Sheraton Hotel, Cha'am, Thailand.
The new Sherarton joins Dusit, Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott chains.
Until just a few years ago Cha'am and Hua Hin were quiet seaside resorts, summer home to the Thai royal family, but an explosion of tourism means more grand hotels.
On the sunrise coast of the Gulf of Thailand, a new low-rise Sheraton Hotel is nearly ready for occupation. The hotel is officially in the Cha'am area of Petchaburi Province but with hotel and condominium development along the coast between Cha'am and Hua Hin linking the two former fishing villages ever closer together, the towns are now spoken off as one.
The Sheraton is just a short walk along the beach from the Dusit Resort Hotel, and is a well-designed building. With an enormous open lobby looking on to the meandering swimming-pool that winds through the landscaped gardens overlooked by the rooms, it is somewhat reminiscent of the Sheraton Laguna Beach in Phuket. All rooms have a terrace, some have patios and gardens, and the lower rooms facing the pool have direct access to it as it runs past the balconies. (I did wonder if the second floor guests might be tempted to dive into the pool, but I was assured there would be a barrier against this).
The rooms are of the usual high standard provided by the Sheraton, with pillow menu, sweet sleeper beds, excellent linen, recessed lights and amenities in the form of coffe-makers in all rooms and flat screen Panasonic T.Vs. Furnishings are of a very high standard, with Thai silk curtains from the Jim Thompson factory, and matching silk cushions in warm autumn colours. Rooms are tiled but runners and rugs will be available for those who feel the need.
A shuttle service to Hua Hin is provided and if demand is there, one to Cha'am also, but as Hua Hin is the main shopping area, with the best restaurants, it is presumed that most guests will want to go there.
The Sheraton will be an excellent addition to the area already considered Thailand's foremost resort, joining The Dusit Resort, The Hilton, The Hyatt and the Marriott Anantara, in the 5* range. In addition, recent developments in Cha'am have included 29 new rooms in The Verandah, one of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, rooms that qualify to be just about the best in the area of Cha'am/Hua Hin, a new Novatel, and a Holiday Inn takeover of the former Regent Hotel in Cha'am.
