W Residence Hotel Haeundae

I booked what they called their biggest, best room for four days and three nights in Busan. At check-in I learned there was no daily cleaning, something I hadn’t seen clearly stated on Agoda. I also hadn’t realized the lobby was on level 6. Getting there meant waiting for elevators, and the waits were awful. The room felt dark and solemn as soon as we walked in. We dropped our bags, went to a nearby traditional market and walked along Haeundae Beach, and I saw the impressive Grand Josun Busan and wondered what I’d booked. That night I couldn’t sleep because the dated furniture and bed looked disgusting. I immediately booked Grand Josun Busan for the remaining two nights. The next morning I left the card keys and walked out, giving up the payment for the other two nights. The hotel contacted me to check in. I didn’t say much to them, but I felt scammed since neither the level 6 lobby nor the lack of daily cleaning had been stated anywhere. I don’t regret losing the money, as long as my holiday wasn’t spoiled. This feels like a budget hotel. People seem to like it for being near the train station, but that didn’t matter to us since we don’t commute by train, so leaving early was no loss for us.

There are lots of restaurants around, and Haeundae beach is an easy walk away. The location is great, right above the train station, with plenty of buses going straight to tourist attractions. The room is large and set up like a service apartment, with a washing machine and floor heater.

The washing machine came in handy, and the staff were kind and friendly. The area is convenient for shopping centers and good restaurants. The room smelled strongly of mold, and the dirty carpet in the hallway leading to it smelled awful. The odor gave me a headache, so I asked to switch rooms, but the replacement smelled the same. Showering in the modified bathtub was difficult, and water ended up all over the bathroom floor, which may have contributed to the mold.

There’s food just around the corner, and the room is spacious. Reception is on floor 6, sharing space with another provider. There are four service lifts, but only two serve the rooms. During busy times, you really have to be patient waiting for one.