Park Hyatt Busan - REVIEW - MASTER THREAD
Aug 1, 2015, 8:59 pm
#211
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Haha! Good for the shower heads, they probably checked that room twice 
This suite is definitely spacious but indeed is not for me. The deep soak bath is interesting but the lack of view and the hotel playing all sorts of games with the blades and curtains makes it look a bit unnatural. It's really a problem IMO.
Btw, that's one big bottle of wine they gave you there! Definitely didn't get that honor for my 13 night stay here.
This suite is definitely spacious but indeed is not for me. The deep soak bath is interesting but the lack of view and the hotel playing all sorts of games with the blades and curtains makes it look a bit unnatural. It's really a problem IMO.
Btw, that's one big bottle of wine they gave you there! Definitely didn't get that honor for my 13 night stay here.
I find the blinds and shutters stupid too but it's a legal obligation by Hyundai construction and those residents.
Aug 1, 2015, 9:42 pm
#213
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Aug 1, 2015, 10:03 pm
#214
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It was either a) cooked this way or b) split apart in the room service cart but I doubt it as I've had Eggs Benedict (I know this is a Florentine) a thousand times here and usually comes together. This just looks lazy and the bechamel sauce was freakishly sweet. It's supposed to be savory, no?
This was supposed to have mushrooms but came stuffed with tomatoes. They had to re-do this too. Frustrating because I wrote clearly on the menu card last night and there's no way I wrote it wrong.
I know they use frozen raspberries but this was pretty unappetizing. Looked like they blew chunks of red vomit on this French toast. Then, the French toast was dry and hard too.
This reminded me of that inane cinnamon powder challenge last year. They did change it after I told them it was WAY too much cinnamon. I don't know how the serving boy thought this would be suitable though?
Korean breakfast always comes out fine and good. Breakfast partner loved it
This was supposed to have mushrooms but came stuffed with tomatoes. They had to re-do this too. Frustrating because I wrote clearly on the menu card last night and there's no way I wrote it wrong.
I know they use frozen raspberries but this was pretty unappetizing. Looked like they blew chunks of red vomit on this French toast. Then, the French toast was dry and hard too.
This reminded me of that inane cinnamon powder challenge last year. They did change it after I told them it was WAY too much cinnamon. I don't know how the serving boy thought this would be suitable though?
Korean breakfast always comes out fine and good. Breakfast partner loved it
Last edited by Aventine; Aug 1, 2015 at 10:26 pm Reason: Added more
Aug 2, 2015, 3:01 am
#215
Join Date: Aug 2009
Programs: Hyatt Gold Passport, Shangri-la Golden Circle
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My friends and I stayed here from 23rd to 26th July. I got the Park Executive Marina room, which features the breathtaking view of Haeundae and the Gwangan Bridge, while my friend got the Park Family Suite, which comes appointed with a queen bed, a single bed, and a separate lounge area.
Park Hyatt Busan has long been on my 'must-visit' Hyatt list. In fact, I wanted to visit this hotel way back when it first opened in 2013. I even made the booking, thinking that it would open in April of that year. However, the hotel opened earlier than that initially announced (I remember that they made the sudden announcement around mid-February to open on 1 March when I was near the end of my Chinese New Year holiday at Hyatt Regency Osaka) and I had no time to change plans! So I didn't get to come to Park Hyatt Busan until now.
Check-in
We arrived at the hotel via hotel limousine at 8 am, and the hotel kindly offered us an early check-in upon arrival.
Rooms
The rooms were nicely decorated (aka Super Potato style), though I noticed that the bathroom tiles did had water stains on them. The Gwangan Bridge was absolutely breathtaking and I would strongly recommend people getting rooms with this view.
Food
I really enjoyed having the Japchae (aka glass noodles), Bugolgi and Shallot Kimchi at breakfast. The hotel makes quite nice French toast, but their pancakes and waffle deserve further improvement.
The Patbingsu at the Lounge was very disappointing. The advertised " flavorful shaved milk ice topped with home-made organic sweet red bean and green tea jelly" were not so flavorful in reality. The Injeolmi (aka rice cakes dusted with soybean powder) was dry and hard to chew. For a quarter of the price, I have had much nicer Patbingsu at Cattle & Bee Cafe nearby the hotel.
If you must dine at Park Hyatt Busan, the only items I truly recommend are their beef burgers and club sandwiches -- nothing extraordinary, though safe and good taste.
As for souvenirs, I bought boxes of chocolates and long-bar brownies from the Patisserie. Again they were nothing special but the packaging was nice and easy to carry.
Pool and Gym
The pool was nice and warm but during the weekends was filled with family and kids. The gym had less people, a great view of the ocean and features the latest fitness equipment. I enjoyed the gym more so than the pool.
Staff
We received great service from the Park Hyatt Busan staff in general. In particular, the concierge had been extremely helpful in recommending places to visits, restaurants to eat and the best mode of transportation to take. We went to Oryukdo (aka five/six islands) and thought it was the most beautiful and scenic tourist spot in Busan apart from Haeundae beach.
Special mention goes to Jay, who works at the concierge. One afternoon I was walking to the hotel from Dongbaek station and bumped into Jay, who was off duty, at a road intersection. He recognized me and said "Mr Kuponuts, do you remember me? I am Jay from Park Hyatt Busan. Are you trying to walk back to the hotel? Let me tell you the directions." It just goes to show that the staff at Park Hyatt Busan really carries their Hyatt spirit even outside their working hours. Thank you Jay!
Park Hyatt Busan has long been on my 'must-visit' Hyatt list. In fact, I wanted to visit this hotel way back when it first opened in 2013. I even made the booking, thinking that it would open in April of that year. However, the hotel opened earlier than that initially announced (I remember that they made the sudden announcement around mid-February to open on 1 March when I was near the end of my Chinese New Year holiday at Hyatt Regency Osaka) and I had no time to change plans! So I didn't get to come to Park Hyatt Busan until now.
Check-in
We arrived at the hotel via hotel limousine at 8 am, and the hotel kindly offered us an early check-in upon arrival.
Rooms
The rooms were nicely decorated (aka Super Potato style), though I noticed that the bathroom tiles did had water stains on them. The Gwangan Bridge was absolutely breathtaking and I would strongly recommend people getting rooms with this view.
Food
I really enjoyed having the Japchae (aka glass noodles), Bugolgi and Shallot Kimchi at breakfast. The hotel makes quite nice French toast, but their pancakes and waffle deserve further improvement.
The Patbingsu at the Lounge was very disappointing. The advertised " flavorful shaved milk ice topped with home-made organic sweet red bean and green tea jelly" were not so flavorful in reality. The Injeolmi (aka rice cakes dusted with soybean powder) was dry and hard to chew. For a quarter of the price, I have had much nicer Patbingsu at Cattle & Bee Cafe nearby the hotel.
If you must dine at Park Hyatt Busan, the only items I truly recommend are their beef burgers and club sandwiches -- nothing extraordinary, though safe and good taste.
As for souvenirs, I bought boxes of chocolates and long-bar brownies from the Patisserie. Again they were nothing special but the packaging was nice and easy to carry.
Pool and Gym
The pool was nice and warm but during the weekends was filled with family and kids. The gym had less people, a great view of the ocean and features the latest fitness equipment. I enjoyed the gym more so than the pool.
Staff
We received great service from the Park Hyatt Busan staff in general. In particular, the concierge had been extremely helpful in recommending places to visits, restaurants to eat and the best mode of transportation to take. We went to Oryukdo (aka five/six islands) and thought it was the most beautiful and scenic tourist spot in Busan apart from Haeundae beach.
Special mention goes to Jay, who works at the concierge. One afternoon I was walking to the hotel from Dongbaek station and bumped into Jay, who was off duty, at a road intersection. He recognized me and said "Mr Kuponuts, do you remember me? I am Jay from Park Hyatt Busan. Are you trying to walk back to the hotel? Let me tell you the directions." It just goes to show that the staff at Park Hyatt Busan really carries their Hyatt spirit even outside their working hours. Thank you Jay!
Aug 2, 2015, 5:51 am
#216
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Thanks for the great review kaponuts! Glad to have someone else chime in as well
I've only interacted with Reina Choi from the concierge but only have good things to say about her service!
I've only interacted with Reina Choi from the concierge but only have good things to say about her service!
Aug 3, 2015, 1:31 am
#217
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End notes:
This is the japchae (Korean glass noodles, shredded eggs andveggies in a soy sauce, sesame oil mix) that kaponuts was talking about. It's very well done as would be expected for a 5 star hotel in Korea.
Bingsu assiette for 2 (35,000 won)
Photographs well and is more unique than the usual snow/ice dump but didn't taste very good. You could pay less and do better outside of the hotel.
And, finally a picture from the Twin suite. It's very well suited for a family with queen sized bed, twin bed in the bedroom and a couch and space for rollaway in the living area. However, it's not very suited for someone who needs a desk and comfortable desk chair. The working area is very narrow and ill-suited for the dining table chairs. Your knees will hit the bottom of the "desk" and the dining chair doesn't give lumbar support. I ended up propping up two pillows and working on emails on the spare twin bed.
This is the japchae (Korean glass noodles, shredded eggs andveggies in a soy sauce, sesame oil mix) that kaponuts was talking about. It's very well done as would be expected for a 5 star hotel in Korea.
Bingsu assiette for 2 (35,000 won)
Photographs well and is more unique than the usual snow/ice dump but didn't taste very good. You could pay less and do better outside of the hotel.
And, finally a picture from the Twin suite. It's very well suited for a family with queen sized bed, twin bed in the bedroom and a couch and space for rollaway in the living area. However, it's not very suited for someone who needs a desk and comfortable desk chair. The working area is very narrow and ill-suited for the dining table chairs. Your knees will hit the bottom of the "desk" and the dining chair doesn't give lumbar support. I ended up propping up two pillows and working on emails on the spare twin bed.
Aug 22, 2015, 7:33 pm
#218
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first stay in an "05" suite - Executive Marina view
It's pretty much like any other suite at PH Busan except that you get a Marina view and bridge view. Also, you can bathe with the lights, boats and view. The only suite at PH Busan that has a direct window view for the bathtub.
suite notes:
- closet is integrated with the bedroom and has no lighting. Even at full illumination, it's hard to see into the luggage and maybe the reason they put a rack in the living area.
- as with all PH Busan suites, the toilet is shared with the living area
- the searing summer heat has dissipated somewhat but I recommend keeping the room thermostat at 20 degrees Celsius if you decided to keep the daytime view.
The nighttime bathing view.
It's pretty much like any other suite at PH Busan except that you get a Marina view and bridge view. Also, you can bathe with the lights, boats and view. The only suite at PH Busan that has a direct window view for the bathtub.
suite notes:
- closet is integrated with the bedroom and has no lighting. Even at full illumination, it's hard to see into the luggage and maybe the reason they put a rack in the living area.
- as with all PH Busan suites, the toilet is shared with the living area
- the searing summer heat has dissipated somewhat but I recommend keeping the room thermostat at 20 degrees Celsius if you decided to keep the daytime view.
The nighttime bathing view.
Last edited by Aventine; Aug 22, 2015 at 9:57 pm
Aug 25, 2015, 8:04 am
#219
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Some stay pictures.
One of the finest sushi sets I've ever had in Korea and it certainly hit the spot Saturday night (via room service).
Chef Keenan's interpretation of the classic salad nicoise. This was exquisite as well. I can see the years of experience he has in the kitchen through the improvements to the F&B department at PH Busan. I emailed him with one word: delectable.
Can never go wrong with a Korean breakfast set in Korea.
Wall to wall views from the Park Executive marina view suite. There's not a poor view or window in the house. It's smaller than the normal Park Executive suite but makes up for it with the Gwangan bridge AND Marina views.
The bridge view.
Final thoughts:
I really like how PH Busan takes their brand's catchphrase and tries to make it happen: luxury is personal. They really tried to fulfill any request we made from getting a small refill of the Park picnic set's calamari (paid) to having the Dining Room's sushi sent down to the room. I know this is a given at ultra luxury hotels like MO or SL but not always the case in Korea.
One of the finest sushi sets I've ever had in Korea and it certainly hit the spot Saturday night (via room service).
Chef Keenan's interpretation of the classic salad nicoise. This was exquisite as well. I can see the years of experience he has in the kitchen through the improvements to the F&B department at PH Busan. I emailed him with one word: delectable.
Can never go wrong with a Korean breakfast set in Korea.
Wall to wall views from the Park Executive marina view suite. There's not a poor view or window in the house. It's smaller than the normal Park Executive suite but makes up for it with the Gwangan bridge AND Marina views.
The bridge view.
Final thoughts:
I really like how PH Busan takes their brand's catchphrase and tries to make it happen: luxury is personal. They really tried to fulfill any request we made from getting a small refill of the Park picnic set's calamari (paid) to having the Dining Room's sushi sent down to the room. I know this is a given at ultra luxury hotels like MO or SL but not always the case in Korea.
Aug 30, 2015, 3:15 am
#220
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Stay notes:
A cloudy overcast day from PH Busan, in the south of South Korea.
Had a two day stay in my usual Park Deluxe room, with a few minor issues:
Room:
- One electrical outlet near the tv and window seems to have stopped working during the night.
- The pillow cases and pillows smell stinky. Like improperly dried line dried clothes. It's the odor when Korean summers and humidity don't allow clothes to get the moisture out. They dry smelling stinky. One of the times I wish we had a sniff feature to describe what I'm saying. I've brought it up with management and asked them to smell it and see if they agree. A hotel's launderers should not be using air drying for any of the bedding.
- Service has been on the dot. From the bellmen to room service.
Some food pics:
Quality bulgogi for breakfast.
Just loved this fresh fig w/ peaches French toast. Refreshing.
The eggs benedict need work. Just tiny and unimagined.
A cloudy overcast day from PH Busan, in the south of South Korea.
Had a two day stay in my usual Park Deluxe room, with a few minor issues:
Room:
- One electrical outlet near the tv and window seems to have stopped working during the night.
- The pillow cases and pillows smell stinky. Like improperly dried line dried clothes. It's the odor when Korean summers and humidity don't allow clothes to get the moisture out. They dry smelling stinky. One of the times I wish we had a sniff feature to describe what I'm saying. I've brought it up with management and asked them to smell it and see if they agree. A hotel's launderers should not be using air drying for any of the bedding.
- Service has been on the dot. From the bellmen to room service.
Some food pics:
Quality bulgogi for breakfast.
Just loved this fresh fig w/ peaches French toast. Refreshing.
The eggs benedict need work. Just tiny and unimagined.
Sep 2, 2015, 8:07 pm
#221
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Switzerland; South Korea
Posts: 346
Had a two day stay in my usual Park Deluxe room, with a few minor issues:
Room:
- One electrical outlet near the tv and window seems to have stopped working during the night.
- The pillow cases and pillows smell stinky. Like improperly dried line dried clothes. It's the odor when Korean summers and humidity don't allow clothes to get the moisture out. They dry smelling stinky. One of the times I wish we had a sniff feature to describe what I'm saying. I've brought it up with management and asked them to smell it and see if they agree. A hotel's launderers should not be using air drying for any of the bedding.
- Service has been on the dot. From the bellmen to room service.
Room:
- One electrical outlet near the tv and window seems to have stopped working during the night.
- The pillow cases and pillows smell stinky. Like improperly dried line dried clothes. It's the odor when Korean summers and humidity don't allow clothes to get the moisture out. They dry smelling stinky. One of the times I wish we had a sniff feature to describe what I'm saying. I've brought it up with management and asked them to smell it and see if they agree. A hotel's launderers should not be using air drying for any of the bedding.
- Service has been on the dot. From the bellmen to room service.
I'd expect all sorts issues related to the shower though
I filled in the survey form for my last stay, mentionning all the issues I came across and suggesting a few things to improve.
Sep 2, 2015, 8:39 pm
#222
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I guess the holiday season is over, prices split by 3 and the pool is usable on weekdays now
Very surprising to hear about the pillow cases, last thing I would expect from PH Busan! Would have made me go mad if that problem had added up to the others on my previous stay.
Very surprising to hear about the pillow cases, last thing I would expect from PH Busan! Would have made me go mad if that problem had added up to the others on my previous stay.
The price is still high and weekday pool might be slightly better? ha.
Sep 19, 2015, 9:17 am
#225
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A half and half Cobb and chicken Caesar salad mix.
Just a disgusting "Cobb" salad. The worst in my life. This doesn't look anything like any other Cobb salad I ever had. Looks more like the typical Korean cabbage salad served with donkatsu.
The Caesar was good. Not too much dressing, crispy bacon and interesting rendition of croutons.
I expected something like this for a Cobb salad:
Last edited by Aventine; Sep 19, 2015 at 9:42 am