SOFITEL CENTRAL HUA HIN RESORT

Travelling back in time to the nostalgic era where the royalty and aristocrats roamed the romantic and peaceful beaches of Hua-Hin is a luxury hard to come by these days unless you have been to the five-star Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort.

Nestled in 76 rai of prime real estate, the Sofitel Central and the Central Village are the epitome of beauty, landscape and sculptured gardens. The Sofitel Central has 207 rooms spread over three wings _ Railway, Colonial and Garden _ while the Central Village is a collection of 22 old-style Bungalow villas set in a plethora of exotic trees.

The hotel's main attraction has to be its unrivalled landscaping and a generous number of trees, followed by the Elephant Palm Pavilion Restaurant, an al fresco beach bar with terrace, four swimming pools, two tennis courts, putting greens, a fish pond and the historical Museum Coffee & Tea Corner.

The Palm Seafood Pavilion, Railway Brasserie, Salathai, and Hagi, a Japanese restaurant, provide a diverse range of cuisine.

Relaxation is the name of the game. The appeal of this resort also has a lot to do with the Centara Spa which is fully booked most of the time.

Prices range from 6,400 baht per night for a Superior Room to 32,000 baht for a two-bedroom deluxe suite.

It's definitely upscale in terms of luxurious accommodation, service and facilities.
Bangkok Post September 2005 www.bangkokpost.com