Ah! forgot to tell you about the spa. The Sky spa at Aleenta is great there as well, naturally beautiful, 360 degree open to the ocean and the back to the mountain range, so you can listen to the ocean while being pampered with all the aromatherapy massage oils (designed exclusively for the tiny hotel). You can get more info on their website: www.aleenta.com.

Wow, Aleenta looks terrific and the price is so right. Is the restaurant reasonable? How private are the plunge pools?--we like to "skinny dip" and would not want to offend anyone.

My memory of the beach around Pranburi was that is was simply loussy! Sand was dark and water murky, Simply no ways you can compare such a beach area with the Samui or Phuket beaches, or even other beaches around Hua Hin.

I loved the Anantara! We spent 2 nights there last week--less than $100US per night, total, with breakfast, for a "water view" room. We just telephoned for reservations the day before we arrived.

Wonder when you went there...we were there during Christmas & New Year, and Pranburi was divine! The best thing is that it has a great exclusive feel because there are only private luxury villas in the area and then Aleenta. Hua Hin is full of people selling junks and the beach are busy...

During my stays at Hua Hin, I never saw anyone on the beach selling anything, and my stays were in December. It sounds like that may be the disadvantage of staying close to town! The beaches at both the Anantara and the Hyatt had few people and no one selling anything.

in november there were plenty of people on the beach selling stuff...not too many just an adequate number...more men selling horse rides, which is sort of attractive in a way...<BR>i must comment however that the &quot;sellers&quot; were just like most thai people...soft, smiling and pleasant....no hawkers like you find on beaches in some other places... i watched them quite a while and was so surprised by their demeniors: a simple friendly and no hastle approach...no dangers either, although i don't know that i would walk on the beach alone after dark---ANYPLACE....<BR>we looked at all the major hotels in november for a future trip and would only consider marriott, our favorite for a return visit, sofitel and hyatt...we thought the hyatt and sofitel were to &quot;dressy&quot; for our lifestyle---

Just did a couple of days to take some friends along the coast, they wanted something more budget price so we stayed at Pala-u Guesthouse near the Sofitel, basic and simple but only $18 a night for an air-conditioned double room with balcony, not bad!

topping...

staying at the marriott in may. has anyone been there with kids and used the kids club there?do they charge?is it practical and safe enough to leave a 4yo there for a few hours?(massage time)<BR>

the massage women are all over the place--i'm sure they would accomodate you whereever you wanted to be worked on...the staff is very responsible at the marriott, i'm sure your child would be fine with them....you would never be more than 3 minutes away from where the child was either....<BR><BR>introduce yourselves to ed thompson when you are there....he is the head food person, a former texan, who has worked at the marriott resort in bangkok for many years and recently moved down to hua hin.....he's a real nice gy and will tell you what's going on around the hotel....<BR>the italien restaurant at the marriott is quite good...make a reservation and ask for a table at the railing near the water, sans kid (get a sitter)....<BR>we didn't think much of the steak house but you can try it...<BR><BR>in town we had a great meal at the indian restaurnat just down the street from the hilton...called Maha Raja--i think it might be spelled differently--my wife's notes...or it may be one word...out the front door of the hilton, turn right and it is on the right...i think there are a couple of indian places...great service and good food...