Tossing up between Hua Hin (Evason) vs. Phuket (Sheraton/Dusit) for Christmas holidays. Family with 3 children looking for style, quiet and beach life not night life! We really like the look of Hua Hin but are anxious about the possibility of less good beaches than Phuket.

I would definitely vote for Phuket as there are many beaches to choose from, quiet ones as well as busy ones. For Hua Hin, I know Evason is good, but I wonder if you or your children would be satisfied with staying there all through the holiday. Phuket offers a diversity of activities to suit everybody.

I'd second Phuket, but I've never been to Hua Hin so take it with a grain of salt. However, Phuket has a ton of great stuff, cool beaches (karon is my favorite so far), one of the best restaurants in Thailand IMO (Mom Tri's Boathouse Grill), lookout points, elephant farms, boat trips to things like James Bond island and the maya beach --- have fun! ps. go to Phi Phi island, I've never met anyone who has not extended their stay on the island by at least a day or two.

Powers

I've been to both, and I would say it depends on what you are looking for. If you want quiet, I'd say go for Hua Hin. I've not stayed at the Evason, so I can't comment on it. I've stayed at the Anantara and at the Hyatt, both of which were great.

I've been to both also and enjoyed both but as you want quiet I would suggest you pick Hua Hin. It does have a lovely beach and is much more relaxed than Phuket . If you decide you want more activities then you may be better off in Phuket. Enjoy wherever you end up!

i have also been to both and i am always amazed with the number of people who have negative things to say about the beach at hua hin.the fact of the matter is that it is more a small city beach than a tropical beach but it is still very pleasant for a dip with the kids and the sand is lovely.there is still plenty of things you can do with kids at hua hin...go karts ,golf,prawn fishing,trips to national parks and islands,elephant treks etc but it is true that there is more options at phuket for shopping and nightlife.i actually prefer the restaurants at hua hin and there is a lot less of the seedy element and there seems to be no scams and ripoffs.the locals are more laid back because the whole enviroment is laid back.i think it is a great pace for a holiday and will be going back soon.having said that,we would proberbly go back to phuket again as well.this year we are going to ao nang and railay beach near krabi and i am sure we will love that as well.thailand has so much to offer and i think you would have to be a very difficilt person to please if you didn't enjoy your time there..

I have been to Hua Hin twice, once in 1989 and the other in 2003. I would say that it was pretty good years back but now it's more like off the peak. Perhaps the beach is the same old good beach but with the tall (and vacant) buildings as the backdrop... hmm... well, at least you know it was supposed to be a holiday heaven at least for the locals.

Last year I didn't choose to fly there from Bangkok, so after nearly 4 hrs ride on a sometimes-bumpy-road, when we were both so tired, we bet the best deal was to stay in the hotel most of the time, especially when the local night market did not have much to offer.

When I go to a beach resort, I'm primarily interested in staying at the resort, with perhaps a foray out to a special restaurant or a special spa. I don't have much interest in beach towns, which I generally find unattractive and uninteresting. Hua Hin is no exception, I don't think there is much to the town. Phuket Town is larger, but again, not a very attractive or interesting town.

Most of the big resorts near Hua Hin are located out of town (a few exceptions, the Marriott, the Hilton, the Sofitel) and are self contained. The places I've stayed have a good variety of restaurants, nice beaches, and a good variety of beach activities. The Evason is quite a ways out of town. It's supposed to have a lovely beach and great facilities.

I would also cast my vote for Phuket I haven't been to Hua Hin but I can say that I had a wonderful time in Phuket. We stayed a beautiful hotel on the beach called the Chedi. There are plenty of island excursions you can pick up from the hotels ie..Phi Phi Islands or a day on the Junk Boat (it was great). Phuket town can be wild but lots of fun there are great places to eat and people watch. It's fun to walk around the night markets and shop at the street vendors

Phuket. We've been to both and with children, I'd strongly suggest Phuket. There's more to do. While our stay at the Sofitel in Hua Hin was very relaxing, I don't remember seeing many tourist children in Hua Hin. This is probably indicative of a lack of appropriate activities. Whatever you do, don't forget loads of sunblock.

Hua Hin and Phuket are very different. Phuket is a lively tropical island destination, Hua Hin is quieter, more for relaxation. Overall beaches Phuket better, downside is Phuket is more expensive. In my personal opinion the Evason Hua Hin is too far from town especially if you have kids. More to do on Phuket. Hua Hin is hassle/tout free which means a lot to many people.