"We're well prepared for the storm, " Mayte Cuesta, an employee of the Hotel Melia Santiago, told the Associated Press news agency.

BBC: Sandy hits Cuba as category two hurricane

They tend to prefer the high-rise glamour of the Melia Hua Hin Hotel next door, though Thai families do enjoy the bungalows on the Sofitel's adjacent property, called Central Hua Hin Village (Central comes from the hotel's management by the Central Group).

CNN: The Grandes Dames