Ananti Cove sets new leisure trend

An aerial view of Ananti Penthouse in Gijang County, near Busan / Courtesy of Emerson Pacific

Premium oceanfront resort woos city residents longing for rest in nature

By Lee Hyo-sik

BUSAN — Ananti Cove, a premium oceanfront resort complex near Busan, became an instant sensation upon its July 1 opening. Many holiday goers from across the country have been flocking to this luxury resort and hotel compound to see what it can offer and how different it is from conventional lodging facilities.

The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Tak Ji-young, a communications manager at Emerson Pacific Group, which operates the 75,837 square-meter site in Gijang County, on the outskirts of Korea's largest port city. The KOSDAQ-listed company is widely known for its Ananti chain of resorts and golf courses.

"Since the opening, we have had many more visitors than previously expected," Tak said. "People take photos of our facilities and splendid views of the sea, and upload them on blogs and social media platforms. Many more are inspired by these postings and visit us to find out what Ananti Cove is all about."

It took more than three years to build the luxury resort, consisting of the Hilton Busan, membership condominiums, restaurants, swimming pools, a bookstore and many other leisure and shopping facilities.

It takes only about 15 minutes by car from Haeundae Beach, Busan's most popular summer vacation site, to Ananti Cove. It also takes about 30 minutes from Busan Train Station and an hour from Gimhae International Airport.

In December, Busan City plans to operate a tour bus linking Ananti Cove with Haeundae and other popular tourist destinations in the city, making it easier for people to visit the resort.

The Ananti Penthouse Haeundae is a signature facility, which brings further luxury and elegance to this resort complex. All of its 90 units have an ocean view and people tired of staying in conventional hotels and resorts rushed to purchase them as they seek to rest in luxury housing while communing with nature, Tak said.

"We also have 128 units in the Ananti Private Residence, which are smaller in size but have all the same luxury features as the penthouse," she said. "Many of them have been sold but the company will keeps dozens of the residences for non-members looking to experience Ananti Cove. While enjoying the ocean view, our guests can also stroll a 1.5 kilometer-long trail built along the coast."

An outdoor pool at Hilton Busan

The Water House, consisting of many indoor and outdoor hot spring water pools, saunas and spa facilities, has been popular for family guests and couples.

"We get about 1,000 tons of hot spring water every day so we need to make the best use of it. Creating the Water House was the best way to maximize the use of the valuable resource and provide additional value to our customers," the manager said.

"The facility will play a crucial role in attracting visitors in the winter when local resorts normally have fewer guests as people prefer to go to Southeast Asia and other warmer places."

Ananti Town is another feature that has and will attract large numbers of visitors to this resort compound. It is made up of 15 unique brand shops, including restaurants, a bookstore, a coffee house, an anti-aging clinic and a pet care center, all of which are rarely seen in other places.

An interior of bookstore Eternal Journey

Eternal Journey, a bookstore created by Emerson Pacific CEO Lee Man-keu, is not a conventional bookstore, according to Tak.

"Eternal Journey is not a place to just buy books. It is a place where customers can experience a range of cultural content and identify their interests," she said. "All the books are categorized by 50 themes, which are mostly liberal arts publications. Our goal is to inspire those who haven't read a single book for the past year to buy one."

The Town also features the famous Italian restaurant Volpino and Japanese ramyeon shop Ramen Beravo.

In particular, Sant' Eustachio il Caffe has been a magnet for coffee enthusiasts. One of the three most popular coffee shops in Rome, which was founded in 1938, opened its first store in Korea at Ananti Cove.

"Our guests can experience what they cannot at other hotels and resorts in Busan. They will encounter a new lifestyle and truly appreciate nature," Tak said. "We have no doubt that Busan residents will be proud of Ananti Cove, which has been setting a new trend in the leisure industry."

Hilton Busan to attract meetings & events

The Hilton Busan with 310 rooms is an essential part of Ananti Cove, which makes it more accessible to both business travelers and family vacationers.

It has what all conventional hotels have, such as restaurants, swimming pools, gyms and conference rooms. But what makes Hilton Busan different from others is that it is an urban destination resort in which all the guests can enjoy a spectacular ocean view and experience a wider range of leisure facilities and programs.

"We have four types of rooms, which are all larger than 60 square-meters in size," said Jean-Sebastien Kling, general manager of Hilton Busan. "The hotel has da Moim, an all-day dining restaurant capable of accommodating up to 500 people, which offers a variety of dishes. McQueen's Bar and McQueen's Lounge are our signature facilities where guests can enjoy an array of grilled dishes and alcohol beverages."

Jean-Sebastien Kling, general manager of Hilton Busan

Hilton Busan also boasts a grand ballroom with an ocean view on three sides, which can house up to 1,500 people.

For people looking to hold a wedding ceremony in a romantic setting with a small number of guests, the hotel is a perfect place, according to Kling.

"We have a wedding chapel, which is like none other, as it overlooks the sea. Newly-weds can also hold an outdoor reception on our ocean terrace after the ceremony," the general manager said. "We expect the chapel will emerge as a hot wedding spot. We also plan to attract young couples from Japan and China, who want to take scenic wedding photos."

Since its July 1 opening, the Hilton Busan has been getting positive feedback, he said.

"Guest feedback, which has been very much leisure based, was very complimentary about the layout of the hotel, the stunning views over the ocean, the combination of contemporary interior design and architecture and the wealth of space which can be enjoyed across the entire building," Kling said.

Meeting and event clients are impressed with the scale of the conference hall and venues, the dedicated conference center entrance and how versatile indoor and outdoor venues are, the manager said.

More than 60 percent of the 310 rooms have ocean views to the east so the hotel will likely emerge as a popular spot for those looking to see the first sunrise on New Year's Day.

"Our guests can enjoy a quiet stay with us and if they want to enjoy the urban lifestyle, they can easily go to Haeundae and other bustling districts in the city," Kling said. "Many head to Jeju Island or Southeast Asia to spend the summer vacation. But now they have a good reason to come to Busan and stay with us. We will also go after Chinese and Japanese tourists."

In addition to attracting leisure guests, the Hilton Busan plans to attract business travelers because the hotel has everything it takes to become a center for meetings and events in Busan.

"It is critical for us to fill rooms on weekdays and during the winter. So we would like to host conferences, weddings, birthday parties and other events," he said. "Ideally, we would like about 65 percent of our guests to be business travelers, with the remaining 35 percent leisure guests."

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