Dingo

I had the same problem with early March. Just changed my vacation before my "vacation" (Pattaya) from Phuket/Phi Phi to Hua Hin (just to hook that bloody beach of the list as well). Ended up with my third choice on the hotel list. But these as are all family places. Can't see that Pattaya will get any extra tourists in March with Patong up an running by then. But it will be busy - early Easter etc. Wonderful or what? Can use the extra days of the Easter and avoid Songkran at the same time. Mmm

The location is not bad, across from the Marriott and Royal Garden shopping. 5 minutes stroll down to walking street, roughly.

Think you need an extra day or two off work If you leave Friday after work you will arrive Saturday. Then some airlines have a flight around noon on Sunday getting you back to Euroland Sunday evening. Taking 2 days off could give you 3 nights in BKK...

The Pinewood have a couple of "rooms" with sauna. 1 bedroom suite 96 Sq.m and the 3 bedroom suite both have Sauna. Think the 1 bed room suite is around 3,000 Baht. The place is located on 2nd road around soi 5/6. And yes, you have to start the day with crossing 2nd road...

Used to be yes. Rates up from Nov 10th I think. Deluxe now 1400B. Dynasty Bangkok up to 1090B.

And they are probaly pricing themselfs out of the marked. Hard to justify 1200B, up from 990B, for a hotel that hasn't really made it yet. Just my opinion.

If it takes 5 month to solve something you haven't signed for I would send them the card back. Someone had fun in Japan with my Amex card and it was one phone call and filling out one form. Real easy. But after that I always use two cards in Thailand and never somthing that is hooked up to an account. Think we just have to get used to hotels demanding a CC number with all the no shows.

If you pick Star, go for a Thai card. You get the silver status almost right away and Gold is not as far away as with Lufthansa and SAS. Think it's 50K in one year or 80K in two. With your 4-5 trips per year you'll have the Gold card in a year. Welcome gift is an upgrade. Handy.

Haven Hotel in Soi 13 used to have VCD players. The place gets very mixed reviews so be aware.

What SoCalGuy said is true - After they got the Marriott name, all special deals are gone. On the other side, Dusit do the same, no heavy (I mean heavy) discounts during slow season. Hey, even the pride of Pattaya, Royal Cliff, are throwing away rooms at 2300B every now and then. Never take hoteltravel.com deals as cheap. They are more or less a joke when it comes to discounts. A quick look at old favourites like hotelthailand.com could save you money... http://www.hotelthailand.com/pattaya/royalgarpatt/index.html Hoteltravel do their rates in USD and unless Howard Stern wins the election... pick a site with Thai Baht... I couldn't find a date for your stay. But if say Jan 16, when the Marriott low season starts, and Garden View, all with taxes and the breakfast you will miss every day... Hoteltravel... USD 126 Hotelthailand.com... 4,700B http://www.hotelthailand.com/pattaya/royalgarpatt/index.html Thaihoteldiscount.com... 4300B http://www.pattaya.thaihoteldiscount.com/marriott.html I basically only use the two above these days. Thaihoteldiscount is always cheapest IF (and IF) they have the hotel you are after. It's a Chiang Mai company and they run a funny system. You pay the first night by card through a safe bank site, then they contact you after check-in with the choice of paying cash or card (+ 3% by card). In Pattaya, Koh Chang Travel in Soi Post Office do the business for them and it's where to go if you choose to pay cash. On the other side... I have managed to get the same rates in other Soi Post Office travel agencys BUT never never on the net. You could get friendly with an agency so they know you. Then when you know your dates, call them. But they will probably want some kind of pre-payment for the first night so it's time to get a sesond card. Hotelthailand is still good if thaihoteldiscount can't offer them. Asiatravel and Planetholiday are more or less jokes these days. To the other discussion - Why Marriott... After a few Marriott's I moved over to Dusit and will never move back - try it!.

Forgot to add one thing if you like to be a little bit out of town... If you would like to be away from it all for family reasons etc. Nothing will/can beat Royal Cliff Beach resort. You will get a room there for 2300B in the low season (beach resort building), if not cheaper, and you will be on you own planet with South Pattaya just 5 minutes away by car. Feeling lonely you can walk to Freeway bar in 10 minutes...

It's far away. It's the Na Jomtien area, the very end of Jomtien Beach road. Hmm, 20 minutes away maybe? You need a very good excuse to stay so far away. Found a map here... http://directrooms-thailand.com/botany-bea...aya-703.htm#map

Do a search down the page and read the reviews as well. Lek have their supporters and their new wing is supposed to be fine. OK pool, great breakfast buffet and Soi 13 is close to most of the fun. There's some building work across the street but it's supposed to be quiet these days. And it's guestfriedly.

FalangKeyKnock, Could cost you big. Normal cost is a day card for the gym - but don't have a clue since I normally stay there. Send them a mail. On the other side, showing up saying I'm just in for a dip (and they will think you will down a few beers could do magic). Try it before you buy some kind of a card.

...and if you are into switchboards... The AA, not residence, will serve you. Bring the camera. Unless they have upgraded the "wonder"

Dusit resort have a 30 meter pool. Like mentioned, if the Thai Garden one is still there it's 25m with a roof Hard Rock is probably 20-25m but way too many kids around. The Royal Cliff gym have a good one, hmmm 25 meters? Marriott is around 20? You can pay to use them all.

I always do. If you stay at a bit more upmarket place you will always get a better deal than throught the hotel (at least almost). Cheaper ones, like the ones you mention, can give you the best rate when walking in, or booking through the hotel. Do a google search, "name of hotel" pattaya rates and spend an hour checking. Then check with the hotel. Happy hunt.

It's normally all on the airlines shoulders to check if you have a ticket out of the country. They will have to pay if something happens. One time they would not allow me to check in before I could show them a ticket out of Thailand (I had it on a separate ticket). It was in New Zealand or Australia. BUT, I know people that have managed to talk themself out of the situation. They had a ticket out of Asia.

For music DVD's try the one on beach road between soi 13 and Yamato. 10 meters north of the Scandi bar. Picked up 15 in April and they all worked fine, think it was 180-200B. She had around 50 different ones. Someone has mentioned that a guy at the Tuesday/Friday marked on South road have some of the best quality in town. Anyone knows where? The shop(s) on 2nd road, close to South Pattaya road is also better than average but don't know how much they charge these days.

Used to be a sign saying 100B per night on Pattaya Klang/Central. Quite high up, near Foodland, opposide side of road. But it's a few years ago. A day walking around 3rd road, Soi Buakaow should pay off.

Good choice wbill, Please, let us know what you ended up with in a small report. Have fun!

Alan, I try to walk as fast as I can without running. Had to give up running to save my back and ended up with walking. Still run every now and then but need something softer than beach road to do it. But, wouldn't recommend walking from North to Walking street and then straight into a 19C GoGo downing a 5C Heineken which will lead you into a 40C something. Dingo

23 minutes fast walking. And 25 minutes back :crying . Almost every morning at 10.xx... And, the freelancers are out with their offers even at that time!

Heard the same about Montien. I thought that one was ok after a friend of mine stayed there a few years ago. Then I sent a guy there and he was hit with the fee and had to check out so things change!!! It changed to the better for Marriott and others over the years, while some change to the worse. I always bring-the-fish-to-the-sea so I never know these days... The only hotel I know that haven't changed since my first trip in '86 is Siam Bayview. Haven't heard about anyone managing to get a bird to the elevator in there. Bayshore is big and spread out so you might be lucky there.

Tony, You will hate it or love it! You decide what is good or bad: Room: CD player in room, bath tub you need to see (can't explain, someone will sooner or later loose their balls getting in, small rooms, great sea view in the sea view rooms. Great car park view in the "mountain view rooms" Hotel: Large pool, the most special pool in town I think, ok'ish for swimming but a bit to many people playing in the pool for "swimming swimming", very kid-friendly pool, many kids around the pool/many noicy kids around the pool sometime, music by the pool/loud music by the pool/sometimes even a concert by the pool. Expensive drinks and food. Breakfast always included in the deal I think. Hard Rock Cafe: Some good bands every now and then but often better up at Moonriver. I think they get more japaneese tourists than Thai celebrities (They go to Hoph). It's an OK HRC, not more. Very un-HRC when it comes to bar, restaurant, live scene. I can't make up my mind if I will stay there again. Lot's of people love the place and I can understand why. I spend a lot of time by a hotel pool and the place wasn't me... I mean... In 30 minutes we had both Sex Pistols and to car alarm music, and I'm closer to Sex Pistols when it come to that choice. My advice, don't book 30 days there, try it first. It's supposed to be girl friendly if you book a double. Hope this helps.