Here at Oyster, we use our own pearl rating system to fairly rank every hotel we cover. The number of pearls we award a hotel is not a reflection of how much we like the hotel, but rather an assessment of the quality and amenities we saw (and photographed for you to see!) throughout its rooms and common areas. Pearl ratings are often similar to the star ratings issued by destination tourism boards and online booking engines, which tend to go by hotel features first and foremost. (We make some adjustments to ensure our pearl ratings and standards are consistent internationally, however.) But whatever way you slice it, it’s safe to say that hotels scoring a rare five pearls on Oyster are uber-luxurious. With that in mind, take a look at the best of the five-pearl (and five-star!) hotels in Hua Hin, a beach resort three hours south of Bangkok, on the Gulf of Thailand.