6 Best Hotels in Hua Hin, The Gulf Coast Beaches

The spacious lobby at this hotel between Hua Hin and Cha-am serves as a lounge for afternoon tea and evening cocktails, sipped to the soft melodies of traditional Thai music. Just past an ornamental lily pond is the swimming pool, complete with bubbling fountains, and the beach is just beyond that. All rooms have private balconies with ocean views and are decorated with local furnishings and modern touches. Since it's essentially in Cha-am, there's a shuttle service to Hua Hin and car service to Bangkok.

This stunning resort packs a lot into its relatively demure dimensions. Accommodations include spacious pool villas and giant Club InterContinental suites, the latter of which come with perks including private check-in, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails and canapes. Other highlights reveal themselves as you make your way through the tropical grounds towards the beach. These include a gorgeous pool, creative Thai outlet Jaras, and a lively, Art Deco–inspired beach bar. 

There's a real sense of place at this tropical retreat, which eschews contemporary decor for an old-world Southeast Asian feel that maximizes water features, lush foliage, and Thai-style design. Among the standout features are its two lovely pools: an oceanfront pool is divided into three sections making it suitable for serious swimmers and junior splashers alike. The resort's pool villas, meanwhile, offer ultimate privacy and luxurious trimmings. 

Surrounded by a 10-foot-tall terra-cotta wall, this luxurious beach resort looks like an ancient Thai village. Flowers and artworks decorate the lobby and much of the resort, and the furniture throughout is well made. Rooms are within two-story brown-and-burnt-orange structures surrounded by five distinct gardens and a lagoon; the color scheme is so complementary and the grounds so beautiful you could spend a whole day taking pictures. When you need actual rest, you can always head back to your room and collapse on the huge, comfortable balcony sofa. At night tiki torches light up the walkways that connect the rooms with the restaurants. Activities include tennis and cooking classes.

A massive lobby area makes a striking first impression while guest rooms are as opulent as one might expect, with many offering direct access to a pool that loops around the verdant tropical grounds and joins with the bigger, lagoon-style, family pool. Dining options are equally generous. Try Big Fish, the resort's casual beachfront grill, for a seafood platter groaning with giant prawns, juicy scallops, and lobster claws packed with tender meat. 

Formerly Blue Lotus, this boutique resort is located on a quiet beach in Pranburi, about 20 minutes south of Hua Hin. It has newly renovated guest rooms and pool villas offering light designs to create a natural ambience. There's a good restaurant and a gorgeous beachside swimming pool. Daily activities include sports like archery.