marcortez

http://hillsideresortpattaya.com/index.html Booked here for 27 September to 4 October. First hand information please??

We have all seen it before......Deluxe room xxx baht......Superior room xxx baht. Standard and so on. One hotel offers superior and its a cut above deluxe....the other joint down the road offers deluxe, a cut above superior. Confusing at best...... Then some say high season starts Oct 1 and others say Oct. 31st. Damn!!!!! Wonder if the hotel industry could not adopt some standards that are less confusing to the average FALANG customer? Standard, deluxe and superior....in that order maybe?......for ALL the hotels. Superior is just that......superior to the others.....yes?? Set a firm LOW season and a firm HIGH season......not all over the calender!!!!

Slighty off topic but I bought some "Marlboro lights" in Lao just across the river in the Golden Triangle area.....cheap yes, but UN smokeable!!! Just nasty they were. I tossed them out.......yuck!!! The whole damn carton!! Looked like the real thing.....Marlboro that is, but were NOT the same you buy from a store in LOS. Cheap is not always the best way to go!!!! Like they say.."you get what you pay for"

Mr Lemons.... Please PM with FULL details about this visa run and staying at your place. Will need to do this very thing mid February.

I don't know about the passenger situation, but Thai airlines from LAX to BKK is FAR more expensive than say China Airlines or EVA airlines.. Like about $300 bucks USD!!!! Example:......Thai airlines to BKK $1100 bucks.......China $735 bucks!!! EVA $850 bucks!!!

Yes

What would the price of a narrow, plain, wedding band style gold ring in a ladies size sell for?... Ballpark figure works for me thanks

Wish I could help you out!! Might want to try this link for info. http://www.pattayasports.org/

If you want a nice clean place with all you stated and only one block off the beach, try Chaweng PR guest house. No web presence.......just use the tourdada link below with an email. She will pick you up at the airport, get you a rental motorbike, internet service, laundry service....... It is right on the main steet running north and south, towards the south end. I paid in advance for 10 days and the rate was 500 baht a night. Clean, AC, mini bar color TV, good bed and overlooks the main drag below.....and not at all noisy except for the sound trucks blasting "tonight tonight, Thai boxing Thai boxing, get there early, get there early, you will not be disappointed" Now is coming on the high season so it might be more now. This was back in October. The disco, Green Mango, is the place to be seen and see, potential company for the evening if your so inclined. U Tap airport is a piece of cake.......Bangkok air direct to Samui. Get ahold of lostinspace on this board, he operates a shuttle service to any where you want to go.....including U Tap airport...... His wife is the lovely Jan.....a super nice lady......fun and drives a mean truck!!! http://www.tourdada.com/

I do not know how to post in the hotel reviews so I am posting here in lieu of there. I stayed at the Chaweng PR guest house on the road nearest the beach. For a 10 day stay with prepayment, they charged only 500 baht a day. This place seems pretty new and rooms reflect that with clean paint and tile floors throughout. Bed nice, TV and mini bar with free drinking water. Room made up daily with fresh sheets and towels. It over looks the street with the outside rooms directly to a busy 7-11, a couple of massage/therapy places and a beauty salon. Some beer bars just south on the same side of the street. This place is towards the south end of the beach road, on the east side of the street. Sorry I do not know the address. Look for a yellow "Amari" sign.....a clothing store. Staff friendly but very very little English. They also operate a small internet cafe that interjoins the guest house. They allowed me to park the rented motorbike up off the street and in front of the internet cafe. This travel agency can hook you up with PR guest house. http://www.tourdada.com/ They are located just two blocks away to the north on the east side of the street. Motorbike rental (automatic trans Yamaha) was only 200 baht a day. Joiners no problem and only once did they want to see an ID.....after they see my smiling face daily, they did not even bother to ask. Even thought my room was directly above the street on the 2nd floor, there was very little street noise. Only the sound trucks blasting "Thai boxing tonight tonight, get your seats early, get your seats early. Championship boxing, you will not be disappointed" 7-11 was convienient for morning coffee and or snacks and people watching on the bench seat outside while my "guest" slept. Some ponytailed, falang pricks on motorbikes twice stop and ask me if I want to get tickets to some time share scam. I tell the prick "yeah right" and this one guy says to me "oh, you must be an American"....and off he goes. Also stayed a few nights at Chaweng Beach Central Bay resort. On the beach but a very run down place. Grounds are a mess and the rooms old and worn. Had to drag my wheeled luggage through the sand covered walkways. Over priced at 1200 baht a night I believe. Staff friendly enough and American plan breakfast was edible....although they charge for coffee refills at 20 baht a cup. Nescafe instant junk. Beach massage joint right in front on the beach.....one girl left bruises on me for being way to strong with her hands. Nice beach, nice sand.....crawling with people in the afternoon. I wanted to move to another place but they would not refund me for any nights that I paid for in advance. Now I am leary of paying for nights in advance.....if you don't like the place and they won't refund you....your SOL. The desk girl told me.."once the boss has the money, you will not get it back" Several sois up to the middle/north end have beer bars with cute girls. But certainly a LONG way from the likes of Pattaya. Went to a ladyboy show one night......great!!! A must see just for fun and laughs. Koh Samui is easy to get to from U-Tap airport to the south of Pattaya.....use Bangkok airlines. Just over an hour flight. Samui airport is great!!....palm thatched roofed arrival/departure areas. Very casual !!! What a beautiful tropical island this place is!!!!! Waterfalls, rivers, streams, rocky and sandy beaches. Took a "Big Game" fishing trip one day on a ancient Thai boat.....chugging and smoking diesel engine that needed manual priming each time it started....what a hoot!!! Highly recommended if you need a break from the hectic pace of Pattaya.

Dew Drop now tells me they have NO secure site for providing CC info. They agree with me that sending CC info on a NON secure email is not a viable option and will hold the room for me on my dates with only the request to notify them if dates/plans change. Nice of them I think!!!

Drop Inn wants me to send them my credit card info so in case I am a no show, they can charge me for one night.. OK fine.....but their website has no place to SECURELY send them my CC info. Just booking dates requested. I am now waiting for instructions from them about SECURELY offering my CC info. If no secure site for CC info......I will find another hotel that has. Where am I going wrong here??

Paul and Jan....... I am the head banger who was a no show back in October. Due to a major brain fart on my part only, I missed my plane from LAX. By the time I realized my mistake, it was too late. I had my daughter send you an email but it did not get to you in time to cancel Jan from having to drive to BKK. A million apologies Paul and Jan........ You have every right to call me a head banger......I lost it that day for sure. I did use Jan to take me to and from U Tap airport and wanted her to return me to BKK but she was busy at that time. Again.....I am very very sorry I caused you and Jan any inconvienence. Dale

Looking for information and recommendations about hotels near Soi Cowboy in Bangkok. Thanks

Thank you.......... I tried out this laptop on a DSL modem and it does automatically find the host and cha-ching..........I am on the internet!!! Just plug in the network cable from the modem or router and I was good to go.

I bought a laptop in the USA and it is not yet configured for any network connections. Brand new. It does have the 10/100 network card plus a dial up modem. If and when I get to a hotel in Pattaya (or any other place for that matter) that has broadband access, what settings do I enter to access the internet? I have a length of network cable to go from the outlet to the laptop. Does this all depend on the hotels provider and I will need to consult with them? Thank you very much

catsmad@yahoo.com.uk was returned to me.......cannot find address????????? Paul...please check your PM box

Thank you for sharing Jack!!! Very entertaining!! What a nice life!!! A nice apartment, a cute girlfriend.....what more can a guy ask for!!!!!!!

Ok ThaiStyle......thanks... I did not book with RES 24......just direct with the hotel.

Can you please provide that link to Res 24 about taxi service to Pattaya. I cannot seem to find it on the Res 24 site. Thank you

I will arrive BKK airport at 11 AM on the 10th on EVA airlines and then direct to Pattaya......I hope!!!

http://www.tourdada.com/

Although I do not have first hand information, this link is to a travel agency based in Koh Samui. Perhaps you may find it useful....

http://cgi.ebay.com/THAILAND-THAI-1-2-CALL...1QQcmdZViewItem If this link does not work, just go to Ebay and search "thailand sim card" You can get one off Ebay before you go. Looks like it comes with 50 baht of time alreadly loaded. Then when you arrive, you can purchase "reload" cards to add talk minutes from any 7-11 store in Pattaya or Bangkok. This particular card is shipped right from your country!!! How convienient for you!!!! You would have it within a few days. The package will have your pre-assigned phone number for Thailand and once you step off the plane, plug in this card and follow the dialing instructions on the directions. Nice to have a number BEFORE you get to Thailand so you can give it to family and friends.....saves a call back to your country to inform them. It can set up for English also!! I ordered the card that was shipped from Thailand......Pattaya by the way, and it arrived in the USA within 10 days. So when I get off the plane in BKK.....I am all set with a pre assigned phone number and 30 minutes of talk time already loaded. Here is a paste of activation instructions for you: Services. The 1 2 Call Thailand SIM Card Offers: Free roaming unlike US GSM carriers. Calls from anywhere in the world for free. The Thailand 1 2 Call AIS Prepaid SIM Card, used together with your unlocked GSM cell phone, allows you not only to have a local number in Thailand but also to take advantage of the low local rates throughout the country and without a contract. The rates are extremely advantageous and even include unlimited FREE incoming calls from anywhere in the world. The SIM card or chip is the "brain" of the phone and is what allows you to make calls within Thailand and to international destinations. The card is prepaid so that you will never receive a phone bill and will always be in complete control of your call costs. If needed, you can simply add more talk time to the card by purchasing a 1 2 call refill card available in 300, 500, 1000, and 1500 baht amounts. These refill cards are sold everywhere in Thailand. Just scratch off the recharge card code on the back and call 90012. A Thai recorded voice will come on and asked you to enter the recharge code into the handset. And since incoming calls are always free, even if you have depleted your credit you can still receive incoming calls from anywhere in the world. This is the number one service in Thailand and used by most Thais and foreigners who visit the Kingdom. Recharge cards are only $7.50 or about 300 baht and will give you about 75 minutes of out going calling time. The sim package will come to you unactivated, with easy to follow activation instructions, just place card in the phone dial *120 press send and select option number two. Your phone is now ready to go and all your reload and balance information will be in English. Once activated your sim is good for 30 days and can be extended forever by adding prepaid refill cards. Activating Your SIM Card is very easy. Once in Thailand, confirm your phone is set to the 900MHz and the battery is charged. Place the 1 2 Call AIS SIM Card in your phone and dial *120 and press send or call. You will here a voice first in Thai and then in English. You want to select option number two #2 which will then set your phone to English commands and messages. Your cell phone is now ready to be used. You can make and receive calls to and from anywhere in the world. In order to activate the SIM Card, make phone calls to Thailand or anywhere in the world, or to receive phone calls the SIM Card must be in a phone and within Thailand. Remember, all your incoming calls are 100% free to you. Think of the advantages of having your Thailand phone number before you start your trip to Thailand? See my eBay Store for buy it now prices on these cards. Also check out my other items on auction from Thailand. Other sellers on the Internet charge $65.00 or more for these SIM cards but, because I travel to Thailand several times each year I can buy these SIM Cards directly from the Thai supplier and cut out all the middle men. The result is a savings of over 50% to you the buyer. This is a no reserve purchase good luck buyers.

Ride share to Pattaya.