The inverted red iconography against a granite wall is the first thing that catches your eye once you arrive at The Standard, Hua Hin on Naresdamri Road, the first Thai property of the famous US hotel brand. It serves as a hint that your stay will come with surprises, turning your expectations of hospitality upside down.
You may perhaps be aware of The Standard via two episodes of Sex And The City (if you're among the oldest millennials such as moi) that used The Standard Hollywood as their location. Or more recently, pictures of the star-studded Met Gala after-party in the Boom Boom Room of The Standard, High Line where Katie Perry once showed up as a glorified hamburger. Opened on Dec 1, The Standard Hua Hin isn't as rowdy as the aforementioned two, being a lush resort that sits on the calm Hua Hin beach.
The first impression
The garden surrounds an open-air lobby that is inspired by a train station, complete with a double-side train station bench. You'll be refreshed with the signature welcome drink Pink Malai, made of pomegranate, peach and rose. While exploring the beautiful landscape of the 199-key property, your ears will pick up on birds chirping, adding a sense of serenity. The lush surroundings may fool you to look for actual birds but there are none to be found -- it's an artificial sound. And that's probably the first of many surprises you'll experience during your stay.
Bayside Villa.
Standard Pool Villa.
Praça.
The buildings of The Standard, Hua Hin have a minimalist white facade, possibly an architectural ode to the now-closed The Standard, Hollywood (Google to see what I mean). Every room is treated to a garden or beach view from private balconies. The accommodation choices range from the 35m² Superior King, Superior Twin with upsized beds to Bayside Villa, the poshest room with a view of the main swimming pool and beachfront from its private terrace.
I checked into a Standard Pool Villa, which ranges from 99-106m². Villas are clustered near each other, so if you roll deep, your squad can have a little village of your own. The precast private pool with jets sits in front of the villa along with two sun beds in yellow-and-white stripes. The pink donut float is probably another homage to The Standard Hollywood. The large glass doors let ample natural light into your living/bedroom, with a touch of Thainess hung on the wall in the form of woven fans. Behind the headboard is a huge cabinet big enough for you to actually move into!
The rectangular-shaped bathroom has a big bathtub with a rose-gold disco ball hanging above for you to luxuriate in (and take IG shots, obvi). Look into the trash can and you'll find the word trash at the bottom in a big bright yellow font. The bathroom doesn't feel confined, thanks to a big circular window and the full-size mirror at the back of the sliding door.
I dig the overall sturdy feel of the inside, including the use of terrazzo as a tabletop and countertop, with pops of yellow and warm earth tones. Chic and photogenic. I don't have much bones to pick with the villa but I would have liked it more had the hedge and bushes surrounding it been taller. Just to keep the paparazzi away, natch!
I snuck into the Bayside Villa, of which there are only two, and it's basically a super-sized villa of more than 150m² with a bigger terrace, separate living area and bedroom and steps away from the beach.
Staying in
On the F&B front, you have Lido, Praça (plaza in English) and The Juice Cafe. While the breakfast spread at Lido Bar is competent, it's not as upside down as I hope it would be. Their Italian offerings are much more interesting and I recommend their artichoke salad and angel hair pasta with crab and chilli. Inspired by Frank Sinatra's listening room, The Juice Cafe, as you may have guessed, is a spot for a freshly brewed cup of joe, cold-pressed juice or healthy snacks.
Continue on defying your expectations is Praça, a Thai izakaya-style restaurant and bar in a well-preserved house next to the beach. Prasertchai "Chef Jacky" Trongvanichnam, who participated in Iron Chef Thailand twice, helms the kitchen. The philosophy behind Praça goes with the upside-down concept, turning Thai cuisine on its head with an izakaya twist. Miang kham is served as a single bite held together with a wooden clothespin. Served with battered betel leaves, Grilled prawn panang comes in as skewers with lychee and pineapples. Moo ping is elevated by brushes of coconut milk, apple ajard, sprinkles of roast coconut and housemade chili sauce. Definitely a highlight.
Enjoy a few laps in the swimming pool, soak up vitamin D on a sunbed or lounge around on the lawn. There are athletic activities on the beach to enjoy whether you want to surf or row. If you want to try something a bit unexpected, find your zen with a singing bowl session or go for a mud lounge at the spa. Put on a swimsuit, scrub and clean your body, apply mud on yourself and lounge around, letting the mud dry in the spa's courtyard. Of course, it's another photo ops with friends. The original mud lounge from the Miami property lets you go au naturel but obviously, you can be modest here. Should you want to burn serious calories, The Gym is well-equipped with top-of-the-line machines and features a wall covered with vintage fitness magazines that may be older than you.
Final verdict
The quirky elements that you discover along the way make staying at The Standard Hua Hin anything but standard (admit it, you saw this coming). If you're looking for a photogenic stay, this is your kind of place. During its opening period, several packages are on offer, including the "Stowaway Long Stay Special" that comes with discounts on room rates, food and spa treatments if you stay three nights. Visit standardhotels.com.
