PenName

I still try different hotels when in Patts. I guess I've yet to find the one place that is "home" for me on my trips to LOS. Anyway, for my March Trip, I'm currently considering either the Sunview Place on Bukhao or the Seaside Guesthouse on Soi 3. If anyone has an opinion from having stayed at one or both, I'd welcome you passing it along. Regards, ~ Pen

Absolutely stunning results, Pete. If this place doesn't go, then I have to imagine that there's no room left in Patts for a good idea, well executed. I'll be in town in a week and your place is near the top of the list of stops. ~ Pen

Yes, I just got a very proper and efficient email from them with instructions after arrival, and I had sent my reservation query a little less than 24 hours ago. Really makes you think when you run the numbers that this company is able to make a profit with what would have to be more expensive vehicles and higher gasoline expenses (due to lower mileage), and the need to have 8 - 10 customers a trip to equal the 1,200 to 1,500 baht levy the private cars and drivers charge. Yes, I understand the there is always a premium for privacy and that sense of being treated deferentially -- one only has to look at the difference in tariffs for public transport and limousines -- but I assure you the difference in the U.S. between an airport shuttle bus (a rough equivalent) and a private car / limousine is nowhere near as high as 8x - 10x. Looks like the touts and the private services have had one over on us for quite some time. If Bell is half as good as as been described on this and other boards, they'll move to the top of my list when my arrival times are convenient or possible. ~ Pen

It looks like with the girls knowing they're going to get soaked, they don swimsuit tops or heavy-duty bras under their tees or tanks. Probably a good idea as raging nipples in the mix of water fights and general chaos might be just what it would take to turn the whole thing into some sex riot (not that I would feel the need to judge ). ~ Pen

I'm going to take my maiden voyage on Bell in 13 days, and am actually looking forward to it. If it's everything everyone is saying, I think moving toward 20-24 hour a day service would put a significant dent in the business of the private car carriers who are charging 9 to 10 times as much. ~ Pen

Well, just well...wow. ~ Pen

Hi, Pete: I'm still looking forward to helping to break in a barstool or two when I get in a couple of weeks from today. Don't let the construction nightmares interrupt the dream -- if it hadn't have been Sonkran it would have likely been something else. Better that it was for a national holiday week rather than something specific to your establishment. Best regards on your openings. ~ Pen

That's interesting about it being 120,000 AA miles to get a business class ticket on Cathay. I collect my AA miles in an Alaska Airlines account since I fly Alaska a few times a year and can also deposit miles from Delta, Northwest, KLM and Air France in the account and have them all count toward elite status. Anyway, I was just able to get a Cathay business class ticket using Alaska Airlines miles (many of which were flown on American), and was only dinged for 100,000 miles. A first class ticket could have been had (if any had been available) for 140,000. Funny the currency and exchange rate nature of airline miles. This coming trip (two weeks to go) is tossing some coin the way of China Airlines. Personally, at this point, I'd fly a crop duster to get there. ~ Pen

Three weeks from right now, I'll be on my way to Patts in an airport taxi pickup. That night, I suspect my ass will be on a stool at Cherry Bar. Thanks for reminding me of one of the reasons why. ~ Pen

Anyone in around midday and looking to share a ride on Sunday, the 4th. ~ Pen

I'm booked into the QV in three weeks, and when I booked, Vic required 4 nights deposit. True, it's non-refundable, but it means the first $100US of my stay is paid and out of the way, and what I got in return was a quick confirmation / receipt that included full details all the way down to which room I'd be staying in. As noted above, the deposit is only a problem if you plan on blowing off the reservation. I've heard from more than a few hotel and room owners in Patts that the mongers given to making reservations at multiple properties, evidently only deciding on a winner while collecting their baggage at the airport, is a huge problem. I've no problem believing that's true and that it's the reason why we're seeing more and more properties asking for some sort of security deposit, as is the norm in most of the rest of the world. Given that we're paying extremely reasonable prices (some might say ridiculously low prices) for a roof over our head and a bed beneath our libidinous bodies, honoring a reservation with an innkeeper trying to make a go of it at $20 - 40US a night doesn't seem like too much to ask (IMHO). Many, if not most of us have been to Patts multiple times and know where we like to stay. What's so wrong with making a decision a few weeks ahead of time and confirming it with a deposit or guarantee? When wanting to try a new property of which we might not be sure if we'll be happy and just can't bring ourselves to take the chance, perhaps we should opt for a reservation of a couple of nights or so and go from there. I know a lot of the world would label us a tribe with commitment problems , but there's no need to extend that to hotel accommodations, is there? ~ Pen

Pete: Major congratulations on how the place is coming together. I have been a big fan of the current FLB under Martin's stewardship, but the FLB when it was under your guiding hand was the very first place in which I set foot in Pattaya. I was made to feel at home from the first moment in the door. First impressions mean a lot, and your establishment was a great first impression of Walking Street and Patts. I'm in town 04 May and as soon as jetlag and reasonable hygiene matters allow, I'll be in to see the place firsthand. So far, it appears a fine idea has blossomed into a great reality. I look forward to enjoying what I am sure will be a first rate experience. ~ Pen

Kuranda - thanks for the post and a reminder of the coming events page. I arrive on the 4th, so I think helping to celebrate Nam's birthday and further the economy a bit at Adam's will be a wonderful start. Is there any update on the pending construction / relocation for Adam? ~ Pen

TQ2 has always been one of my favorites when I'm not hellbent on my way somewhere else specific. Thanks for the hptos to help remind me why. ~ Pen

I want, I want, I want. Any parties on the board for May yet, Adam? ~ Pen

Love the TQ2 parties -- wish I could have been there. Looking forward to photos. ~ Pen

Back when I was doing some work in the Midwest (USA), I often used NWA through both DTW and MSP, and I found the international flights to be fine and not fraught with the fumbles and gaffes seen on domestic NWA offerings. Given the relative ease of DTW and MSP for international travel at all, they are a joy that adds to the NWA experience from either of those origination points when compared to airports on either coast or ORD. I'm not sure if NWA is flying the Airbus or still using the 747's out of MSP, but I suspect you'll do right by them (or right enough). ~ Pen

Sa-teef, Yeah, I've had the same frustrations. Well, not quite the same as you have even fewer convenient options out of MSP. I haven't incorporated airfare.com to this point, but will certainly do so in the future. For my trip in May, I ended up going with China Airlines SEA-TPE-BKK for $856.60 all in. The pros of NWA would have been the mileage only, with a fare of $1,360 or some such. With China Airlines, I can (evidently) put 60% of the mileage toward my NWA account (a somewhat dormant account but with one almost enough miles for a free economy ticket to BKK), the cost was $500 cheaper (pretty much my hotel for my entire stay, even with the crappy exchange rate), and arrival and departure times that don't require I be vampire. It was actually a fairly tough call, with the arrival / departure times ultimately being the tie-breaker. As much as I hate missing a 15,000 mile dump into my Alaska account (if I'd ticketed on NWA), it looks like my other travels this year will ensure elite status and a healthy mileage balance. With a smaller plane capacity (the airbus vs. the previous 747), NWA has ensured higher loads and thus, higher fares into NRT and BKK (and I'm a card-carrying free-market economy adherent), but to me they've built a "false shortage" and that ultimately drove me elsewhere on principle if nothing else. I've no doubt that NWA will survive just fine without my business this time around. Last autumn when they were the best fare, I had no problem adjusting to those times in and out of BKK, but it just felt like time to give the folks over at China Air a turn at bat. November is a cash-in of miles for a biz class on Cathay as I wanted to treat myself for a (regrettably) milestone birthday this year. In the final analysis, it's 17 hours in sealed metal tubes that are necessary evils to get to our adopted second home (okay, first home for many). Given that it looks like we've got a couple of trips in at the same time of year (I'm in from the 4th to the 26th in May), I'd welcome the chance to finally make you're acquaintance, and would gladly buy the first round for the privilege. Travel well, ~ Pen

Ok, what the hell. It's down to 39 days, as well as 232 days for the November trip. Every clock tick a moment closer... ~ Pen

dv34917 - Yeah, that's on China Airlines, but I'm out of Seattle instead of LAX. I got that for departing on a Saturday, too (03 May, 01:10 AM) and returning on Memorial Day Monday, so it was kind of too good to not jump on, especially since I like the arrival and departure times in BKK so much more than what NWA or United put on the table. We've got Eva up here for the same period at around $870, but the weekdays they fly on didn't work as well for me and it's jacked up a bit on the weekend. Given the great rate on this one and the trip I've got coming in November that's a mileage ticket in biz class on Cathay, I'm luckily managing to weather the ugly airfare year fairly well. Happy hunting, ~ Pen

Wow, I always think the airfares from the US are steep. Was that an economy coach rate? Same time period, same airline from the west coast of the US is around $1,060US. I'm going in May for $856.60US, all in. I guess sometimes the grass under our own feet is good enough. ~ Pen

Queen Vic? Soi 6, great showers (deluxe rooms especially), decent beds, perfectly fine a/c, but I don't recall about the in-room safes. Anyway, all of it is included as well as wi-fi and a decent host for 800b for a deluxe room. Just another in a plethora of possibilities. ~ Pen

44 days to next trip; 236 for the trip after that. Neither are close enough, but it sure helps to have two confirmed trips on the schedule. ~ Pen

It's a constant battle of checking fares a dozen times a day it seems. When I was pricing out my May fare last month, China Air changed their fares three times in seven hours, with a variance of $210. I usually fly NWA, but the best fare I could conjure on them was never within $300 of China and the departure and arrival times on China are much more civil. No miles into the account, but NWA seems to have lost any interest or ability in providing passage at reasonable fares. C'est la guerre. Foreign carriers beat American carriers for enjoyment of experience anyway. ~ Pen

Ah, I get it: "urban chic." ~ Pen