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Billabong Hotel in L.K. Metro has great, clean rooms from 650 baht/night with aircon, cable TV, free WIFI, fan, balcony, personal safe, phone & room service etc. They have friendly barstaff downstairs and the best breakfast around. Have a look at [url]http://www.billabonghotel.com[/url]
Cheers,
Greg
I've stayed at both these places, and they each have their advantages/disadvantages.
[B]Nova Platinum[/B]
Great location, within walking distance of walking street. If you walk though soi 16 (and the one before that), it takes literally 6 minutes to get to the hotel from WS. This is great if you plan to do a couple of ST runs over the course of the night. But if you plan to pick from Beach Rd. this place is not that convenient.
It is priced ok, I think. You need to negotiate. Sometimes they offer me 1800 per night (way too much), they then relent to 1700 (still too much), and we often get back down to 1500. In Low season they may offer you 1300, but maybe not. At the latter two prices, it is probably worth it, but not any higher than that.
They have a new building and are in the process of building a third one too, so major increases in capacity are on the way. The problem is the new buildings are as crappy as the old one. The elevator in the new building does not close, so you have to watch it open and close a dozen times before it finally closes and you are on your way. Think about doing that as your lovely is slowly caressing your hard-on through your jeans. It's enough to make the most sanguine of men snap.
The rooms themselves are very, very basic. They are not particularly new, they are not well made, and things are not super spiffy clean. I mean, things are clean, but everything is dingy - dark lighting; scratches on the cheap veneered counter; old, lumpy chair; bathroom door that does not stay open, etc. Also, if you want extra towels, they charge you 100B, which is ridiculous to me. These are the kinds of things you get for 1300 per night.
It's also quite noisy, from both internal noise (doors slamming, guests shouting) and external noise (if you are on the road side of the building).
However, overall, given the price point and location, it might be worth at least a night for some people on this board.
[B]Dusit D2[/B]
The Dusit, on the other hand, is a completely different category of hotel. These two should not really be reviewed in the same post, but that's all I have to compare. The cost for the Dusit is much, much higher. If you book online, you could get it for around 3000 per night, but if you try to book with them directly (in person), they will not budge below 4298 per night. Will not budge. I ended up booking through a travel agent who got me a rate of 3300.
At that price, if you can afford it, I think it is definitely worth it. It is a great hotel - new, clean, fresh, swanky, open, airy, and with all the amenities you might expect. The rooms are well appointed, clean and modern. They have a great shower, everything is super clean, and lots of towels (!).
Location is good, although not really in the middle of things. It is opposite the Marriott on second road. In terms of north-south location, it is not bad, but it is on second road, which makes getting to it a little time consuming. At late hours from WS, you either walk (which would take a good 15 minutes) or you baht bus it. At late hours, the baht bus often is slow, since they wait for each baht bus to fill up before they start coming up second road. You could also do a motocy, I suppose. But the walk is not that long, and during the day the location is actually very convenient.
The only problems I encountered were the following:
(1) Upon bringing my girl back and her presenting her id at the reception, the receptionist said my full name out loud for verification. Some men may not want their girl to know their full, official name, and so this was a little off-putting. I had no problem with it, but be warned.
(2) Upon receiving room service, the attendant (while waiting for me to sign) said out loud (in front of the girl), "So this is your second night here, right?" What if I had spent the first night with a different girl, and then gone to my regular girl and told her I had just arrived? My ruse would have been discovered. My point is that hotel workers should not be in the business of bandying about personal information like this.
Anyway, I filled out a guest survey and complained about these two issues.
This aside, the Dusit is a fabulous hotel, and despite these two minor irritations, I would definitely repeat. If you can afford it, it is worth the money. Furthermore, it is a better deal than the Marriott, in my opinion, as there are fewer families staying here, and the price is significantly lower.
[QUOTE]I have stayed at the D2 and it was very nice. Not even a hint of a problem.[/QUOTE]I was hoping that Mr. Fon Tok might care to expand upon his endorsement of the Dusit D2 Baraquda Hotel. After reading months of old postings I see this hotel is generally held in high regard. I was wondering what it is, specifically, that earns such respect. How are the rooms? Is it worth paying extra for a "studio suite?" Does the D2 charge a joiner fee? Regarding the D2's location, I see it's in Central Pattaya, east of Second Road, at Soi 13/2. Is the distance from the beach and Walking Street a problem? How is that part of Pattaya generally, with regarding to dining, shopping, etc.?
Lots of inquiries, I realize. Thanks so very much in advance to all who weigh in.
Regards,
Bunky
[QUOTE=Kumbu]The Dusit, on the other hand, is a completely different category of hotel. If you can afford it, it is worth the money.[/QUOTE]Thanks for the review Kumbu. Very detailed. And well written as well! :-)
One question: What is the typical fare for a moto-taxi ride between the D2 and Walking Street? Doesn't have to be exact. Just want to get a ballpark idea of the cost.
Regards,
Bunky
moto is 20B for Thai, 30B for farang usually
The D2 is great. A very modern trendy hotel. Great shower (it's a walk in glass room) and pool which you can access any time.
Literally next door to the Avenue Mall, plenty of bars around and short walk to Soi Buakhao. To get to WS I walk to beach road and then get the baht us - probably takes 10 minutes all up. On the way back I grab a MOVING bus from Pattaya Tai and 2nd Rd for a 2 minute trip.
I get my washing done in Soi 13 and eat frequently at the Sportsman nearby. If you can afford it it's one of the best options in town. For a stay of 1 week plus I would speak directly to the hotel.
[QUOTE]Plenty of bars around and short walk to Soi Buakhao.[/QUOTE]I see that Soi Buakhao runs roughly parallel to Second Road, about 500 meters to the east. But I'm clueless in respect of the attractions along that soi. Is it a place for go-gos? Beer bars? Massage? Shops? Restaurants? Recommendations cheerfully accepted.
[QUOTE]I get my washing done in Soi 13 and eat frequently at the Sportsman nearby.[/QUOTE]When it comes to "washing," is that a self-service laundromat? Or a place where you can drop off laundry and pick it up later?
[quote=bunky]i was hoping that mr. fon tok might care to expand upon his endorsement of the dusit d2 baraquda hotel...i was wondering what it is, specifically, that earns such respect. how are the rooms? is it worth paying extra for a "studio suite?" does the d2 charge a joiner fee? regarding the d2's location, i see it's in central pattaya, east of second road, at soi 13/2. is the distance from the beach and walking street a problem? how is that part of pattaya generally, with regarding to dining, shopping, etc.[/quote]sure, i'll confirm the [b]dusit d2 hotel[/b] is a good choice. but, other isgers have been there lately and their impressions are more up to date than mine.
d2 is a high quality 4+ star hotel right in the middle of central pattaya. trendy style, nice decor, friendly staff. personally, i think it's in a good location, but everyone has their preference depending on their activity. it's an easy walk or a short baht bus ride to most attractions. definitely gf as others have reported. they might charge for more than one lady, though. i'd stay there again if i wanted to impress somebody who i was on holiday with. however, there are so many lower priced options that for a solo mongering trip i would look for something cheaper and less "central."
for example, i just spent three nights this past weekend at the [b]pasadena lodge[/b] on soi lk metro. it's a low key, small hotel at the dead end of a short, remarkably clean soi. nicely decorated, very comfortable and convenient, it is an excellent off season value (superior room @1000 baht/night). there is a lot to like right out the front door...champagne a-go-go, devil's den, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord901][CodeWord901][/url]'s, beer bars, restaurants, etc. the baht bus is just up on soi buakhao, and there were [i]motosi[/i] taxis right out front.
more info here: [url]http://www.hotelpasadenalodge.com/[/url]
For the last "few" years I have liked the Sunshine Hotel and Residence as it provides what I need. (2) Pools, decent grub, close to all the action and the place where you got the best chicken kebab at late night.
And there has never been any issues with girls.. well once and they didn't like the ID card so.. they do their job as well.
Now, I am planning another sinners tour in late sept and saw that they will (have started to last of may) demolish and rebuild.
So, if anyone been there lately and can drop some hints on what is really being done.. I got "annoyed" when they built the shopping plaza.. also, the frigging thai starts working when the sun goes up... which would be fine unless the party and the noice doesn't stop until sun goes up.
But hey, when in pattaya.. why sleep when you can party.
Anyway, my query is more of a .. does it look like it is any idea to use Sunshine this autumn? Or should I try to dare testing any of the other cheap, joinerfriendly hotels (Like Eastany Plaza or Flipper House).. don't really wanna leave soi8 even if there are better deals elsewhere.
Will be in Pattaya during second week of July. Have a hotel booked already for the first two nights. Plan to stay about 3 weeks. Any ideas on places to stay after this? Budget around $50 per night. Can spend more but would like to keep extra for partying and girls. Would like to be in walking distance from all the action. Must be a clean and friendly place.
[QUOTE=Bunky]I was wondering what it is, specifically, that earns such respect.etc.?[/QUOTE]Not easy to answer this. The hotel has a particular feel to it, kind of classy, mellow feel that you don't find in Pattaya that easily. Most of Pattaya is shabby and drabby, so it makes for a nice change.
If you are an American, think about most hotels as if you are shopping at Sears. Now the Dusit is like shopping at Bloomingdales. The Marriott is also high end, but as I said in my review, there are too many families there, and it is considerably more expensive. So, sorry Bunky, can't give you a specific answer, it's just a good hotel. [QUOTE=Bunky]How are the rooms? [/QUOTE]Excellent. They are very well lit (lots of light switches, so you can control exactly how brightly you want the pussy as you suck it). Also, the bathroom is excellent. It has a floor-to-ceiling glass wall that separates the shower from the bedroom so you can see right into the shower. They have an optional shower curtain if you are really shy, but it makes for a great time when the girl is showering and you stand out there with a big grin on your face. The towels are good quality - fluffy, solid, clean. The shampoos and soaps are good. The bed is very comfortable and the pillows are top quality. So basically, what I am saying is this is a 4.5 star hotel.[QUOTE=Bunky]Is it worth paying extra for a "studio suite?" [/QUOTE]I'd say not. But that's just me. [QUOTE=Bunky]Does the D2 charge a joiner fee? [/QUOTE] Definitely not for one person, don't know about more than that. [QUOTE=Bunky]Regarding the D2's location, I see it's in Central Pattaya, east of Second Road, at Soi 13/2. Is the distance from the beach and Walking Street a problem? [/QUOTE]Definitely not. Walk to beach rd (3-5 minutes, depending on the severity of your intoxication), then 60-120 seconds on the baht bus (depending on the severity of the traffic) to WS. [QUOTE=Bunky]How is that part of Pattaya generally, with regarding to dining, shopping, etc.?[/QUOTE]Excellent. Some strip mall right next to it, so there is a McDonald's, Au Bon Pain, some sports bar, Starbucks, Coffee World, California Wow, and a supermarket within 3 minutes walk.
Some cheap days 2967 Baht on Latestays:
Rates are quoted in THAI BAHT.
Rates are for a maximum of 2 persons per room excluding breakfast. Additional guests will be charged extra, according to hotel's policy, payable directly at the hotel.
Rates are exclusive of applicable taxes & fees which are separately quoted prior to booking being finalised.
A non-refundable fee of THB 125.00 applies to each booking.
An THB 600.00 administration charge applies to each booking change or cancellation.
Airport transfer reservation is available at extra cost. Request can be made through the transfer section of the booking form.
A minimum stay of 2 nights is applied.
[QUOTE=Dinghy]moto is 20B for Thai, 30B for farang usually[/QUOTE]I know this is the wrong thread, but please forgive a quick question... Is it normal to charge per person or per journey? Last time I used one I agreed 30Bht fare, TG and I both climbed on the bike and at the end of the short journey the driver requested 60Bht. It surprised me, and we agreed 50Bht.
[QUOTE=Mouse1]I know this is the wrong thread, but please forgive a quick question... Is it normal to charge per person or per journey? Last time I used one I agreed 30Bht fare, TG and I both climbed on the bike and at the end of the short journey the driver requested 60Bht. It surprised me, and we agreed 50Bht.[/QUOTE]
This same question was brought up on Stickman a few weeks ago, and from the reader responses to this question, it would seem that it is in fact normal. This was in BKK though.
Hi, this is Prosal from the FSU threads.
Anyone stayed in Nova Park Pattaya? ....any thoughts about location, pool, cleanness, food, ect ? ...I've RTFF, very few posts about it, plus one poster said that it was somewhat run-down ....this is not the feeling that gives their site. The ground floor Garden Suites seem to be especially enjoyable.
So is it a nice place for a two or three weeks stay ?
Thanks