hua hin area
 

has anyone been to hua hin lately....? looking at the more upscale end of things...we are to stay at the marriott resort and spa, part of the royal garden chain which we like...does anyone know anything about it??<BR>any don't miss suggestions, including restaurants??<BR>thanks<BR>bob

Royal Garden is OK but not the best if that is what you're looking for. Best would have to be "Chivasom".<BR><BR>Restaurant. In town I like "Villa" for casual Italian food. Also, the best sticky rice and mango can be found opposite the Hilton hotel, right across the road.<BR><BR>Pub. I like the "Brew House" at the Hilton.

Chiva Som is very expensive and is really like a health resort. Marriott is very good also Anantara, Hyatt Regency and Sofitel, but if you want some good value then Marriott Resort is a fine choice. I prfer the Thai style of Hua Hin so I have not been to the mainly European food restaurants in the town, there are so many local restaurants with excellent Thai food.<BR>A good search site that only has Thailand websites is : http://www.thaiwebsites.com, not too many sites but up to the minute and again is Thailand sites in English.<BR>We lived in Bangkok for a year but have now returned to Hong Kong but enjoy our frequent visits very much.

I was in Hua Hin last year and stayed at the Anantara which was wonderful. It's a bit outside of town (not as far away as Chiva-Som, which is in Cha-Am). The Anantara is a lovely resort, and you could never leave the grounds and have a wonderful time. If you want something closer to town, the Hyatt or Sofitel or Marriot are closer.

thanks to everyone for the responses

Our plan is to stay in Hua Hin for a few days before going to Koh Tao and then to Krabi for a week. Appreciate some recommendations for hotels up to about $40 a night in Hua Hin.<BR>Thank you and also any sites worth looking at.

Michelle, I find that www.asia-hotels.com has some of the best prices on hotels. Check them out for options.

There are so many hotel booking agents. I'd go local, try : www.huahin.20m.com on the internet as they have direct links for Hua Hin and Cha Am hotels, and it will help you decide the best part of town. $40 is about 1,800 baht, that won't get you luxury but a nice good 3-star hotel. Kaban Tamor is popular and that's in the price range but a little far from town.

We stayed at the Anantara Resort in March 2002. My thoughts:<BR><BR>Would only consider the Lagoon view rooms!! These rooms are new and beautiful. The original rooms (including the ocean view rooms) are not up to par. Included in the upgraded rooms is the use of a smaller pool. Not large enough for laps but very beautiful. A nice pool bar with limited food service and restroom facilities. Beware, there will be mosquitoes at dusk around the entire property.<BR><BR>There is an open air lounge that had live music at night which we enjoyed.<BR><BR>The beach quality and water quality is not the best especially compared to Phuket or Koh Samui. I stayed there six days and did not go in the ocean once. For this reason, we would not return. I felt the better beaches in Hua Hin were at the Sofitel or the Chiva Som.<BR><BR>We booked the Spa package which was a very good deal. The spa dinner at the Italian restaurant was memorable. The spa is heavenly and the service excellent. Treat yourself. This was the highlight of the place. The spa products made nice souvenirs especially the lemon grass oil and ceramic burner.<BR><BR>Overall, I would rate this a four star property. There is a lot of goodwill but the service level and the original property don't quite measure up to five star. The front desk didn't have any recommendations for dinner in town although they did help me get dinner reservations at the Chiva Som when I asked for their help. (This was difficult at the time though I understand the Chiva Som is now opening to the public. Their facilities had only been for their guests.)<BR><BR>We had dinner at the Sofitel which everyone talks so much about. I wasn't overly impressed but the beach looked nice.<BR><BR>We had dinner at the Chiva Som which is definately five star plus. Very private. Very secure. Fabulous dinner overlooking a beautiful beach. If I had all the money in the world and was looking for a very quiet experience (and I mean quiet-I swear everyone speaks in a whisper!) the Chiva Som is where I would go. No cell phones in the restaurants. Organic food when possible. Spa atmosphere. Beautiful!<BR><BR>Forget the Regent. It is not part of the upscale chain. We went for a look and didn't even stay for a drink.<BR><BR>I believe it was the Hyatt Regency that we had dinner at another night. It was only open one month at the time. We enjoyed dinner at the Thai restaurant. It was worth the time to get there. <BR><BR>This was our fifth trip to Thailand and in spite of some disappointments in Hua Hin(would choose Phuket or Koh Samui for better beaches) we had a wonderful time and we are glad we went.<BR><BR>If I remember correctly, we paid approximately $225.00 US/night for the spa package (which was for three nights)and $185/night after that.<BR><BR>Hope this all helps. Safe travels.<BR><BR>Sue