The Residence Garden

[jackcorbett 2]

Jack C.,

You have said so far that the,

 

"...the Residence Garden is like an army barracks..."

 

"...RG has one of the worse locations in all Pattaya..."

 

"...the crappiest location I know of in the area..."

 

"..that RG has an atrocious location..."

 

"...has one of the most miserable locations..."

 

"...that it's got an absolutely wretched location..."

 

and you have a assumed that,

 

"...For most people the location really sucks..."

 

So, we have, "worse, crappiest, atrocious, miserable, wretched," and, finally, "sucks"

 

I don't know you and in the past you have always seemed to be a rational, likeable guy, but when I see such a barrage of negative adjectives use to to describe some as simple as a hotel location the alarm bells go off and I have to wonder if you don't have a personal reason for repeatedly slamming The Residence Garden?

 

I'm not crazy about the location myself, but I do think it is the best bang for the buck I've seen in a hotel in Pattaya to date. Put it on the corner of Beach Road and Soi 13 and it would be perfect.

 

 

I have nothing personally against the place, and as a matter of fact I'm rather fond of the room layout, and the fact it has in room internet access even though I've not stayed here before. And I've heard good things about the staff here, its guest policies, and I've even in a recent post said the location might be fine it one wants proximity to Jomtien or wants to be out of the way, although I had also stated one might as well be in Jomtien though. In fact, for some wanting to have two rooms, the place might be superior to a one room hotel room elsewhere.

 

I have extolled the virtues of Plumeria which I personally think is the berries, but I have also tried to be fair here and agreed that it's not the place for someone who does not wish to rent a motorbike, car or pay higher taxi fees than he should. And although I've not stayed there I've even pointed out a new hotel on Naklua Road called Aiyara Place as as a place worth looking into as a Residence Garden alternative. And although I've never even noticed Diamond D before nor heard about it until I had followed Valentinoxxx's link, I immediately recognized the virtues of this location and took the opportunity to go so far as to alter a map I had done for my own web site so that the members of this board could see in a very objective manner how RG stacked up against it. You will have to admit that nothing can be more fair and impartial than a map and I think the relative merits of RG as represented on a map vis a vis many other potential locations that undoubtedly exist there speaks for itself.

 

If it seems as if I've resorted to overkill by using adjectives to describe RG's location such as sucks and miserable do keep in mind several things. First, I've contended that it does for those who want a Central location. In fact, being the very fair and impartial person I'm trying to be here, if I were to point out a spot on my map, say the intersection of 3rd Road and Central Pattaya Road and were to state that this location is far superior for someone seeking a centrally located hotel than RG, I'd be spot on, and anyone here who disagreed with me would be in a state of denial. But lest I be attacked here for this last comment let me define "Centrally located hotel" as being one in a location that offers convenient and quick access to much of what Pattaya offers to someone who wants the widest choice as to shopping, good inexpensive restaurants, bars, and so on. So allow me to continue on with my point lest I be nitpicked here to an early demise. Okay, pick another location on the map, say the intersection of North Pattaya Road and 2nd Road. Is it more centrally located and hence superior to Resident Garden's for the man who values a centrally located hotel? I'll let my map to my talking here. So just continue with the exercise I've started here letting this map be your guide and I think the evidence is irrefutable to everyone except those ostriches who keep their heads in the sand.

 

Now, I've had two good friends who have stayed at RG, both of them more than on one occasion. One of them in particular has rented vans or cars and too often I've been in one of these vented vehicles stalled in traffic going to and from RG for a variety of reasons or even heading up to RG and beyond to Jomtien. And as far as that stretch of 3rd Road Cheshire Tom mentions that starts off just North or RG and extends to South Pattaya Road, yes, I've been stuck in a van or car here more often than a couple of times heading to or from RG so I have a pretty good concept of what it's like to travel along this portion of 3rd Road.

 

So when I'm using the kinds of adjectives I've used I'm really trying to be fair because I could say for instance that a location near Soi 2 and 2nd Road is somewhat inferior to Diamond D's location for instance, but here I'd be mincing my words if I used the same choice of words to describe the location of RG compared to either of these locations. It would be unfair to the other members of this board if I were to use the same milk toast words. I also want to point out that there is a certain knee jerk band wagon effect going on here in this forum. First......do note that at the top of this page there is an advertisement for RG. I don't think there are any advertisements for any other hotels on this page. Also notice how this thread started off with its subject being, Is this road construction around RG going to be a problem? The fact that RG is being advertised combined with the nature of this kind of thread seems to imply that RG is just about the only viable place to stay in Pattaya and that the entire world must wait with bated breath for this road construction to cease.

 

So, considering the band wagon effect I've just described, the complete objectivity of the map I've presented, and the fact that RG is advertised at the top of this page, I think the kinds of adjectives I've used are appropriate and add a little more balance here, especially so since I've not been critical of the staff, the rooms at RG, the service there and so on. If you want milk and toast, you are not going to get it from me. Better leave that for breakfast.

Edited November 24, 2007 by jackcorbett

[Samsonite 181]

Whew! That is a mouth full! You must be a lawyer by trade?

BTW were did you find the map?

I thought those maps disappeared when the baht bus board adopted a "different philosophy" about Pattaya?

Edited November 24, 2007 by Scalawag

[jackcorbett 2]

Whew! That is a mouth full! You must be a lawyer by trade?

BTW were did you find the map?

I thought those maps disappeared when the baht bus board adopted a "different philosophy" about Pattaya?

 

A. From my web site. See link to map at the Madame Nook Central Pattaya Restaurant Reviews Madame Nook

 

B. Map came from Paint Shop Pro with the graphics arts work done by me

 

C. Into Paint Shop Pro from the old Baht Bus map

 

D. Numbers on map referring to the Madame Nook listings

 

Farmer, then writer. (But trust me, the magazines I wrote for had word count limitations). Unluckily for you and the others here, Pattaya Talk doesn't.

[jackcorbett 2]

Hi Jack (no I mean Hello Jack)

 

Would be interested in a 1-bed suite (two different beds or king-size) at around 1K per night for three weeks in May-June 2008 if your mate Mike is interested in searching something out. I'm coming with the wife and we'll be chasing girls so might have 4 people total overnighting at times. This based on your 15K per month quote. No joiner fees obviously!

 

You can PM me his details if you like....

 

Andy Cap

 

Andy......I tried PMing you Mike's details. Didn't seem to work. So here they are. Email is michael@pattayapropertyagents.com And the web site is Mike's web site

 

For some reason I'm not getting any indication of outgoing messages when I pm someone.

 

Big D...Did you get a PM from me? I did receive one from you recently.

[OzzieDaz 0]

Does anyone know if the Diamond is girl friendly?

[sailingbill 1,025]

Simple,from a newb to a newb who are the only one's reading this post.

When you go down to the pool your first morning you will meet fellows like Mi Papa

and Manracer and those who follow.They will take the time to show you the ropes.

When you take your first your first love to dinner,no better place than by that pool.

Ignore the location,pay 100 thb taxi home.I will not be staying at Rg for my next trip

and am seeking advise from those with more expierience on where to stay.But staying

there my first trip is why i'm back for my third./Bill.

[jackcorbett 2]

Man.....That is a really loaded question. And I just asked my girlfriend what location she'd prefer if she were in your shoes after showing her the map. She more or less threw up her hands after I showed her on the map the location for Diamond D. Her first response was South Pattaya (bad because of the traffic). But I was thinking there's a lot of good stuff around that area. So after her negative comment about South Pattaya, she said, "Everyone different, some people like South Pattaya or North Pattaya, etc" as she ran off to work on her computer.

 

I personally love living down by the beach here in Naklua. This area's going to be the Beverly Hills of Pattaya. So why not? That being said, this is not for the average guy coming here for the 2nd or 3rd time. So I need to take myself out of my own envelope (I'd prefer Plumeria if I was staying here to a short time period) and if I were wanting to rent for longer stays I'd go to someone like Mike to find a great place to rent or buy here in "Beverly Hills". But okay, I'm coming for my 2nd or 3rd visit. Well first off I'd be looking at location and when it comes to location it's each to his own. In my opinion the shoe would fit the most people somewhere near 2nd Road between North Pattaya Road and Central Pattaya Road. One could extend the South side of this envelope to South Pattaya Road.

 

Now, knowing what I know I'd be inclined to try that new hotel at Aiyara-Palace Hotel The price of 1400 baht includes breakfast and the little I've seen of the swimming pool on the rooftop is that it's very striking with a great view of the city up there. This hotel is outside the envelope I've recommended. However, one can step just outside this hotel and get right onto a baht bus heading down Naklua Road to Dophin Circle and from there down Beach Road to wherever for only 10 baht. When you come home you can be dropped of literally at your doorstep. Walking Street is not that many minutes away, nor is Soi Six or 7 and 8. And here you are right in the heart of Little Germany where there's a good selection of bars and more modestly priced restaurants than what you are going to find down on 2nd Road for instance. But if you want the most plentiful supply of good sex right on your doorstep, Soi Six might be your best bet (Crown Victoria).

 

But I've never stayed at Aiyara-Palace before. You've posed a question yet did not supply any parameters whatsoever for what you want in a hotel. There are many fine choices here in Pattaya, and in low season you can even stay at the four star Long Beach Hotel next door to me for the same ballpark price you would be staying at many Super Eight Motels in the U.S.

Edited December 1, 2007 by jackcorbett

[CheshireTom 1,377]

This area's going to be the Beverly Hills of Pattaya.

 

More like the Kurfurstendamm of Pattaya.

[jackcorbett 2]

Nothing wrong with that either, Tom.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Nothing wrong with that either, Tom.

 

Absolutely nothing at all.

 

 

 

Assuming you speak German.

[jackcorbett 2]

Most of them in these parts speak English. And the more I'm around them, the more I respect them, although not all by any means. And even my English pals living in my condo will admit that in the bars in this area there simply are not the number of fights you will find in Central Pattaya, particularly around Sois 7 and 8 which have a large percentage of English visitors. These same pals tell me that they don't even feel at home in the pubs back in the U.K. due to the younger guys trying to pick fights at every opportunity. So I really don't mind living in an area that has more than its share of Germans.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Most of them in these parts speak English. And the more I'm around them, the more I respect them, although not all by any means. And even my English pals living in my condo will admit that in the bars in this area there simply are not the number of fights you will find in Central Pattaya, particularly around Sois 7 and 8 which have a large percentage of English visitors. These same pals tell me that they don't even feel at home in the pubs back in the U.K. due to the younger guys trying to pick fights at every opportunity. So I really don't mind living in an area that has more than its share of Germans.

 

Jack,

 

It was no criticism of the Germans in Naklua. I have stayed there many times over the last 20-odd years (my ex was the Guest Relations Manager at the original Wong Amat hotel) and I can speak fairly decent German so it was never an issue for me. It just helps though to be able to tell your jagerschnitzel from your Jagermeister. <_>

[jackcorbett 2]

Point well taken. Ich sprechen ze Deutsch eine bichen.

 

Wish I had formally taken German instead of French in school. But oh well. Have picked up a little here and there. At least enough to get the guys laughing.

[Odense 490]

I have just completed another pleasant stay at the Residence Garden. I probably should not post this as it already can be hard to book a room because of high occupancy - but fair is fair.

 

I have stayed at sevaral hotels in Pattaya in this price range (and cheaper) such as: Sabai Lodge, Sandy Spring, Dynasty Inn, High Five, Thai Archer, Metro Appartments, The Rockhouse, Jasmin Hotel, Jasmine Mansions, Canterbury Tales, Welkom Inn, and a few more.

 

For what it is worth IMHO the Residence Garden is the best value for money closely followed by Metro Apartments. Sabai Lodge and Sandy Springs are nice too. The traffic on Thepraya road was a small annoyance but plenty of baht busses AND I can walk from RG to the center of walking street in 10-15 minutes (which to me signifies that the location is fairly central).

book a room

[jackcorbett 2]

Each to his own, but I will often do long walks with a Norwegian pal and we will walk all the way from Naklua to a position just shy of Residence Garden but sometimes past Residence Garden and back. Needless to say we are hoofing it and we are both very familiar with Residence Garden's location. Here is what Per had to say about the place. He used to say there often but that was a few years ago.

 

"It used to cost 800 baht and that was worth it," Per told me, while we were actually walking together within 600 meters of Residence Garden just last week. "But each year it got higher and higher and it got so noisy and dirty with the dirt coming in from the road. And you can't even cross the street to get a taxi hardly sometimes, the traffic is so bad.'

 

From the web site I find RG's rate is 1400 baht for members of this forum so I suppose that's a good rate as the RG's web site posts significantly higher rates. But if you like the place, fine. But short of going to deluxe hotels such as the Long Beach and even pricier places, RG is on the upper end of the scale. As for the location, we walk the route so we should know. But I will let my map be the guide for anyone who's really interested. I think it's objective enough.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Jack,

 

You crack me up.

 

On one hand you claim the SkyTop is in great location on 2nd Road and then criticise the RG because ........ " it got so noisy and dirty with the dirt coming in from the road. And you can't even cross the street to get a taxi hardly sometimes, the traffic is so bad."

 

Anybody who is familiar with the locations of both places might just notice a bit of a contradiction somewhere.

[BigDUSA 71]

Jack,

 

You crack me up.

 

On one hand you claim the SkyTop is in great location on 2nd Road and then criticise the RG because ........ " it got so noisy and dirty with the dirt coming in from the road. And you can't even cross the street to get a taxi hardly sometimes, the traffic is so bad."

 

Anybody who is familiar with the locations of both places might just notice a bit of a contradiction somewhere.

 

2nd Road can be a hassle crossing but generally speaking it's one way and when the traffic light changes at Tops you can see a nomentary break in traffic. As my Mom told me "look both ways" when crossing the street and in LOS, I look more' then once.

[nidnoyham 30]

These same pals tell me that they don't even feel at home in the pubs back in the U.K. due to the younger guys trying to pick fights at every opportunity.

 

 

Darn, I must be lucky at picking my pubs.

 

I live in a pretty darn rough town in West London, and the last person I can remember trying to pick a fight, was an Eastern European, who spat at the staff. who had refused to serve him any more drink.

 

It could be my massive 5'2" 60 year old frame that deters the locals.

 

Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.

[valentinoxxx 4]

Darn, I must be lucky at picking my pubs.

 

I live in a pretty darn rough town in West London, and the last person I can remember trying to pick a fight, was an Eastern European, who spat at the staff. who had refused to serve him any more drink.

 

It could be my massive 5'2" 60 year old frame that deters the locals.

 

Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see.

 

Is there a town in West London? Acton Town?

[jackcorbett 2]

Jack,

 

You crack me up.

 

On one hand you claim the SkyTop is in great location on 2nd Road and then criticise the RG because ........ " it got so noisy and dirty with the dirt coming in from the road. And you can't even cross the street to get a taxi hardly sometimes, the traffic is so bad."

 

Anybody who is familiar with the locations of both places might just notice a bit of a contradiction somewhere.

 

 

As Big D just pointed out, there is a light down at Central Road at Tops which spells relief. But my map shows the real story at Residence Garden. That's the major choke point I've high lighted. It is here where the street converges with another one, the street that becomes 2nd Road. Here two lines of traffic come together with one or more vehicles from one street having to let other vehicles from the other street go ahead of them. The piling up of vehicles in this area caused by this choke point is relentless and tedious. This is simple bad news. If you are walking to the Convenience store just North of RG you can't just walk there like you can from Skytop to the nearby Seven Eleven which is on the same street as Skytop. You must cross the street to get to it. If you are even on a motorbike and you are wanting to go practically anywhere in Pattaya and you are leaving RG you must once again cross to the other side of the street so you are in the left lane of traffic heading North. This location can often be a real nightmare.

[nidnoyham 30]

Is there a town in West London? Acton Town?

 

 

No, not that one.

 

We are only in London by default really- Feltham, home of the infamous 'Borstal' and general dumping ground for undesirables from the city. Was a small Market Garden town before the 60's- down hill ever since. From cabbages to Cocaine in 40 years.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Jack,

 

And the last time you actually stayed on Thappraya Rd, was? Or had to cross the road in front of the RG to the store or laundry directly opposite? Anyone who has actually stayed there will tell you it is a non-issue unless you happen to be Stevie Wonder.

 

BTW the road adjoining Thappraya is Pratamnak.

[jackcorbett 2]

Jack,

 

And the last time you actually stayed on Thappraya Rd, was? Or had to cross the road in front of the RG to the store or laundry directly opposite? Anyone who has actually stayed there will tell you it is a non-issue unless you happen to be Stevie Wonder.

 

BTW the road adjoining Thappraya is Pratamnak.

 

Tom.....I would not stay at Residence Garden or for that matter anywhere other than where I'm at. I own the condo I'm living in so I cannot offer to anyone here a treatise on what staying at Residence Garden is like.

 

But here's what I do offer. And to quote you again, ""And the last time you actually stayed on Thappraya Rd is?" Well try this out for size. Within ONE HALF HOUR of my last post here, which was this morning I was on my motorbike passing Residence Garden. I was on my way to do my 90 day report to Immigration for my retirement visa. Traffic on Beach Road going to South Pattaya Road was extremely light. And it wasn't all that bad even in the vicinity of RG. However, it did slow up noticeably but due to the overall lightness of the traffic today, at this time, there wasn't really a problem. I had my girlfriend driving the bike so I could really be attentive and study the situation. First......the point at which the two roads coincide to form the choke point I have talked about and indicated on the map is comprised of two two lane roads coming together. The road continues as two lanes for some time. Two lanes for a major road in a city as large as Pattaya is nearly medieval in its antiquity. And this is the main road to Jomtien so the congestion here caused by all that traffic to move down not just two lanes but also by the two roads converging together is stupefying. Third road traffic coming into one's route just South of RG can be another choke point.

 

So there you have it, Tom, I've walked the walk and today we motorbiked the route. Oh, and one more thing, on the way back we drove past Skytop on 2nd Road. I think it's four lanes of traffic going one way past there with a 5th lane as a baht taxi lane where the baht buses often travel against the normal flow of traffic. Comparing five lanes to two is like comparing apples to oranges. Really, only a brontosaurus with its head in the sand in a state of complete denial would further dispute all of this further.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Tom.....I would not stay at Residence Garden or for that matter anywhere other than where I'm at. I own the condo I'm living in so I cannot offer to anyone here a treatise on what staying at Residence Garden is like.

 

But here's what I do offer. And to quote you again, ""And the last time you actually stayed on Thappraya Rd is?" Well try this out for size. Within ONE HALF HOUR of my last post here, which was this morning I was on my motorbike passing Residence Garden. I was on my way to do my 90 day report to Immigration for my retirement visa. Traffic on Beach Road going to South Pattaya Road was extremely light. And it wasn't all that bad even in the vicinity of RG. However, it did slow up noticeably but due to the overall lightness of the traffic today, at this time, there wasn't really a problem. I had my girlfriend driving the bike so I could really be attentive and study the situation. First......the point at which the two roads coincide to form the choke point I have talked about and indicated on the map is comprised of two two lane roads coming together. The road continues as two lanes for some time. Two lanes for a major road in a city as large as Pattaya is nearly medieval in its antiquity. And this is the main road to Jomtien so the congestion here caused by all that traffic to move down not just two lanes but also by the two roads converging together is stupefying. Third road traffic coming into one's route just South of RG can be another choke point.

 

So there you have it, Tom, I've walked the walk and today we motorbiked the route. Oh, and one more thing, on the way back we drove past Skytop on 2nd Road. I think it's four lanes of traffic going one way past there with a 5th lane as a baht taxi lane where the baht buses often travel against the normal flow of traffic. Comparing five lanes to two is like comparing apples to oranges. Really, only a brontosaurus with its head in the sand in a state of complete denial would further dispute all of this further.

 

So, in spite of all your long-winded answer, what you are saying is that you have never stayed at the RG (or anywhere else on Thappraya) and are only surmising what you would imagine what it is like to catch a cab from the place or visit the store/laundry opposite. Nothing wrong with that per se but when someone else who has actually stayed there mentions it as a significant issue then I might pay atention. Until then ......... my own experience of staying on Thappraya is that it is of no practical significance.

[cannonball83204 78]

Jack,

 

And the last time you actually stayed on Thappraya Rd, was? Or had to cross the road in front of the RG to the store or laundry directly opposite? Anyone who has actually stayed there will tell you it is a non-issue unless you happen to be Stevie Wonder.

 

BTW the road adjoining Thappraya is Pratamnak.

 

I stayed at RG for 12 days the end of Oct and beginning of Nov and I don't think there is any problem at all crossing the road to the laundry, the massage place or the little family mart. As far as catching a baht bus, I think the longest wait was maybe two minutes. The merging of traffic where the roads converge wasn't a problem in my book, However that might be due to the fact that I live and work in Kuwait, where the drivers are notoriously reckless. (3rd Highest death rate per capita in the world) Anyway, I didn't feel the hassles were out of line and I will probably stay there on my upcoming trip in Feb.....Reggie