Hotel Bars

SO Sofitel Hua Hin resort review: The pleasure of reviewing and sharing the experience of staying at this signature hotel is based on multiple visits, which also enables depicting how it has evolved, and expanded, in terms of guest rooms, spaces and hotel activities.

Situated beachfront just north of beach destination Cha-Am the full-grown boutique-sized resort is situated in its own secluded area, as a destination in its own right (though at shuttle distance from downtown Hua Hin for excursions and shopping). The resort, which was opened and operated also prior to becoming a SO Sofitel, is individual in its configuration. And with the arrival of SO/ it has been gifted with design character that perfectly represents this brand: fashionable, different, and avant-garde, while also being one with nature.

It is the famous Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag who created the original resort, with its special configuration including courtyards and pathways and where nature’s elements are evidently present, including earth, metal, water and wood. Naturally aged woods blend with the surrounding nature and the buildings’ and rooms’ rustic concrete walls and floors.

Adding to that, the SO Sofitel brand has brought in its creative approach and the roots from the world of fashion with signature collaborations. For this luxury beach resort it is Donatien Carratier, that puts his mark on the design. Having vast design experience in Asia his iconic styling is famed for creating deeply resonant environments in which vivid dreams blur with reality. Drawing inspiration from the Grand Galerie de l’Evolution natural history museum in Paris, he has created Sofitel Hua Hin’s ‘Evolution of Life’ concept, which begins with the friendly animal statues that greet guests on arrival and proceeds to the wild animal sculptures around the reflecting pond, as well as rabbits throughout the resort. Donatien also designed the distinct room styles: SO Nature and SO Arty, which we will come back to.

The first courtyard (surrounded by hedges but open to the elements) is the arrival zone that guests enter into by foot, stepping out of their arriving vehicle by a passage right in front of it. Halfway into this courtyard begins the steps of an impressive and very wide stone stairway leading up to an elevated – under-roof but open to the elements – lobby for the welcoming. On one of the stairs stands the first statue – a dog. The latest visit coincides with the celebration of Valentine’s Day – SO the resort has made theme welcoming greetings for the occasion. (There is also a candle-lit romantic beach dinner set-up on the sandy beach, under four-poster canopies with white curtains.)

The lobby is furnished with designer wooden chairs and tables, and vintage textile ceiling fans. It feels untraditional in a way but offers an open view into the resort, with the ocean as backdrop. In the foreground is a water pond on top of a middle building, with various wild animals depicted; including a very authentic crocodile with its jaw open.

So Sofitel Hua Hin: So Arty, So Nature room styles

To the left and the right are accommodation wings well shaded by mature gardens, in a vertical direction from the beach.

Already from here the ambience seems decidedly laid-back. And this serenity also prevails in the second courtyard, which consists in a stone-wall enclosed adult pool – the Solarium Pool – with sun beds that beg some lingering – and tanning: the name is really suitable as this courtyard is soaked in sun throughout most hours of the day. Illuminated, the green-blue beckoning waters of this pool is especially inviting in the evening. At its far ends are the entrance SO Spa and a lounge/games room respectively.

High rockery stone walls line the walkways by the accommodation wings that have built-in mini balconies in the concrete-and-brown-wood planks façade. These three-floor buildings house SO Comfy rooms, a room category boasting exquisite decor inspired by either stylish French elegance in the SO Arty style or the serene beauty of Mother Nature in the SO Nature style. As described, with their extra-high ceilings (4.5 metres it seems!) these rooms offer a heightened sense of spacious comfort, which is partly evident in the large bathroom, with a large space dedicated to the ceiling-mounted rain shower at its centre! On the sides, find the bath tub and his-and-hers white sinks.

Part of the special room character is the tree-like four-poster bed, made out of brown tropical timber, combined with a bird’s nest ceiling lamp, bird’s nest mirrors, and also a massive, piece of tree trunk piece functioning as a table with a smooth, wide wooden surface. The white bed linen is decorated with colourful red, orange or floral blue cushions on the bed.

One Comfy room has a floral headboard covering the wall behind bed, with see-through golden bed lamps.

And aside some picture frames mounted on the concrete walls there is a large painting, for example with rocks and a dark river. This represents award-winning photographs by environmental artist Martin Hill of New Zealand. The Arty rooms, meanwhile, features the award-winning work of American photographer Lois Greenfield. As for French refinement, the oversized armchairs in fine, vivid patterns represent this well. The wooden arm support is wide enough to place a drink on it!

The Comfy rooms also come with a cosy work desk corner of polished wood and painted tree branches on the table, as if to accentuate the nature theme. They are furnished with the Sofitel MyBed, with a sleep menu for a fabulous night’s sleep. For own entertainment, or other media, connect your own smart phone to the large TV screen via Google Chromecast.

The bath robes, with a blue-green floral pattern, are comfortable. Each accommodation also comes with two yoga mats, a free well-filled mini-bar, coffee machine and quality tea selection.
Designed for both couples and families in mind there are also Family, Family Suite and Family Kids House units, the latter with a configuration so that the children have their very own ground floor-connected hut painted in yellow, purple or red and featuring a bunk bed in natural wood and a pair of bean bag chairs. This must for sure be a winner for families with kids!

There are also refurbished So Comfy Pool Access rooms with either a staircase, or direct ground level, access to a private terrace in front of the Signature Pool, featuring an oversized poolside chaise lounge.

So Sofitel Hua Hin: So Studio, So Lofty

And on the opposite side of this pool is the latest addition, consisting in 31 more guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling frameless window. The So Studio (56 square meters) and SO Lofty Pool Access types offer spacious guest quarters that looks on to the breezy property. In keeping with the hotel’s nature and fashion-driven design concept, their open concept interior also come appointed with a customised television/wardrobe console in what looks like luxurious orange leather, which can swivel and can be enjoyed from the round bathtub or bed! They also – aside striking wall paintings – have super clever multi-layered cabinet drawers of blonde wood with a variety of front patterns.

Adding to the nature theme, there are frosted glass walls and doors separating the shower and toilet from the rest of the room, with pictures of tree details as screen prints, and the same as a printed pattern on curtains.

The Studio Pool View Balcony Room located on the second and third floor is a popular room type among couples looking to spend evenings hanging out on the balcony.

The second floor also houses the SO Family Suite room type with a balcony and a bunk bed – ideal for families with older children. Alternatively, a family can opt for a Two-Bedroom SO Pool Villa with a private pool.

A water wonderland at So Sofitel Hua Hin

All in all, there are now 109 guest rooms, suites and villas. In late 2018 when the new wing was added Thailand’s first Wibit Signature Pool was also unveiled, along with state-of-the-art leisure activities. This 16 x 60 metres pool features a dedicated 5 by 5 meters shallow kid’s pool area and a Wibit adventure course running down the middle of the pool, challenging your balance at its core. The dedicated Kids Tent area (with an indoor supervised space for learning and play, while parents can enjoy peace of mind with babysitting services) includes a SO Sundae poolside ice cream café and snack bar. Umbrella painting, rainbow making, crazy slime and sculpture painting are among the activities for kids.

SO Sundae serves light bites (waffles and sandwiches), desserts, imaginative flavoured ice cream and for-adults-only popsicles.

Steps from this Signature Pool, and altogether now promoted as a water park, So Sofitel Hua Hin has – in addition launched its ‘Wet Bubble’ pool experience, which is like an opportunity play Songkran festival all year round! The multi-functional Wet Bubble is designed as a giant octopus, offering great fun for kids as a water slide trampoline and a climbing wall. Water fountain cannons keep its surface perfect to slide down. Poolside, one can relax under parasols on bean bags in pastel hues of pink, yellow, green, light blue, dark blue, or under a roof on lovely beige rattan chairs by round wooden tables.

SO… one can conclude that while the action usually takes place by the beach front So Sofitel Hua Hin has a second such focal point, and that is the strongest draws for families. This also makes the third ‘SO Pool’, closer to the sea, more adult-friendly, and thus a win-win for all!

Replicating So Sofitel Bangkok’s famous monthly pool parties So Sofitel Hua Hin has also arranged SO Beach Party events regularly in the past, but the focus has moved more towards families in recent years, and to deliver them with an experience and innovative concept elements.

Furthermore, 2018 also saw the launch of another fun-filled activity: the SO Wonderland Adventure Golf featuring an exciting and challenging 18-hole mini golf. Built as a lush magical forest, its theme is to follow the bunny down the rabbit hole, with for instance giant carrots as decor. The activity is great fun and can be played between just two people as competitors.

There are also courts for tennis, basketball and pickle ball as additional activities within the confines of the hotel.

So Sofitel Hua Hin: rides and excursions

The resort also offers bicycles to rent and the morning tour along with a guide is strongly recommended. Experience anything from milk cows basking in the cool morning sun and a long pier stretching out into the sea, to fishermen’s homes and catch-of-the-day seafood displayed on ice in Cha-Am’s fishing port. It is also nice to discover that there is a proper bicycle road along the coastal road outside the resort, giving guests the confidence to venture out.

Otherwise, for an evening bike ride, the resort incredibly also has its very own track, along which SO Sofitel Hua Hin playfully encourages us riders: ‘Keep Moving Even If You Are Tyred’. The track snakes through two zones: one being a beachfront grass lawn with palm trees, and the second one being a lush park with various flowers, plants and large trees. One can also ride along this track using a scooter sidecar or other e-bicycle.

Once a week guests can also visit the local evening market with resort’s shuttle. Another late afternoon trip is to the Nayang Bat Cave, 17 kilometres away, to watch, preferably with binoculars, and from a certain viewpoint platform, when hundreds of thousands of bats leave the mountain caves for their night feeding. While waiting for the special moment, just before darkness sets in, the SO resort serves an ’Eat Me’ picnic box with sandwiches and vegetarian rolls.

A flock of sea eagles circulate around the mountain, as if in anticipating of something, and once the enormous swarm of bats come out from the mountain they seem to attack it to try and catch some bats. It is actually hard to see if they succeed in doing so due to the distance. Anyhow, it is quite a site to see even if it does not last long.

Beach Society dining and drinking at So Sofitel Hua Hin

Once back at the resort for dinner, the Beach Society is the main attraction, whether it is for a romantic evening or a friends gathering. Perfectly blending in with its beach setting the venue offers a view to behold, in particular at dawn (sunset from across the ocean) and at day’s end with sun-drenched colours all over the area.

While it also services lunch and drinks throughout the day, bliss-seekers flock here for sunset drinks, sitting on stylish wooden bar stools at the canopy-covered open bar; and seaside dinner under the stars or an alfresco-roofed dining zone, held up by recycled repurposed tree trunks pointing to the sky. Guests can also opt for a private curtain-draped beach “cabana” for special occasions.

For weekend lunch ‘Indulge in Fisherman at SO’ is a unique boat-to-table experience, with fresh seafood by local fisherman from that nearby village.

Beach Society’s freeform oval bar made from sandy concrete blends in perfectly with the sandy beach setting – at night illuminated in neon purple. A discerning cocktail selection includes: Hula! Hula! (Vodka, passion fruit, lychee, kaffir lime and lime – e.g. full of tropical flavours), Trees Of Paradise (Whisky, umeshu, mango, vanilla, lime and Perrier), and Rise In The East (– as the sun does over the resort, with Tanqueray gin, apricot, lemon, sunflower seed and sesame oil).

Or opt for refreshing retro cocktails Aperol Spritz, Caipirinha, or the palette-cleansing Negroni ahead of dinner!

Wine by the glass examples offer Stellenview Great Five, Chardonnay; Les Pins d’ Aubane, Rose de France, Languedoc; Chandon Brut, Yarra Valley or Stellenview Great Five, Cabernet Sauvignon. There is also a Thai craft beer selection, and of course mocktails, such as Morning society (Carrot, pomelo, marmalade, coconut, lemon and sparkling Perrier).

For beach bites, the Crunchy baby prawn with garlic, spice crumbs and tartar sauce is a winning starter or bar snack.

Focused on serving a modern Western culinary style with strong French influences Beach Society, from its menu, mentions Pan seared foie gras with caramelized mango; Lobster Thermidor; juicy Australian beef tenderloin or lamb cutlets with audergine caviar.

Or how about some imported Bouchot mussels (Black mussel, white wine, garlic, parsley and cherry tomato) to be washed down with some chilled white wine…

Happy Hour Asia very much enjoyed the Salmon Fillet with marinated capsicum, capers and crushed potato – an excellent combination with the distinct taste of capers; as well as the So/ Beach Burger (200 g wagyu beef patty, maple glazed bacon, tomato, lettuce, caramelised onion, cheddar cheese, smoked BBQ sauce, and French fries. That caramelised onion taste makes this burger into a winner!

The Kurobuta pork chop with pickled shallot, mushroom and white wine earns praise for the mushroom sauce with sweetness to match the juicy pork and mashed potatoes.

SO Sofitel Hua Hin has also welcomed the acclaimed Indian Chef Ashutosh Nautiyal to keep up the tradition of serving Indian cuisine, including dishes that often introduce people to the wonders of Indian cuisine: Dal Makhani, Lamb Rogan Josh, Butter Chicken and Chicken Hyderrabadi Dum Biryani; and that he prepares with utmost care and precision.

For something SO Sweet, the Non-baked chocolate cheesecake, or the Tiramisu are excellent choices – paired with an Italian espresso or some hot green tea.

White Oven’s signature breakfast, seafood and Thai cuisine

The second restaurant – White Oven – which also serves breakfast, overlooks the SO Pool, with its natural green stone tiles, and includes a large alfresco deck under a mustard-hued, pillar-supported, frosted glass roof. To provide further breeze, there are ceiling fans and also floor fans placed among the tables.

Around the lap pool previous ‘salas’ made with repurposed wood have been upgraded to proper cabana structures with pastel-hued mattresses. There are also beige rattan daybeds with pastel pink or green mattresses at its beach-facing end.

After any early morning activity it is blissful to sink down in chair (some with rope design!) at the patio, with a great soundtrack from the restaurant speakers, to enjoy the SO sunrise breakfast buffet, including an à la carte breakfast menu with for instance Salmon and poached egg sandwich or Egg Benedict.

The breakfast excels with home-made marmalade, juices (lychee, guava, mango etc,) and sausages; high-quality, freshly baked pastries (Pan au chocolate, Croissant etc.); a comprehensive salad menu, boosters (such as Anti-aging or Green tea booster); all kinds of yoghurt (Blueberry, Chia seeds & banana pudding) and shots (Ginger mixed with orange and carrot, or Seaweed).

There are hot dishes such as Spicy Crab Curry Sauce, Fried spring rolls, Massaman chicken curry, Stir-fried cauliflower, Scrambled egg BBQ pork, and more. Cold cuts include quality imported cheese, salami and pastrami. The sheer variety and quality will make you long for the next morning…

With Cha-Am being known for its exquisite seafood, White Oven restaurant is also an authentic Thai and seafood restaurant, serving local prawns, cuttlefish, crab, seabass, mussels, rock lobster, cockles, shellfish, and much more. Served with an “innovative twist” only the freshest – including locally sourced – ingredients from the garden and sea are used for the innovative menu.

For lunch, should it be too hot outside, indoor seats still offer pool views through the floor-to-ceiling window wall.

As mocktail, a Martiki seems like a perfect wake-up drink: cold brew coffee, pineapple, tamarind and lime, served in a Margarita-style glass. Mali is another one, with bael fruit tea, jasmine rice, lemon, Thai basil and Perrier.

Mankay Highball (Tanqueray gin, cointreau, mango sticky rice, grapefruit, lemon and perrier), Aye Aye Sailor! (Captain Morgan dark rum, spiced pineapple, green tea, lemongrass, ginger beer and lime), and Coco Crazy (Kardamon infused Ketel One vodka, orange, coconut, lime, angostura and pasteurized egg white).

As a taste of the local catch, Fried fish cake is among the starters (‘Love At First Bite’). The
Deep-fried Phetchaburi fish cake with sweet plum sauce comes with lots of green chilli, so it is definitely spicy!

The playful menu also offers ‘Saladicious’, ’Tossed On Fire’, ‘Souper Douper!’, and ‘Keep Calm and Curry On’ choices, representing all facets of Thai food.

Then there’s the Main Thing… where ‘The Main Thing Is To Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing’. O.K, kept inside then, because once it comes to the table it is soon eaten – after being photographed. Stir-fried Asparagus with sea prawn (asparagus, sea prawn, mushroom, carrot, and oyster sauce) is one choice. A few other mains: Wok-fried tiger prawn with tamarind sauce, Baked black mussels with Thai herbs, Wok-fried seafood with green peppercorn, and Wok fried sea bass fillet with celery. Favourite Western choices include pizza, pasta, mains, sandwiches, burger and soup. ‘Dear Sweetness’ offers excellent desserts such as Thai tea panna cotta, Blueberry cheese pie, and Thai Mango Custard.

‘High Time High Tea’ afternoon tea set for two is also served (also at Beach Society) 2 pm – 4 pm, including croissant sandwiches, cupcake, red velvet cake, brownie cake, macarons and choice of tea or coffee.

Cocooned at SO Spa

There remains one more key activity to cover, which could be suitable to visit, following the afternoon tea, and that is the resort’s SO/ SPA, hidden underneath the pond (in view from the lobby). In a well-known wellness retreat area like Hua Hin this spa is out to compete with the best in terms of both atmosphere and treatments. It impresses on both those fronts.

The bright spa lobby is welcoming, and with not only the spa products and aromatherapy oils on display but also a special SO Spa Music menu with the styles Organic, Classic, Ethnic, Exhilirating or Rejuvenating to choose from!

Among the treatments find facials, Aromatherapy oil massage, OFURO bath, Deep calm oil, and Thai-style oil massage concentrating on the head, shoulders and neck to help release tension. Or opt for one of the hot massages using heated river stones in rhythmic flowing strokes to relieve tension and soothe the emotions.

Moving into the area with changing and treatment rooms, a bold, unconventional design reveals itself, entering through a narrow corridor with brown wooden timber flooring, framed by yellow floor lights and pebbles along the walls.  The environment is much more dimly lit, and feels more like caves. The interiors are made with sandy, polished concreted texture, and transparent decorated curtains along the walls swaying in the light wind from fans. This setting helps bringing oneself into spa mode – and leave the world behind for a little while.

For some deep-tissue, holistic treatment of the sore muscles in one leg, the choice falls on Balinese massage, where the therapist is doing it just deep enough to be effective (while avoiding too much pain from the impacted nerves).

The post-treatment SO Cocoon Deep Relaxation Area is definitely a highlight part of the experience: a cocoon-shaped relaxation room-within-the-room, where a hot beverage is served. Guests can even dine there! It’s very dark and with small white diode lights to resemble a starlit night sky. This cocoon concept, informs the spa, relates to resorts emblem called ‘The Butterfly Effect’, which depicts a butterfly. There are also separate men’s and women’s steam rooms and a ‘Socializing Area’.

With this spa experience that elevates one’s wellbeing, this resort stay feels SO complete, where the wonderful hosts practice the art of passionately delivering us guests with the ultimate respite.