Anchana Resort & Spa Pranburi Hua Hin

Watch up for restautant bills
by Michal Kupczyk from Sopot, Poland, 19 Mar 08

“We have been traveling in Thailand for two months now staying at places with price range between 500-2000 BHT and this hotel is definitely one of the best, if not the best, we have stayed in. It seems to be a resort for Thai families mainly as close to Bangkok/Hua Hin Very helpful & friendly staff – there is always somebody at the reception who speaks very god English. English is also spoken at the restaurant/beach/pool bar so You always get what You ordered. We had a de-lux room in the main building – very clean with a large balcony overlooking the Dolphin Bay The garden cottages seem to be of poorer quality. I would rather say they should be calling them parking cottages as they are settled on the edges of the parking area. The swimming pool is large and very well taken care of. Water is clean and as the sun operates on it from sunrise almost to sunset – it is also warm. There is also a pool for smaller children, which is connected with the main pool. You can enjoy very nice views of the bay, the islands and the mountains – it is a very picturesque spot.

We have been staying also at the Leleawandee Resort – pool bungalows on same beach which was however a totally opposite experience.

There is nothing negative one can say about the Anchana Resot itself but there is some items we did not like at the Dolphin Bay in general.

It is rather difficult to have a nice swim in the Dolphin Bay as you have to walk about 500-600 m into the sea to get the water above your knees – also during high tide. So if You like walking on mud with all different kind of animals in it– it is the place for you. There are few other nicer beaches more south like Bang Saphan.

The second thing is the prices in the restaurants – much above southern Thailand price level – a small Tom Yum is at 150 BHT and a fish barbeque is at 1000 BHT per person. The point is that there are only few restaurants/resorts on that part of the bay and ALL of them quoting same prices – even a regular beach restaurant outside the resort without English menu. So you don’t really have a choice.

We are traveling with a small child so the place is too isolated for us – there are no shops in which You can buy the most basic daily items. In order to buy nappies I had to rent a motorbike and go to Pranburi (abt 20 KM). You can also use the free Anchana Resort shuttle service to Hua Hin or pay +1000 BHT in other resorts.”