Hua Hin is Thailand's oldest beach town resort. Situated on the west coast of the Gulf of Thailand and only 200 kilometers from the capital, Bangkok, it offers the ultimate getaway destination for the city's elite. Hua Hin became popular with the Royal Family following the construction of the southern railway in the 1920's, travel became more accessible and a demand for luxury resorts and hotels grew. The first of these was the Railway Hotel which is now the Sofitel Central, still one of Hua Hin's most popular hotels.