Agent09

Always book ahead in Bangkok... but then I stay in one or two regular haunts every time and don't really want to vary it. Usually for Pattaya in 'high' season, Book ahead especially pre Christmas and New Year but have often turned up in Pattaya in low season, April and May and just stashed my bags with a friend or a bar and then just gone out and done a walk round a few hotels in SoiMetro/Buakhoa area and haggled for a price. Or I just book one night somewhere and then look around if I do not like it enough.

Following up on my 'intention' post above, and after my stay, I can't fault China garden in the main and recently stayed there on a split stay for 20 days in standard room and also jacuzzi room at the end of my stay for a night or two. Rooms, service, price all well recommended, location excellent, booking process fine and easy enough. Ideally located for LK Metro but without the noise. Just be aware for your taxi that the 'China Garden' frontage and restaurant no longer exists although there is a large A1 free standing sign and neon advert for the 'China Garden' rooms. Look for the 'Steak & Co' frontage instead. Down stairs is the steak restaurant offering what may be one of the best steak meals in Pattaya, ate there several times with mates, alone and with girls. Side entrance is key fob operated 24/7 and there is someone available at side window day and night. They now require you to check your keys in when leaving the hotel and collect on return. ID cards were checked on all my girls but often took two or three ladies back and no questions or joiner fees. Entirely girl friendly and apart from the entrance which could use a refurb the rooms themselves are very smart. You'd pay up to 3 times the price for not far off the same level room in Areca Lodge so it's excellent value. No lift so if you have heavy bags be aware. Only a few jacuzzi rooms at premium costs but well worth it for the fun you can have with girls. Ladies like the rooms a lot. I can see why this place is so well liked and will be booking again for my next Pattaya trips. Very good value indeed and an excellent accomodation, well managed and admirable.

I have now sent reservations for December 2014 to Jan 2015 for China Garden and hopefully they have the space available for part of my stay but I have to find an alternative for 10 days of it over the New Year period. I am looking forward to reviewing China Garden later this year. Thanks to the posters who have reviewed this place. Looks good.

Err.. I am just considering booking Metro Apartments for a month stay there...(I-Rovers is full for the duration).. anyone have recent experience of staying there as regards noise level...other than that I hear good things about it... I've been offered superior room at the back for some of my stay and standard room at the side for the rest.. with a long stay I'm concerned about noise but don't recall it being bad when I was in then (Irish) Rovers last time but that was like 2010... any recent knowledge on this specific to this guest house site?

Congratulations and VERY good luck for the future, a great achievement and one I wish I had the opportunity to celebrate with you.. but stuck in LOL... Wish you well and hppe to be back there soon as...

MANY congratz to you, Ricky, and your team of ladies for the great job you have done in making Babydolls one of the most fun places to go. It will feature in my next TR for sure after my recent May 09 trip. As you party or stagger home into the dawn I am sat in my kitchen in the UK with another day of grinding work from 0530 hrs wake up tomorrow before my two day weekend respite of free time. You Lucky People - what lives you lead!! Good fortune to you.

In balance for the much maligned Siam Sawasdee, I have in fact stayed there over several years at times when in serious budget mood, and yes of the chain it's the best one of the offerings so the others must be.. well... not sure... Yes it's cheap (ish) tho the walk in and net rates dont make it seem so esp in high season.. but I've bargained those down to about 600bt a night on most occasions for a stay. I have stayed there a good few times now, 05, 06, and 08 at various times, not always for my entire stay, Dec and May. It is what it is, a simple old chain hotel but I have to say in all defence I've never had a problem there apart from the year that damned music stage was behind the hotel on that wastegroundby the markets and the noise was awful then for one week. I have often read some truly yucko reviews really hating this old hotel and bearing in mind I otherwise stay at Areca Lodge which is 1200-1800 range, I do know Siam Sawasdee is basic but I've never had any of these awful events. The rooms are flimsy, battered but cleaned daily, the design is old fashioned but white, bathrooms simple but work, and other than some noise, and the cranky slow lifts, its been a no-nonsense cheapo stay which allowed me to spend more money on fun. I don't eat there except the buffet breakfast which is basic but boring after too many days, take it , leave it, days vary. I have never experienced poor service, nor reception problems, payment issues, or anything else to be honest and the staff have always been busy but friendly and helpful. Maybe its me. The Tour Desk in the reception has organised me some cheap day trips and taxis and it's exactly in the right place. It even has a decent enough pool which gets sun from 6am. Call me naiive but maybe I am not so fussy on my stays, as I don't expect it to be the same as Areca or a quality rooming house like Metro Apartments or others. It's what it is, an old era but functional busily occupied budget hotel like a thai travelodge gone to seed. Very superceded by many new offerings I am sure but I have a fondness for it and can't complain. I have often sat at the cocktail car on the front and it feels fine to me. It's a lilac shade tower with an old fashioned interior, like a faded old Miami hotel. I may even be there again this May but fancy a look around or trying one or two of the guesthouses and moving about a bit. I noticed The Cap's did this last year and they seemed to enjoy the changes. Actually the worst thing about staying there is the (in my own personal opinion) awful bar right opposite, a den of over loud out of tune bands and distorted music which if you stay on the front facing rooms goes on till 2am, and is the only place I have regularly seen and heard screaming drunken fights (always the english..) that spill out onto the street.

I will be making very honourable mentions of the Pattaya Beergarden in my next TR reports as I am in LOS now, and have been in the bar every day at different times since my arrival in early May. In short so far I am enormously impressed with every aspect of this ambitious project and highly recommend it. Have had the good fortune to meet Pattaya Pete and chat with him and he deserves every success and comes over as a really impressive and welcoming guy with a keen sense of business and people management. The bar itself is monumental in scale (you could fit the Bangkok bar in several times over) and has to be the best location one could imagine for a bar of this type.. the view alone is priceless...Food great, prices impressively low and as Pete reports the 'magic' is beginning to happen just as imagined. Will become the 'de rigeur ' meeting place I predict..and have already met several BMs in there this trip.

Good stuff.... I often wonder as one does about other writers and artists about how you arrive at your content, and whether you wander around Pattaya photographing stuff that later proves useful for a particular gag, or do you work out the line and then go source an image.. ah such is the fascinating behind the scenes stuff that writers think about...ha ha great comedy observations as ever, you see something literally on every corner and then twist it round to a comic viewpoint - that's skill indeed!

No experience yet as such but I am booked from dec 15th for a stay there and the Admin and booking etc to date has been first class polite and efficient with the best business english I have yet seen from a Thai hotel. The website shows an excellent resort and the location opposite Soi 6 is superb and easy for Big C and that entire vibrant area between Soi 5-2 now. I will be posting reviews after my stay but it seems good and rates excellent I am paying 1400 a night for a deluxe room with kitchenette and balcony and such... let you know how it is

Brilliant location for evening ambience to take smarter girls and outside buffet and bars and sea view romantic and very tropical night location, smart staff, smart prices and an upmarket venue for night drinks with amazing harbour views.. I would not stay there as this is a 'posh' hotel with old fashioned moral views about girls in rooms entirely to my mind out of place in that location and this century and is not for a Monger mentality. Nice place to take girls for cocktails and a very smart but pricey buffet etc... dinner date land here... but then they all live there and what we western men think is a 'romantic' location is usually wasted on most of them I have found as they are so conditioned to thinking of your wallet that sort of entertainment just doesnt seem to register. It looks inside a business rich family hotel and is entirely another world to all the places we take our nightly distractions... love the outside though and have taken a few smarter brighter girls to eat and drink there.. then down the road to La Notte Italian bar again in that lovely quiet and totally different end of Walking Street... what a contrast to the S Pattaya end of it all !

that looks VERY good for that rate.. I am booked now for my next trip but will check that out with a visit this time, great price for that level.. beats the hell out of the Sawasdee chain rooms etc that looks VERY good for that rate.. I am booked now for my next trip but will check that out with a visit this time, great price for that level.. beats the hell out of the Sawasdee chain rooms etc wish I'd seen that a week ago

Again thanks to all suggestions so many hotels ... so little holiday... ! my decision in the end for my 28 day December 07 trip from Dec 1 to 29 is: Bangkok Grand Business Inn - deluxe room 7 nights @1600 Baht Soi 11 convenient, in street with smart bars and attractions and near between Nana and Asoke, opposite Lolita's Soi 8 and half way between all attractions, redecorated some in 07 and a place I have stayed before, GF, desk ID check and phone call if lady leaves, great location and easy to find. Pattaya ( 2 hotes for variety and location and test new one) Areca Lodge - deluxe room double, 6 nights 8-15th Dec @1350 Baht Soi Diana Smart mediteranean looking white hotel with palms and 2 pools, micro gym, great bustling location near to Soi Buakhow, Papagayo night bar, pool hall, markets and 2 mins to 2nd Road, GF,, ID check, have stayed prior and calm nice atmosphere and near to great bars, nearer the Walking Street end of things and Mikes/Royal Garden etc very near. Also opposite Lolita's in LK Metro ( ha all my hotels !!) Pinewood Residences - deluxe 60sqm room, 14 nights @1400 Baht, Pattaya 2nd Road No lolita's but opposite Soi 6 !! behind the Bangkok Bank, and close to BIg C, and vibrant interesting soi 2-5 bars and clubs... a different test for a new stay with well appointed rooms set around a nice looking pool and extremely efficient admin so far on booking. This based on recomendations from the site here: 60 sq/m with Kitchenette equipped with micro-wave, family size refrigerator, hot water boiler, hotplates with standard utensils. I fancy being up at that end for a change from all my usual South Pattaya Road haunts allowing me to explore the other end a bit more and shopping for food to cook from BigC is just great as I loved it in May when I rented an apartment for a month. and well... opposite Soi 6... heaven !! That's the choice then, locked and loaded and booked and 3 days to Wheels up on Nov 30 !! see you there if ur there !

Ah thanks all. Now I think anyways as they emailed me back saying they are full and can only do part of my stay I've decided to spend higher levels and stay a better time this time and try other places anyways and save the Sawasdee for me next off season trip when its quiet. At choc a block it can be noisy and whats more they only have the standard rear rooms anyways not my usual front facing pool street view.. but thanks for the info those who posted. I'lle be sure to be up around there a lot anyways for the Buakhow nightlife and markets.

Just for update those who know Areca Lodge or if you are looking at it here is the latest tiered seasonal price info for high season I got today by email The price is from 08/12 - 15/12 @1,350Baht 16/12 - 23/12 @1,690Baht 24/12 - 29/12 @1,990Baht equates to rate of Bht 1726 a night for the 21 day stay above **if you are two free of charge but if three charge 300Baht per person ( extra person joiner IS being applied over 1 guest - I specifically asked about this having heard rumours) hope useful to anyone.