Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin

Without doubt this is a very special hotel, offers a magnificent setting of beautiful gardens, on the beach and with the market,restaurants and shops minutes from the door. The greatest asset is the staff welcoming and helpful. Superb.

What an amazing place everything is as described and more

Excellent gardens and location

Things less commented on. Swimming pools: three in the main hotel all a decent size. Two sea facing are more popular. The third in the gardens is quieter - always got a lounger straightaway. Lengths possible in the third (it is more or less rectangular), not in the others which are shaped. Beach and swimming in the sea: seems cleaner than when last here. A pleasant walk now though donkeys still parade. Swimming in the sea possible outside jellyfish season (fine when I was there Nov/Dec). But go to far end of hotel or walk down the beach 100-150m to where sandier. Immediately opposite hotel the sea is a bit rocky. You may have the sea and, indeed, the rectangular pool to yourself. Swimming at sea side pool resorts seems to have gone heavily out of fashion! Food at the hotel: breakfast good enough, maybe edging 4/5 by 5 star hotel standards. Lovely setting and plenty of tables outside (as well as inside). If your booking is ex-breakfast, it’s 550 all in if you book on day of arrival and for all days of your stay, 750 all in if you decide by day. Beach front restaurant strongly western and international oriented. Demand, I suppose. The under-frequented Thai resto, across the road in the villa complex, is good and very fair value for the quality of food and setting (though obvs pricier than outside hotel). Go and keep it going! The open sided museum cafe is charming and does some nice tea ‘sets’ though don’t expect Claridge’s.

Very disappointed with the deluxe rooms as they call them. Very little cupboard space for unpacking, rooms dated. We did provide feedback and they moved us to new quarter which was better. However service is not over friendly... Not really much to do in Hua Hin - night market overrated - tacky goods and stalls pretty much selling same stuff