Hyatt Open Golf Tournament Tees Off in July

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Events | On 30-04-2013
15th green at Banyan GC

The Hyatt Open returns to picturesque Banyan Golf Club in July.

If you’re an amateur golfer and like the idea of a little competition in a tropical setting, it’s time to get your game in order and set your sights on Hua Hin — the Hyatt Open is coming soon to Banyan Golf Club.

Organized by Hyatt Regency Hua Hin and Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, the fourth annual, two-day tournament tees off Saturday, July 20, with more prizes up for grabs than ever before.

The most coveted get? The Hyatt Open Trophy, a large, silver receptacle reminiscent of the Claret Jug, which is awarded annually to the winner of professional golf’s third “major” of the season — The Open Championship.

“As the Hyatt Open is held the same weekend as The Open Championship, it only makes sense that the trophy be similar,” said Sammy Carolus, Hyatt Regency Hua Hin’s general manager.

In that spirit, tournament organizers plan to conduct a fantasy tournament associated with the final rounds of the 2013 Open Championship at Muirfield golf course in Scotland.

Entry fees for the Hyatt Open start at THB 20,800 net for one player and THB 28,800 net for two players based on twin sharing.

Benefits include two nights in a Hyatt Guestroom at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin, a welcome dinner, daily breakfast, two rounds of golf including cart and caddy, an awards luncheon and complimentary transfers between the hotel and golf course.

For reservations and further information, contact Hyatt Regency Hua Hin at +66 2254 6200 or email reservations.hrhuahin@hyatt.com.

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Hyatt Regency Hires Munn to Head Kitchen

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Hotel News | On 18-04-2013
Chef Anthony Munn

Anthony Munn brings 33 years of culinary experience to Hua Hin.

Anthony Munn is the new executive chef at the Hyatt Regency Hua Hin.

A 33-year veteran of the culinary industry, the New Zealand native began his career in 1980 at the Hermitage Hotel Mt. Cook in the Southern Alps.

He then moved to Australia and worked with many resorts and stand-alone restaurants all over the country, including Hyatt Regency Perth.

After starting out as that property’s chef de cuisine, the Australian national was promoted to executive sous chef, a position that required him to oversee the operation of three outlets and the banquets department.

At Hyatt Regency Hua Hin, Munn will helm four restaurants and bars and the hotel’s banqueting facilities, which can cater to 400 people including off-site events.

Munn’s mission is to take advantage of the fresh seafood and tropical produce Hua Hin is famous for.

“Having access to such ingredients enables us chefs to create authentic dishes,” Munn said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to work with a team that is committed to delivering premium products. My goal is to further develop the quality of food at Hyatt Regency Hua Hin to ensure that we exceed guests’ expectations every time.”

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Hotel Room Service: The Dish on a Crucial Amenity

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Food & Drink | On 27-03-2013
Burger and Fries

Comfort foods, such as burgers and fries, are popular room service items.

It’s been a long day by the time you finally check into your Hua Hin hotel. It’s also late at night. You’re a bit disheveled and the last thing you want to do is traipse over to the restaurant and get something to eat. But you’re starving. What do you do?

What else? You dial up room service. And you don’t think twice about it. If you weren’t so tired, and hungry, you might ask yourself: What goes into the whole room service operation? What do people most tend to order? And how often are odd requests made?

That’s what we wondered on a recent afternoon, after a good night’s rest and nice full lunch. So we set out to find some answers. What we discovered is that most room-service menus contain popular items from the hotel’s various dining outlets as well as select comfort foods.

That said, Anantara Resort & Spa Hua Hin also offers a few dishes you won’t find in the resort’s restaurants, such as crushed pepper steak with potato gratin and grilled salmon fillet with vegetable paella and stir-friend morning glory.

It typically takes half an hour for an order to arrive, and if the guest doesn’t answer the doorbell — which happens about five times per month, Anantara’s general manager Naowarat Arunkong said — the order-taker will call the guest’s room and ask if everything is all right.

No surprises there. But did you know that the busiest time of day for room service orders tends to be around dinner time? That’s what Hyatt Regency Hua Hin Food & Beverage Director Benjamin Perera told us.

“We deliver a lot of fried noodles, Caesar salads, pizza and club sandwiches in the evenings,” he said.

Arunkong said that’s true at her hotel as well, but not as much on the weekends, when Bangkok residents come down to Hua Hin for a quick break from the city.

“Then we get a lot of requests for things like Yum Nuea Yang (grilled beef tenderloin salad with crunchy vegetables) and Phad Krapow (stir-fried minced chicken, beef or crispy pork with basil, garlic and chili),” she said.

As for the million-dollar question — How often do guests ask for items that aren’t on the menu? — their answers were the same: About 10 percent of the time.

“And sometimes those calls are interesting,” Arunkong said. “Our room service team recently got a request for a decaf iced skinny latte with white chocolate flakes. But we made it work!”

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Hua Hin Luxury, at a Discount

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Promotions | On 27-02-2013
Anantara Suite

HOW SUITE IT IS: Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa was designed to satisfy.

This blog post was going to be titled ’7 Things to Do in Hua Hin this March/April,’ but then Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa gave us reason to change course a little bit.

The beautiful seaside escape just a few minutes’ drive from downtown is offering guests up to 20 percent off on stays before Oct. 31, 2013 … if they make their reservation at least 15 days in advance on Anantara’s website.

Now’s a good time to take advantage, especially if you’re the active type.

In March, there’s an Antiques Exhibition scheduled at Baan Sillapin Artists Village, as well as a pair of wine events at Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, including the annual Harvest Dinner on March 16.

The following month, you’ve got the World Boxing Championship, Songkran Water Festival, another food-and-wine weekend at Hua Hin Hills, and the Miss Hua Hin Contest.

Ay, caramba!

For more details about Anantara’s promotion, go to anantara.com/advancepurchase. We’ll see you soon!

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Banyan Golf Club Honored in Brunei

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Events | On 10-01-2013
Banyan GC team

The Banyan Golf Club crew poses with its 2012 Asian Golf Monthly awards.

Banyan Golf Club has added two more awards to its proverbial mantle.

At the 6th Annual Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Brunei last month, representatives of Hua Hin’s leading golf facility walked away with coveted certificates for best clubhouse in Asia-Pacific and second-best course in Thailand.

The awards were determined by readers of Asian Golf Monthly, one of the region’s premier golf publications.

Since opening in 2008, Banyan Golf Club has piled up the accolades, including ‘Best New Course in Asia-Pacific’ at the 2009 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. The bucolic venue was also recently named one of Rolex’s ‘Top 1000 Courses in the World.’

“I know I’m biased, but I firmly believe Banyan is a masterpiece,” said Stacey Walton, the golf club’s general manager. “It’s a course that’s always in impeccable shape, has an array of twists and turns and is a challenge for every level of golfer.”

After finishing runner-up for ‘Best Clubhouse’ in 2010, Banyan Golf Club broke all the way through in 2012.

“The iconic Thai-style architecture cannot be found anywhere else in the world,” said the clubhouse’s designer, Smith Obayawat, of Bangkok-based architecture firm OBA. “It’s a modern and contemporary building that has a boutique atmosphere created from a blend of teak, stone, water features and soft furnishings made out of traditional Thai silks and art.”

The 2012 Asia Pacific Golf Summit attracted some of the world’s most recognizable figures in golf, including Indian star Jeev Milka Singh and former Ryder Cup stalwart Colin Montgomerie, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Michael G. Leemhuis, CEO of famed Congressional Country Club near Washington, D.C., also attended the conference, as did Bruce Williams, former president of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

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Thai Vineyard Sets Table for Acclaimed Chef

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Food & Drink | On 07-01-2013
Chef Vichit Makura

Vichit Makura shows off his culinary chops in Hua Hin Jan. 25-26.

Hua Hin Hills Vineyard resumes its special guest-chef series in celebration of Monsoon Valley‘s 10th anniversary by welcoming Vichit Makura, who commands the kitchen at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok‘s Sala Rim Naam, widely considered one of the city’s best restaurants.

The ambassador of contemporary Thai cuisine will stir things up at the vineyard later this month when he hosts a pair of exclusive culinary events.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, Makura serves up a five-course feast that starts with Goong Thod Khow Foo Phew Som Sa (fried tiger prawn flavored with herbed crispy red jasmine rice, sparkling lime rind and tamarind sauce) and ends with a choice of three desserts including Khanom Mun (steamed tapioca cake topped with shredded coconut meat).

The dinner is priced at THB 1,800 (about US $60) per person. Each course is paired with a Monsoon Valley wine.

The following afternoon, Makura takes to the terrace above the vines to dish out a three-course lunch featuring Nuea Poo Phad Prig Thai Dum Gub Woonsen Phad (stir-fried crab meat with black pepper sauce and glass noodles).

The lunch takes place from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and costs THB 990 per person including wine.

For more information about these events, or to make a reservation, visit www.huahinhills.com.

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Hua Hin Gears Up for First International Flights

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Destination News | On 06-11-2012
Berjaya Air fleet

Berjaya Air will fly to Hua Hin on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

When Berjaya Air recently announced it would soon commence service between Kuala Lumpur and Hua Hin, we read the story with great interest. After all, it’s the kind of move that could bring a lot more business to Hua Hin. Currently, no international carriers service Hua Hin.

That’s going to change on Nov. 18, when Berjaya starts flying to Hua Hin three times per week on its 72-seat, ATR 72-500.

In a statement issued on Oct. 30, the Malaysian airline said it chose Hua Hin as its first Thai destination because it “has similar marketing potential to the rest of our current destinations,” including Tioman, Langkawi, Pangkor and Redang. A Berjaya Air spokesman also said Hua Hin’s three world-class golf courses — Banyan Golf Club, Black Mountain and Springfield — are a draw for Malaysians.

After receiving confirmation that the first flight would indeed take place on the 18th, I sat down with Banyan Resort‘s general manager, Richard Mehr, to get his thoughts on the news.

Q: Berjaya Air chose Hua Hin over all the other popular Thailand destinations — Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai, etc. What do you think that choice says about Hua Hin?

A: Hua Hin is a gem — an intimate, simple, somewhat stylish seaside resort where tradition and culture are still very apparent. It’s ideal for families and golfers, it’s safe, and it deserves greater recognition.

Q: The flights are aimed at leisure travelers and golfers. Why is Hua Hin the perfect destination for such tourists?

A: Hua Hin has a beautiful history that dates back to the early 1920s, when it was Thailand’s premier beach resort. Today, it offers many activities. Golf is the main one — there are several world-class courses here, including our own award-winning Banyan Golf Club — but there’s also kitesurfing, horseback riding, shopping, wine tasting, you name it.

Of course, a lot of people come here to do nothing but maybe swim, sunbathe and listen to the soothing sound of the waves lapping. Hua Hin is also home to some of the best seafood in the entire region, and the night markets always attract a crowd.

Q: Do you think this move will encourage other airlines to seriously consider Hua Hin?

A: I hope so. If they do, I think it will finally put Hua Hin on the map.

NOTE: Passengers flying on Nov. 18 are eligible for an 18-percent discount. For more info on the promotion, and to make a booking, visit www.berjaya-air.com.

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Hilton Hua Hin Joins Campaign to Reduce Environmental Impact of Events

Posted by Balcony Media's Scott Resch | In Hotel News | On 11-10-2012

Hilton’s carbon offset program comes at no additional cost to customers.

Hilton Worldwide today launched a carbon offset program for events and meetings held at select properties across Southeast Asia, including Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa.

At no additional cost to customers, Hilton will measure carbon generated by all events at 11 of its properties in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand and purchase carbon credits to offset their environmental impact.

The carbon credits will be used to fund renewable energy projects in Borneo and Cambodia.

“For us, it is not just about saying we are committed to sustainability, it is about taking action,” said William Costley, vice president, operations – Southeast Asia, Hilton Worldwide. “By offsetting carbon emissions at no additional cost to our customers, together we are able to give back to the environment and benefit important renewable energy projects in the region.”

The program covers all events such as meetings, conferences, weddings and other social occasions held in the participating hotels’ function rooms.

Hilton Worldwide will use its LightStay Meeting Impact Calculator to track and measure carbon emissions from each event held. The calculator takes into account factors such as the event room water and electricity usage, food consumed and guest rooms booked.

LightStay is Hilton Worldwide’s proprietary system for analyzing, reporting and improving sustainability performance at each of its properties around the world. It offers tools and resources for hotels to improve performance and share best practices.

Reporting through LightStay, Hilton Worldwide has achieved its five-year goal to reduce total waste output by 20 percent, and is on track to reduce energy consumption and co2 emissions by 20 percent, and water consumption by 10 percent, by 2013.

Working with Climate Friendly, a carbon offset solutions provider, Hilton Worldwide has identified two initial beneficiaries of the carbon offset program in Southeast Asia. They are the Borneo Rainforest Rehabilitation Project and Cambodia Cookstove Project.

Learn more about the Hilton Worldwide Carbon Offset Program in Southeast Asia.

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The 2012 King’s Cup, in Pictures

Posted by Hua Hin Hills' Hanna Oberauer | In Events | On 19-09-2012

As someone who’s lived and worked in Hua Hin for a few years now, I love the fact that there’s always something going on in this town. Kitesurfing competitions, music festivals, golf tournaments, even a classic car rally.

But I think my favorite event is the King’s Cup, a five-day feast of fun times carried out around an elephant polo pitch, where teams from all over the world converge to raise money for pachyderm rehabilitation. It happens every September and attracts an eclectic mix of people.

This year I took my camera. Here are half a dozen of my favorite photos that nicely capture some of what I saw. Here’s hoping we see you out there next year!

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Beginning Golfer? Behold Banyan Resort

Posted by Hua Hin Hills' Hanna Oberauer | In Activities | On 16-07-2012
Banyan Golf Lesson

The author gets a lesson in grip and ball position.

One of the reasons I love living in Hua Hin is there is so much to do here. From beautiful beaches to lively markets, national parks to historical landmarks, there is no end to how you can enjoy this destination I’ve come to call home.

As an employee of Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, I often hear guests talk about how fantastic the golf is here, too. And as someone who tends to spend their free time on a yoga mat, I’ve always had to take their word for it.

Until now.

Recently, I signed up for a golf lesson at Banyan Golf Club. It’s something I’d been meaning to do for a while — I’ve long known the guys over at the golf club and love new challenges — but just never managed to get myself signed up.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by Banyan’s head pro, Joe Morrissey, who was the subject of a blog post in December of last year. I couldn’t have had a better instructor. He introduced me to what he calls the “greatest and most frustrating game” with humor and charm.

There are a million things to learn. The grip, the stance, the rules. But what I learned most is that golf actually is similar to yoga, in that it’s all about having mind and body in one place. Who knew!

After the lesson, we retreated to the terrace at Mulligan’s Bar, which overlooks the entire course and faces the Burmese Mountains. There, I sipped a refreshing, well-chilled glass of Monsoon Valley Colombard (predictable, right?) in an atmosphere made lively by all the golfers who’d just come off the course.

But even amongst the banter, I had no trouble reminiscing about my time on the range. I found myself thinking about the good swings, the bad swings, and when I might be able to come back for a second lesson with Joe. I now have yet another reason to love living in Hua Hin.

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