Hua Hin, ThailandCha-am
SO/ Sofitel Hua Hin
Whimsical seaside playground
Cha-am Hua Hin, Thailand
Renovated
2018
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Resort WellnessOutside the door
The house
AccorWhimsical seaside playground
The resort swaps coastal formality for storybook wit, greeting arrivals with pocket-watch rabbits and keeping daily life cheerfully relaxed.
What it’s good at
Notable
Geometric stone architecture and a marble staircase meet whimsical animal sculptures throughout.
Notable
Four swimming pools include a sixty-metre basin anchored with a floating obstacle course.
Listed
Traditional Thai bodywork and Italian skincare treatments finish in dedicated steam rooms.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Cha-am Beach sits right outside the gates, providing a peaceful stretch of sand thirty minutes north of bustling Hua Hin.
The rooms
Rooms divide into two distinct styles, pairing high ceilings with either blond-wood minimalism or bold avant-garde photography.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
Gabion stone walls enclose a quiet lap pool, and open decks look out across the sand toward the sea.
The spa
Treatment suites include deep soaking bathtubs, and a sculpted earthen relaxation cocoon sits under pinhole ceiling lights.
The gym and cycling
Dedicated beachfront paths host bike rides along the shore, and the twenty-four-hour gym provides Technogym cardio machines.
Restaurant
White Oven
Stacked pebble pillars support the dining room, where chefs prepare authentic Thai dishes around the signature white oven.
At the table
Beach Society serves fresh seafood and cocktails in an open pavilion and across tables set directly on the sand.
How it began
Architect Duangrit Bunnag built the resort in 2008 with geometric concrete lines, before designer Donatien Carratier added its eccentric animal art.
Hua Hin
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.