Review / Anantara Hua Hin Resort celebrates 25 years with upgrades that blend luxury and heritage
The coastal town of Hua Hin is Thailand’s earliest beach destination and was the location of King Rama VII’s summer palace a century ago
Known as Thailand’s first beach holiday destination, Hua Hin became a popular vacation spot among well-to-do locals after King Rama VII chose it as the location of his summer palace in the 1920s.
A less than three-hour drive from the Thai capital, Hua Hin surprisingly boasts very few five-star properties, with Anantara arguably the only top-tier luxury player in town.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Anantara Hua Hin Resort has recently undergone a major facelift. The renovation, while extensive, has stayed close to the original Thai village-inspired design concept that has become a benchmark for many Anantara resorts. Wooden pitched roofs, carvings evoking the ornaments of Buddhist temples, the seamless blending of indoor and outdoor spaces, and the embrace of the natural surroundings are still at the heart of the property.
At first sight, you can’t even tell that the place has undergone a makeover – but that’s by design. Unlike renovation projects that often strip structures of their original look, Anantara Hua Hin has maintained its faded beauty, which adds an element of charm.
The patina of the exteriors, however, belies painstakingly redone interiors, which have been upgraded to serve the needs of modern-day luxury travellers.
The refurbishment has introduced new accommodation categories and has made the most of the lush greenery surrounding them. The newly added Pool Access Rooms give guests direct access to a shared pool for a quick dip while the Garden View Rooms embrace open-air living with large shaded terraces and balconies.