SEASIDE SERENITY

DISCOVER THE QUIET CHARMS OF HUA HIN, THAILAND'S HIDDEN COASTAL GEM, WHICH IS LESS THAN THREE HOURS AWAY FROM BANGKOK BY CAR

- JAMIE LEE

With its wealth of white sand beaches, coastal reefs, night markets and nightlife, Thailand isn’t short on sunny paradises. But when the average tourist thinks of coastal getaways in the country, what immediately comes to mind are well-known resort towns like Phuket and Krabi. For something a little different, consider Hua Hin, a beach resort town in the north of Thailand. With its serene, beautiful atmosphere, it has been stealthily becoming the go-to vacation hotspot over the past few years, although Thai nobles have holidayed there since the 1920s.

Just a 30-minute drive away from Hua Hin Airport and a two-and-half-hour drive from Bangkok is SO Sofitel Hua Hin, a picturesque haven located on ChaAm Beach. The resort's wide range of activities and scenic beach spots make it the perfect destination for a quick getaway with your partner, friends or family.

The Vibe 

SO Sofitel Hua Hin first opened its doors in 2016, pushing forward a concept of an “Imaginative Escape”. Upon entering the resort premises, guests are greeted by a statue of a rabbit holding a clock before they move on to find a reflective pond surrounded by leafy trees. The resort is a maze of interwoven open courtyards and private pathways, peppered with rabbit statues throughout to evoke a sense of discovery. 

The Rooms 

The resort offers a total of 108 rooms, suites and villas — all equipped with rain showers and Sofitel’s MyBed which comes with a sleep menu. Each guest room is either designed with the SO Nature concept — a more relaxing, nature-inspired approach, or the SO Art concept which has a modern French touch.