Tucked along the coast in Gijang, on the eastern edge of Busan, Ananti at Busan Cove isn’t a formal luxury hotel — it’s a lifestyle ocean resort. Floor-to-ceiling windows pour the East Sea into the lobby, the rooms are called “cabins,” there’s a live-cooking buffet (da MOIM), a “jungle onsen” water park, and Ananti’s signature bookstore, Eternal Journey. You can spend a whole day without ever leaving the grounds. I stayed a night here with my little one, and this is my honest, first-hand guide to the rooms, dining, pools and walks — all in one place.

My favorite spot was the ocean-view lobby lounge. Sitting by the glass wall looking out at the sea was pure calm. I’ve also stayed at Signiel and Josun in Busan, but for that all-in-one resort feeling, Ananti in Gijang was my favorite.

What is Ananti? (The brand, Cove & Village)

Ananti is one of Korea’s best-known resort & lifestyle brands. Its pitch — roughly, “you don’t need to fly abroad to find a beautiful sea” — plays out across resorts near Seoul, on the south coast, in Jeju and in Busan. In Busan there are two sides: Ananti at Busan Cove and Village de Ananti (at Busan Village), linked by a free shuttle. This guide centers on the Cove, a 5-star resort with the cabin rooms, the Waterhouse, Eternal Journey, Ananti Town and the coastal walking path. If you’re picturing a chain business hotel, reset — this is closer to a design-led seaside village you can wander.

Location & how to get there

The resort sits on Gijang Coastal Road in Gijang-gun, right on the East Sea. It’s just outside the busy Haeundae district, so it feels quiet and restful, with sights nearby like Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Lotte World Adventure Busan, Skyline Luge and Osiria Station. Just as importantly, it’s only about a 30–40 minute drive from Ulsan — an unusually close weekend ocean resort for the many international residents living in Ulsan. From either Busan or Ulsan, getting here is easy.

The rooms — Cabin & Forest View

Rooms are Ananti’s Cabin type. Even the standard Cabin is spacious at about 70㎡ (including the balcony), and you can choose an ocean view or a forest view. We had the forest view — green trees through the glass paired with the wood-tone interior felt cozy. Honestly the rooms show a little age, but they’re well kept and the service is warm, so it didn’t bother us.

Amenities are Ananti’s signature Cabinet de Poisson (solid-bar shampoo and body wash); the minibar is the paid Tasty Journey line plus a Nespresso machine. You get a personal safe, bathrobes and a private balcony, and there are pet-friendly rooms too.

Traveling with a baby

A crib, baby rental gear (travel stroller, bed, bottle sterilizer, baby bathtub and more), a baby-food warming service and a nursing room made traveling with a baby genuinely easy. They even include baby amenities like a soothing serum for heat rash.

Dining — da MOIM dinner buffet

da MOIM is the Cove’s open-kitchen, live-cooking Korean buffet on floor G. The full-height windows face the ocean, so sitting down at blue hour is magic (book a window seat!). The stars are the charcoal rotisserie grill (flat-cut beef, lamb chops and LA-style ribs grilled to order and refilled) plus made-to-order lobster and pho, alongside sushi, sashimi, pasta, a chocolate fountain and gelato.

Pools — Waterhouse, ocean infinity pool & gym

The Waterhouse is a “jungle onsen” of roughly 2,000 pyeong (about 1,400 indoors) fed by natural hot-spring water. There’s a color-shifting media-art indoor pool, an outdoor open-air bath facing the sea, and in summer an ocean infinity pool. It’s often called one of Korea’s best ocean infinity pools, and the view really is the highlight.

Inside you get the media-art pool and warm baths; outside, the ocean infinity pool and open-air bath — so it works year-round.

McQueens Club (ocean-view gym)

The McQueens Club fitness center, where you work out looking at the sea through glass walls, is also free for guests (men’s sauna on 8F, women’s on 9F). It has both cardio and weights — great for a morning run.

Eternal Journey, Ananti Town & the coastal walk (Cove)

The Cove’s Eternal Journey is Ananti’s signature bookstore and lifestyle concept shop. The shop-and-dining street, Ananti Town, looks great by day and by night, and in the morning the coastal walking path is perfect for staring out at the sea.

The coastal path is easy with a stroller, so it was lovely for a morning walk with the baby. We strolled beside the sea, then sat on the lawn cushions and just watched the water. Kids and adults both loved it.

Village de Ananti — Square & Mobydick Market (by shuttle)

The Village de Ananti, a short free shuttle away, is worth a visit too. Built on a “sailing ship on the sea” concept, its shops-and-plaza area is called the Square (the Cove’s own shopping street is “Ananti Town”). The red classic-car photo spot and the round orange lounge are especially pretty.

The Square is full of distinctive concept shops — fashion, living and kids’ goods, each with its own mood, so it’s fun to browse store by store.

Gijang’s standout lifestyle store, Mobydick Market, packs in tableware, homeware, baby goods, desserts, groceries and even wine — an hour isn’t enough to see it all. (Clipper Building C, 1F in the Village; Mon–Fri 11:00–20:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–22:00; open to non-staying visitors.)

Rates & operations at a glance

Frequently asked questions

How do I get there from Seoul or Busan Station?
KTX/SRT to Busan Station takes about 2h40; from Busan Station it’s roughly a 50-minute taxi ride. There’s also a Busan Station shuttle.

Do staying guests still pay for the Waterhouse?
No. Cove and Village guests now use it free, with no limit on visits, up to room occupancy (it used to be paid — the policy changed). The published prices are for non-staying visitors.

Which facilities are free?
The Waterhouse, ocean infinity pool, McQueens pool and gym are free for staying guests.

What are the room views like?
The Cabin comes with a choice of ocean view or forest view. We had the forest view.

Can I visit Village de Ananti too?
Yes — a free Cove ↔ Village shuttle takes you to the Square shops, Mobydick Market and Eternal Journey.

Is it good with a baby?
Yes. A crib, baby rental gear, a nursing room, child-size life vests, baby goods and a stroller-friendly coastal path make it very family-friendly.

Final take

The ocean-view lobby, the cabin rooms, the da MOIM live-cooking buffet, the “jungle onsen” Waterhouse and ocean infinity pool, Eternal Journey, the Village Square, Mobydick Market and the coastal walk — you can have a perfect Busan getaway without ever leaving the grounds. Best of all, the Waterhouse, pools and gym are now free for staying guests, which makes it great value. One night felt short; give it at least two to enjoy both the Cove and the Village. Whether you’re traveling with a baby, as a couple or with parents, this is the Busan ocean resort I’d recommend — and an easy weekend from Ulsan, too.

Ananti at Busan Cove

Ocean-view lifestyle resort in Gijang · jungle onsen & infinity pool (free for guests) · ~50 min from Busan Station

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Written by WY, a Seoul-based local sharing honest, first-hand guides to Korea. Nothing here is sponsored — I go and pay my own way. This post contains an affiliate link (Trip.com); booking through it helps keep the site running at no extra cost to you. More about me →