The Standard Hua Hin

The Standard Hotels are known for two things: hip urban skyscraper hotels, and glamorous coastal resort hotels — and their first steps in Thailand include one of each. Opening just before the Standard Bangkok, the Standard Hua Hin finds itself not in Phuket or Koh Samui but in Hua Hin, the former fishing village that’s now the heart of what’s sometimes called the Thai Riviera, along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand.

This is a region that’s no stranger to upscale resorts, but none are quite as youthful and vibrant as the Standard, whose modernist-influenced design sense is always in fashion. Still, for all its good looks, it’s by no means un-luxurious — the spa program, in particular, is elaborate and inventive, and there’s no end of places to lounge, including the spectacular blue-tiled swimming pool.

Restaurants and bars include Lido Bar, by the poolside, as well as Lido, an all-day Italian restaurant that’s open to the seaside breeze. Praça is the beach bar and restaurant, serving “Thai izakaya” — a playful interpretation of Thai street food. There’s a juice bar as well, and the town of Hua Hin itself, with its street vendors and market stalls, lies just beyond the property’s edge.