels in the area (with the highest ratings of 4.6 stars. The other hotels have 4.4-4.5 stars.) However, the Signiel's service isn't great (mostly because the staff don't understand English but act like they do, so (for example) they will tell you to go left, when you're meant to go right. I think it's the 5-star hotel in Haeundae whose staff have the worst English speaking ability actually. I understand we're in Korea, but it can be very confusing if the staff repeatedly tell you the wrong thing in English.)
• No Korean restaurant (but none of the posh hotels in Haeundae do, except for the Westin.)
• Rooms are on the small side. OK for solo travelers but it may be a bit squeezy (for a 5-star/ if you're used to American-sized rooms) with someone else.
• There are no outdoor seats to enjoy the view of the beach, but there is a Cafe Pascucci next to the hotel (which has al fresco seating.)

LCT Tower

This is a 4-star serviced apartment but I've included it because LCT Residence in LCT Tower is a great option if you're travelling with family (you can get an apartmentwith more than 1 room), or if you drive (there's free parking upon reservation.)

Location: LCT Residence is located at the Mipo Harbour end of Hauendae Beach, right next to Signiel Hotel. It's next to the mall (which you go through to get to the beach) but there are barely any shops open in it besides a convenience store.

Special Facilities: LCT Residences is one of the few hotels in Haeundae with a kitchen, washing machine, and dryer. (Washing capsules provided.) The tower is very tall, so the rooms on higher floors have panoramic views. (However, the sound can be a bit scary when the wind is blowing.)

Note: Check-in is a little later, at 4 p.m. In addition, there is a lobby for the hotel and a lobby for the building- if you go to the wrong one, the service isn't great.

Westin Josun (웨스틴 조선 부산)

Come here for: live music + a Korean restaurant

Location: This is one of the hotels right on the Haeundae waterfront. It's at the end of the beach, right by Camellia Island (DongBaekSeom Island.

Dining Options: When I visited, Westin Josun Busan was the only 5-star hotel in the Haeundae district that had an in-house Korean restaurant. However, I didn't find the food as good as that at Lotte Busan, to be honest.)

The Camellia buffet has scallop and shrimp (vs shrimp and abalone at Grand Josun), a live cooking station, sashimi etc- but when I visited, all the signs were in Korean. (The presentation also wasn't as enticing as that of the buffet at Grand Josun.)

Special Facilities: When I visited, Westin Josun was also the only hotel with live music. On Tuesdays to Thursdays, there is live piano between 6 to 10 pm, and 7-11 pm on Fridays. Note that there is no in-house spa (but the concierge offered to find one for me.)

English- Speaking Ability: The staff at Westin Josun speak English well. In addition, the service is very good. (I went to the concierge desk to ask some questions and they were very helpful, even though I was only eating at the restaurant, and not staying in-house.)

However, this is not a great place for you if you want something new. (Unfortunately the hotel is quite dated and the interiors aren't that nice.)

Address: 67, Dongbaek-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan 부산광역시 해운대구 동백로 67

Grand Josun Busan (그랜드 조선 부산)

Come here for: modern rooms/ stylish accommodation. (I would say Grand Josun Hotel + Signiel are the most Instagrammable of the hotels on Haeundae Beach.)

Food

There are 4 places to eat at the Grand Josun (no Korean restaurant):

• Aria (a buffet restaurant): the food looked nice- there was abalone, prawns, sashimi etc but it was quite crowded.
• Palais de Chine: A Chinese restaurant
• A lounge: it has lovely interiors but, as it's located on the ground floor, no view of the sea (unlike the one at Signiel Hotel.) Moreover, the service is slow even though there were only 1-2 tables besides me. For example, it took more than 10 minutes to refill my empty water glass. I ordered pasta, which was good- not the best pasta I've ever had, but the best I've had in Korea, albeit quite small in size. (I had more than enough room for dessert.) The waitress speaks good English but, if I had to choose 1 hotel lounge to dine in, I would choose the one at Signiel Busan. (No alfresco seating, although the hotel has seats in front for the beach.
• A deli

The Grand Josun hotel also has its own 24-hour convenience store (Emart) and Starbucks.

English Speaking Ability: Much better than the Signiel. The receptionist and the waitress at the lounge were all fluent.

Address: 292, Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan 부산광역시 해운대구 해운대해변로 292 그랜드 조선 부산

Paradise Hotel (파라다이스호텔 부산)

Come here for: outdoor hot springs + casino

Food: There are several restaurants in Paradise Hotel Busan

• On The Plate: buffet restaurant next to Haeundae Beach, with outdoor seating
• La Scala: an Italian grill restaurant overlooking Haeundae (ocean view)
• Nampoong: a modern Chinese restaurant with an emphasis on Cantonese cuisine
• Sakae: Japanese food
• Born & Bred: Hanwoo (Korean beef) steak house
• Crystal Garden: lobby lounge where you can enjoy afternoon tea and light bites
• Bar NYX: has 130 different types of spirits

Note: there's also a bakery

Paradise Hotel Busan also has an in-house spa, Sundari Spa- it's slightly cheaper than the Chantecaille spa at Signiel, but it doesn't look as nice and was harder to get a reservation for when I was there.

When I visited in 2023, Paradise Hotel and Westin Josun were the only hotels in Haeundae with direct beach access (but sometimes the door is locked.) (Signiel Hotel and Grand Josun Hotel are also on the waterfront but you have to go around to get to the water so it's less easy access.)

I actually really wanted to stay at Paradise Hotel as they are the only hotel with their own outdoor hot springs. (It can get quite crowded with families though.)

However, I chose Signiel Hotel instead as I read a review saying you can't control the AC temperature in your room at Paradise, which is a deal breaker for me. (Unfortunately, this is quite common in Korean 5-star hotels. However, since then, there's been a new review saying the temperature in the rooms is adjustable.)

The decor of the common area was much less modern than Grand Josun or Signiel (but it is an older hotel.)

Address: 296, Haeundaehaebyeon-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan 부산광역시 해운대구 해운대해변로 296

Further Afield

Park Hyatt Busan

Come here for: easy commute to both Gwangalli Beach and Haeundae Beach (You're sort of in between the two) + experiencing living in a residential part of Busan

Location: This is not the hotel/ best area for you if you want to be walking distance of Haeundae Beach (I walked from Haeundae to Park Hyatt Hotel, but it took quite a long time (and I enjoy walking.) I would recommend taking a cab.)

Park Hyatt Busan is located in a residential area, so there aren't a lot of restaurants or shops within walking distance.

It's also less convenient if you want to take public transportation.

English Proficiency: The staff speak good English!

Tip: Some Park Hyatt rooms, such as the Park Executive Marina suite have better views (dual views of the Gwangan bridge and the marina.)

Ananti at Busan Cove

Come here for: large rooms + a resort-like stay away from the business of the city

Ananti at Busan Cove is even further out than Park Hyatt, with no subway line nearby.

It's great if you're looking for a resort-like experience and don't want to leave the hotel much. However, if you're planning to use Ananti as a base to explore Busan, be prepared to pay a lot in cab fares. (Obviously this depends on traffic, but approximately 75,000 Won to the Airport and 30,000 Won to the city center.)

Special Facilities: It's next to Ananti Cove (a small dining/ retail cove) and a 2km coastal trail.

Also keep in mind that there's an extra cost to use the indoor pool.

English-Speaking Ability: good

Note: some reviews state that Air Conditioning isn't provided in winter months, such as November (a fan is provided instead.)

Any questions about the best places to stay in Haeundae Beach, Busan? Let me know in the comments!