15 Best Hotels in Busan, South Korea

Located in Busan's Marine City, this gleaming, 33-floor tower with sleek interiors and sea views has brand signatures like crisp, streamlined rooms, rainfall showers, and one-touch mood lighting. The property is located near the convention center and beach, and overlooks the Gwangan Bridge, yacht marina, and the ocean. Water provided inspiration for the building's exterior—the curved glass facade resembles a billowing ship sail—while the interiors are all about nature and texture, with French oak floors and granite baths. Crisp and streamlined, the 200 rooms and 69 suites all have view-framing floor-to-ceiling windows and the amenities expected of the brand, including LED flat-screens with Blu-ray players and USB connectivity, espresso machines, and free Wi-Fi. The seven-room Lumi Spa offers both European and Korean style treatments inspired by the sun and sea, and also houses a fitness center and rooftop pool ringed by cabanas. Open kitchens, a sushi bar, and endless views set the scene at the 32nd floor gourmet Dining Room, while more casual fare can be enjoyed in the Living Room, residential-style Lounge, and the on-site pastry shop.

Thanks to its Haeundae Beach location, the Paradise Hotel has unrivaled sea views and a resort-like vibe, especially during the summer months. The main building was given a face-lift, so the rooms here are a tad pricier than those in the nearby annex. All rooms and suites have a fresh look, with modern, Asian-inspired accents, and a décor of soothing shades of muted green and red. Opt for the less expensive rooms with views of the city and enjoy a lovely view of the sea from the pool or outdoor hot spring. The on-site European and Japanese restaurants make for a nice change from Korean cuisine.

Located at the end of Haeundae Beach, near the entrance to Dongbaek Island's peaceful Nurimaru Park, this may well be one of the best situated hotels in the city. Rooms are spacious, tastefully decorated with modern furniture in neutral tones, and have either city or sea views. There are several decent on-site restaurants and a nice Irish pub with fantastic views across the bay. An extra bonus is the garden tucked out back with grills for cooking out.

The Angel is centrally located, a short walk from the Seomyeon subway interchange, and offers great value for the money. The expansive white mural (an angel?) on the hotel's exterior may not be everyone's idea of good taste, but rooms are comfy, well-furnished, and equipped with free Wi-Fi. The lobby décor is very basic but the friendly staff and the café out front (with pizza, pasta, and Western-style breakfasts) is good.

This smaller hotel has more of a boutique feel to it than Busan's other mid-range options. Sparely decorated rooms are light, spacious, and equipped with expansive, state-of-the-art bathrooms (including some impressive electronic toilet seats). Wi-Fi is free and laptops come with the room. There aren't a lot of amenities in the area around the hotel, but it's close to the subway and only a stop or two from the nightlife scenes at Kyungsung and Gwangalli Beach.

Just a three-minute walk from the subway station, this hotel offers not only a prime location, but also maximum bang for your buck. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and bright with big-screen TVs, great city views, and free Wi-Fi. Guests have access to a business and health center, as well as a swimming pool, and each room also features a walk-in shower.

Though they've cleaned up and turned over a new leaf, you can still get a sense of the Elysee's past life as a love motel in the structure's fairy-tale castle façade and space-themed ceilings. While the décor is slightly dated, rooms are large and comfortable. All have free lan Internet access and many are equipped with computers. The friendly manager speaks English and is a good source of information on the area; the hotel is a short walk from the busy Nampo-dong shopping area and Busan Tower. While it's not luxurious, the Elysse does offer a great location at great price.

The Haeundae Centum is the largest hotel in the area and given its proximity to BEXCO (Busan's major convention center), it's a natural choice for business travelers (and the atmosphere reflects this). The rooms are not particularly memorable but they are comfortable and some have the added convenience of kitchenettes and washing machines. The hotel is located in the district of Haeundae but it's not near any of the beaches. It is, however, right next to Shinsegae Centum City, the world's biggest department store.

With a rooftop saltwater pool, indoor pool, waterslide, sauna, spa, and hot spring bath, the Hotel Aqua Palace is the reigning king of the Gwangalli strip. The beachfront location is both central and unbeatable, and while the rooms may not win any awards for design, they're clean, airy, and comfortable, with big windows offering awesome ocean views.  

This Gwangalli hotel occupies a 17-story building that's among the tallest on the beach strip, with many of the bright, comfortable, and exceptionally clean rooms offering breathtaking ocean views. The hotel's main selling point is its location, as it's smack-dab in the middle of the beach road, with the ocean sands just seconds from its front door. The area is also packed with cafes, bars, and eateries, which means you'll have everything you need in short walking distances.

Especially popular with domestic and Japanese tourists, many choose this hotel because it's connected to Hurshimchung Spa—a vast complex that boldly declares itself the "World's Best Spa." The hotel's front entrance and lobby is lovely thanks to the well-manicured Korean garden. Inside dark wood-paneled corridors lead you to comfortable rooms furnished in earth tones. There is a buffet breakfast available for an extra charge and a bakery on the 1st floor that sells cheap, delicious Korean baked goods.

Just a five-minute walk from the UN Memorial Cemetery, this hotel offers nice, comfortable rooms for a very good price. They don't get a lot of foreigners, but they speak enough English to supply you with the basics. 

Laying claim as Busan's biggest business resort hotel, this bustling, 43-story structure is indeed an excellent choice for anyone who prizes a central location and handy little extras like cell phone rental. The reception desk is more often than not teaming with guests but there's always a helpful English-speaking staff member at the manager's desk. Areas of the hotel have been recently refurbished and the rooms themselves have lots of natural light, modern (if somewhat bland) furnishings, and comfy mattresses with goose down duvets. The upper floors have stunning city views.

Don't let the name fool you—just a stone's throw from Haeundae Beach and most of the city's luxury accommodations, the Sunset is much more than just a business hotel, with rooms that are spacious, modern, and surprisingly comfortable considering the price and location. Housed in one of the neighborhood's tall buildings, the lobby is on the 9th floor and guest rooms go up to the 15th floor—the best rooms are those with sea views. Small Korean style Ondol rooms (traditional rooms with heated floors and futons) are also available and definitely worth considering if you're on a budget and don't want to compromise on location. The on-site restaurant serves either a Korean or American-style breakfast for ₩15,000.

Though the décor is uninspiring, you can't beat the location and price of these immaculate little rooms—it's next to the Busan train station, the airport Limousine bus stop, and it's only a short taxi ride to the international ferry terminal. As the number in its name suggests, this is one of two hotels in the area from the Japanese Toyoko Hotel group, who are known for their clean, comfortable, no frills lodgings.