CO-PLAT

Do Plat Premier get lounge access now? Doesn't matter to me as I'd never stay there due to the weddings.

Arnond Kitnitchee

No more Platinum happy hours for Sheraton Pranburi Villas. Same excuse; Resort property doesn't have to have lounge.

karenkay

escape4

Very disappointing downgrade for both Hua Hin properties. I guess it will be Hyatt Regency for me going forward then.

estnet

As already noted the Marriott takeover has seriously degraded the plat experience here. What isn't different, though, is the great staff and how especially caring they are (I think to everybody but esp to repeat guests).
The property remains what it has always been - peaceful (well if you exclude special events like weddings - which I quite like but many find annoying) with exceptional staff, very well kept up with excellent follow up to any problem or special request.
Plat ug seem to be intact (even tho the marriott app /website is flaky and doesn't show ug in advance like spg used to
No more free lounge ( the lounge is open for a charge of 1500 baht/pp or for guests who pay for ?(all) suites)
There is now a separate line for plat check in - no more nice sitting down to check in in the lounge
Upon check in plats are given a choice of drinks and snack OR 1000 points OR free breakfast (can someone tell me how to resize the photo?)

X-ON

So much for the "...SPG properties will give same elite treatments before and after merger...." useless spin ...The Marriott is probably a good alternative now vs. the Sheraton hotels at least its is a newer hotel

estnet

I don't think it is - just my opinion. The Marriott is HUGE hotel with a very different (and to me "tour group feel") experience. It has a lot of games/toys in the pools for children so that may be attractive to some. There is an adult pool but it does not compare to the Sheraton's huge pool.
The M is right in the center of town, so that may be attractive to some but the S is certainly more peaceful. As for breakfast at the M I found it to be a mad zoo-like place with often a wait to be seated - again lots of children running around and not enough seating (even tho the S can be crowded they seem to handle it a lot better IME than the M did and the children seem to be better behaved - but that's just my experience.
Even tho the M beach is better and there is more in arms reach the atmosphere is so different. For me after staying at the M I would not go back - even tho I was upgraded to a "suite" - it was a strange configuration (odd shaped rooms due to the construction design) and other factors.
Different strokes for different folks - they are really quite different experiences (and price points) so I'm not sure that S just offering the same benefits as the M makes it a slam dunk to prefer the M - that said it is always disappointing to have benefits taken away (and Marriott has proved that nothing they "promise" is necessarily true) but I did want to let people know what the current situation is.

BRITINJAPAN4

100% agree the M is a factory, not relaxing at all, way to busy, all shine and no substance

BRITINJAPAN4

Confirmed no lounge access, they say lounge is no more !! Also upgrades are "only owner member room " , any idea what that means.

Shame, we used to love this place but seems its going downhill , will go this summer but maybe the last, if almost no plat benefits we might as well try somewhere else

BRITINJAPAN4

Clarified the comments just means only one room eligible for upgrades, which Is no change.

My feeling is Plat benefits are on the decline globally, and will continue to do so

margarita girl

funkbandit

The most convenient option is a private transfer by companies such as huahincab.com. Prices from THB 2,400++ for a standard car. These cars do pick ups anywhere in BKK (including airports) and drive you right to the property.
Less hassle than long distance buses, minivans or trains which would require a taxi ride to the property.

Dr. HFH

Yes, private car or van is the way to go. It's not that expensive, and only a couple of hours. The Sheraton is a bit outside (north) of the main part of the city, much longer than a walk. You'll need transportation to get into town; it's several kilometers.

MG, if you're planning to go, be aware of what, for me, were significant drawbacks to this property. First, there's basically no beach. While there is one photo (out of 104) on the hotel website showing a beach, it's not that wide and was taken at extremely low tide. Note, for example, that all of the beach lounges and umbrellas are on the hotel's lawn, up from the beach. There's a reason. On our stay, we found that the average beach width (from the water line to the small wall separating the lawn from the beach) was 2-3 feet.

Second, if there's an outdoor event, e.g., wedding, while you're there, I believe that you'll find the music unacceptably loud. My friends and I found it blaring and offensive. They set up just adjacent to the public lawn area by the beach, and there's no row of dividing shrubbery or similar. We couldn't hear each other well enough to carry on a conversation, and we had to leave that area. IMO there are better properties in Hua Hin.

Kacee

True for much of Hua Hin. The waters are extremely shallow and the beach essentially goes away at high tide. Note also the waters here are not the clear blue you see in Thailand pictures, I presume because the location is too close to the Chao Praya river delta.

I will say though that a recent stay at Barai Villas (Hyatt) was one of the better resort stays I've ever had.

margarita girl

OK, this just got a lot less interesting Plus the thought of a 2-3 hr drive to get there isn't appealing. So will cross this one off the bucket list. Thanks