Jacuzzi in a 2 bedroom villa.
Not the typical hotels that are aplenty lining parallel to the shoreline of Cha-Am and Hua Hin, but more like a cluster of two and three bedroom villas cuddled up in the middle of scorched farmlands within the vicinity of a few also scorched hills. Getting there requires some intuitive navigation skills and some phone calls to the resort as cows passed by your car on the local roads that you will be lost.
Stumbling into cows while driving local roads.
Coordinates 12°38'22.64"N, 99°55'16.46"
The Residence Hua Hin, is located next to Stamford University. However, unlike the university that could afford a large piece of land thus the strategic entrance from the main Phet Kasem road, entry to The Residence Hua Hin is from Hua Hin Soi 6, pass a railway track and through many villages inland that requires some driving. The villas are single storey bungalows toned orange brown enclosed by bamboo fence that's too low for any privacy comfort. So one could not skinny dip into the small Jacuzzi so inviting out front of the every villa on a hot day's night. The villas are all very spacious, a few of which have three bedrooms with the rest made up of two bedrooms units. In fact it is so spacious that if your friends bring along their own sleeping bags, you could sleep well over ten just in the living room. However, the air conditioners have aged and took a long time to cool the room down. So for the first half of the night, your slumber will be an episode between waking up to scratch unknown number of mosquitoes bites and restless naps before one can finally hibernate in the so thick comforter shielding one from the abundant pest.
Three bedrooms Villa.
Two bedrooms villa.
The Kings sized bed, is actually made up of two rather hard mattresses. You will roll over the hard ridge in your sleep on the bed I think intended for people with back problems. It's too rigid for my preference and I truly did not enjoy my sleep at all, waking up a dozen time looking at the clock hoping morning will come soon. Breakfast, I wished they could have done better for the price that one has to pay. Limited in selection and equivalent to two star motel quality which I frequent on my upcountry work trips. Dinner, again a disappointment on my end. Fish & Chips - Cod coated in delicious batter served with French Fires and salad the menu stated. And so I ordered with high expectations on the taste of a true English Fish & Chips reminiscence of my childhood which I had so many. Now the batter was good, but the Cod is not a Cod. It was some fishy tasting thin slab of local shallow water fish. So, don't ever ever ever ever order the Fish & Chips here. It ain't chip either.
Villas enclosed in low fence.
Spacious interior.
Showering in the villas expect some surprises. Well, there's a huge bathtub one could onzen in the bathroom and that's a plus point. Water pleasantly heated will be available and the flow is strong so no minus points on that too. Draining the tub, my bathroom was flooded from the water oozing out from the other drainage hole driving up scores of black scum accompanied by an appalling smell which infiltrated into the bedroom. No more onzen for me after my first try. Maintenance on the clogged drainage had been neglected in the villas and I wonder if they knew. Big minus point.
The big swimming pool.
Restaurant by pond where breakfast is served.
If it is a quite place one is looking for to be with a number of friends to get away from Bangkok, then The Residence Hua Hin is one good idea. Since it is spacious and large, taking on a three bedroom unit will allows for six or more guest. Chilling out to wine and snacks chattering the night away. Holding that cold beer in the Jacuzzi amongst laughter of friends soaking. Away from the packed beach pubs and noisy hotels lining the shoreline, this will be the place for you. However, if you come along with great expectation on the F&B, the quality of sleep matching the price, then one will truly be disappointed. Impression neutral I have, but nevertheless over these New Year holidays, rested my mind somehow I had.
