Villa Panalee Hotel

[MC_Ldop 40]

http://www.villapanalee.com/

 

I haven't seen too many posts on this relatively new hotel (opened December 2007), but I was interested in it because I like its location and they have wired Internet. The hotel itself is pretty nice; it's better than most of the guest houses in the Soi Buakhao area, though not as the nice as three of the LK hotels in the vicinity (Royal Suites, Metropole, Renaissance). If anything, it competes in the mid-range market with Pattaya Bay Resort and Golden Sea.

 

The hotel is located on the same soi as Dream Teen Massasge and PP Massage -- Soi 21 between Third Road and Soi Buakhao. It's a short walk from one of my favorite outdoor food markets and it's easy to catch a baht bus or motorbike taxi. It might be a tad out of the way for some people's tastes -- especially newcomers -- but I love the location.

 

Random story: I had to deliver a bag to the LK Metropole and the motorbike taxi driver in front of the karaoke place to the left of the hotel wanted to charge me 40 baht for this quick ride. It should have been 20. I just told him I wasn't going to use him again and made a point to wave every time I was on another motorbike.

 

The rooms are pretty modern, though the beds are of the typically stiff Thai variety and some of the furniture design is inefficient. The black-out curtains are thick and very effective for blocking out sunlight. The aircon is powerful and cools the room down quickly. The hotel purports to have keycard access, but it's not the magnetic cards that are pretty standard in the Western world. It's that stupid system where you put a plastic block in a lot to turn on most of the outlets in the room and to access the elevator in the evening. All in all, it's a pretty good room that's better than most in the area but not as good as some.

 

The in-room Internet was annoyingly slow. Web browsing and email were often a painful experience. I've had better WiFi connections at Pattaya Bay Resort and Bella Villa Prima. Oddly enough, I made a few Skype calls to America and the quality was fine. The connection in the lobby was better, but still not great. The lobby area features an open-air design, but the airflow is sporadic. At times it's fine at others it's hot. Some people might feel a bit uncomfortable checking out monger boards and other naughty sites in an open area.

 

The pool was a pleasant surprise. It's a salt-water pool, which is much better for your skin than chlorine. People with chronic eczema, psoriasis, etc., would definitely enjoy the pool. Most Thai girls would not enjoy the pool, since there are no umbrellas or large plants to provide shade.

 

Overall I was mostly happy with the hotel, but the sluggish in-room Internet is a deal breaker since I have to work an hour or so a day. For those that aren't concerned about Internet access and want something better than a guest house, I'd recommend this hotel. It's just a tad below Pattaya Bay Resort in terms of the quality you get for the price, but the advantage is that you can easily walk to many places and don't have to rely on the hotel tuk tuk.

 

As for the rates, don't follow the ones you see on the official site. I emailed them for much better rates and found even cheaper ones on Agoda. However, at a recent glance, the Agoda rates have gone up a tad. I had a few friends meet up with me at the hotel and the front desk charged them more for a small room than I was paying for a big room. That situation was kind of crap, but not surprising for this town.

 

Anyway, here's a brief pros/cons lists for those with a short attention span.

 

 

Pros

Location

Better and bigger rooms than a guest house

Swimming pool

Everything is relatively new and in good shape

Friendly service staff

 

 

Cons

In-room Internet is really slow

Bed is on the hard side

No shade for TGs at the swimming pool

Typically inefficient Thai furniture

Lobby and lift are hot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2008 by MC_Ldop

[aussiechic 209]

Thank you for a very detail review.

[stevoman 2]

Sent E-mail to them regarding a 1 month stay in Oct/Nov and reply was NO MONTHLY rates given,and were in the process of increasing their rates also. Already charging plenty in that location IMHO!

[JONPAT 222]

I see a microwave on the fridge, so you must of had their version of a Junior Suite. It would help me make a decision if I knew what you paid so as to know if I am being over charged. Thanks

[marcortez 0]

Very nice upfront review......

I wish hotel reviewers were as complete and detailed (including the bad parts) as yours.

[MC_Ldop 40]

I see a microwave on the fridge, so you must of had their version of a Junior Suite. It would help me make a decision if I knew what you paid so as to know if I am being over charged. Thanks

 

When I booked, it was a little over $35USD through Agoda. The prices have gone up since then. My friends were charged 1,300 for the small room (walk-in rate), which was more than I was paying for the junior suite.

[kutetee 0]

Very comprehensive review.

 

Thanks

[whilliam_mancon 2]

I have gone past the building site and that was impressive. Now it seems like the apartments/rooms are as good as it looked. Thank you for the report, I will definitely check it out!