(Hua
Hin,
Thailand)
One
of the youngest and freshest five-star luxury resorts in Hua Hin,
inspired by King Rama VI's Summer Palace located on the same lovely Hua
Hin beach, this refined hotel evokes a prestigious past with a modern
and zen atmosphere.
The main road and the city center of Hua Hin are just opposite the
entrance of the monumental lobby; yet, we felt like penetrating a
heaven of supreme peace and relaxation. Unlike most of the hotels of
the chain, the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort is large but
not high
rise. A family hotel, romantic and kids friendly, it comes with a
Thai-Victorian touch of elegance, has a cyclopean pool with a lot of
intimate corners to relax, and a nice and immaculate beachfront. Five
star by the international standards, indeed, we loved the hotel at
first sight for much more than its ritzy aspect: the exquisite staff,
one of the best trained in the region, made us as much impression as
the plush rooms.
During our
first visit, by the end of 2017, we
booked in an oversized (55 sqm) “Premier Room”.
It looked
brand new, indeed, as the hotel is amazingly well maintained. Opening
directly on the semi-opened bathroom, and a spacious, classy bedroom,
it
extended to a large “sala-style” terrace with a fan and a king-size
daybed. Another category of rooms which we would like to recommend to
those looking for much privacy, or come on a honeymoon: all the
“Premier Lagoon” have a semi-private access to the resort’s winding
pool. Allowing guests to dip their toes directly into the pool from the
room.
All palace
hotels propose palatial suites:
“Deluxe Suites” spread
over 80 to 100 sqm, and display an exterior Jacuzzi tub. The 130 to
140 sqm “Premier Suites” compete in size and style with the “Beachfront
Villa”. Flanked besides the brand new Club InterContinental lounge,
this is a secluded area of extreme luxury in an extremely luxurious
resort. Five-star plus, each 145 sqm villa has been designed in
contemporary elegance: featuring clean lines softened with inspired
local touches. Last but not least, there is a private swimming pool
attached to each villa, and a direct access to the beach. We have
stayed in many hotel-villas during our visits to the kingdom, and found
the InterContinental Hua Hin “Beachfront Villa” actually among the most
inspiring in the Gulf of Thailand.
If nothing sounds too good for you, straightly book in “La Résidence”: a decadent two-floor 480 sqm white villa. Designed in a historic architecture echoing King Rama VI’s Summer Palace, it has a sprawling upstairs balcony with breathtaking panoramas, a downstairs living room, elegant dining room, kitchen, sitting areas, marble foyer and terraces. The own infinity pool, walled gardens and direct beach access with private security make it a jet-setter's home away from home.
The
118 rooms “Beach Wing” (inaugurated in 2009) has been recently
complemented with the new BluPort Wing
(next to the exclusive BluPort
Mall)
comprising 40 rooms and
suites, featuring its own swimming pool, all-day dining restaurant, Le
Colonial, as well as the intimate Saraan Lounge Bar. Located over the
road, it can be accessed easily by a private bridge. We really wished
to experience it, and booked into a 60 sqm "Superior
Studio", on a second stay before the pandemic.
What
surprised us is the ritzy design of the
room,
reminding us of the Mandarin-Oriental
Bangkok. The ambiance
is less leisure, more luxury than in the beachfront section of the
resort; yet, the sea-view is superb. The higher the better. From our
private balcony, we could also observe the breezy hills extending up to
the border with Burma.
Five-star
superior, indeed, designed in a
post-colonial style, our room had
a separate living-room with a large sofa and a 48" Sat' LCD TV with CD/DVD player connected to Bose entertainment
system, and
opened on a palatial marble
bathroom with separate rainforest shower and bathtub. We liked the
superlative quality of the towels and bathrobe. A noticeable bonus: the
toiletry kit by L'Occitane "Organic Verbena Collection" will please the
feminine guests.
We liked
the complimentary
afternoon “High Tea”, with a selection of TWG blends (we recommend
the signature “1837 Black Tea”) and sets of pastries and sweet delicacies. In
the evening, cocktails ( “Tom Yum Mojito” is a favorite with the alcohol-free “Sunset Cooler”)
come with a complete selection of snacks. This is when the
atmosphere goes very clubbish, with the guest chatting, one glass of Italian “Bianca Nera Prosecco DOC Spumante” or Chilean “Red Reservado Cabernet
Sauvignon 2015” in hand. We always select InterContinental hotels for
their Club privileges, and have never been disappointed: should it be
here, Bangkok, or Pattaya. Not to forget Paris or Muscat, where we
stayed more before the COVID-19 pandimic which turned Thailand into a
locked country.
We spent much time by the pool, where the service was excellent: we received fresh water as soon as we laid on our seabeds. They are displayed in such a way that you can't be bothered by the presence of a neighbor. The pool atmosphere was peaceful, despite the presence of some kids. It is so large that we could read, browse the complimentary high-speed Internet on our smartphone, sleep or swim with ease. The pool staff is anticipating, yet discrete.
Awarded Best Luxury Coastal Resort from World Luxury Hotel Awards 2013, Hotel Best Thailand from Asia Pacific Hotel Awards 2013-2014, and Thailand’s Leading Resort 2015 by World Travel Awards, this is one of the most pleasant InterContinental hotels in the world. We warmly recommend it for your next stay in Hua Hin.
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