Can't really comment on the Dusit as have only driven past it - but a litte remote from Hua Hin and the centre of Cha'am beach resort. The Regent Cha'am is generally regarded as a good value 3star property - a little remote.

Stayed at the Anantara - previously a Marriott - a smart hotel that has goes through regular upgrades with good service and lovely grounds - have heard though that rooms standards can vary. A short taxi ride to the centre of Hua Hin.

The Hua Hin Marriott an older style hotel, the pool area felt a bit cramped when we visited, but well positioned within Hua Hin.

The Hilton, is more of a tower block type hotel but well regarded for service and comfort.

The Hyatt one of the newer hotels - can't say much about it just that if its got five stars it must be good as Thai hotel standards are high.

Another hotel to consider would be the Sofitel Central. Worth getting quotes from a few operators for your honeymoon as to be honest all the companies that serve the Far East are much of a muchness (by which I mean good) as many of them use the same ground handling agents.

The beaches at Cha'am and Hua Hin are long strands quite often with condos on them and the area is popular with locals weekending from Bangkok. They are not hte best beaches in Thailand but still pleasant places to be.Cha'am is more geared up for the locals. Hua Hin has a greater selection of restaurants and bars, and an interesting night market .

Weather wise its not the best time to visit, but one of the drier areas of Thailand that time of year.

I stayed at the Anantara last year at the end of august and there were a couple of heavy downpours but on the whole it was dry and sunny.
The hotel is absolutely beautiful, the rooms are lovely - we only had a garden view but it was stunning, the breakfast was fab, the gardens stunning and the pool was huge and surrounded by lovely flowers. I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel although it is far from Hua Hin centre it is v. cheap and only takes a few mins in a taxi.
I prefered to eat out in the town as the hotel restaurants were quite pricy, and the beach is not great but all in all it is great and perfect for a chill out after the sightseeing , hope this helps shirleyV

we stayed at the Marriott. Lovely hotel and food at their restaurants excellent and reasonably priced. IF we went again I would probalby chose the Sofitel for its grounds( doesn't help you I know!) Personally I can't see me returning there- not my favourite Thai destination.
Not sure from your post if your wedding is September or the honeymoon. If you are planning to go to HH in September I would strongly advise to you to take the weather into consideration. Sept and October are the worst months for HH-over 200mm of rain in Sept and 250 in October.Krabi and Phuket are both over 300mm. Koh Samui is 75mm.
Can recommend KS.
HK - what a great place- where are you staying? I also love BKK - where is your hotel? Haven't been to KL but sure I will get there some day!

ShirleyV,
a question about the Anantara if I may as its a while since I have been...have rooms been built towards the road side of the main reception or are all the rooms still on the coast side of reception...not sure if that makes a lot of sense

Thanks

Fiona,
where are you getting your rainfall figures from, as they don't seem to tally with the ones I've got which suggest weatherwise that theres not much difference between Hua Hin and Koh Samui in September - both having an average of 16 rain days and approx 120mm.

Got to say there seems to be a wide disparity in figures when you try to tie the information down...I've seen over 200mm of rain being quoted for Koh Samui in Sep in some places. The Kuoni brochure has Hua Hin with a lot less rainfall than Samui...just who do you trust.

I agree with pretty much everything Sunbear said, I visited some friends staying in the Dusit it is a beautiful hotel but somewhat remote. I have stayed at The Regent in Cha Am again a little remote for me but the rooms are well decorated with a good choice of restaurants. If your budget will run to the Sofitel go there, it's beautiful. Hua Hin is a fairly lively little town with a night market and lots of choice in restaurants.

Of course if you want top end luxury in Hua Hin you could always try the Chiva-Som

And take the air shuttle from Bangkok to Hua Hin, not a mini bus or taxi like the rest of us.

sunbear
got the figures through Thomas Cook brochure- but I will check elsewhere just in case!

Hi Everyone. Thanks for the info. We've been a bit concerned about the weather and are looking at going in August now instead.

In Hong Kong we are staying on the Island in the Excelesior. Used to live on the Island for about 2 years with my dad being in the forces, but can't remember a lot as i was quite young, so going to visit all the places my mum keeps showing me that i've been in her photo collection.

Bangkok we're staying in the Landmark and KL were staying in the Dorsett. Visited KL for a couple of days a few years ago when i was in the far east with the Scouts for the World Jamboree. Really nice place, much better than Singapore as there is a lot more culture and things to see.

If anyone is interested i found a good website about Hua Hin
http://www.world66.com/asia/southeastasia/thailand/huahin

Thanks again

Hi Fiona,
Got my figures from the Thai Meteorological office, as I was getting so many different figures from various web sites and holiday brochures.

But then I go on a website like worldclimate.org and I see figures like 82mm for Hua Hin and 209mm for Surat Thani which is near to Koh Samui and I'm getting to wonder who to beleive.

Stayed at the Excelsior when we visited Hong Kong..the side harbour view rooms were quite spacious..good hotel...part of Mandarin Oriental group.

Stayed in hotel next to Dorsett Regency in KL...your well placed for the Bukit Bintang area..loads of restaurants and bars nearby.

I read Trippy's report on KL and would be interested to know what there is to do in KL. We visited KL for 5 nights and thought unless we travelled away from KL we had run out of things to do. We have visited Singapore 6 times and going back again in 3 weeks and there are still places we haven't been to and activities we haven't done.

We very much like KL and stayed at the Sheraton Imperial which was the best Sheraton we have ever stayed at. We would like to go back so wondered what we missed last time. We actually went by train from Singapore to KL and back that was a very interesting trip and really recommend it. I thought KL was similar to Bangkok just not so manic.

Have stayed at both the Landmark and the Excelsior- any questions just ask! ( Sunbear- can't believe how many of the same places we seem to have been to!! )

Fiona,
I'll stop following you if you stop following me . You've obviously got good taste in where you stay. You mentioned you stayed at the Marriott in Hua Hin...is that the one in Hua Hin town or the one one that became the Anantara (there all owned by the same company anyway).

I stayed at the one in Hua Hin. I had no complaints about the hotel- just wasn't too keen on HH itself.
One thing that was great about the pool area was no booking of sunbeds! If a towel was placed on a bed it was removed if there was no sign of the owners!

That's a great thing I have found in the Far East I've always managed to get a sunbed when I want one...there does not seem to be the must reserve my sunbed at 4am before everybody else does mentality. Or where it might happen its policed by the hotel staff in a low key way.

We stayed at the Hilton Hua Hin (had originally booked Cha Am but changed it when a friend said it was quite remote and they spent all their time taking taxi's into Hua Hin).

Personally I would not recommend the Hilton. They had turned off the air con in all the public areas because the hotel was only half full at the time. It was SO hot when waiting for a lift (and in it) and in the lobby. I do not approve of a 4* hotel cost cutting at the expense of the guests.

They did not change our bedding (spilt a bit of coke on the sheet and it was there for days). It should be my choice not to have the sheets changed daily not theirs.

The hotel had been quite newly refurbished, in a Japanese style so everything was sort of low slung! The sofa's in the bar were so deep that if you tried to sit back your legs stuck straight out in front of you. Only comfortable way to sit was perched on the edge of the seat or with 6 cushions behind your back.

It is in a nice location though, right on the beach with a nice pool and walking distance from the night market (through the street with the obliging young ladies in it, my husband insisted it was the only route to 'town' - still, best offers he's ever likely to get). Shops and eating places all round. I suppose I'm nit picking a bit but I just don't think it had the wow factor I've experienced at other far east hotels.

I hear the Sofitel is very good.

Stayed in Bangkok beforehand, in the Desert Orchid Sheraton - absolutely fabulous hotel. My son stayed in the Hilton there and said it was rubbish, shower didn't work properly and generally not impressed.

Have a fantastic holiday.

Jeannette,
the Desert Orchid Sheraton - I Like it Very popular hotel with the horse racing fraternity in Bangkok.