Archive for the ‘Hua Hin’ Category

Putahracsa Resort, Boutique Hotel & Spa – Hua Hin

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Ocean Pool at Putahracsa, Hua Hin (photo credit:restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

22/65 Nahb Kaehat Rd.
Hua Hin Prachaub
Kirikhan 77110
Tel. +66 (0) 32 531-470
Fax. +66 (0) 332 531-488
www.putahracsa.com

Velvadi Sritrairatana, the present owner of Putahracsa Resort, inherited her grandmother’s property from her mother, a well-known Thai stage actress, who bestowed it upon her to manage. She has turned it into a beautiful boutique resort with the help of her husband, interior designer, Viboon Techakalayatum, owner of Design Scene Co. Ltd.

Pool at Putahracsa, Hua Hin (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

The exterior design is marvelous with its stark-white, thatch-roofed  buildings and villas contrasting with the well tended, lush green foliage and deep blue, free-form swimming pools, interspersed with over-sized white umbrellas and king-sized pool chaise longues.

Pool at Putahracsa Resort, Hua Hin (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

The property extends on both sides of the road with villas surrounding each of the three pools and a beach restaurant on the seaward side directly facing the beach. On the other side of the road is the lobby, another restaurant and two additional pools. Another added touch, is a network of Bose speakers that sprout out of the ground like giant mushrooms and blanket the entire property with soothing, rhythmic sounds that neither disturb nor are they too faint to hear. Well done!
The restaurant at the beach offers a well put together menu featuring a few Thai and International dishes; the few that I sampled were all deftly executed and the cocktails properly made. They have a properly-selected wine list and even the house wines chosen by the management were agreeably good.

Mojito at the beach restaurant, Putahracsa Resort (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

Pad Thai at Putahracsa Resort, Hua Hin (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

Hamburger Frites, at the Beach Restaurant, Putahracsa Resort (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

The  Hotel Manager, Franck Rodriguez, personally escorted us to the beach restaurant on our arrival and was very helpful throughout our stay. I would, and will, without hesitation return to Putahracsa Resort, a lovely and well-managed boutique hotel.

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Elephant Bar – Hua Hin, Thailand

Sunday, September 27th, 2009

Elephant Bar, Sofitel Centara Grand, Hua Hin (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

1 Damnernkasem Road  77110 Hua Hin, Thailand
(+66)32/512021 – (+66)32/511014
email: reservation@sofitel.co.th
Website: www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-0891-sofitel-centara-grand-resort-and-villas/index.shtml
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive-Very Expensive

An elegant and comfortable bar that I always pay a visit to at least once when visiting Hua Hin. It is off to the right in the lobby of  the Sofitel Centara Grand Hotel conveniently located in Hua Hin’s downtown area and also fronting the beach.

Elephant Bar, The Bar (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

The bar is always staffed with lovely girls that know their job as well as being pleasant and courteous.

Elephant Bar, Painting (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

Flight of Wines (photo credit: restaurantdiningcritiques.com)

A promotion of a flight of three different white wines or three different red wines served along with an assortment of appetizers pictured above and below.

Flight of Wines with Appetizers

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La Grappa Restaurant – Hua Hin, Thailand

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

La Grappa Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
20/5 Poolsuk Rd, Hua Hin,
Prachaubkirikhan, 77110
Tel. +66 (0) 32 516 510, +66 (0) 40 094 748
Open Daily: 10:00 a.m. – midnight
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Moderate

Andreas Bonifacio, the chef patron and partner, runs a tight ship and not only is he the Captain, at times he fills almost every other position, one minute he is in the kitchen cooking and the next taking an order at a table, followed by delivering plates of sliced Parma ham to another. Incidentally, a dish that should not to be missed is the large nodule of special mozzarella di bufala, imported from Campania, and served alongside the aforementioned Parma ham, and be sure to request the chef’s special forccacia filled with mascarpone and black truffle paste mixed with mushrooms. These dishes amply suffice as starters and pasta is quite unnecessary and you may segue into the main courses or, as we did one evening, order another round of appetizers such as vitello tonnato, and carpaccio di manzo (thinly sliced raw beef); as is the case with most everything served at La Grappa it is beautifully presented in addition to being of excellent quality.

La Grappa’s central location on Poonsuk Road nestled amongst other popular restaurants and not far from the Hilton Hotel is ideal and there are two different sections to choose from: the outdoor terrace with an adjacent bar, which is partially enclosed or the air-conditioned main dining room.
The restaurant prominently displays at the front entrance, as might be expected, an extensive collection of Grappa of all types both well-known and uncommon. Without further descriptions, just take a look at the dishes pictured below they tell it all.

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Platoo Seafood Restaurant – (Cha Am) Hua Hin, Thailand

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Platoo Restaurant, Next to Courtyard Marriott
Tel. 837-508175
Website: www.platoorestaurant.com
email: platoochaam@hotmail.com
Credit Cards: No
Prices: Inexpensive

Platoo is a fairly typical expansive, Thai beach restaurant housed under a  high-peaked, thatched roof directly on the beach, although slightly elevated and set back behind the high tide line. Another smaller structure next door provides an annex in case it is needed. It might be considered unusual that all the wait-staff are wired so that they can transmit their orders through wireless headsets, which makes a great deal of sense in such a large establishment. The prices are reasonable and the place has a good location in Cha Am. We found the cooking quite good after two visits. It is recommended.

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Sofitel Centara Grand Hotel & Villas – Hua Hin, Thailand

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

1 Damnernkasem Road  77110 Hua Hin, Thailand
(+66)32/512021 – (+66)32/511014
email: reservation@sofitel.co.th
Website: www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-0891-sofitel-centara-grand-resort-and-villas/index.shtml
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive-Very Expensive

The Sofitel Centara Grand Hotel & Villas was the Kingdom’s first resort hotel, built on an idellic seaside setting in 1923 and has been updated to all the most modern amenities. The lovely, colonial-style building constructed from mostly wood is situated amongst lush gardens, which has many unique topiary intricately trimmed into shapes of elephants, squirrels, and birds on 16 hectares of land, with its own beach. It is centrally located in the town of Hua Hin and is only a short walk to the best shopping, restaurants and bars. In the evening, dine at the hotel’s Palm Seafood Pavilion and Terrace, choose the candlelit tables just paces from the sea, the staff even provide torches to read the menu. The cuisine is excellent at this outlet however, the larger Railway Restaurant did not fare as well in that department. Irishman, Adrian O’Herlihy, the hotel’s Executive Chef, has been trained in classic French cuisine and he does not waiver too far away from it, although, on St. Patrick’s Day he brings out the classic Irish dishes in a spectacular Irish Buffet. The Elephant Bar, with two charming, female bar staff manning it, is a classic bar that immediately makes you feel at home, and offers flights of wine for very reasonable prices and also offers WIFI gratis – 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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