It’s Wednesday morning and I’m lost. Lost in a sea of blue.
I’m at the Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin, standing on the sundeck outside my pool access room. I gaze at the outdoor blue-tiled pool, wishing I can just take a dip into the water. Reluctantly, I break away from my momentary daydream to make my way out for breakfast and the trip out to a vineyard.
It’s about a five-minute walk to the breakfast area. And, the walk is mesmerising. To get to the main lobby, I have to walk through a pathway lined on both sides by beautifully designed feature walls. With water cascading down, the walls are adorned with bronze fat pigeon statuettes. It’s hard to miss these statuettes, which can be seen all over the hotel grounds and add an element of fun to the design.
The hotel is a sight to behold from the lobby. One can’t help but get into a holiday mood looking at the pristine white architecture, the expansive blue pools that run all around the 118 rooms and the view of the Gulf of Thailand beyond. Lush verdant foliage adds to the resort charm. It’s evident tasteful contemporary design underscore the philosophy of the property.
I make my way to The Exchange for breakfast. I contemplate between dining al fresco and indoors, before deciding on a quiet corner within the comforts of air-conditioning. The restaurant is not big but serves a variety of breakfast offerings good enough to satiate the fussiest. I learnt that The Exchange dishes out organic Thai cuisine with herbs and spices from the restaurant’s own garden, and wonder to myself if they do the same for breakfast.
The Exchange isn’t the only restaurant in the hotel. That evening after we return from our Monsoon Valley vineyard outing, we head out to the private beach for a chill-out BBQ by the sea. We sip the Thai-infused cocktails, savour the fresh seafood and wind down for the day amidst the sea breeze and sounds of the lapping ocean waves. I can really get used to this.
Post-dinner, some of us head to The Spa ESC for a relaxing spa treatment before they retire for the night. Others decide to hit the popular night market in downtown Hua Hin. I, together with two others, choose to visit the new Bluport Hua Hin Resort Mall for some last-minute shopping.
The next morning, I reluctantly drag myself out of my very comfortable king-sized bed to get ready for check-out. Even the spacious room that I call home for the past two nights has been a private sanctuary to me.
Trite as it may sound, I’m actually feeling blue leaving the Blu.
How to get there:
A short drive from the city centre of Hua Hin, Radisson Blu Hua Hin is located in Cha-Am, a picturesque coastal town known for its serene beaches. Long favoured by Thai royalty as a preferred retreat destination, Hua Hin offers a myriad of attractions, including Monsoon Valley Vineyard, Santorini Park Cha-Am and Venezia Hua Hin.
To get to Hua Hin, fly to Bangkok via Thai Airways and take a three-hour drive out of Bangkok. Santorini Park Cha-Am, a little village with an amusement park, all decked out in Santorini’s blue and white palette.
How to book:
Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin has 118 rooms and suites, including 22 deluxe pool access rooms that connect directly to the infinity pool. There are nine room types which range from the 45-sqm Superior Room to the 230-sqm Presidential Suite. To book, visit the hotel’s website for details.
Radisson Blu Resort Hua Hin
1392 Petchkasem Road, Cha-Am,
76120 Hua Hin,
Phetchaburi, Thailand
Email: [email protected]
