Where is a nice resort in Thailand?
Aug 16th, 2003, 05:26 PM
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Where is a nice resort in Thailand?
Hi there, I am new to this. Can anyone suggest somewhere in Thailand that is nice and pleasant for a relaxing vacation which is not overun with hoardes of rowdy people. Not being an old school ma'am but we are certainly not going to Phuket again and want some advice on somewhere that we won't get pestered all the time, a place where we can have a nice hotel truly 'on the beach', pleasant restaurants and friendly people, not too crazy!.
Any tips and maybe some specific hotels would be nice, planning on early December.
Any tips and maybe some specific hotels would be nice, planning on early December.
Aug 16th, 2003, 06:30 PM
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There are lots of lovely resorts on the beach in Thailand. Even Phuket has areas that are not overrun.
I'd suggest you consider Hua Hin. I've stayed at the Anantara - wonderful if you want to have a nice spa experience. I'd recommend the lagoon rooms (you have a pool shared only by those in the lagoon rooms). The Anantara has a number of excelent restaurants to choose from.
I've also stayed at the Hyatt at Hua Hin (by the way, it's next door to the Chiva Som, the best destination spa in the world). Neither of these is walking distance to town, which you may consider an advantage or a disadvantage.
I'd suggest you consider Hua Hin. I've stayed at the Anantara - wonderful if you want to have a nice spa experience. I'd recommend the lagoon rooms (you have a pool shared only by those in the lagoon rooms). The Anantara has a number of excelent restaurants to choose from.
I've also stayed at the Hyatt at Hua Hin (by the way, it's next door to the Chiva Som, the best destination spa in the world). Neither of these is walking distance to town, which you may consider an advantage or a disadvantage.
Aug 16th, 2003, 07:03 PM
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i second hua hin...it is about a 2.5 hour ride south of bkk or you can fly (limited flights)...
i prefer the hua hin marriott...i have looked at all of the hotels of quality in the area and find this to be the most to my liking....i must admit that i am partial to this thai companies' properities...they are well managed and usually 4 star....
the pool is medium size and pleasant...the beach is the widest of the major hotels in the area...we found the beach to be very clean...there are vendors on the beach but they seem respectful....you can escape them by sitting on the grass just above the beach and they will not enter that area...
the restaurants are excellent, especially the italien one...
you are a five to ten minute walk to town and tuk tuks are always waiting to take you for 50 B...
the town is nothing special but you indicated that you just wanted to relax...
driving is easy in this area...you could rent a car for a day or two and explore...we did and found it fun...
the king spends lots of time here, at hua hin at his palace...he was there for the whole week we were last november
there is a decent selection of restaurants in town as well as the other hotels....
you might also look at the hyatt (located south of everything else and huge)...the hilton, right in town and old....the two mentioned above, one of which is owned by the same thai group as the marriott (that's the anantara), we did not like its layout although kathie is always raving about it....
if you go make sure you go to la mer restaurant, south of the hyatt up on the hill--take a taxi--go for dinner..the view is beautiful with all the lites along the beach...thai sea food...
i prefer the hua hin marriott...i have looked at all of the hotels of quality in the area and find this to be the most to my liking....i must admit that i am partial to this thai companies' properities...they are well managed and usually 4 star....
the pool is medium size and pleasant...the beach is the widest of the major hotels in the area...we found the beach to be very clean...there are vendors on the beach but they seem respectful....you can escape them by sitting on the grass just above the beach and they will not enter that area...
the restaurants are excellent, especially the italien one...
you are a five to ten minute walk to town and tuk tuks are always waiting to take you for 50 B...
the town is nothing special but you indicated that you just wanted to relax...
driving is easy in this area...you could rent a car for a day or two and explore...we did and found it fun...
the king spends lots of time here, at hua hin at his palace...he was there for the whole week we were last november
there is a decent selection of restaurants in town as well as the other hotels....
you might also look at the hyatt (located south of everything else and huge)...the hilton, right in town and old....the two mentioned above, one of which is owned by the same thai group as the marriott (that's the anantara), we did not like its layout although kathie is always raving about it....
if you go make sure you go to la mer restaurant, south of the hyatt up on the hill--take a taxi--go for dinner..the view is beautiful with all the lites along the beach...thai sea food...
Aug 16th, 2003, 07:10 PM
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i should also mention that on our next trip next year we are going to koh samui island....there are quieter areas which you might like...we are staying in Bo Phut beach area at the peace resort in a beach front bungalow for 3200 B a nite, which is reported to be quiet, but yet close to a small town with some restaurants...its about $125 to fly there..
Aug 16th, 2003, 10:54 PM
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In December the Andaman Sea will be your best area for good weather and snorkelling. Just make sure you make your reservations soon, as December is the busiest month in Thailand.
I suggest someplace on Koh Lanta. It's way less developed than say Phuket or Koh Samui but still has a lot of resorts to choose from. The further south you go the quieter it becomes, with the Watefall Bay Resort just about as far south as you can go. If you want luxury, there's the Pimalai Resort, and mid-range is the Narima. If you want something more lively, try something on Klong Nin Beach. www.google.com will be a big help to you in finding something to fit your needs and budget.
I suggest someplace on Koh Lanta. It's way less developed than say Phuket or Koh Samui but still has a lot of resorts to choose from. The further south you go the quieter it becomes, with the Watefall Bay Resort just about as far south as you can go. If you want luxury, there's the Pimalai Resort, and mid-range is the Narima. If you want something more lively, try something on Klong Nin Beach. www.google.com will be a big help to you in finding something to fit your needs and budget.
Aug 16th, 2003, 11:43 PM
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If Hua Hin is an option I would go for the Anantara or the Sofitel. Stayed at the Anantara last year and it was beautiful, huge free form pool in a lovely garden, very good restaurants and nice staff. The Anantara has a very pleasant atmosphere and is built like a village. The Marriott has the same owners and you can go there if you stay at Anantara and use the pool restaurants etc and vice versa if you stay at The Marriott, they have a shuttle bus. We visited The Marriott one day and did not like it all. Rather big building that almost surround the pool and give the place a claustrophobic feeling. The pool was by the way nothing much and the gardens nothing special. The Marriott seemed to be more orientated towards families with small children. The day we were there the service was slow and the staff not very polite, they were unable to take even the simplest orders at their outdoor restaurant by the pool, not one of us got what we had ordered (8 persons).
The Sofitel is just very, very beautiful, has an old coloniall charm.
The Hilton is also nice, but is a huge building. Renovated not to long ago and their rooms looks stunning, very good rates at Asiatravel right now.
The Sofitel is just very, very beautiful, has an old coloniall charm.
The Hilton is also nice, but is a huge building. Renovated not to long ago and their rooms looks stunning, very good rates at Asiatravel right now.
Aug 17th, 2003, 01:03 AM
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are you sure you were at the Marriott. I don't recognise this description at all!It is in a beautiful setting-gardens, greenery everywhere, a waterfall, pools and streams filled with carp, a lovely swimming pool. Which of the outdoor restaurants by the pool did you go to?
The Antantara is no doubt a good property but we were put off with the isolation,being 3 miles from Hua Hin.I would certainly like to try the Sofitel as the grounds look extensive. THe beach outside of the Marriott is the best part- I would not like to use the beach ouside of the Sofitel or Hilton.
BTW - all eight of you did not get what you ordered???? Have you heard the expression of adding an arm and a leg?
The Antantara is no doubt a good property but we were put off with the isolation,being 3 miles from Hua Hin.I would certainly like to try the Sofitel as the grounds look extensive. THe beach outside of the Marriott is the best part- I would not like to use the beach ouside of the Sofitel or Hilton.
BTW - all eight of you did not get what you ordered???? Have you heard the expression of adding an arm and a leg?
Aug 17th, 2003, 01:20 AM
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Yes, I am sure I was at The Marriott!Spent a hole day there. Do not remeber the name of the restaurant, but it was not too far away from the pool, outdoor, open with a roof over, 10-15 tables. We ordered pizzas and hamburgers and it was all mixed up, wrong pizzas and too many pizzas and too few burgers and we had to wait 90 minutes to get what we ordered. After 45 minutes we started to ask if they had forgotten and we actually about to leave the restaurant when they finally arrived with all the wrong food!!!!
The Marriott pool is really not very nice, small and boring. My very personal and subjective opinion is that The Anantara is in another league at least 2 stars more than The Marriott. Ok The Marriott has a better location as you can easily walk in the town center and The Anantara is a bit outside, but beeing isolated, are you sure you have been to Hua Hin? It took 5-7 minutes with their shuttle bus wich went rather frequently. And getting transport back to the hotel was very easy and was also very cheap.
The Marriott pool is really not very nice, small and boring. My very personal and subjective opinion is that The Anantara is in another league at least 2 stars more than The Marriott. Ok The Marriott has a better location as you can easily walk in the town center and The Anantara is a bit outside, but beeing isolated, are you sure you have been to Hua Hin? It took 5-7 minutes with their shuttle bus wich went rather frequently. And getting transport back to the hotel was very easy and was also very cheap.
Aug 17th, 2003, 11:55 AM
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fiona...we seem to be on the same wave length...the buildings at the marriott surround the pool making it easy for everyone to walk a very short distance to this center of activity...yes it is family orientated, but no yelling kids, i might add....our food was served promptly each time and perfectly...we were not 8 people however.....i do not understand why anyone would stay for a whole day is such a terrible place if this was not their hotel????
in my posting earlier, i forgot the sofitel...it is lovely, but again very large....i would not consider the hilton even with lovely rooms...beach is not that nice and there is no shade at the pool that i could see.....
i must give the anantara another look the next time....many people speak well of it...i must have missed something in my inspection of it last fall.....they are more expensive i do know that....i will be staying soon at their newly named resort in chiang rai, so will see how that compares...
you would not be disappointed with the marriott....i did find our room a bit dark and not as large as i might have wanted but we were only in there from 10pm to 8am---outside all the rest of the time and i only paid $65/nite, which can't be beat for a 4* hotel rented directly from marriott...
in my posting earlier, i forgot the sofitel...it is lovely, but again very large....i would not consider the hilton even with lovely rooms...beach is not that nice and there is no shade at the pool that i could see.....
i must give the anantara another look the next time....many people speak well of it...i must have missed something in my inspection of it last fall.....they are more expensive i do know that....i will be staying soon at their newly named resort in chiang rai, so will see how that compares...
you would not be disappointed with the marriott....i did find our room a bit dark and not as large as i might have wanted but we were only in there from 10pm to 8am---outside all the rest of the time and i only paid $65/nite, which can't be beat for a 4* hotel rented directly from marriott...
Aug 17th, 2003, 01:14 PM
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Bob, you're staying at the Anantara near Chaing Rai? I'm staying there in November.
Everyone is looking for different things in a resort. I don't care about being close to town, as I may go out one or two evenings to a special place (yes, we ate at La Mer, too). I want a really nice room, with lovely outdoor space, where I can sit and read. I'm very fair skinned, so I'm not out in the sun at mid-day. What I like about the Anantara is that the Lagoon rooms are stunning. There are huge balcony with pillowed seating areas, where you could curl up and read all day. You are overlooking the water gardens. The rooms all have huge soaking tubs (as well as a walk-in shower) and the soaking tub area can be opened up to the room itself. (these are the newer lagoon rooms, and I can't say what the older rooms look like)
The service is wonderful. I swim at dawn and dusk, so I'm often wanting to swim both when the place that supplies pool towels is closed. I explained what I wanted the first morning, and they delivered pool towels to our doorstep every morning after that.
There are a good variety of restaurants, and the food and service were both excellent.
The Hyatt is lovely, but very differnt. Somewhere on this site I did a long comparison between the Hyatt and the Anantara. It would have been after my last trip, so December , 2002 or January 2003. If you do a search, you should be able to find it.
Everyone is looking for different things in a resort. I don't care about being close to town, as I may go out one or two evenings to a special place (yes, we ate at La Mer, too). I want a really nice room, with lovely outdoor space, where I can sit and read. I'm very fair skinned, so I'm not out in the sun at mid-day. What I like about the Anantara is that the Lagoon rooms are stunning. There are huge balcony with pillowed seating areas, where you could curl up and read all day. You are overlooking the water gardens. The rooms all have huge soaking tubs (as well as a walk-in shower) and the soaking tub area can be opened up to the room itself. (these are the newer lagoon rooms, and I can't say what the older rooms look like)
The service is wonderful. I swim at dawn and dusk, so I'm often wanting to swim both when the place that supplies pool towels is closed. I explained what I wanted the first morning, and they delivered pool towels to our doorstep every morning after that.
There are a good variety of restaurants, and the food and service were both excellent.
The Hyatt is lovely, but very differnt. Somewhere on this site I did a long comparison between the Hyatt and the Anantara. It would have been after my last trip, so December , 2002 or January 2003. If you do a search, you should be able to find it.
Aug 17th, 2003, 06:01 PM
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kathie...i'm not going until june, so i will be interested in your report after your return (send it to me at [email protected], if you think of it so i won't miss it on fodors...i will be away a good portion of late november and early december)..
we looked carefully at anantara at hua hin and just didn't like something about it...i know you really like it...i have read many of your responses and i think your winter report as well...
i am looking forward to the former BB (anantara) in chiang rai...
have you been there before?? we are going strictly for a change of scenery...
bob
we looked carefully at anantara at hua hin and just didn't like something about it...i know you really like it...i have read many of your responses and i think your winter report as well...
i am looking forward to the former BB (anantara) in chiang rai...
have you been there before?? we are going strictly for a change of scenery...
bob
Aug 17th, 2003, 06:39 PM
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I agree that Hua Hin or Cha Am might be what OP is after, as for specific hotels/resorts the choice is wide open.
The Marriott is OK with nice gardens etc, my own personal opinion though is that it is badly Managed, I cannot understand having an Italian restaurant overlooking a beach in Thailand, but that's me!
The Anantara is amazing, it is very much morwe Thai style but that comes from the Thai Manager, it is very nice indeed.
The Hilton is a tower block, the Sofitel is rightly called the 'Raffles of Thailand'. One place many miss is the central Village between those 2, they are wooden cottage rooms, all individual in Thai style on the beach, about $60 a night and you can use all the facilities of the Sofitel as same group.
For a romantic small boutique resort you can't beat 'Kaban Tamor' or it's sister property the 'S'mor Spa', both rae well managed with great staff, amazing round shaped rooms!
The Hyatt Regency in Hua Hin is full Hyatt style, good choice of rooms from average to amazing suites. The gardens are very large and it has a very Thai feel to it with a restaurant built over ponds. Very good massage/spa.
The Evason is 30 minutes south of town, good if you want Pool Villas.
The Dusit resort & Polo Club is closer to Cha Am but only 15 minutes from ua Hin, that's a good 5-star too. For about $30-40 there are lots of good 3-star places right on the beach like Springfield resort with it's own Golf course, and the Goldens Sands which is good for families. asy to find plenty of cheap hotel rates for Hua Hin on the internet.
Overeall there is a very wide choice of different places, and it's just a few hours by cab from bangkok, which is easy. There are almost no touts and you certainly do not get hassles by anyone, it's simply not allowed. Very friendly people. Sounds like what you are after.
The Marriott is OK with nice gardens etc, my own personal opinion though is that it is badly Managed, I cannot understand having an Italian restaurant overlooking a beach in Thailand, but that's me!
The Anantara is amazing, it is very much morwe Thai style but that comes from the Thai Manager, it is very nice indeed.
The Hilton is a tower block, the Sofitel is rightly called the 'Raffles of Thailand'. One place many miss is the central Village between those 2, they are wooden cottage rooms, all individual in Thai style on the beach, about $60 a night and you can use all the facilities of the Sofitel as same group.
For a romantic small boutique resort you can't beat 'Kaban Tamor' or it's sister property the 'S'mor Spa', both rae well managed with great staff, amazing round shaped rooms!
The Hyatt Regency in Hua Hin is full Hyatt style, good choice of rooms from average to amazing suites. The gardens are very large and it has a very Thai feel to it with a restaurant built over ponds. Very good massage/spa.
The Evason is 30 minutes south of town, good if you want Pool Villas.
The Dusit resort & Polo Club is closer to Cha Am but only 15 minutes from ua Hin, that's a good 5-star too. For about $30-40 there are lots of good 3-star places right on the beach like Springfield resort with it's own Golf course, and the Goldens Sands which is good for families. asy to find plenty of cheap hotel rates for Hua Hin on the internet.
Overeall there is a very wide choice of different places, and it's just a few hours by cab from bangkok, which is easy. There are almost no touts and you certainly do not get hassles by anyone, it's simply not allowed. Very friendly people. Sounds like what you are after.
Aug 17th, 2003, 06:42 PM
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I failed to mention there are of course other places, you could try Jomtien beach, just past Pattaya, some great quiet resorts, the starngley named 'Rabbit Resort' has Teak wood houses right on the beach, it's not cheap, about $80-200 but it's a great place, the Royal Cliff Pattaya is also an excellent Resort in a quiet area.
