Hotels on north Cha-Am beach
North Cha-Am beach goes from Narathip Road up to the fishing pier, for about 2 km. It is the most popular part of Cha-Am for Westerners, especially Scandinavian people. There are many hotels, restaurants and bars.
Bann Pantai Hotel and Resort
Bann Pantai (sometimes also spelled Baan Pantai or Ban Pantai) is at the very beginning of north Cha-Am beach, just after soi 1. It's a very nice hotel, a bit expensive by Cha-Am standards but still affordable. There is a large round-shaped swimming pool. The location is perfect, as it is precisely between north Cha-Am beach and south Cha-Am beach. So you can enjoy both the restaurants and activities of Cha-Am north, and the peace and beauty of Cha-Am south. If you dream of diving into the swimming pool but you can't afford this hotel, you should check out the Banlansuan boutique resort.
Rooms with view on the swimming pool |
The swimming pool |
A villa |
The hotel entrance |
The front garden, close to the beach |
The garden viewed from the beachfront |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Ban Pantai Hotel
The Cha-Am Methavalai Hotel
The Methavalai is just after soi 9 when coming from the Narathip Road junction. It has a very nice swimming pool, and it is a very pleasant hotel overall. They also have villas for rent, but we would recommend a superior room instead (better to be in a room and have a view on the villas, rather than be in a villa and have a view on the rooms!). Let's also mention a very nice restaurant, and a second swimming pool running at the back of the hotel. The location is very convenient, close to the beach and close to many shops, bars and restaurants. The hotel has its own beach chairs, so you don't have to rent them.
The balconies ornated with bougainvillaea |
The large swimming pool |
The villas |
The hotel's white parasols on the beach |
The villas at night |
The swimming pool at the back |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Methavalai Hotel
Tara Mantra Hotel
The Tara Mantra is a brand new hotel which opened in 2008 in Cha-Am. It boasts three swimming pools, and a beautiful architecture and design. Such a hotel in Phuket or Pattaya would probably be prohibitively expensive, but the good thing about Cha-Am is that even top range hotels remain affordable. The Tara Mantra hotel is in a soi known as the "Long Beach soi", just close to the Long Beach hotel.
Long Beach Hotel
The Long Beach hotel is located just before soi 10. Look for the soi where there is a restaurant called Tony's, then go to the end of the soi. It means that the hotel is a bit set back from the beachfront, with its entrance closer to Chaolay road, the second road running parallel to the beachfront. But is is a short walk and through a lively soi (as lively as it gets in Cha-Am, so don't worry about the noise), where there are bars and restaurants. Inside, the hotel can appear a bit old, probably because it is. The swimming pool is nice but not large. There is a terrace on the top floor with a nice view over the coast of Cha-Am and over the mountains.
The entrance on Chaolay road |
The hotel |
The small soi leading to the beach |
The swimming pool |
The terrace on the 11th floor |
View on the mountains from the terrace |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Long Beach Hotel
Golden Beach Hotel
The Golden Beach hotel is located before soi 8, between Max restaurant and Baan Thai restaurant. It is a bit set back from the beachfront, you have to take a small soi (pedestrian area) to reach the hotel. The Golden Beach has a nice and large swimming pool, and the rooms are nice too. People usually say that is good value for money, and it is absolutely true. The only drawback is that it is not directly on the beachfront, but it's a very short walk in a soi where there are a few shops and bars (the quiet kind).
The Golden Beach |
Its swimming pool |
The impressive hall inside |
The entrance between two restaurants |
The soi leading to the hotel |
View of the soi |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Golden Beach Hotel
Unico Sandara Hotel
The Unico Sandara, formerly known as the Kaenchan hotel, is a middle size hotel (6 floors) located on the beachfront, between soi 5 and 8. It is a nice hotel with a restaurant and a swimming pool on the 6th floor (not big, but quiet and with a nice view of the beach). The price of a room in June 2010 was 1,590 baht from Sunday to Thursday and 1,790 baht on Friday and Saturday (breakfast included).
The Unico Sandara hotel |
The swimming pool looking out over the sea |
View from the 6th floor |
Cha-Am Villa Beach Hotel
This hotel is on the beachfront near soi Cha-Am North 4. There are different types of rooms, prices are in the 800 to 1,000 baht range (including Thai breakfast). Facilities in the rooms include A/C, fridge, warm water and free wi-fi. There is a swimming pool, a nice touch considering the price. Bungalows with 2 or 3 bedrooms are also available (for 2,000 or 3,000 baht).
Category "A" building |
Category "B" building |
The swimming pool |
The entrance |
The lobby |
|
Click here to enter the hotel's website
Hotels on south Cha-Am beach
South Cha-Am beach goes from Narathip Road down to the end of Ruamchit Road, for about 3 km. This part of the beachfront is very popular among Thai people.
Grand Pacific Sovereign Resort & Spa
The Grand Pacific Sovereign is a luxury hotel on south Cha-Am beach. It's brand new and very beautiful, with no less than 3 swimming pools, Japanese, Chinese and Italian restaurants, and a spa where you can get all sorts of cares and massages. The only drawback, maybe, is the location. The beach itself is rather nice, but around the hotel there is not much. No restaurants, no shops... But of course you can rent a bicycle or a motorbike to get around, or you can just enjoy the hotel and the wonderful swimming pools!
The entrance on the beach road |
View of the hotel and the main swimming pool |
The beach in front of the hotel |
The main swimming pool |
The second swimming pool, overviewing the hotel |
The third swimming pool with a nice "overflowing" effect |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Grand Pacific Hotel
Ban Lan Suan Resort
Ban Lan Suan (or Bann Lann Suan, or Banlansuan Boutique Resort) is a new hotel on south Cha-Am beach, after the junction with Narathip road and before soi 1. There is no swimming pool but for 200 baht per person you can use the large swimming pool of the Ban Pantai hotel. The rooms, or rather bungalows, are very clean and the service is excellent.
The rooms |
The garden and private balconies |
The hotel as seen from the beach road |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Ban Lan Suan Hotel
Hotels outside Cha-Am, in the south
Many hotels are located at the south of Cha-Am town, in the direction of Hua Hin. The beach is very quiet there, but some would say it lacks animation. If you simply like to enjoy a nice hotel and a quiet beach, it's a perfect location. Cha-Am and Hua Hin can easily be reached by taxi or if you rent a motorbike. Unlike hotels in Cha-Am town, all hotels we describe below have direct access to the beach.
Veranda Resort & Spa
A beautiful hotel not too far from Cha-Am (6 km from the center of the town and 3 km from the end of south beach). The decoration was carefully and tastefully done, the result being a relaxing and inspiring place.
The welcoming sign. |
The rooms overlooking a large pond |
The lobby |
The swimming pool |
The "showers" in the pool |
The access to the beach |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Veranda Hotel
Springfield Beach Resort
In the same area as Veranda Resort & Spa, that is 6 km from the center of Cha-Am and 3 km from the end of south Cha-Am beach. From what we read in the reviews, people seem to appreciate the fact that you can also enjoy the swimming pool from Springfield Village Golf & Spa for free (a shuttle can take you there).
The high rise hotel |
The swimming pool |
The beach |
Regent Chalet
The Regent Chalet is about 1 km south of the Veranda and Springfield area. Guests are accommodated in small wooden cottages, and they enjoy a large and quiet swimming pool. It's a peaceful and pleasant place.
The swimming pool |
The chalets |
Wooden bungalows in a quiet setting |
Holiday Inn (formerly Regent Beach)
Formerly known as the Regent Beach, and now a Holiday Inn, this hotel is very popular and usually gets positive travel reviews. Like all hotels between Cha-Am and Hua Hin, the surroundings lack animation, but the hotel is nice enough to keep you busy (busy relaxing, that is). It is located close to the Regent Chalet, so that's about 7 km from Cha-Am main intersection.
The main building |
The swimming pool |
Outdoor restaurant overlooking the beach |
Yai Ya Resort
This brand new hotel (it opened end of 2008) is geographically in Phetchaburi province, yet it is closer to Hua Hin and actually quite far from Cha-Am. We haven't visited it yet, but it looks luxurious and it gets positive travel reviews.
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Yai Ya Resort
Hotels outside Cha-Am, in the north
A few other hotels are located north of Cha-Am, in the direction of Puek Tian and Hat Chao Samran. To go in this direction, go to Narathip road and turn (left when coming from Phetkasem road, or right when coming from the beach) at the Family Mart. Follow the road until you pass the hospital and the bascule bridge, then take the third road on your right just after the bridge (make sure you follow the direction of Puek Tian, Hat Chao Samran, Alila hotel, etc.).
The Hotel Cha-Am (formerly Alila)
Alila often makes the front page of the home and design magazines, due to its spectacular and original architecture. It is indeed impressive as soon as you climb the marble steps to the large lobby. You then discover the big pond separating the two wings of the hotels and reaching to the swimming pool and the beach. There is another swimming pool literally inside the pond, and there two restaurants, one at the ground level and another one upstairs.
The marbled entrance |
The pond dividing the hotel |
The upstairs restaurant |
The swimming pool close to the beach |
The private beach in front of the hotel |
The second swimming pool |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Alila Hotel
Hotels west of Cha-Am, in Hup Kapong
Hup Kapong is on the right side of Phetkasem road when coming from Bangkok, just when the road divides itself in two (the left branch going to Cha-Am and Hua Hin, while the main road goes south to Pranburi). It's in the countryside and close to the mountains (beautiful sunsets).
Thai Bamboo Guesthouse
"Off the beaten track", "a hideaway", the travel reviews describe the place very well. Thai Bamboo has only 4 bungalows, so you will find that the atmosphere is like one of a guesthouse, but they sit in a large garden and there is a swimming pool, so it also has something of a resort. There are bikes for rent and Cha-Am is only a few kilometers away, so you can enjoy the peacefulness of the place without feeling isolated.
Inside a bungalow |
Facilities in the room (Wifi also available) |
That's where the bamboos are! |
One of the 4 bungalows |
The pool in a nice setting |
The swimming pool |
Click here for more pictures, travel reviews and safe online booking of Thai Bamboo Guesthouse Resort
Bungalows and guesthouses
If you are on a budget or if you simply don't want to spend too much on lodging, you will easily find some cheap accomodation in Cha-Am. There are many guesthouses, and there are also bungalows, which we call "Thai bungalows" because they are more for the Thai tourists.
Thai bungalows
Typically, Thai tourists arrive from Bangkok in a pick-up or mini-van, and rent a bungalow for the whole family or the group of friends they are travelling with. If you choose a Thai bungalow, don't expect the staff to speak English! Usually there won't be any sign in English at the entrance anyway. ;-)
Simple bungalows on south Cha-Am beach |
A more comfortable bungalow in soi North 1 |
A sign in Thai indicates bungalows for rent |
Guesthouses
Guesthouses can be found everywhere, but a good starting point if you are looking for a budget guesthouse could be the end of Narathip road, on the beachfront. You can either turn left and look for a guesthouse between soi Cha-Am North 1 and 5, for instance. Or turn right and explore soi "bus station" (the soi just before soi 1), and the soi 1 itself, or the other sois. Guesthouses on the beachfront are not always cheaper than hotels, but the closer you are to Chaolay road (the farther from the beach), the cheaper the price should be.
Scandy Resort |
Cha-inn |
Dee Lek |
