"If I judged SIGNIEL BUSAN only by the room, view, staff and overall physical standard, I would have rated it highly. The room was beautiful, modern and very well maintained, the ocean view was excellent, and the staff were consistently friendly and professional.
However, the stay was fundamentally damaged for me by the hotel’s tattoo policy regarding the sauna.
I asked about the sauna because wellness facilities are one of the main reasons I choose hotels. I expected practical information, but was instead told that guests with visible tattoos are not allowed to enter. My tattoos are small, harmless pieces of writing with personal meanings. There is nothing offensive or inappropriate about them, yet I was excluded.
The bigger issue is what this represents in an international luxury hotel. In the hotel’s response, it was explained that some guests, especially domestic guests with more conservative views, may feel uncomfortable with visible tattoos in shared spaces. For me, that is precisely the problem. The hotel is choosing to prioritise the presumed comfort of some guests over the equal treatment of others.
I have travelled extensively across Asia and have never before been excluded from sauna or wellness facilities because of a few small, harmless tattoos. The hotel later apologised and said the policy is under review, which I appreciate. However, the policy was still enforced during my stay, and the sense of welcome was already lost. That is why the low rating."
