Sofitel Centara (Railway Hotel) Hua Hin

From Railway Hotel to the Sofitel Central Hua Hin Resort The Railway Hotel has played an important role over the years in the development of Thailand’s highly respected tourism sector. This legacy dates back almost 80 years to the romantic days of ‘Old Siam’, when railways were the primary mode of transportation and wild elephants ruled the jungles. The hotel is a Royal resort. His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadeja and his brother, King Rama VIII, stayed in Bungalow D during their many visits to Hua Hin. 1834 Hua Hin was inhabited since the reign of King Rama III when people seeking a better life settled in Bo Fai and Nongsakae around 1834, and named their seaside village Samoriang, which referred large rock outcroppings scattered along the beach. The name was later changed to Hin Riang, then Lam Hin, which means, ‘stone cape’. Late 19th century The first steamer, the Siam Orasumphol, sailed along the Chao Phraya River to the Gulf of Thailand – entailed numerous stops before reaching the Malay Peninsula and eventually Singapore. The route bypassed many small communities along the way including the area of Hua Hin. It provided the Royal Family with a level of comfort and convenience to travel. 1911 Lam Hin was officially renamed Hua Hin, or ‘stone head’ in English. 1911 The railroad from Bangkok to Hua Hin was finished. It inspired members of the Royal Family, aristocrats, and Bangkok’s elite to build bungalows here. The first person in the Thai Royal Family to recognise this unrivalled beauty was Prince Nares – the Minister of Public Works during the reign of HM King Rama V – who built a residence on the southern end of Lam Hin Village. The Saen Samran Royal Residence was built on beachfront land, and not far away, bungalows named Ban Plub Pa were also built as a residence for Prince Tewawongworopakorn and his family. Other members of the Royal family built a complex of houses around the same time over the scenic group of rocks at the northern end of the village. 1916 Completion of the southern railway line connecting Siam to British Malaya, during the reigns of King Rama V and VI. The opening ceremony for the Southern line took place in 1916; Before international trains were running between Bangkok, Butterworth and Singapore, the State Railways organised food and accommodation services for passengers who had to travel longer than three days. It was a common thing to break a journey for a night or two at Hua Hin where very basic and uncomfortable public accommodation was available near the station. This well know fact was highlighted in a book written by Henry Gitten, an English chief engineer working for the State Railways, which was first printed with opening of the southern railway line in 1916. 1919 The Hat Yai-Pedang Besar train started its service. 1922 Was a red letter year for Hua Hin. It has become a popular resort town as a direct result of the construction of the railroad and scenic beach houses. Before international trains were running between Bangkok and Butterworth and ffurther to Singapore, the State Railways had always organised food and accommodation services for passengers who had to travel longer than three days. It was a common thing to break a journey for a night or two at Hua Hin. At time there was very basic and uncomfortable public accommodation available next to the station. Prince Purachatra: ‘It is time to provide holiday makers with more comfort and convenience than before since it is very costly and inconvenient for people to have to prepare their own lodgings, facilities and servants themselves. Hua Hin is ideally suited to become a seaside resort town because of its serene atmosphere, and because the State Railways has its own land there.’ To increase the standard of accommodation at Hua Hin the newly established hotel division of the Thai Royal State Railway decided to build the western style Railway Hotel. Prince Purachatra personally oversaw the construction of the new hotel. Mr A Rigazai – the State Railway’s Italian architect – designed the original building as a luxurious two-storey European style resort hotel made of brick and wood – as per a Royal command. The hotel was constructed on State Railways land while existing rental bungalows were moved a short distance away. King Rama VI commissioned road maintenance engineer A D Robins to build a golf course on land opposite the railway station, completing the original nine-hole, 3,000-yard Royal Hua-Hin Golf Course and tennis courts in time to welcome the first hotel guests on October 26, 1922. The hotel featured 14 bedrooms, a lobby lounge, bar, restaurant, billiards room, wine storeroom and large verandas costing a total of 128,366.75 baht, a staggering sum at the time. A verandah surrounded the building, cleverly designed to protect guests from heavy rain, with the steep angle of the roof helping to isolate the sun’s heat and prevent rainwater from running back along the tiles. The building was remarkably similar in appearance to the Marukhatayawan Royal Residence in nearby Cha-Am. A European manager was placed in charge of the hotel’s fine dining continental restaurant. Even room service, a rare luxury at that time, was available. Gourmet European food was served in the restaurant on elegant western-style china. The silverware with the State Railways emblem – now on display in the lobby museum – was made to order in Europe. Putra Intarmayura, whose father worked in the hotel gardens since it opened in 1923, recalled: ‘At first the staff uniform was a khaki short sleeved shirt, khaki shorts and a sun helmet with the Garuda emblem. But this uniform changed to trousers instead of shorts after a manager had an excursion to Japan.’ 1923 The hotel’s official opening ceremony took place on 1 January 1923. It was the most luxurious and modern hotel in the region and an instant favourite among Thais and foreigners alike. The hotel had 28 rooms. Soon express trains were running with sleeping berths imported from Europe. This decreased travelling time and removed the necessity for passengers to change trains when going from Bangkok to Butterworth, the station of Penang, Malaya. The new service quickly became a favourite among travellers, as evident by a four-fold increase in tickets sold. The Railway hotel increasingly became the haunt of sun and relaxation seeking tourists rather than of stressed railway passengers breaking their journeys en route north or south. Putra Intarmayura, whose father worked in the hotel gardens since it opened in 1923, remembers: “At first the staff uniform was a khaki short sleeved shirt, khaki shorts and a sun helmet with the Garuda emblem. But this uniform changed to trousers instead of shorts after a manager had an excursion to Japan. And after His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadeja and his brother, King Rama VIII, stayed in Bungalow D during their many visits to Hua in. 1924 The Hua-Hin Railway Hotel’s reputation spread quickly after the State Railways’ advertising division was established in 1924 to encourage foreigners and Thais to take holidays in Thailand by train. The division printed posters, brochures and guide books for various tourist attractions including the original Guide Book of Siam which said: ‘Hua Hin, a seaside resort, is soon reached and if one has the time it should be favoured with a visit. The sea is some 10 minutes quiet walk from the railway station, and situated right on the beach are furnished bungalows which can be rented by applying to the Traffic Superintendent at Bangkok. Here, in addition to excellent sea bathing, one may shoot leopards, deer, hares and doves, but except for the latter, guides and permits must be obtained’ As the destination and the Hua-Hin Railway Hotel grew in popularity, there soon arose a need for more guest rooms and bungalows; construction began on temporary lodges called Abbass House built near the railway station. This soon proved inadequate and the State Railways added 19 additional small bungalows to the north and another 13 rooms using the original plans. 1926 Express trains were introduced with sleeping berths imported from Europe. This decreased travelling time and removed the necessity for passengers to change trains when going from Bangkok to Butterworth, the station of Penang, Malaya. The new service quickly lead to a four-fold increase in tickets sold. The Railway Hotel now had 41 rooms, and it became more and more became the haunt of sun and relaxation seeking tourists rather than of stressed railway passengers breaking their journeys en route north or south. As Major Erik Seidenfaden wrote in Guide to Bangkok 1926 ‘The privilege of breaking the journey at various interesting points makes it more advantageous to travel by rail...’ Hua-Hin was certainly the top attraction, supported by Major Seidenfaden’s opinion at the time: ‘Hua Hin on-the-sea in Siamese territory is one of the finest seaside resorts east of Suez with swimming, shooting and fishing among the popular sporting activities to be found there. It possesses one of the best golf courses in the Orient. The Hua Hin Railway Hotel also maintains a stock of golf requisites and loans are often made to visiting golfers.’ It is no exaggeration to say then that these humble beginnings played a great part in transforming the once a sleepy fishing village into one of Thailand’s most popular and modernised beach resorts, the modern day Hua Hin. As the population and number of visitors to Hua Hin grew, better facilities were soon urgently required. King Rama VII recognised this need and formed a committee for the overall planning of the area in order to develop it fully as a resort town with necessary infrastructure, including roads, electricity, fresh water supply, schools and hospitals. A local government similar to a municipality was organised effective from October 19, 1926, which meant local people became responsible for the town’s development, as they would benefit from improvement as Hua Hin attracted more foreign visitors. Initially the town's small income came mainly from tourists in the form of a surcharge which travellers had to pay in addition to their train fares, and later the local people themselves even had to pay taxes on the land they owned. The board’s ambitious new projects also included the construction of a 30-kilometre road from Cha-Am to Nong Kae, building the Chatchai Market and health centre, providing public transportation during the high season. 1932 After Thailand adopted a constitutional monarchy in 1932, Hua Hin was often featured in novels written by both Thai and foreign authors. The first person in the Thai Royal Family to recognise this unrivalled beauty was Prince Nares — the Minister of Public Works during the reign of HM King Rama V — who built a residence on the southern end of Lam Hin Village. Another royal, State Railways director general Prince Purachatra also took a leading role in making Hua Hin Thailand’s most famous and exclusive beach resort at that time, a reputation it still enjoys today. This new recreational resort became even more popular among Thais during the reign of King Rama V. 1939 During World War II, stories of tranquil and peaceful Hua Hin travelled far and wide. After Thailand joined the war the hotel was always full as many Bangkok-based foreigners and Thais fled Bangkok seeking refuge in Hua-Hin. 1945 After World War II ended in 1945, the State Railways, despite facing many difficulties, continued to try to improve its famous hotel. Thailand changed quickly. New roads and bridges were constructed, with road transportation increasingly in popularity. Train travel was no longer the primary mode of transportation. Bangkok residents could now easily cross the Tachin River to other resorts besides Hua Hin. 1948 More bungalows were built north of Damnernkasem Road, and six years later bungalows A, B, and C were pulled down to construct a new building. It was connected to the old one on land occupied by the Saen Samran Sukhaves Royal Residence which had been purchased from the Royal Family, the resulting three-story building now stands adjoining the Museum coffee corner. Thavorn Boonyaketu, the State Railway’s architect, designed the new building, influenced by modern architecture. It had three restaurants, a bar downstairs, 23 guestrooms on the second and third floors, as well as a panoramic sea-view restaurant. A wide variety of modern construction materials were carefully selected, with the furniture and interior decoration designed with the guests’ comfort and convenience in mind. Unfortunately the building was criticised however by those who said it did not harmonise well with the original structure. 1960 Later however, the government’s tourism promotion policy began to focus on Pattaya and Phuket as the main tourist destinations, and as a result Hua Hin evolved into a quite resort destination, a reputation is still enjoys. Today’s Hua Hin still retains this fascinating charm of a peaceful, bygone era, with serene surroundings, picturesque scenery and uncrowded attractions. 1985 4 October 1985 Central handover from SRT “Central Hua-Hin Resort” 53 rooms, 24 bungalows, total 77 units 1986 In 1986 the State Railway of Thailand granted the Central Group of Hotels and Accor restoration rights to the grand hotel. The much-loved historical building was meticulously preserved, with a new swimming pool and Thai Pavilion also added and completed in December 1986. The hotel began refurbishing the old bungalows and added new gardens, lawns and fountains, 1988 January 1988 Rooms extention –colonial wing and bungalow 53 rooms + 42 bungalows = 195 units. Accor and the Central Hotels and Resorts re-launched the hotel as a Sofitel after two years of extensive refurbishment that emphasized the Edwardian architecture and colonial traditions. The Architects Association of Thailand gave the hotel an award for ‘outstanding conservation’ in a category dedicated to preserving historic Thai buildings. The hotel welcomed a new generation of guests under the name Hotel Sofitel Central Hua-Hin in 1988. A multi-function conference and banqueting hall catering to up to 300 guests was added inclusive of games room, library, nightclub, shops, a beauty salon, an elegant cocktail bar and the Railway restaurant. The Central Village, formerly the old bungalow site and "Villa Wing" – used since the 1970's as a recreational area for families – was also upgraded in harmony with the Colonial Wing. Shaded by many exotic varieties of plants, 22 villas were transformed from the original bungalows were beautifully decorated, each with two rooms, a living area, a pantry and a balcony. This area now includes 20 newly built villas and a central service area, Salathai Restaurant, swimming pool, large garden area, conference rooms, a charming open-air cocktail bar, and several attractively landscaped decorative fishponds. Sofitel Central Hua-Hin Resort and the Central Village are spread over a total area of 15.5 hectares (97 rai) of beautifully landscaped grounds and sculptured gardens. Additional facilities include the elegant Palm Pavilion Restaurant, an alfresco beach bar with terrace, three swimming pools for adults and two for children, two tennis courts, giant chess, a miniature golf course, putting greens, fountains, a lily pond, and the historical Museum Coffee Corner. The scale of the restoration and improvement of the two hotels reflects not only the needs of today’s modern traveller, but also the building's rich history and heritage, standing as a testament amidst the beauty and tranquillity of a bygone era. The hotel’s original bungalow D was then transformed into the Fitness Centre and Spa. The spa comprises two private treatment rooms with an en suite Jacuzzi that can accommodate two people comfortably. Two separate saunas are also connected to these rooms. In addition the spa offers three additional private aromatherapy treatment rooms, two of which are equipped for beauty treatments. Both the Fitness Centre and Spa command dramatic seaviews and are conveniently located next to the Railway pool. 1989 18 Feb, 1989 Grand opening of Sofitel Central Hua-Hin 1990 Many new hotels in Hua Hin and Cha-Am have since been built for both Thai and foreign tourists, while condominiums and beach houses have been developed for Bangkok residents who wish to own their own piece of “seaside” paradise as in the past. 1996 January 1996: Re-brand from Sofitel Central-Villa Wing to Mercure Hua-Hin. 1998 In January 1998 expansion of the property continued with the addition of the Garden Wing. Sixty rooms overlooking the newly designed gardens and swimming pool perfectly matched the original colonial architecture. A new swimming pool complex with children’s pool, gigantic whirlpool and snack bar were added as well. The fitness room was then upgraded in October 1998 to include a Thai traditional massage area with four private massage rooms. Jan, 1998 Room extention at Garden Wing 213 rooms + 42 bungalows = 255 units 1999 January 1999: re-branding from Mercure Hua-Hin to Central Hua-Hin Village (?). 2000 In response to demands from the fast growing tourism industry, the government has now embarked upon a bold strategy to develop main tourist attractions near Bangkok. The focus is especially on the Gulf of Thailand’s west coast, such as the pioneer resort of Hua Hin that created the path for other contemporary Thai resorts to follow also 80 years ago. Although other Thai seaside resorts grew to fame overseas, the Hua-Hin Railway Hotel has maintained its historic links with the past while keeping its eye squarely on the future. With its topiary, (animal figures) garden, it remained attractive to those with an admiration for historic architecture and the past. The hotel also reflected the former resorts grandeur and the holiday life-style of Bangkok’s aristocrats and elite in the 1920’s. Thus its value as a memento of Thailand’s architectural heritage became something to be preserved for all time. Phase one of the renovation, which was completed in October 2000, converted 15 standard rooms into larger superiors rooms and to convert another two standard rooms into a junior suite. Another 15 deluxe rooms have also been renovated. In phase two 17 standard rooms were converted into seven superior rooms and five junior suites. In addition four deluxe rooms and two executive suites were renovated completing the entire Railway Wing upgrade. It now has a total of 248 (255?) rooms and bungalows, with the historical building faithfully restored to preserve the valuable architecture, interior decoration and its old lobby in its original style. Accor and the Central Hotels and Resorts re-launched the hotel as a Sofitel after two years of extensive refurbishment that emphasised the Edwardian architecture and colonial traditions. The Architects Association of Thailand gave the hotel an award for “outstanding conservation” in a category dedicated to preserving historic Thai buildings. 2001 Renovations on the hotel’s Railway Wing were completed in July 2001, with all bathrooms being enlarged and spacious showers added. Most of the existing colonial furniture was retained, while new furniture was made from teakwood to blend harmoniously with the teak parquet flooring, high ceilings and antique fans. New fabrics (curtains, soft furnishings) were created from the finest cotton, and bedspreads were replaced with white and airy duvets.