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Need advise on Bangkok-Hua Hin car service

Need advise on Bangkok-Hua Hin car service

Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 08:58 AM
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Need advise on Bangkok-Hua Hin car service

From reading various posts, I have noted two Bangkok-Hua Hin car service companies. One is via website hotelthailand.com and costs 2300 Baht each way. The other is via website travel-huahin.com and has a daily scheduled service at fixed times for 590 Baht per person or 1900 Baht for "taxi" service. I would appreciate input from anyone who has used either of these two companies as to the vehicles that they use, promptness of pick-up, and any other comments. Also, if anyone has used any other car service that you would recommend, I would also appreciate hearing about them as well. Thank you.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 09:31 AM
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for our trip to hua hin in november we used two different types of transportation..going we made a reservation with the airport limo service at the airport...i called them from my bangkok hotel...they have a kiosk in the airport lobby and are simply called airport limosine i believe...they use newish mercedes sedans....i have also used them from the airport to town--no reservation necessary...cost jw marriott to marriott hua hin about $65 (2800B roughly)...very prompt and very fast..about 2 hours, 40 minutes (quite a bit of traffic on bridge leaving bkk or it would have been quicker)... for the return hua hin to the peninsula hotel we took a sharred van (VW or similar)..at first his a/c didn't work so he stopped for 15 minutes and got it pumped up..we stopped and picked up others in hua hin and in cha am...it was 590B per person..it was quite comfortable but tight with the luggage....he moved along at a decent pace but there was lots more traffic..total time about 3.5 hours and thats to the penn which is on the south side of the river...
there are many options and your hua hin hotel will tell you them if you persist...there is also an hourly bus which looks quite good, for less money...it goes from bus terminal to bus terminal--hh to bkk... i am sure a taxi would take you as well but i would pick a nice one...its a long ride...
i personally would go with the limo service again, for speed and comfort...the marriotts wanted about $90 in their cars....also benzs...

if you haven't choosen a hotel yet i would highly reccomend the hua hin marriot resort and spa...good deals at the moment...

there are services in HH too which you could arrange a ride back with...we had one jeep ride to the La Mer restaurant from downtown HH which was quite comfortable...we just picked that guy up on the street...ask around or check with the local travel agencies...all have arrangements...shop around..marriott got us the sharred van when i persisted for a cheaper venue...
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 09:37 AM
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i just posted you a long reply and this stupid system dropped it...
airport limo is great for about $65 from bkk to HH...we also used a van pool service for the return for 590B each..ok but somewhat cramped..took 3.5 hours for return trip with quite a few stops..limo ride 2 hrs 40 minutes with traffic at beginning of ride (jw marriott bkk to marriott HH)..hotel will arrange stuff for you...keep asking them for cheaper options..they got us the van...travel agencies in hh can help too...the airport limo is great...i arranged it over the phone from the jw...prompt,, mercedes benz...van was a VW type large van...small luggage area..
go to La Mer restaurant while in HH...nite or lunch...nite is beautiful...15 mins south of HH
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 09:38 AM
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looks like it took my first msg even though it said failure..
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 10:18 AM
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Thanks rhkkmk for all the info. Incidentally, we are already booked at the Marriott in Hua Hin. I'm glad to see that you recommend it.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 10:36 AM
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very good choice you won't regret it...the italien restaurant is very good...introduce yourselves to ed thompson, the head food guy, he is from texas and you will enjoy him..
the beach is the best in front of this hotel and the pool is quite nice...i could use it as we have a foot of snow in boston at the moment...
try la mer restaurant...its about 15 minutes south of town via taxi... we also liked the Maharaja (spelled wrong---like the royal personage) indian restaurant on the main strret in town, just down from the hilton hotel..we rented a car (truck) from budget at the grand hotel for 2 days and drove around on our own...quite fun...cost $68 total..
there is a good grocery store on the main highway street in the middle of town--set back 1/4 of a block...also many 7/11 type stores....i had laundry done on the main street and was very pleased as well..i day service...cheap...
if marriott has a special meal while you are there take it in....we went to a special italien meal and wine tasting which was fantastic---ed arranged it and did a fabulous job...
stake out a chair at the pool either before or after breakfast if you want a choic place...while we were there one of the pool boys took room numbers and put them on a chart....
lots of reports of trash on beach...we saw none, except jelly fish when we were first there....
the king was at his palace the whole time we were there and its neat to see 3 destroyers just off shore with lites in the evening....
have a dinner in the italien restaurant...ask for a table by the railing..its unbelievable...make a reservation the day before...they will remember you and you will get special service....we saw people turned away
got to run
have a great time
need any bangkok info, just ask me: [email protected]
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 10:57 AM
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Thanks again rhkkmk. Appreciate the offer for Bangkok info, but is not necessary - we've been there twice before. This will be the first time to Hua Hin, however. From reading other posts it seems that people either love or hate it. I think we will be in the love it group, as we are looking for a quiet relaxing beach area and not a touristy party atmosphere.
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Old Feb 3rd, 2003, 05:42 PM
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you have hit the nail on the head...HH is quiet...not noisy bars, etc...the beach is nice but most people seem to use the pools, although at the marriott many people sit on the grassy area which overlooks the ocean and beach...there were lots of people on the beach too---especially the germans, oc course...closer to the sun....

we walked in town a couple of nites but found it not too interesting...heard some complaints about some of the restaurants too, but that is all relative...make sure you go to la mer and to the indian place i mentioned earlier...
my wife is a nurse and we are very particular where we eat so as to not ruin the rest of our holiday...know what i mean....we looked at a number of the "fish" places in town and walked away...
i have seen a posting for a restaurant just across the main road from the marriott where you fish for your dinner, but we did not see it while we were there...we tried a breakfast place up the road and were disappointed and had some side affects as well so went back to the hotel breakfast and/or just some simple stuff from a bakery or from the supermarket....
enjoy
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Old Feb 5th, 2003, 10:51 AM
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To the top to see if anyone other than rhkkmk has any comments. Thanks again rhkkmk for all the info.
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Old Feb 5th, 2003, 12:28 PM
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A lot of the old 'regular' posters seem to have 'gone away'. I suggest you do a search back a few months as a lot of posts which should help you.
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Old Feb 6th, 2003, 12:13 AM
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Hi, We used the company from travel-hua hin.com last year - it went to a company called Ken Diamond Tours based in Hua Hin. We were picked up from an hotel in Bangkok and taken to the Evason about half an hour south of Hua Hin. The collected us a week later and took us back to Bangkok. Although the car was not very new it was comfortable with plenty of room and clean. The driver was very good (same one both ways) He was waiting for us each time, drove well and was all that you could want. Cost to the Evason was 2200bt (I recall it being about 1800 or 1900 to Hua Hin. We nominated the time - there was no problem about having to fit it in with other trips. I organised it all be email and as I said the driver was waiting for us at reception dead on time. I'd use them again. Have used others in the past but these were good.
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Old Feb 6th, 2003, 04:41 AM
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Thank you Mary. The travel-huahin (Ken Diamond) rates are the best I have been able to find. I am glad to hear that the lower rates do not mean less quality service or vehicles. Did you have to pre-pay by credit card online or were you able just to make a reservation and pay the driver?
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Old Feb 6th, 2003, 05:15 AM
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The Limo service from Bangkok Airport is about 2,200-2,400, usually Mercedes or Volvos, no need to book, available 24/7, just outside the baggage hall. Return from Hua Hin large size taxi sedans/wagons along the street between Satukarn Suare and 7-11, also outside Burger King and Pizza Hut, loads of them everywhere, about 1,400-1,600 baht, no need to book, just see them the night beofr and they book you.
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Old Feb 6th, 2003, 10:01 AM
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Thanks James. I didn't really want to pre-pay. It's good to know that I can wait to book once we are there.
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Old Feb 9th, 2003, 05:02 PM
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Hi Richard, No we didn't prepay. Just paid the driver at the end of the trip (each way) - Just booked by email and because I get worried about them not being there, I also sent a confirmation by email a few days before. We had booked earlier although they said it wasn't necessary.
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Old Feb 10th, 2003, 04:36 AM
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Thanks again Mary. Although James advises that I can wait to book once I am there, I now think that I will make the reservations with Ken Diamond and get it get it out of the way, now that I know I don't have to pay up front.
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