Pattaya Hotels

[QUOTE=Kontiki;2817029]I looked into LK Empress. My first question is if this hotel alright with bringing in ladies? I guess there are decent lunch / dinner options nearby? Second question is about location, is this a good location as a "newbie"? Lastly, order airport transfer via the hotel or are there any other good options, feels like if I take a taxi from the airport I will be scammed.[/QUOTE]The LK Empress is a solid choice. No issue or fee for joiners. The location is about as good as you can get for your first trip to Pattaya. Just steps from Beach Road, where you can hang out on the beach proper, or catch a baht bus headed south to Walking Street. From the LK Empress, you can also walk easily to Soi LK Metro and Treetown. If Soi Six is on your itinerary, you can walk east to Second Road, then catch a northbound baht bus. There are multiple laundries very close to the hotel. They don't show up on Google Maps, but they're all over the place.

No matter what you want to eat, you'll find it in that area. If you fancy an English breakfast, check out the Swan Pub and the Sportsman Pub. The breakfast buffet at the Lek Hotel is basic, but it's cheap and you can eat poolside. If you like a food court with multiple offerings and air conditioning, you'll want the Central Festival Mall, lower level. Want to try the local food? There are hawker stalls at the Soi Buakaow market, and on the north side of Pattaya Central Road, at the Pattaya Klang Market. Don't forget to have a slice from the Bronx Pizza.

Finally, let me add another endorsement for Nam's Taxi. Sure, you might be able to save a little money by taking the bus. But for the first time visitor hiring a car is the way to go.

FYI: Here's my routine when I get off the plane. (1) Step lively to immigration and take care of the formalities. (2) Collect your luggage and clear customs. (3) Head downstairs to the B Level, following the signs for the Airport Rail Link. (4) Change money at one of the exchanges near the rail link. (They have the best rates.) (5) Back upstairs to the Second Floor. Purchase a SIM card and have it installed. (6) Find your driver from Nam's Taxi. GUYS: I haven't done this post-COVID. How does Nam handle this? (7) Settle in for the drive to Pattaya. You'll have a connection to the internet to pass the time. The driver will usually offer a stop at the travel plaza about halfway. There is a 7/11 there. I always offer to buy my driver a cold drink.

Bunky.

[QUOTE=Kontiki;2817029]Hey, have a 9 day trip planned for end of August / early September and thought I would ask for some advice as this is my first visit to Thailand, will be traveling from Sthlm, Sweden to Pattaya and based on the more recent recommendations I looked into LK Empress. Wanted to do a bit of exploring and general tourist stuff while obviously the main objective is to have fun with girls.

My first question is if this would be a reasonable idea, is this hotel alright with bringing in ladies, I'm not against paying a fee but would prefer it being not another 50 usd, and breakfast being included according to the menu and I guess there are decent lunch / dinner options nearby?

Second question is about location, I did my best to do some research on google maps but felt I got overwhelmed quickly, is this a good location as a "newbie"?

Lastly, order airport transfer via the hotel or are there any other good options, feels like if I take a taxi from the airport I will be scammed.[/QUOTE]If you want to be literally on top of the action; I'the recommend the LK Metro area to stay. The Areca Lodge is by far the most booked hotel in that area. The LK Metropole is another fine option. The LK Empress, while a fine hotel on the beach; it is a 10 - 15 minute walk to where any of the good action is located. Last point, you can always get scammed by a taxi service or any one of the limo services at the airport exit gates. Best to plan transportation in advance and do not pay upfront. Nam's is a fine service for 1000 to 1200, one-way, depending on the size of the car. They usually provide a bottle of water as well. Happy hunting!

[QUOTE=Nixonbd;2820679]If you want to be literally on top of the action, I recommend the LK Metro area. The Areca Lodge is by far the most booked hotel in that area. The LK Metropole is another fine option. The LK Empress, while a fine hotel on the beach; it is a 10 - 15 minute walk to where any of the good action is located.[/QUOTE]Choosing a hotel east of Second Road in central Pattaya definitely puts you close to the entertainment on Soi LK Metro, Treetown and Sois Lengkee and Chiyapoon. The downside for me is lots of noise until about 3:00 a.m. If you're the kind of guy who never crashes until dawn, that's a feature not a bug. But I don't stay out that late and I like my quiet when it's time to sleep. I also like being closer to the beach and equidistant from the northbound and southbound baht buses. Finally, I never thought the walk from, say, the Whitehouse Condotel on Soi 13 or the Page 10 Hotel on Soi 10 to Soi LK Metro was even a little onerous. Ditto for the View Talay. And I'm an old pudgy guy who hardly steps lively.

On the other hand, heading inland will reduce lodging costs. If you one of those guys that just needs a clean basic room, there are good deals to be found in guesthouses and smaller hotels on the east side of Soi Buakao.

Bunky

[QUOTE=Bunky;2820047]The breakfast buffet at the Lek Hotel is basic, but it's cheap and you can eat poolside. [/QUOTE]Is it open again? Last time I was in Pattaya (September 2022) the hotel was open, but without buffet. And the same applied to the Apex hotel nearby.
So I went to the buffet in the LK Empress (twice as expensive, and less choice), or Casa Pascal (also more expensive, but well worth it).

Has anyone tried?

Hi there everyone.

Me and my friend are going to Pattaya in June. We want to book 1 hotel room for us to stay where we both intend to bring a girl for each of us and indulge in activities together.

We are planning to bring 1 girl each to the room pretty much every evening.

Ideally, I'm looking for the following:

1. No issues bringing 2 "guests" at the same time (since we are renting 1 room with 2 adults staying).

2. No or low joiner fee.

3. Not too far from the action (It's my first visit to Thailand)/ not so far that girls would complain.

4. Safe.

5. Reasonably priced (I understand this is relative so my range is 1200-2600 baht per night).

Thank you for the help! If anyone has any other pointers / tips regarding this, those would be appreciated too.

[QUOTE=DCups;2821482]Has anyone tried?[/QUOTE]Yes I have.

[QUOTE=DCups;2821482]Has anyone tried?[/QUOTE]How was it? Thanks.

1200 baht through Agoda without breakfast. Close to Soi 6, athough the short walk there is not nice: narrow alley with traffic pushing you against the walls on both sides. Soft Sealy-style beds. Efficient loudless aircon. Breakfast worth its 200 baht. Swimming pool usable, though crowded during the sunny hours. 90% Asian customers. Late check-in (5 pm) rather expensive at 1000 baht. Also, there might be construction work in the offing between the hotel and Centric Sea (see screenshot, blue cross) but I don't know what kind of room you should ask for to look away from that. The windows are not especially soundproofed.

Centara is even closer to 2nd road and is certainly worth considering too. Bed softness would be a deal-breaker for me. How are beds are at Centara?

I feel like I'm doing things wrong leaving Pattaya now for 4 straight months just when hotels are getting cheap and girls desperate again, but summer beckons in Europe. If you can travel at any time of year, I'd say now is the time to beat the iron while it's hot!

[QUOTE=XXL;2821580]1200 baht through Agoda without breakfast. Close to Soi 6, athough the short walk there is not nice: narrow alley with traffic pushing you against the walls on both sides. Soft Sealy-style beds. Efficient loudless aircon. Breakfast worth its 200 baht. Swimming pool usable, though crowded during the sunny hours. 90% Asian customers. Late check-in (5 pm) rather expensive at 1000 baht. Also, there might be construction work in the offing between the hotel and Centric Sea (see screenshot, blue cross) but I don't know what kind of room you should ask for to look away from that. The windows are not especially soundproofed.

Centara is even closer to 2nd road and is certainly worth considering too. Bed softness would be a deal-breaker for me. How are beds are at Centara?

I feel like I'm doing things wrong leaving Pattaya now for 4 straight months just when hotels are getting cheap and girls desperate again, but summer beckons in Europe. If you can travel at any time of year, I'd say now is the time to beat the iron while it's hot![/QUOTE]I just commented in the Pattaya thread about noticing hotel prices going down in Patts. It will be even cheaper as we get deeper into the summer. The poosy will get cheaper as well hehe.

[QUOTE=Mogwai;2821475]Is the breakfast buffet at the Lek Hotel open again? Last time I was in Pattaya (September 2022) the hotel was open, but without buffet. And the same applied to the Apex hotel nearby. So I went to the buffet in the LK Empress (twice as expensive, and less choice), or Casa Pascal (also more expensive, but well worth it).[/QUOTE]I must confess the last time I tucked into the breakfast buffet at the Lek Hotel is was pre-COVID. So my bad for recommending it without knowing for sure that it was still on offer. I'm sure on the gents with more current knowledge will update its status. With regard to alternatives, I do know that Casa Pascal no longer offers a breakfast-brunch buffet. That one hit my hard because it was a favorite of mine.

Bunky

[QUOTE=Bunky;2821852]I must confess the last time I tucked into the breakfast buffet at the Lek Hotel is was pre-COVID. So my bad for recommending it without knowing for sure that it was still on offer. I'm sure on the gents with more current knowledge will update its status. With regard to alternatives, I do know that Casa Pascal no longer offers a breakfast-brunch buffet. That one hit my hard because it was a favorite of mine.[/QUOTE]When I stayed at the Areca Lodge in September, last year, they had a breakfast buffet. They had a cook for "made to order" eggs with about 10 different sides to choose from.

[QUOTE=XXL;2821580]1200 baht through Agoda without breakfast.[/QUOTE]The problem with these Agoda deals is they change the prices everyday.

Today is 1200, you check in (assuming you've never been there before), you see the place is good, you want to stay more and bim, price is gone up to 2500 the next day and you're forced to leave the place with regrets the next day.

By the way, that place was already at that price at the beginning of the month (some days).

I've never stayed at this one but stayed at two others from the same group (Aster and Arden) I found both to be excellent and a good deal for that price (excellent aircon, some of the best bed I've came across in Thailand, a washing machine with small kitchen, Japanese toilets, very comfy places, with a nice pool and the plus is the sauna).

I prefered Arden over Aster, asked them the price for 1 month, she said it starts from 48 K, I thought it was way too much for me.

Maybe by booking a few months before coming in Pattaya one can have it at a better deal.

[QUOTE=Paolo99;2822289]The problem with these Agoda deals is they change the prices everyday.

Today is 1200, you check in (assuming you've never been there before), you see the place is good, you want to stay more and bim, price is gone up to 2500 the next day and you're forced to leave the place with regrets the next day.

By the way, that place was already at that price at the beginning of the month (some days).

I've never stayed at this one but stayed at two others from the same group (Aster and Arden) I found both to be excellent and a good deal for that price (excellent aircon, some of the best bed I've came across in Thailand, a washing machine with small kitchen, Japanese toilets, very comfy places, with a nice pool and the plus is the sauna).

I prefered Arden over Aster, asked them the price for 1 month, she said it starts from 48 K, I thought it was way too much for me.

Maybe by booking a few months before coming in Pattaya one can have it at a better deal.[/QUOTE]I contacted that group prior to my trip last year for weekly and monthly quotes for their Pattaya properties and they were much lower than 48 k baht a month. Most were around 30 k if I remember correctly with Arbour being the most expensive. I didn't end up taking any of their monthly deals but stayed at a few of their properties and they're all legit.

[QUOTE=Paolo99;2822289]The problem with these Agoda deals is they change the prices everyday.

Today is 1200, you check in (assuming you've never been there before), you see the place is good, you want to stay more and bim, price is gone up to 2500 the next day and you're forced to leave the place with regrets the next day.

By the way, that place was already at that price at the beginning of the month (some days).[/QUOTE]I've been stung the same way. That price change could be due to the day of the week (e.g., Wednesday cheaper than Saturday) or holidays. When making Agoda reservations for several nights, it might show an average price per night (e.g., 2000 per night). After purchase, you may look at the details and it might be 3 nights at 1500 baht plus 3 nights at 2500 baht.

These hotel booking websites also have a limited number of bookings that they can sell at a discounted price. You might pay 1500 baht and the next customer (5 minutes later) pays 2000 baht.