Best Five-Star Hotels in Hua Hin

The 158-room InterContinental Hua Hin Resort is a classy (but not stuffy) hotel that is popular across a wide swath of travelers, from business guests and wedding parties to families and couples, though groups can sometimes make things crowded. Palatial rooms combine elegant and contemporary furniture, artsy details (like hanging lamps and damask fabrics), and traditional Thai elements, like wood latticework and fine silks. Large balconies with daybeds look out over the hotel's tropical gardens, the city, or the ocean. All rooms feature 40-inch flat-screen Smart TVs, DVD players, Bose sound systems, free Wi-Fi. Each room also comes with private butler service, really upping the five-pearl factor here. There are also plenty of excellent public facilities: a large beachfront, a beach-facing pool, 24-hour fitness center, a gorgeous spa, and Planet Trekkers kids' club. Several elegant restaurants and bars meet all food-and-drink needs.

Nearly every aspect of Hyatt Regency Hua Hin exudes style and sophistication, although its family-friendly vibe also means that it can be crowded, especially around the pool areas. As it happens, Hyatt has three massive interconnected pools, an equal number of children's pools, and a 70-foot waterslide (not to mention a kids' club). The stylish, spacious rooms start at 409 square feet, and come with free breakfast and free Wi-Fi. All rooms have enclosed furnished balconies looking out over the garden, lagoon, or pools. The best rooms in the resort are the dazzling and contemporary Barai Suites, which are housed in the Barai Spa -- one of the top spas in Asia. These opulent suites have private outdoor pools and indoor hot tubs with windows looking out on the resort's gardens. For food and drink, there are several elegant restaurants and bars, including fine dining in a restored 19th-century wood pavilion adjacent to the beach.  

V Villas is a luxury beachfront resort with 23 hidden-away villas and beautiful grounds, close to restaurants, bars, and Hua Hin attractions like Cicada Weekend Market. Its spacious and luxurious suites have stylish, modern decor and opulent amenities, like private butlers and pools. V Villas Hua Hin has a large and beautiful infinity-edge pool and adjacent whirlpool overlooking Hua Hin Beach. As opposed to InterContinental and Hyatt's vast eating/drinking options, V Villas has just one (gourmet) restaurnant. For breakfast, it serves a sumptuous buffet for free, and for lunch and dinner, guests can select items like Norwegian salmon and African lobster from the iPad menus. Cooking classes and wine tastings are available for an added fee. In addition to the pool and restaurant, the resort has a small fitness center and a spa (which is luxurious, but just not on the same level as Barai Spa at Hyatt Regency). 

Cape Nidhra is a five-pearl boutique resort on the beach in Hua Hin, right near the city center. All 59 of the gorgeous suites here feature decks with small private plunge pools, though some guests have complained that they don't get enough sunlight and are cold. Fortunately, there's a large saltwater pool for swimming laps that gets a fair bit more light, as well as plenty of other wellness amenities including a spa with steam and sauna, yoga and Thai boxing classes, and a lovely bar -- On the Rocks -- with views of the sea. Room service is available.