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How can you still do that? I used to do that but have not been able to do it for about 18 months as all the airlines I have spoken to will only allow luggage to be booked through if its all on the one "through" ticket!!! So then to get all destinations on the one ticket I get screwed for the domestic connecting flights!!

Hi, Please, those that have used them, could I have your honest and recent thoughts on Westeast Travel. The reason I'm asking is that I recently booked a trip with them and became pissed of and sorry I choose them. To cut along story short I enquired as to price from Belfast to BKK via LHR with Thai. I was told £653. I said this was too much as cost from LHR was £473 so this entailed £180ish from Belfast to LHR Rtn. I usually pay around £120 for this in order to get the "through" ticket for baggage purposes. I was then told by them that they could do the Belfast - LHR leg for £130. Agreed cost £607 each. I agreed and paid for 4 x tickets after he double checked all details and confirmed. Then 20 minutes later, when I 'm driving, I receive a phone call from Westeast Travel to say he forgot to include airport tax to Belfast and i had to pay £45 each in addittion!!!! This brought the cost close to the original price which he had already agreed was too much!!! I was left in a position where I was driving along a motorway trying to reason with a guy who's English was little better than my none existant Urdu!!! Why have someone answering the phone that requires words like: Road, Street, David , John phoneticly spelt to them?? he was not simply being sure, he had not got a clue. I pointed out that this was his mistake, not mine and I had paid the price asked and he had already told me that my flights are booked and confirmed. Email confirmation to follow. This then changed to I could cancel if I wished and have refund. Extra Must be paid. I don't think this is acceptable! I am now thinking are they operating some ploy to get you to book then as in my case then hit you with additional costs that had you known about would have made you look elsewhere. So they seem cheap to get you hooked like they did me?? Your thoughts please. Regards,

Guys. These cheaper flights are nothing to do with Last minute.com, who may or may not be the most dependable to book a trip with, as they just pass the details onto elsewhere. Then also pass on on blame if there is a fuck up. These low cost Thai Air flights are available because Thai Air has decided to have a promotion in Sep. Give or take £10 - £ 30 these flights are available from most. Regards,

OK, fair point. When in Pats I usually start off in Soi 2 and Soi's 4 to 5 then get baht bus to Soi's 7 & 8 and Walking St, stoping to eat along the way and to collect some company. Then, I always end up back at Soi 2 for a night cap as its a short stroll back to Sabai Lodge. Also it is worth mentioning Soi 1. This area is worth a look. Soi 2 area has the edge for me. Anyway, back to the hotel question. A choice between the Areca and any of the Sabai hotels around Soi 2? No contest, Sabai everytime!! Regards to all

Hi, Construction where? Construction work is ongoing close to the rear of Areca. I stayed 2903 to 0204. Did not notice any around Soi 2? Behind the rear wall of the Areca, behind the larger pool there is a large area of wasteland. To the right, a couple of hundred yards there is a large building under construction. I don't know what it is but it does not look like a hotel. I think maybe a shopping centre. It looked a long way from finished. The work was not very noisey but it did start early each day, though I may have been lucky and i did only stay for 4 nights. Regards,

Hi, If I was asked for a good alternative to the Areca Lodge the first place I would suggest is any of the Sabai hotels around Soi 2 to Soi 4 area. Sabai Lodge, Sabai Inn or Sabai Resort are all a good choice. Not just good rooms for the money but the staff have a great attitude. Usually, they will reduce the prices for internet reservations. Sabai I like Soi 2 area as it seems close to everything I want. Big C is only across the road, Walking St is 5 - 10 min on Baht bus, but then I dont even go there most nights as often I don't get past the bars on the Soi 2 complex!! The gogo on Soi 2, Classroom, has had a few quid spent on it, beds, private rooms, jacuzi, I think its as good as any I've been to in Pattaya. Regards,

Hi, My answer to this is.. go to 7/1 buy what you like. I remove Singha & Heineken from the fridge because I don't like them and I replace with Tiger beer. I buy a few bottles of Bacardi Breezer & Sang Som and put big bottles of Coca Cola in in the fridge. Then the party starts. If the cost of a couplle of tins of Fanta was a cost factor then I'de stay at home!!! Best regards,

Hi ingo, Have you stayed at any many other hotels in Pattaya? If you like the Areca then ok, obviously up to you but have you stayed anywhere else as a comparison. I can not understand the attraction of this hotel. I think the Areca is crap and know that there are many much better hotels available and at a better price. Regards,

Hi, Recently booked to stay in Areca Lodge for 20 nights as I wanted to stay in a different part of Pattaya and the reviews of the Areca on this board made me select the Areca over my usual, the Sabai Lodge. What a mistake. The Areca is probably the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. I checked out after 4 nights!! Everything is a drama, no hot water for first 18 hours, sign for towels, collect vouchers for breakfast. no pool parasols after about 1100, aggressive security at night to ME!!, small (deluxe) rooms that are poorly/cheaply furnished, i.e. only cold tap in wash hand basin, no usable balcony as A/C unit takes up 3/4 of it and blows hot air on to you!!, can not smoke unless you stand on balcony!! I booked my stay with 2 other guys (3 rooms) all the rooms where crap. I understand that this hotel, for reasons now totally beyond me, is virtually booked all year!!! I can not understand this. They asked me on booking to pay 9000Tbt deposit (3000Tbt for each room) this I can understand and accept. I also order taxi collection from the airport. But they then demand full payment of 2900Tbt for a taxi 3 months in advance!! I tell them to cancel the taxi. Sabai charge 1900Tbt on the day, not 3 month before!! We moved back to the Sabai Lodge after 4 days of the Areca Lodge. I could not recommend the Areca Lodge to anyone. Anyone that recommends this hotel must normally stay in budget B&B type accomodation or just not know any better!! What I thought, said it all, was when we checked out after 4 nights no one behind reception even cared to ask why? Surely, if you own or manage a hotel and guests are checking out after a few days, having booked for 3 weeks you would ask why? They could not give a fuck!!! I will never darken their doors again. Regards to all,

If the poster says the remark was meant as a joke I think you just gotta accept it and move on. Theres no no point on going on about it. What can you do? Just my 2 bahts worth. As for Care I wish her well, she looked after my Sabai bookings very well. Helpful, good internet price,quick to reply and would try to get rooms for "old custumer" The Sabai Lodge, I feel, needs serious money spent on a refurbishment. The rooms are now tired. They may be quite generous with their internet prices, but they are such a tight, money grabbing hotel, but as they do it soo well with a smile it can be hard to notice!! For example.... A friend of mine lived there for 2 weeks short of a year. In month 11, he broke a drinking glass in the room. The hotel tried to bill him for a glass!! Another friend and I checked out after paying our bill. Almost 60,000Tbht for both of us. On the way to the airport the taxi drivers mobile rang, driver asks us who stayed in room no whatever. They had omitted to include a can of Fanta orange drank from the mini bar, and asked us to give the driver 40 or 60 Tbht!!! I had stayed there 8 times in the previous 2 years and thay ring me for the price of tin of pop!! I laugh about it now, but at the time I thought fuck!!! you are joking me!! but then I remember that this is Thailand!! Regards to all.

I like the Sabai Lodge and have stayed there many times. The last time was in Oct 06. I tried to book my usual room type, the Deluxe A at the large pool for my trip next week but it was fully booked and that was in Dec!! There only are 5, I think, of this room type. I was paying 1150Tbt per night. We like the small veranda outside each room. I know the cottages have this aswell but they cost a lot more. As already said avoid the standard rooms. I like the attitude in the hotel, very relaxed, never had any probs. However I do feel that the rooms have become a bit tired and they could do with refurbishment. I hate that fucking fixed control console for the air con, lights & TV. Also hate the way the "double" bed is actually 2 single beds pushed together!! Also have had probs with air con leaking. So I'm now booked into the Areca Lodge. Have I made the right decision?? Time will tell. Regards to all.

Hi, I gotta admit that it looks good. I normally stay at the Sabia Lodge but they did not have the type of room available that I like so I booked the Areca. I like the Soi 2 - Soi 5 or 6 part of town. I would be very keen to hear your thoughts on "The Best Beach" as I would consider it myself for future. Cheers & hope it go's well!!!

Tom, I would be grateful if you could clarify as I know nothing about Frequent Flyer schemes. So, I gonna ask whats probably a stupid question, anyway. I am asking honestly!! As I do not know!! Is there any time frame for Emirates FF scheme? I expect you mean above in the same year? For example, if I fly to BKK with Emirates twice in the first year, then three times in the second year am I entitled to a freebie in the third year? All flights from LHR/LGW via Dubai then onto BKK. Is it really as simple as this?? Advice appreciated. Regards,

Hi, I read things like this and wonder if BA is in a suicide pact as to seems so very set on its own destruction. Many years ago, BA would have been my first choice, but never now. This goes back to about 3 years ago when, you guessed the BA strikes. I had to fly from Northern Ireland(with my Mrs) to catch a BA flight to BKK. Even at check in BA would not confirm the flight would leave or leave on time . This is not a good feeling having just spent over £1200 on flights!! Luckily the flight did leave, but delayed. No reason given. There has been strike action since then that threatened their customers trips. Some only the other week that was fortunately cancelled. Though it was cancelled at the last minute! no doubt causing a lot of concern to their customers with flights booked and paid for!! Basiclly, I want to have bought my tickets from a company that I can trust and expect them to deliver what I paid for. I no longer trust BA to do this. I am not qualified to give a view on the striking staffs reasons but I do feel if they persist with the perpetual strike threat then BA is doomed. Who can depend on them?? To be positive, could this be good for mongers?? I normally take a large suitcase thats 20% full on the way out and I have to sit on it when packed to go home and a girl zips it!! So maybe if you save 30% it could be ok. But is it worth the risk?? Would you trust BA? Up to u hansome man. Regards,

Tom, Cheers, thanks for bothering to post as this is of interest. I wonder, are prices available yet?? Regards,

darkman, Good for you, you caught the thieving bastard. I had a similar experience but they got my mobile. I wished I'de caught them but I never even realised until later. Best regards and take care, Cheers,

darkmancomes & meatball, Sounds ok, but you should be able to get a direct flight for well under £500 with Thai if your flexible with dates?? or have you already tried? especially for Jun/Jul? I don't know when your travelling darkman. Qatar, my guess around £370ish. but, and this is what always fucks me off.... how much doe they want to fly to LHR or LGW?? and if you book them your self for around £70(rtn) your luggage gets checked in London as you collect your luggage there on your return!! Maybe this is ok with you, if so, fair enough. I recommend a "through ticket" with Emirates or Thai if price and dates suit. Getting the luggage home "untouched" off sets the the costs, if you get my drift!! Have a good one, fuck the money!! Best regards, Edited to ask meatball if that includes flights from Belfast? If yes, fair price!!

Very funny, very good, I nearly pissed myself too. Cheers,

Hi, This interests me because I got my teeth lasered a couple of trips ago at the clinic on 2nd Road nearly opposit, just passed Soi 6 past. Cost 13,000Tbt. Nice modern place. As I am am a hansome 36 year old with a mouth full of natural pearly whites I thought I would leave the clinic with a dazzling smile!!! It was not to be Basically, they scrape your teeth to the natural enamel. This is as white as they can make your teeth with laser cleaning. If your teeth do not have enough natural white pigment in the first place then thats it. He only made mine slighty whiter than they were to start with!! In other words, he could only remove he slight staining!! He was fair and then asked me if I wanted to continue. I left after laser cleaning and a good chat with the dentist, knowing that if anyone makes your teeth "whiter" than original then they almost certainly bleached them, this weakens the teeth and will cause probs later in life. Blue light must be similar to laser? Take care & regards,

Hi, In my experience I get say, 20,000Tbt at the airport on arrival as thats enough to get me going for the first few days. During the first few days I keep an eye on the various banks and kiosks but I have yet to notice any real difference!! i.e. one that would make it worthwhile getting a baht bus to the otherside of town to draw the equivalent of say £200!!! Often the airport is best?? Am I wrong??? Regards

Great photos. Thanks for bothering to post. Best regards.

Wow, Alex, thats some list and I gotta say I mostly agree!! I find it difficult to know what "Western" music the girls like, never mind dance too. I took my Nano Ipod speaker thingy with me last trip and of 3Gb (nearly 800 songs) the only songs any knew where The Cranberries song Zombie, though they called it "In your head" and I am embarrassed to say a few Ronan Keating songs that off coarse my wife had downladed onto my Ipod But then off coarse it could just be me!!! I could have raised my score if I'de played The Eagles but thats hardly dance!! Regards,

Dear Mr Toom, I require collection for 3 Adults with suitcases, from the BKK airport to Central Pattaya at the end of March 07. Usually I get my hotel to arrange collection, but the Areca say I must have a minibus as a car can only take 2 passengers. A minibus booked through the Areca costs 2900Tbt (one way). I think a minibus is too big and also very expensive. Please advise as to how much you would charge each way in a suitable vehicle. Best Regards,

I agree. Food poisoing always manfests within 24hrs. Symptoms will often also include intense stomach pain and cramps. If you have been taking anti diarrhea pills your problems are increased. You must take some sort of laxitive to stop the bacteria multplying in your body, if you have not already got diarrhea. Also drink loads of water. I never want to go through the experience again. All you can do is use common sense but there are still no guarantees!!! Regards

Hi, Thanks to those that posted as I found this to be of a lot of interest. I was in the same situation a couple of months ago. I had stayed at Sabai Lodge for my last 7 trips. I don't fault the hotel I just wanted a change. The only thing I don't like about Soi 2 is that once you get known in any of the bars that face on to Soi 2 or 2nd Road I feel you can not move without being spotted. Every time you enter one of the bars you get a blow by blow account of all your movements, with timings and who you where with!!! I know there are ways to avoid the bars but why the fuck should I??? So, Ive now booked for the Areca, hence my interest in this thread. I asked about the Nova on this board a few months back and none of the replies where favorable. Emils reply is, I think, probably the most positive I've read and its hardly flattering. Try doing a search. Best regards & happy a new year to all.