Venice comes to Hua Hin

Local Hua Hin and regional Thailand news articles and discussion.
Post Reply
Paul888
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:03 am

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Paul888 »

Is it still open? I went there once a year ago.
BOZ
Professional
Professional
Posts: 284
Joined: Mon May 13, 2013 4:44 pm
Contact:

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by BOZ »

Yes it is still open... Many shops are closed or not opened as of now... Still some decent resturants and shops there....
Boz

Life is short, live it to the fullest!!!
Paul888
Rookie
Rookie
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2014 2:03 am

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Paul888 »

Do you know if the furniture shop in Venezia is still there? I can't remember the name of it, but there was only one furniture shop.
User avatar
Blacky
Specialist
Specialist
Posts: 232
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2014 12:21 pm
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Blacky »

Paul888 wrote:Do you know if the furniture shop in Venezia is still there? I can't remember the name of it, but there was only one furniture shop.
Ventured out there last week...for the first and last time! Most pathetic mall on the face of this earth....however I do remember a small furniture store opposite of Boots towards the end of the hallway.

Cheers,
B.
_____________________________________________________________________
I believe that everyone else my age is an adult whereas I am merely in disguise
User avatar
Ratsima
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:53 am
Location: โคราช

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Ratsima »

We went to Villa today, but it is really grim. One wonders why they bother. Most of the space is empty and the stock is about half of what it once was. The once wonderful beer selection is no more.
User avatar
dtaai-maai
Hero
Hero
Posts: 14196
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:00 pm
Location: UK, Robin Hood country

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by dtaai-maai »

^^They're closing down and opening a new store opposite Pure Plaza. Due about a month or 2 ago, so expect it any time in the next few months!
This is the way
User avatar
Ratsima
Ace
Ace
Posts: 1141
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2013 6:53 am
Location: โคราช

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Ratsima »

That's a shame. It was nice to have a decent supermarket north of the airport....
User avatar
Bristolian
Deceased
Deceased
Posts: 3128
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:38 pm
Location: Hua Hin & Bangkok

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Bristolian »

This thread has gone very quiet.
I live very close but other than visits to Villa, when it was there, have never considered paying to look around.
I pass the place frequently and of course it's still open. The initial euphoria shown by the weekend invasion from BKK base appeared to wane. I guess that it's become old news and Blueport has taken "the place to be seen at" title for the time being.

How long can this place keep going without a new direction and maybe ownership/management?
"'The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Big Boy »

It shot itself in the foot.

I was there (Villa Market) the first week they started charging. Tour buses were arriving quite regularly, but everybody was just turning around at the turnstile. I guess they stopped giving tour buses a backhander for every load that arrived, so it disappeared off the tour bus itinerary.

I see they've been advertising a Christmas Market, but I don't even consider it any more - no idea if they've stopped charging.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
User avatar
Bristolian
Deceased
Deceased
Posts: 3128
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:38 pm
Location: Hua Hin & Bangkok

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Bristolian »

I know no one who has been there recently (last 6 months) but it would be good to hear any report from someone who has visited recently.

I also agree that it shot itself in the foot big time but for such a huge investment surely the owners must do something to, at least try to recover their investment!
"'The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why." - Mark Twain
User avatar
Big Boy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 45044
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:36 pm
Location: Bon Kai

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Big Boy »

Unfortunately, I think the horse has bolted. It was a different kind of attraction when it opened, and most locals and many visitors saw it. To me, it was shops with a stream through the middle. I and obviously many others will not pay to go shopping. I don't see what anybody got out of a ride down a plastic stream in a gondola.

They will need to do something very special to attract people back in to see an attraction they saw when it was new. We all saw what was in there - very expensive shops, and a few kiddie attractions.

The first thing they need to do is drop the entrance fee, and introduce some sort of adult attraction that would get people interested. Thinking as I type, maybe something like Madame Tussaud's and maybe an interesting museum. From what I can see, its a totally wasted bit of real estate at the moment. I always look in as I pass, but you rarely see more than a dozen cars inside.
Championship Plymouth Argyle 0 - 1 Preston NE :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Points 41; Position 18
hhinner
Rock Star
Rock Star
Posts: 4297
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:17 pm

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by hhinner »

Looking at their Facebook site they sell daily packages between 180 and 480 baht that gets you into different attractions. Foreigners add 100 baht entrance fee.
Bluesky
Guru
Guru
Posts: 769
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2015 1:56 pm
Location: Hua Hin, Outback Queensland

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by Bluesky »

Bristolian wrote:I know no one who has been there recently (last 6 months) but it would be good to hear any report from someone who has visited recently.

I also agree that it shot itself in the foot big time but for such a huge investment surely the owners must do something to, at least try to recover their investment!
We took a group of friends from Australia there last January and felt quite embarrassed after paying the entrance fee only to find the main attraction being a gonadala ride on an oversize swimming pool and being pushed by photographers to take pictures of the event at an exorbitant price. The shopping mall was pretty well deserted with only about 30 % occupancy and looking fairly sad. I did feel sorry for the remaining vendors operating there as business would have been pretty tough. We had planned to eat there however had concerns as to how fresh the food would be so ended up leaving after a walking around. Perhaps it may have improved, but based on our earlier experience we are unlikely to revisit.
'Diplomacy is the art of telling people to go to hell in such a way they ask for directions'. -Winston Churchill-
jingjoe
Guru
Guru
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2012 9:02 am
Location: hua hin hill top

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by jingjoe »

we were there a few months back and it was being used as film location for a bollywood movie!!
Lots of actors and crew around.
they have a few attractions such as 3d pictures,here u take a photo and look like you are in the portrait,horse and cart ride,gondola,train, childrens playground. The biggest problem is it is so damn hot outside and walking between shops is uncomfortable
PET
Legend
Legend
Posts: 2121
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 4:24 pm
Location: Hua Hin

Re: Venice comes to Hua Hin

Post by PET »

The real estate cost must be huge and certainly exceeding Bht500 million and probably closer to bht1 billion which will have been bank financed. Include the Energy condos' up the road which run into many Bht Billions so yet another white elephant - one has to wonder how these projects get to be financed and the resultant question about bad loans in the banking sector .
Courage is grace under pressure and when circumstances change you change your mind.
Post Reply