With Banyan The Resort Hua Hin you don’t even have to choose between your club and your kids, as golf becomes a pretext for a family retreat

by Laurence Civil

A view of the living room.

The Thai tourism industry started just 200km south of Bangkok on the Gulf of Siam, along the beach of Hua Hin where the kingdom’s first golf course also emerged. The place has now become a popular destination for families, to either play on the beach or to enjoy some golf. Banyan The Resort Hua Hin (Tel: 032 538 888//www.banyanthailand.com) conveniently ticks both of those boxes as it combines a private residence resort with an adjacent golf course that is rated as one of Southeast Asia’s very best.

The resort’s villas are set in a landscaped environment among lush tropical gardens, with infinity pool, spa, and fitness center. Courtesy shuttles to the club are offered to golfer guests who enjoy preferential green fees. While Dad is out on the course, the 120sqm-villas make a perfect residential retreat for Mom and the kids to relax and play safely, with exclusive direct access to the pool and a private terrace with an outdoor shower. There is also a dedicated kid’s pool to keep the younger guests amused at any time. When the golf round is over, the family can unite for some quality time in the spacious loft-style lounge dining room.

A guest at the Swing Zone

Facilities are easy to access with a shuttle bus that is available 24/7 to transport the entire family from the main reception restaurant building to, and from, the villa. The Lemongrass Restaurant & Bar serves both Thai and Western-style meals as well as drinks throughout the day, and most of it is prepared with local ingredients.

The design for the villas acknowledges the visual impact of contemporary architecture combined with local cultural values, complete with traditional Balinese arrangement for an exotic, tranquil residence. For some it’s the idyllic lifestyle they want to buy into.

The championship 18-hole golf course was designed and constructed by Thailand’s leading golf course architect Pirapon Namatra. Asian Golf Monthly awarded the course and its clubhouse in the Top 3 “Best” places in the last three years.

To complete the experience, four exclusive golf suites furnished with luxurious interiors (one featuring a private infinity pool) are available at the clubhouse for those eager to be the first on the course at daybreak.

All these reasons make Banyan The Resort Hua Hin the complete golfer experience.