We had two long weekends earlier this month. One was because of Korea Foundation Day on October 3rd and the other one was because of Hangeul Day (aka Korean Alphabet Day) on October 9th.

My family and I decided to take advantage of the three day weekend and go on a staycation. We should have planned in advance, but we didn’t. Since it was a last minute decision, our options were pretty limited when if came to finding a hotel room. We ended up choosing to stay at the Grand Josun Busan which cost us 880,000 won (around US$800) per night. Was it worth $800? Well, I think so! Let me elaborate.

What is Grand Josun Busan Like?

Grand Josun Busan is a 5 star hotel located right next to Haeundae Beach. This 16 story hotel has been in the Haeundae area forever. When it first opened about 30 years ago, it was called Hyatt, then the name changed to Marriot, then Novotel. Shinsegae Group purchased it just before the pandemic hit, and after undergoing renovations, it became the new Grand Josun Busan.

Despite the recent renovations, some areas in the hotel still felt outdated. For example, the size of the parking lot and elevators seem unable to accomodate the average number of guests that use them. However, the hotel has redeeming qualities such as the ocean front view from the rooms.

What Are the Rooms Like?

I made a reservation for one of the Premium Twin Rooms with an Ocean View. As the name suggests, it was a little more spacious than a regular twin sized room and it even featured a separate living room. I loved having an extra living space, instead of just having a table next to the bed.

The room itself was clean and well decorated. The light wood furniture and black and white bathroom décor complimented the white walls very well.

The bedside area had a Balmuda air purifier, plus a pair of power outlets.

I loved my time at the Grand Josun Busan, but there were a couple of downsides to our stay there. First was the slow draining shower. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice it when we first checked in, so I was unable to request a room change. Also, a complimentary breakfast was not even included in the cost of my $800 room.

Instead of eating at the hotel we went to a nearby restaurant that was in a building called Pale De Cz. If you didn’t want to leave the property for breakfast, there was a Starbucks and convenience store located on the 4th floor.

What About the Hotel Facilities?

Let me begin with the indoor and outdoor swimming pools that were located on the 7th floor. The water in the outdoor swimming pool was the perfect temperature and life jackets were provided for kids who needed them.

There was also a fitness center and sauna on the 7th floor. Also, it is worth mentioning that anyone who does not stay in a premium room has to pay extra to use the sauna.

Along with the Starbucks and convenience store, there is also a gallery on the 4th floor.

What Else Can You do in the Area?

Beach: Haeundae Beach is right next to the hotel.

Gunam-ro (Gunam Boulevard): Gunam Street is packed with restaurants, pubs, and street artists. We happened to see a fire show performed by Jongwon Park when we were there.

Haeundae Street Market: It’s an old traditional street market located in Gunam-ro.

Busan X Sky Observatory: Busan X Sky Observatory is located in the Haeundae LCT Complex, which is the tallest building in Busan and the second tallest in Korea. When the sky is clear you can even see parts of Japan’s Tsushima Island from the top of the building.

How Do I Get to Grand Josun Busan?

The hotel is quite accessible via public transport. If you want to use public transportation, I would recommend taking subway line #2 and getting off at Haeundae Train Station.

Take the 3rd exit and keep down on Gunam-ro. The hotel is about a 5-10 minute walk from the station.

Conclusion

I had a pleasant time at the Grand Josun Busan and I would recommend it to anyone who may be looking for a hotel in that area. One thing to keep in mind is that If you don’t mind about the view, I would also recommend the room with the city view, since the price between the room with the ocean view and the city view quite differs. I also learned recently that there are rooms for kids on the 8th floor. I booked a kids themed room for next month. I will let you know my reviews after our next stay.

[This is NOT a sponsored post]