Stepping into SO/Sofitel Hua Hin takes you down a rabbit hole – to a whimsically designed 5- star family-friendly resort just three hours away from Bangkok, Thailand! The 100-room, 9 pool villas resort has family suites, villas with private pools as well as three swimming pools and plenty of amenities that encourages plenty of fun in the sun.
Our family of four with a tween and teen had a great stay at the resort – packed with activities perfect for kids with loads of energy to expend. From pickleball, mini golf to inflatable obstacle courses, and kids club activities, children of all ages will be engaged in a whole variety of activities.
For parents looking to chill at the beachside resort, SO/Sofitel Hua Hin’s adult-only pool, spa, beachside cabanas will be favoured spots during your stay.
Location of SO Sofitel Hua Hin
SO Sofitel Hua Hin is located in Cha-am, 35 minutes away from downtown Hua Hin. Cha-am is a seaside alternative to touristy Khao Yai, another popular destination for tourists. The beauty of Cha-am is its proximity to Bangkok, drawing mainly locals to its beaches, sea sports, biking and hiking trails, as well as golf courses.
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For a slice of tranquility, it was worth the 3-hour drive from Bangkok to SO/Sofitel Hua Hin. I would recommend pit-stops along the way to attractions like Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and Phra Pathom Chedi – one of Thailand’s most sacred sites with a massive 127-metre Buddhist chedi.
SO/Sofitel Hua Hin provides shuttle services to Cha-am Beach, Cha-am Night Market, Hua Hin Night Market as well, for those eager to explore the vicinity.
Getting a Warm Welcome at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin from Bunnies and Animals
We were so relieved to arrive at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin and seeing a larger-than-life rabbit sculpture holding a clock takes us down the rabbit hole like Alice. The timekeeper rabbit standing guard at the Arrival Lawn welcomes guests to an imaginative wonderland – how fitting!
Khun Suksabai is the name of the timekeeper and mascot of the resort, after greeting it – we could wander into the playful realm awaiting our arrival. More bunnies await, peppered all throughout the resort, along with animal sculptures.
The design of the resort combines the inspired architectural vision of Duangrit Bunnag with interiors by Donatien Carratier and bespoke art and design by renowned local fashion designer Polpat Asavaprapha.
Upon approaching the hotel lobby, we ascended a wide flight of stairs guarded by a dalmatian wearing a scarf. It was as if we were entering a grand building of sorts.
After enjoying the welcome drink of Roselle tea overlooking the water feature flanked by an elephant, a buffalo, hippopotamus and crocodile, it felt like an official welcome by the animals at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin. Here the adventure into the wonderland begins!
Our Home Away From Home – SO Family Suite
For three nights, our room was the luxurious SO Family Suite (from 7800 baht / SGD 309 per night) perfect for our family. The suite has two bedrooms, living and dining room, two balconies overlooking the Signature Pool and two toilets. Yay to not fighting over the use of the loo!
The 100 sqm space was perfect for lazy afternoons to chill in – with the living room being the space for games, movies and just enjoying one another’s company. I loved the bright and cheery furnishings, adding to the whimsical elements in the resort which seemed to be unique to this property.
There were little sculptures of butterflies and bees on the walls and bunny figurines and ornaments peppered around the space – children will certainly be drawn to them.
The parents’ bedroom is furnished a king-sized bed, en-suite bathroom with a huge bathtub (giant bubble bath time beckons!), wardrobe and TV.
For the kids, they loved their bedroom with has a bunk bed, TV, wardrobe and a beanbag for lounging. It also overlooked the mini golf course. As expected, the kids fought for the upper deck of the bunk bed. Apart from the pink bedsheets that were provided, the boys were thrilled to have their own TV unit.
All members of the family could enjoy their own personal space even when we chose to stay in the suite. That was rarely the case, since there was so much to do!
I appreciated the space for luggage as well – cleverly incorporated along the walkway which made unpacking a lot easier and hidden out of sight. The organisation of space for family staycations was important for us and the SO Family suite was perfect for our family of four.
For multi-generational family holidays, you can also opt to connect the SO Studio room.
Other room formats include SO Family Room (from 5590 baht / SGD 221 per night), SO Family Kids House room that has a separate annexe as a kids room (from 6015 baht /SGD238 per night), and SO Pool Villa with two bedrooms with a private pool (from 10 350 baht / SGD 410 per night).
Spoilt for Choice with Sports Facilities & Other Amenities
The biggest draw to SO Sofitel Hua Hin must be the sports facilities and amenities ideal for families.
Since we had a lovely view from the second floor of the signature pool, the Witbit Adventure Float was the irresistible highlight. The boys changed into their swimwear once we checked in, determined to conquer the Witbit Adventure Float.
The inflatable obstacle course on water was incredibly fun for both adults and children. Leaping, balancing, sliding, hanging – do what you can before sliding back into the pool. There are also daily challenges and prizes if you manage to complete the obstacle course.
Younger kids can use the safety jackets to help them keep afloat in the water too if they decide to try the Witbit. Do note that there are three different depths in the pool with the deepest end at 1.7 m.
Another fun element was the H2SO water scooter that we highly recommend. Glide effortlessly in the water with the Swii electronic kickboard, Tini underwater scooter or Navbow underwater scooter! Feel like Ironman under water with the magical devices, available for rental at the signature pool.
The Kids Tent
Right next to the signature pool is the Kids Tent offering many fun activities like crafting, hair braiding, foosball, Muay Thai and more. Babysitting services are available at a fee for a minimum age of 3.
Some activities required an additional fee; do enquire directly at the Kids Tent or use the SO/Sofitel Hua Hin app.
For poolside treats, hang out at the SO Sundae café for a quick snack or dessert. Little ones can have their fill of slushies, ice cream, and meals.
Since our tween and teen are older, they spent most of the time at the Signature pool, table tennis table and the beach!
Other cool elements near the Signature Pool include the Wet Bubble Pool and a playground.
There is an outdoor chess set too.
Since the outdoor chess set was right next to White Oven – one of the two restaurants at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin, it was the choice hangout before and after meals.
If you are into sports like pickleball, basketball and tennis, borrow the sports equipment to get a fun game going. We were so excited to see a pickleball court that was surrounded by hedges. Obviously, pickleball was going to be a go-to activity for the family!
SO/Sofitel Hua Hin also has a 3.5km cycling track that’s easy to navigate for beginner cyclists. It goes around the resort’s grounds and a verdant garden with palm trees, flowers surrounded by the hills.
To rev up the experience, rent the Hot Wheels or battery-powered Scooter sidecar or Chopper Bike. This was another highlight that the kids gravitated towards during our family getaway.
One activity you definitely want to include while at SO Sofitel Hua Hin is the 18-hole mini golf course. It’s probably one of the best mini golf courses for kids at a resort, filled with fairy-tale elements like dwarfs, toadstools, a witch’s cauldron, mini houses, a giant spider, more rabbits – all part of the quest to help Viola the Witch gather ingredients to bring the stone animals to life.
The Mini Golf course is also lit in the evenings and the game can be played till 9 pm from Fridays to Sundays.
Depending on how competitive your family is, you can keep score or the Par to see who the best putter is! It does get quite challenging especially with tunnels and rabbit holes in the way. May the best putter win!
Downtime for the Parents at SO Spa
Aching for a massage? SO/ Spa has got your body pains and aches covered. If you were thinking of a painful Thai massage that leaves you with bruises and contorted body parts, SO/ Spa will change your mind. SO/ Spa will soothe those knots and it will be a pleasant, soothing and rejuvenating experience.
I loved that we could customise all the elements of the massage experience. From the areas of focus, to the massage oil, the choice of tea, the pressure of massage right down to the choice of ambient music.
After emerging refreshed from a 60-minute Aromatherapy massage, I was brought to the SO Cocoon Deep Relaxation Room where it resembled a room full of stars. One could just lay there for a while but parenting duties beckoned. I was so surprised to see my sons waiting after a session of handcrafting soap.
The soapcrafting session is available on the weekends from 11 am to 11.45 am – little ones can participate in the session while waiting.
SO/Spa is also located next to the adult-only pool and the fitness centre.
Soaking up the Sun at the Beach
The resort is located right next to the Gulf of Thailand. While the beach has a sea wall protecting the shoreline, part of it is directly accessible to the sea. Due to the season of strong monsoon winds however, we did not swim in the sea due to strong waves.
Even so, the kids loved their beach time. Sand toys were available to use, and the beach was littered with many different shapes of shells. The adults, meanwhile, could just watch on at the deck chairs and swing chairs right next to Beach Society – SO/Sofitel’s beachfront restaurant and bar.
Food & Beverage at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin
There are two restaurants at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin – Beach Society and White Oven, as well as one poolside café SO Sundae serving desserts, snacks and mains.
While Beach Society serves a combination of Western fusion and Indian cuisine, White Oven serves Thai and Western dishes, with special menus including Mookata or Thai BBQ sets.
Let’s start with breakfasts served at White Oven. The buffet breakfast definitely powers you up with a strong start to the day with various options of coffee, tea and latte. Both the caffeinated and non-caffeinated options would please everyone, with the menu including iced lattes, iced milk tea, rose tea, iced chocolate and more.
We loved the Thai dishes offered such as the fried dough fritters with soy milk, coconut cakes, fried chicken, porridge options.
White Oven also served signature dishes such as the Egg Benedict with grilled pork and Toddy Palm Curry which was made-to-order. White Oven’s buffet line-up catered specially to the little ones too, with a special low counter top for easy access to cereals, doughnuts and marshmallows and steps to get a better look at the yogurt options. My sons definitely had their fill of the Western selection – bacon, sausages and eggs.
Since we were spoilt for breakfast, perhaps we would take it slow at lunch. However, the options were too tempting. The Indian cuisine served at Beach Society is top on our list – we ordered seconds of pani puri which is a modern twist on traditional poori. We also had to get more naan paired with butter chicken.
If you’re hanging out by the pool, the poolside café also serves favourites like Pasta Bolognese, Beef Burger, and the classics like Pad Thai all of which were delectable.
Beach Society
For those who prefer seafood, Beach Society serves seafood dishes such as Crab Meat Angel Hair Pasta, Fried Calamari while White Oven serves freshly steamed or fried Seabass, as well as BBQ seafood sets.
Don’t forget the drinks! Fresh Thai Coconuts are unbeatable and a staple for all our meals. We also loved the smoothies and mocktails – delightful concoctions that pleased everyone’s palates.
Room service options are available too with meals brought to your rooms. However, we think heading to the restaurants gives you the best experience and selections especially for breakfast.
SO/Sofitel Hua Hin also provides teatime snacks consisting of local delights from cookies, pastries to crackers. We were thoroughly spoilt with the daily treats!
Exploring Cha-am & Hua Hin
Keen to explore Cha-am, Hua Hin and the surrounds?
For the adventurous, there are many activities for the explorer in you. Hire a mountain bike to embark on a 16.5 km cycling adventure to Tanod Noi Beach, go on a hike at Khao Nang Phanturat Forest Park or head to Nayang Bat Cave.
We went on an excursion to see bats – from a comfortable distance of course. A 10-minute van ride away is a local’s home from which we could have a great vantage point to witness millions of bats emerge from their cave at sunset. Snacks, drinks and binoculars were provided for us to watch the phenomenon that lasted about twenty minutes.
Hua Hin Night Market was also a treat – getting street food or even trying the famous lobster dishes Youtuber Mark Wiens recommended was an activity families can look forward to trying.
While enroute to Bangkok, we were brought to a 200-year old canal for the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The colourful, bustling market was a great pitstop for us and we sat in our boats taking in all the sights and sounds of the stall owners selling their wares from their boats.
A Fun-filled Family Vacation at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin
Needless to say, we had a fantastic family vacation at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin. Was it worth the hassle to get to the resort? It’s a resounding yes, make that four voices yelling yes! The resort offered tranquility to those seeking calm, and a myriad of exciting activities for those desiring more activity.
We also encountered warm hospitality from the team at the resort. One son had an accident and bumped his head when he slipped and got the medic’s attention quite quickly. Thankfully it was a minor incident and it goes to show the preparedness of the team.
Our stay coincided with the Pet Wonderland event where pet owners gathered at the resort with their furkids. My sons were thrilled at the opportunity to mingle with the gentle dogs and cats. It seems like a very pet-friendly resort that welcomes pawrents with their pets!
For now, we are left with wonderful memories made at SO/Sofitel Hua Hin and that is what a great family holiday should be like.
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