Hotel Forêt The Spa

The large bathroom and convenient location were the standouts for us at Hotel Forêt The Spa. Buses and the subway are easy to reach, and Busan Station is about a 10 to 15 minute walk away. The bathroom had a smart toilet, a big Korean wooden soaking tub, rainfall shower, large sink, and mirror, plus lots of amenities like dental kits, combs, cotton buds, makeup remover, and a sponge. They provided slippers for the bath and plenty of towels. We mentioned it was our anniversary and were kindly upgraded. The room had two huge, very comfortable beds, a large TV with YouTube, Netflix, and other streaming services, and reliable WiFi. A safe, big wardrobe, desk and chair, kettle, coffee station, and more made it convenient. The on-site restaurant served really tasty food, and the staff were great, with reasonable waits. It made dinner and breakfast easy when we were short on time. There were some letdowns. At times the bathroom smelled odd, like fish or other unpleasant odors. The bedding had strange stains, which we hoped were bleach or detergent marks. Loud music in the hallways sometimes woke us up. Some paint looked old and parts of the style felt dated, and I think each bed should have four pillows instead of just two. Even so, we had plenty of positives, especially the bathroom and location.

The food was fine. The pho was neither bad nor amazing, though I heard several Korean guests say it was good, perhaps because they hadn’t tried pho in Vietnam or California. The fried rice was quite good. The American breakfast worked for me because I wanted greens and iced coffee. Check-in and check-out were fine too. It’s great value for a three-star hotel and incredibly clean. It didn’t miss even the spots some four-star places overlook, and felt cleaner than four-star hotels I’ve stayed in Seoul and Europe over the years, and definitely cleaner than a four-star Taiwanese hotel I visited within the past year. Staff were professional, though I wouldn’t expect the kind of behavior or responses you’d get at a four- or five-star hotel. The elevator had no significant delays. The station is close, so train noise is audible. It wasn’t terrible, and seemed expected for the location. For a while, I had an autistic person next door who screamed in what I think was Spanish. The bathroom vent had the opposite of its intended effect.

We were there from August 29 to September 2, and the hotel didn’t live up to our expectations. The only real highlight for us was the large bathtub, which is why we’d booked the place. Unfortunately, it wasn’t clean, with shampoo still left from the previous guest. In the evening, strong drain odors came into the room. We reported it and got another air freshener spray, but the smell continued. They’d given us a small spray at check-in too, which seemed unusual. At first the room smelled nice, but the drain odor became noticeable by evening. Breakfast was limited to three set dishes: beef pho, American continental, or shrimp fried rice. That was frustrating for vegetarians and anyone staying several days. We went once at 9:30 am, with breakfast ending at 10:00, and staff rudely shouted at us at 9:55 to leave because it was closing. With the continental option, you have to choose either juice or coffee, while the other dishes include only water. That was especially frustrating for me as a coffee drinker. The corridors were uncomfortably warm, with windows open while it was 33°C outside. Our room was plain, with no decoration or atmosphere. The tub doesn’t make up for these downsides. Unless it’s your only priority, I wouldn’t recommend this hotel. There are much better options in Busan.

The hotel is modern and up to date, with good amenities, and sits near two stations, including Busan Station. From the moment we arrived, the welcoming staff were accommodating and helped us with parking. They also upgraded us to the Hinoki room.