Best Pool Villas in Hua Hin

All 23 rooms at V Villas Hua Hin are one-, two-, or three-bedroom Pool Villa Suites, each one tucked away in the hotel's labyrinthine garden. The units feature the complete trappings of luxury, from Bose sound systems to wine refrigerators, from private pools to private butlers. There's a lovely infinity-edge pool and hot tub overlooking the beach (one of the cleanest and nicest of Hua Hin), as well as an elegant restaurant with sunken tables surrounded by water, a small fitness center, and a high-end spa. Rates are expensive, but for those looking to splurge on a pool villa, this is the best there is.

All of the rooms and suites at the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort are palatial -- even the standard Classic Rooms have 484 square feet of space, and the hotel's Club InterContinental Beach Villa comes in at more than 900 square feet. Like all of the colonial-inspired resort's 158 rooms, the Beach Villa combines elegant and contemporary furniture, artsy details (like hanging lamps and damask fabrics), and traditional Thai elements (like wood latticework and fine silks). The Beach Villa and every hotel room here features 40-inch flat-screen Smart TVs, DVD players, Bose sound systems, iPod docks, safes, minibars, and free Wi-Fi. Each room has private butler service and a large, daybed-equipped balcony looking out over the hotel's tropical gardens, the city, or the ocean; the Beach Villa's terrace has ocean views, of course, and features a lovely blue-tiled infinity pool and a private gate leading to the ocean.

The upscale Putahracsa Hua Hin is a beautiful 67-unit boutique hotel. Putahracsa's pool villas aren't quite as luxurious as the one at InterContinental, but there are far more options here -- all with easy beach access and private whirlpools. Oceanbed Villas are located out by the beach and come in three categories: Jacuzzi Villas with outdoor hot tubs, Oceanbed Pool Villas with both hot tubs and long private pools, and La Canna Pool Villas with elongated pools and larger floor plans. There are three La Canna Pool Villas, and one sits right on the beach. The amenities at this property are stellar, and include two restaurants, free breakfast, a bar, a bakery/coffee shop, a fitness center, and an elegant spa.

Hua Hin's first hotel, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin has character and grandeur in equal measure. Built in 1923 (when the Thailand-Malaysia rail line opened, making Hua Hin Thailand's first beach resort), this sprawling property sits right on the beach in the center of town. The 207 rooms and 42 private villas have high ceilings, polished wood floors, period furniture, and modern amenities. The elegant villas resemble private cottages; they're not quite as contemporary as Putahracsa's villas, but they all feature ambient lighting and are extremely bright and airy. Centara's pool villas come with DVD players, freestanding bathtubs, private gardens, and Club privileges (free happy hour cocktails and free refreshments, among other perks). The smaller villas have hot tubs in the garden, but the Premium Deluxe Villas feature large plunge pools and nearly 1,300 square feet of living space.

Rest Detail Hotel Hua Hin is a high-end and cheerful beach resort that's very popular with couples. The luxe hotel offers five room categories, all with lovely views and bright, airy decor -- think light-wood floors, wispy curtains, and sea-blue lamps. Beach accessories -- sandals, totes, shirts, and fisherman pants -- are provided. Pool Village rooms feature outdoor decks with direct access to a large (shared) pool. Villa-style units include the two-bedroom North and South Rest Pavilions, which have their own private kitchens and small pools with waterfall features. There are also the two-bedroom, two-bathroom Beach Rest Pavilion, which has butler service and a private pool, and the two-story, four-bedroom Grand Rest Pavilion, a huge house with direct beach access, a private upstairs deck, indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a large private pool.

Situated just outside of southern Hua Hin, Banyan The Resort, Hua Hin is an upscale 72-villa property with its own nearby golf course. The modern villas are far more simple and less luxe than the ones at Rest Detail, but each one features at least 1,292 square feet of space and a kitchen with microwave oven, toaster, stovetop, and full refrigerator. Huge flat-screen TVs (one in the living room and one in the bedroom), DVD players, safes, and free Wi-Fi are included. Banyan's Jacuzzi Villas have access to a long freeform swimming pool that winds through each zone (there are about 10 villas per zone), with a personal hot tub for each villa set in the pool. Additionally, these villas have sun loungers and umbrellas on the back terrace that look out at the pool. They're inviting, although they are not completely private. The Pool Villas, on the other hand, have their own private plunge pool set in a completely private patio with sunbeds, umbrellas, and deck furniture.

The 29-room Vana Varin Resort is a mid-range property set on expansive grounds located outside of Hua Hin in a quiet, rural area. The beautiful grounds include a small lake and several waterways that can be navigated by free kayaks. There are a variety of rooms here, including two-story traditional Thai villas with one or two bedrooms (in the two-bedroom villas, guests can opt to rent just the downstairs if only one bedroom is needed). Interiors feature hardwood floors, large TVs in each bedroom, and spacious and bright bathrooms. There are outdoor kitchen areas and dining tables. The backyards include hammocks, swings, and private swimming pools in some. Though it's a 20-minute drive into town, the resort operates a free shuttle bus daily, plus there are free bicycles to use and ATVs for rent.

Haven Resort is a four-pearl boutique property that sits along a fairly undeveloped stretch of beach in Cha-Am, and is one of the more stylish resorts in the area. The 53 rooms are contemporary and spacious, with large bathtubs, separate rainfall showers, and big balconies. Villas and Suites, which have terraces, sit adjacent to the lead-in pool that runs from the lobby to the infinity pool by the beach, and some have access to their own private plunge pools, plus extra sitting rooms and additional TVs. Villas and Suites also come as Villa@Sea and Suite@Sea, which are right near the beach. The resort also has a small fitness center and spa, and a restaurant with alfresco dining and beach views -- breakfast is free. There's little to do in the immediate area, though, and though there's a twice-daily shuttle to Hua Hin, travelers will want a car.