RAPC

This hotel is due to open 1st April. Is there anyone on the board who has any background info on the hotel and whether it will be worth a stay? (i.e. the location in Hua Hin, do Ampur Cha-Am hotels who are running it have a good track record etc?)

I'm currently planning to stay in a lagoon access room for a couple of nights in early April, so if I'm the first FTer there I'll be happy to post a trip report if I stay.

Any help appreciated. If nobody knows anything, the next post in the thread will be the trip report.

olimaspecto

I'd definitely appreciate any info as well as I am thinking about staying here later this year as well.

RAPC

Oh and one further thing to note for anyone considering it earlier in the year. Originally it was scheduled to open on March 1. (The Sheraton page still says this) On SPG.com it now says April 1st and mentions that the hotel only has 85% of facilities open during the month.

I've emailed the hotel and await clarification on what will and won't be available.

BKKLEE

This is the 2nd time they've delayed the opening so don't bet on April 1st - probably just an April Fools Joke!
With current reservations booked for March, the property nor Starwood gave us any info that the delayed opening would basically invalidate our reservation. Guess they expected us to find out upon arrival!!!!!!

jchand

I have made a booking for August ( With a back up booking at the Hyatt).

I would guess that the Hotel will be prity much the same as The Sheraton Laguna Phuket , Bali and the property in Port Douglas.

RAPC

I've had an email reply from the Hua Hin reservations team. They are currently stating that the Kids Club and Day Spa may not be available in April.

As I've got a reservation including spa treatments, it would be useful if they could maybe think about how they can provide these without a spa.

I think as I'm planning to be there within the first week of the revised opening time, I might just cancel and plan a stay elsewhere in Thailand instead.

Peter4

.
I can offer two bits of information about this, but first a disclaimer:
I've never stayed there nor visited the property.
I will comment only on the location -- which I know moderately well -- and the timing of the opening.


Location:

Hua Hin is a pleasant, very small, beach resort, three hours drive South of Bangkok.
I've been there six times in the past two years, most recently in December, 2006.
It is a pleasant change from the chaos and pollution of Bangkok, but it is nothing special.
The scenery, the beaches, the sea, even the seafood -- while enjoyable -- are nothing out of the ordinary.
I certainly would not travel half-way around the world just to go to there.
But, combined with other travel in Thailand, Hua Hin offers a relaxing interlude.

However, The Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa is not in Hua Hin.
It is in the town of Cha-Am, about 20 minutes drive North of Hua Hin.
The Sheraton, like other resorts in the area, will certainly have a shuttle van to take you into Hua Hin.

So what about the little town of Cha-Am?
I've been there twice.
There are no attractions worth any effort in Cha-Am.
The beach there is clean, just uninteresting.
I'll try to give a clearer picture this way:
Some cities and towns come in pairs.
First, there is the primary town -- with shopping, restaurants, and other facilities.
And, nearby, there is "the other side of the tracks".
Cha-Am is that other side, in relation to Hua Hin.
The town is old, decrepit, dirty, run down, and totally unappealing.

Cha-Am does have a few luxury resorts on the outskirts, where large parcels of land are cheap.
Those resorts are isolated, self-contained, well-manicured, enclaves.
If you stay within the confines of a resort like that, most likely will be a very pleasant experience.
You might go off the property just for golf.
If that's your plan, well, there are countless resorts in the same class, with the same facilities and amenities, all over the world.
Unless you are already coming to Thailand, there is no reason to come a long distance just for this, particular, resort.


Opening schedule:

I have no inside information about the opening schedule, but it is easy to extrapolate from much experience in Thailand.
It won't be open on time, and when it does open, it still won't be ready.
That's just the way it is here.
Thais do some things very well, but opening new properties is not one of them.
The new airport fiasco is just one example in an ongoing stream of opening problems that occur here all the time.

I have no plans to go to this resort myself, but, if I did, and knowing what I know about the Thai way of doing things, I'd give it a year before I'd be willing to make a reservation.
Anyone who enjoys the thrill of new adventures might be less cautious: say six months.
Any booking less than six months after opening would appeal primarily to a construction superintendent looking for a busman's holiday.

In the Hua Hin area, there are many other resort-spas in the same class, which been open for quite some time.
A Google search will retrieve their names.

While I don't know this particular property, if any general questions you are welcome to send me email or private message.
However, I'm not a spa customer, nor a golfer, so I can't recommend specific properties in that market.

-- Peter

Thunderroad

Thanks very much Peter4. I was curious about this property and the area in general. Your post is extremely helpful.

RAPC

Seconded. Thankyou very much Peter.

Hua Hin was scheduled in for us on 10 day Thailand trip taking in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin. I think from reading this, we'll stick to two locations or will replace Hui Hin with somewhere else.

Clearly Thailand shares the same building contractors as Wembley Stadium by the sounds of it...

schoflyer

Noticed this on the web today! Not sure how long it's been up there.

Accepting arrivals beginning June 1.

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/prefer...ropertyID=1590

RAPC

Hmmm, no surprise there then. I actually emailed them in January about my April reservation and was guaranteed in writing that they would be open with only a few facilities unavailable. Fortunately I cancelled my reservation to be safe and reorganised our itinery. Glad I did now.

schoflyer

I e-mailed them last night and received a response within 30 min. Then I realized this was being handled by the SGS which makes a lot of sense.

I think I'm going to grab some June bookings but will maintain a backup plan in Samui maybe.

Cheers,

Scho

adamak

Thanks. Will await trip report, esp how this will compare to Sofitel.

jkc22

Lurker:

I got a reservation for late May at this Hua Hin property....looks promising, but now the hotel won't be schedule to open until after June.....I've made flight arrangements to BKK, and have this side trip planned. Don't feel like staying in BKK for all 10 days.

Who usually does the reaccommodations for confirmed guests booked at a property that have delayed openings? SPG or hotel itself?

Thanks.

Starwood Lurker

I would contact Corporate Customer Service by calling them at 800-328-6242 and explaining what has happened.

Good luck.

Sincerely,


William R. Sanders
Customer Service Coordinator
Starwood Preferred Services

[email protected]