Lonely Planet Review

It's Busan's oldest international-class hotel, but this grandaddy gets better with age. A hint of retro, shaken, not stirred, with modern touches creates a James Bond - a la Sean Connery - dashing cool. Inside and out, this is quite simply the finest hotel on Haeundae beach.

Step inside this wonderful hotel and you'll understand why the Westin was selected as home base for US President George W Bush and his contingent during the 2005 APEC conference. From the property's impressive beachfront location to delicate in-room touches, the Westin was the perfect complement to the image-conscious US leadership. Start in the lobby where the silver-gray faux stone behind the front desk and the 1950s retro feel of the columns worked exquisitely to highlight the classic design of George W's titanium cuff links. Inside the standard rooms, stylish silver lines with a hint of Bauhaus and a post-modern vanity were the perfect accent for the security details' midnight-black Glock 18s. It's not the West Wing, but there's more than enough space to work with inspiring views of Dongbaek Park.