Its been a long time since i posted on this fab website (unfortunatly new job syndrome has hit!!!)
Anyway last year i posted on here a number of times and got some fantastic advice from Bob et al (not sure if you will remember me) and had THE BEST time in Thailnd and Singapore.... anyway i have managed to persuade the BF to go back to Thailand in November (and before he could changed his mind i booked the flights...)

So here in lies my dilemma, he hates flying and i am thinking of going somewhere we can be driven too (we have 12 nights away so i have suggested 6 nights beach and 6 in BKK )
Would Hua hin be a good bet? am a bit concerned cause someone told me its a bit seedy? and what will the weather be like and is there plenty to do there? if i give you an idea of the places we like to stay at can you give me some advice on where to stay or an alternative to Hua hin.
Last year we stayed at the Rayavadee Krabi and whilst it was beautiful there was no bar to speak of and we felt it lacked a "heart" and well frankly we were a little bored. Stayed at the tamarind Village in Chiang Mai and thought it was great (a bit too basic for the BF) Stayed at the The Oriental and Pen in BKK
So i would like upscale(ish), good location but dont mind a short taxi ride to town, next to a beach but i want to feel like i am staying in a nice Thai resort not a faceless huge resort. Have looked at LOADS but am confused now. Wora bura looks nice but what are the facilities like? the verandah looks like my kind of place but i think the BF wants something with a few more facilities (me i like small thai boutique)Anatara to out the way???? Does anyone know of anything somewhere in the middle!!!any of the above any good? any others to throw into the mix? my head is spinning
Have about $200 per night max to spend (planning to go late November)
Also plan to arrive at BKK and get a limo to drive us straight to HH, as we want the first 6 days to be nice and relaxing then i will have 6 days to hit all the spots in BKK i missed last time.Are we mad to do it this way?

Really looking forward to hearing from you all am sure i will have a million more questions
Smeagol
PS Bella LOVING your report

Should also mention would like to have some nice spa treatments to so an in house spa would be cool but not essential. Also just read some of jamesA suggestions to an old thread and the area around the Hyatt seem hot favorite would that be about right?

I remember you!

Yes, I think Hua Hin would be perfect. Personally, I like to stay a bit out of town (I've never found beach towns to be attractive). I've stayed at the Anantara (the Lagoon rooms are wonderful), the food is good, the service is warm. The beach isn't the best, though. It's maybe 10 minutes into town.

I've also stayed at the Hyatt, really a lovely resort with a very nice beach. It is big, hoever. You can stay in the Regency Club which will give you a sense of a smaller hotel, but I expect it may just be too big for your taste. It's about 5 minutes into town.

If you want to stay in town, the Sofitel is really lovely - it would be my choice in town by a long shot.

The Wora Bura is supposed to be nice, but they have a lot of construction going on next door, so this isn't the time to stay there. They are maybe 10 or 15 minutes out of town, I understand.

I'm sure JamesA will weigh in on other options.

We were posting at the same time...

Now spa is something I can make lots of recommendations on.

The Anantara has a wonderful spa. We stayed there on a spa package (we had treatments every day include in the price). The atmosphere is very Thai, really a wonderful experience.

I stayed at the Hyatt before they had their spa completed. But, if you stay at teh Hyatt, my recommendation would be to walk over to the Chiva Som (5 min. away walking on the beach). The Chiva Som is considered by many to be the best destination spa in the world... and I wouldn't argue with them. They had the best facilities I've seen anywhere, with lots of less usual treatments. However, they don't do couples treatments if that is important to you (or at least they didn't when I was there). They have separate men's and women's facilities.

Hey Kathie
Good to hear from you. I looked at the Hyatt and thought it looked good so its definately on my list tell me more about the regency club if you don't mind and the anatara wow that looks really good. Not desperate to stay IN town just want a really nice place to stay what would be your favorite? Spa wise the BF probably wont be too bothered but was thinking of checking out Chiva som too.
Thanks do much for responding, its good to be back on fodors... have missed it. Actually am going to check out when the BKK GTG is as i may try and make it!

Smeagol

The Regency Club at the Hyatt is a separate block of rooms, and has it's own smaller (and quieter) pool. There is an open air pavillion where breakfast and evening drinks and canapes are served (included in your room price). The grounds of the Hyatt are huge and well-landscaped. The rooms are fine, a bit too hard-edged modern for my tastes, and are smaller than the rooms at the Anantara.

The Anantara feels more "Thai" as it has really wonderful rooms with nice Thai touches in the decor. Choose the Deluxe Lagoon rooms, in separate buildings, overlooking man-made lagoons. The deluxe are on the second floor and have vaulted ceilings. There are big balconies with daybeds, where we spent much of our time, reading and relaxing. The bathrooms are gorgeous with separate shower and huge soaking tub. There are sliding doors so you can open up the tub area to the room. The lagoon rooms are farthest from the beach, but have their own pool and bar (by the pool) just for the use of those in the Lagoon rooms. Also, the Lagoon rooms are next to the spa area.

The Chiva Som spa experience is not to be missed... they brought in frosty face cloths on a tray with flowers while I was in the steam, and the cold-water after steam plunge is filled with rose petals... they have great hydrotherapy tubs, and they even have a domed isolation float tank - very cool. They offer all the usual spa treatment and some less usual ones. We did a 6 hour package that included a spa lunch there. We had wonderful spa treatments at teh Anantara, but the Chiva Som is a different level of experience.

I think you would be happy either place. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Thanks Kathie
Still doing tons of research and have also found the aleenta? ever come across it?
I think one of the things we really missed at the Rayvadee was somewhere nice to go for a night cap. We LOVED the Bamboo bar at the oriental and the bars at the Pen as they also had a great atmosphere and i am anxious to get this here!!! oh i dont know am just so confused i have read really good and not so good reviews on both. As you say maybe James A will offer his views too (and then i can be REALLY confused!)

As I remember the Alteena, it is WAY out of town, not really Hua Hin at all. You wouls have to be content to stay there all of the time.

i also remember you....i am going to be at the hyatt in HH on my return from india on nov 22....maybe our paths will cross...

it is quite nice....the club rooms are slightly above your price range at about $217 inclusive on weekdays (more expensive on weekends) on the hyatt website....the discounters have them for $194 inclusive (asiarooms) at the moment....the HH.20m site has not posted prices yet, but last year they were $205.... the regular rooms are about $50 less....the new spa should be open at the hyatt...maybe cheap prices for opening???

the marriott rooms are not as nice but it is cheaper and closer to town....many like the sofitel...

i would not call HH seedy, as i would call pattaya seedy....it is older in some ways and not so go go....but they have a new mall or two, according to james and i think you would find plenty to do for 6 days...there are good restaurants on the let's sea restaurant which gets rave reviews is very close to the hyatt as is la mer, an old favorite..

if you decide on the hyatt the hyatt runs a van from its bkk location to HH once daily at 10AM for 500 B p/p...you need a reservation....it leaves HH at 2PM to return to bkk....i am going to use this...you would have to take a taxi to the hyatt from the airport... the aac price is about $70 i think...the ride takes up to 3 hours from the old airport...so maybe more from the new airport which may open on sept 28, 2006, east of bkk....

we may have a mini bbk GTG while you are there....stay tuned

Hua Hin could 'never' be termed that way, isn't allowed. It is a Royal residence town.

Ok, Anantara very nice, only downer is beach gets very narrow when tide is in.
If you are looking for a class place Hyatt regency is great. Another nearby is Wora Bura but not sure when some construction will finish.
As Kathie said you can also enjoy what has often been voted the 'top spa in the world' the Chiva Som, but you don't have to pay 500-1,000 a night to stay, you can have spa treatments on a day-spa basis.
The spa at the Hyatt was always good and now it is being expanded beyond where the car park is so it will be even better.

The Aleenta although nice is in pranburi which is a good 30 minutes or more south of Hua hin, one of the pranburi resorts. Very quiet indeed, pranburi beach isn't as good as Hua hin south beach ( Hyatt area ) or the Takiab Bay beach about 5 minutes beyond the Hyatt.

Although Hua hin is sedate it isn't "boring". There are sidewalk bars and cafes, bars with live bands, in town the Hua hin Show is a mix of cabaret and Thai dance, in the night market area.
Next to Hyatt is sasi Restaurant and Show, Thai dance and music and cultural show with dinner. next is the sasi Bar which is blues/jazz/light rocvk live band, cheap drinks but very trendy and stylish.
On the corner as you go into the Hyatt area another bar with live band, thatched, easy style.
There are 2 night marjet areas, one in town and one Thu-to Sun at Grand Plaza near the Marriott. Also near Marriott is new mega mall, included lots of good restaurants plus arts and crafts shops, often events going on too, free SF style tram-car free to/from center of town although it is only a few minutes by tuk tuk anyway.
Cab/limo from Bangkok about 2.5 hrs, train takes over 4, good advice about the limo from the Hyatt Bangkok, it's good value and they are lux style.
Don't expect krabi scenery or Railey sands, but plenty of excellent restaurants, enough bars and night spots, many tend to be more stylish and jazz/blues orientated as that's the way thing are, but you can rumble in the jungle at Rockestra which is a jungle rock bar and restaurant in the hill if so inclined.
You can cycle around south of Hyatt to Takiab and a few minutes you are in rural areas, cattle and horses grazing, elephants stroll along, easy to be rural yet within 10 minutes of the busy central area.
You can do a day snorkeling trip to Bang Saphan, also half and full day trips to Sam Roi Yot National Park and Dolphin Bay ( 30 mins south ), full day jungle to Kraechen National Park, about 1 hr, River kwai is about 2.5 to 3 hrs each way for the day trip.
In addtion to Hyatt, Marriott, Sofitel, Hilton(high rise) the Sofitel is opening pool villas in November where central Village was. There are also lots of boutique style places on the beach such as Veranda Lodge, Kaban Tamor and S'Mor Spa.
www.huahinwhatson.com gives you some basics.

Still doing tons of research and have also found the aleenta? ever come across it?
I think one of the things we really missed at the Rayvadee was somewhere nice to go for a night cap

Sorry I copied a couple of your questions to remind me what you asked! remember, Aleenta, Evason resort and Hideaway, Purimuntra etc are the Pranburi resorts not Hua Hin itself.

Thanks Guys

appreciate your responses. Ok so i am definately settled on Hua Hin sounds perfect. Dont want somewhere crazy just nice resturants and bars and its fits the bill.
Now just the hotel. On the Hyatt website it says construction around the regency club area, does anyone now if this will be finished by late Nov? I think if we stay there will take Kathies advice and stay in the regency club rooms (and obviously will have to up my budget)
James what is the construction at Wora bura? Also a lot of websites seem to promote the Dusit, is this anygood?
Thanks also for all the daytripper advice whilst we intend to relax for a few days i really want to do a couple of day trips so the jungle treks etc so great.
Did i read on a thread somewhere else James that you have a good resturant list? or did i make that up? If you do can you post it for me.

I haven't done a full list, I should do one this week, Bob has a great list for Bangkok !

The Dusit although nice I don't see any benefits, it's 20 mins north of Hua hin and when you have places like Anantara, marriott, Sofitel, Wora Bura etc I see no benefits in the Dusit, although nice.

The spa work at the Hyatt is well away from the main buildings. At Wora Bura they are building I think a hotel, no idea how high it will be, will be down there sometime over next few weeks so will update.

A few restaurants with websites

http://www.sasi-restaurant.com/Links/events.htm

http://www.therockhuahin.com/restaurant.asp

http://www.letussea.com/restaurant_page.htm
http://www.siambeing.com/restaurant/tarachan/index.htm

These are some of the better day and half day trips:

Sam Roi Yot National Park, just 30 mins from town:-
http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/s...tionalpark.htm

Petchaburi Old Palace and Thai farm: 50 mins away-
http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/petburi_palace.htm

Krachan Treking:-
http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/kk_tr.htm

Snorkeling:
http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/b...snorkeling.htm

Kuri Buri Elephants- about 1.5 hrs south:

http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/kuiburi.htm

River Kwai, about 3 hrs each way:

http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/r...ai-elefant.htm

Khao Dang just south, river ride:

http://www.travel-huahin.com/tours/khao_dang.htm ( where the movie Killing Fields was filmed )

Plus local Elephant Village etc and tours of the Old Royal Palace and other historical places.

Wow what wonderful info

BOB maybe we can meet up in Hua Hin ??? we plan to be there 19th-leave 25th
James what is the accomodation like at lets sea? do you know? it looks fantastic and is the location good? ideally would love to be able to walk to other restuarants etc but not bothered about being in town.
If not i think the hyatt looks a good bet as its walkable??? to other restuarants. My only concern is i read a review where someone said it wasnt very Thai!!!!!

Thanks for all the other info i have cut and pasted it to my "Thailand" file and will defiantely do a couple of those day trips
If you think of any other accomodation you think i may like or anything else let me know.......
I guess am going to have to make some BKK postings next

I REALLY missed this forum....

Jane
XX

Sorry James

yet another question have you heard of the AKA resort? any good? and what is the location like

jane...we will be there from 22nd to 26th...our last name is kimball...

Pattaya is the seedy, yet fun, seaside town, not hua hin

Bob
Just as soon as i know we are going and staying there will let you know. If we end up staying elsewhere can always contact you at the Hyatt.
On the transfer front from BKK the Hyatt transfer is a no go for us as we land at 15.50. The BF wants to transfer in a "nice" car. Would aac(??) be the people to contact? if so do you have a web for them?

You can use AAC or otherwise just go to the 24/7 limo counter, no need to book, they have Camry Sedans(large ) for about USD 75 or roughly USD 90 for a Mercedez

The AKA is in the hills, I think it was Michael from BKK or went there, remote and well out of the way, I would pass that one by!

We may well be down HH this w/end, not sure yet, and we no doubt will go to let's Sea so will check on Hyatt and Wora Bura progress. let's Sea Boutique is still being built and is 'behind' the restaurant so not right on the beach, Hyatt, Wora Bura and other 'right on the beach iself'.