SOFITEL CENTRAL HUA HIN

Story by PEERAWAT JARIYASOMBAT

After four years of renovation, Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort in Prachuap Khiri Khan is ready to bring back the nostalgia of good old days.

Neatly landscaped gardens on a 13-hectare plot hug colonial style buildings dating back to 1923, but excellent maintenance over the years reinforced by the recent renovation have returned them to their original splendour. Inside, modern facilities fit well with the classical furniture. Every square inch of space has been retouched to convey an atmosphere reminiscent of the days when it played host to royal guests and state dignitaries.

Obviously, renovating and refurbishing the historical hotel proved a delicate and monumental task. The exterior decor has been retained, while the interior design of guestrooms was updated to suit modern taste. The bathrooms have been enlarged and showers added. Coffee and tea-making facilities are provided in-room. Most of the classical furniture has been retained, while new ones made from teak to blend with the parquet floor, high ceiling and antique fans added. The lobby is done in the original style.

Origianlly the Railway Hotel, the property was bought by Central Hotel & Resorts in 1985. Considered one of Southeast Asia's most romantic hotels, the luxurious resort offers charming colonial-era ambience by the beachfront. Earlier this year, it opened a 113-seat Japanese restaurant.

``The resort is now in top shape,'' its general manager Bernd Schneider said recently.

``We are going to keep it this way by installing the right infrastructure and taking measures that will ensure its operations are environmental-friendly. Waste water treatment system will be installed to recycle used water that could be used to irrigate the gardens.''

The resort is famous for its huge and neat gardens with plants and trees cut and trimmed into the shape of animals such as elephants, butterfly, deer and birds etc. The gardens lend the resort its own special atmosphere and serve as a buffer against noise emanating from new property and commercial developments in the vicinity.

A sense of timelessness overtakes guests staying there which is probably one of the reasons why Sofitel Central Hua Hin has such a high rate of repeat guests.

According to Schneider, during the high season more than 50% of its clients are repeat guests. But having said that, another reason is that they are looked after by a dedicated team of hotel staff determined to make their stay pleasant and memorable by paying attention to personal detail and 24-hour service.

The hotel has a comprehensive databse of guests which took years to put together. It is regularly updated which enables the hotel to keep tabs of their changing tastes and preferences. At the 5th Thailand Tourism Awards held recently, Sofitel Central Hua Hin was cited for excellence _ for hotels in the 80-plus-room category.

Despite new hotel and residential properties rising in the vicinity, Mr Schnieder is confident his hotel will continue to do well given its long history and reputation as a pioneer beach property.

Sofitel Central Hua Hin expects occupancy to reach 72% this year, up from last year's figure of 67%.

Ref: http://www.bangkokpost.com/

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