The Sky Top Hotel

[spike 236]

On took me to see the rooms. The smaller room goes for 550 baht per night.

 

 

JMHO....take away the TV and attached restroom ....which, btw, spells stubbed toe or broken ankle/foot to me....and it looks like yer average soi 6 short time room.

 

it might be different for a visiting ex-pat...but, to a two week millionaire...it's a depressing looking room.

[VicVegas 70]

And maybe we should point out that you live in a tiny room and don't even have a kettle to make a coffee.

 

Since I don't drink coffee, why would I have a kettle to make coffee?

 

Did you notice the toaster in the 700 baht room? I figured you'd be thrilled by that, since you consider toaster ownership such an important indicator of success.

 

Why didn't you show how the toilet walls don't reach the ceiling?

 

It honestly never dawned on me to look at whether the toilet walls reached the ceiling. Guess that's because it wouldn't bother me one single bit if they didn't reach the ceiling.

 

Why didn't you mention the deafening bar complex next door?

 

I don't think the rooms at the new location have windows that face the beer bar complex next door, so I'm sure it's not as bad as when I stayed at the old location, which did have rooms with windows on that side of the building. Regardless, the beer bar noise is finished by 1 or 2 AM. How many people visiting Pattaya are in their rooms before 1 AM? If you like to turn in early I'm sure you could ask for a room away from the noise.

 

 

That they have sold half the reception area to an Indian tailor? That must be annoying, to say the least!

 

That it's on a busy main road?

 

So while you're in Pattaya you want to avoid any Indian tailors? Good luck with that.

 

One of Sky Top's big selling points for mongers is the proximity to Soi 6. Sorry, that means it's gonna be close to either Beach RD or 2nd Rd. Look at the positive - you're right on the baht bus line.

 

That the lighting is crap ?

 

Gonna check the electrical situation when I stay there next time.

 

Why didn't you warn BMs about the night entrance? I think it's from 9 or 10pm.

 

I doubt they lock the front entrance at 9PM since there is a bar directly in front of it and I seriously doubt the bar is closed before Midnight. Again, that's something I'll check when I stay there. Even from your photos I see nothing to alarm me about the night entrance. My only concern is that it's well lit and my key opens the door. I seem to remember using the night entrance when I stayed there a couple of years ago and had no problems. Are you offended by the laundry hung by the door?

 

Again I remind you and others who have dissed the Sky Top that this is a BUDGET hotel. The prices are less expensive, therefore it's not going to have all the amenities of a nicer, more expensive hotel.

 

You are correct to point out that I'm not very demanding of my living space. I live in a one-room apartment that costs 3500 baht per month. The wiring in my apartment is on the face of the wall, not inside. I don't have a kitchen. I don't even own (horror of horrors!!!) a kettle! These are things that don't bother me. If you're kinda like me and you don't sweat stuff like this, then you'll probably be ok with staying at the Sky Top.

 

If you're like Obsession (are there other people like Obsession? ), then please stay in another hotel. Better yet, stay in another city.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Again I remind you and others who have dissed the Sky Top that this is a BUDGET hotel. The prices are less expensive, therefore it's not going to have all the amenities of a nicer, more expensive hotel.

 

That's the whole point, Vic. The prices aren't less expensive, and no matter how many times you claim otherwise, it isn't going to change the reality. As a quick example, The Sabai Inn, with full hotel facilities, can be had for 720 Baht a night. The Seaside Guesthouse is from 550 Baht a night. There must be scores of other examples.

 

 

 

Skytop

 

 

Seaside

 

 

 

 

 

Skytop

 

 

Seaside

 

 

 

 

 

Skytop

 

 

Seaside

 

 

 

Skytop

 

 

Seaside

 

Edited October 22, 2010 by CheshireTom

[monochromeman 41]

What a sad whitewash Vic I am disappointed that you mislead BMs like this. And maybe we should point out that you live in a tiny room and don't even have a kettle to make a coffee. It's relevent to describe that you can live in humble surroundings with no amenities. Most Bms who book Pattaya GHs wold be on holiday and probably not ready to rough it as you live.

 

Why didn't you show how the toilet walls don't reach the ceiling?

 

Why didn't you mention the deafening bar complex next door?

That they have sold half the reception area to an Indian tailor? That must be annoying, to say the least!

 

Why call it a hotel, when the owner advertises it as a HOSTEL.

 

That coaches park outside spewing out exhaust fumes?

 

That it's on a busy main road?

 

That the lighting is crap ?

 

Why didn't you warn BMs about the night entrance? I think it's from 9 or 10pm.

 

Here's the night entrance

 

The light which is shared by the room and toilet. And the walls that don't reach the ceiling

And the wiring that is nailed to the wall, rather than within the wall as in other GHs. Note the cheap plastic connection at the T joint. It's a shambles. The wired were probably brought in from the old building as was the aircon. It's a second hand, second rate refurb about 6 years ago by people who weren't even builders or electricians.

 

 

The Skytop Hostel is substandard for BMs, end of. Don't let owners palm us off with shoddy second rate facilities and make us pay up front and sign contracts as he knew we would leave. I think he has withdrawn the contracts after he was outed on here, but I don't forget who the shysters are and will warn fellow BMs of them.

 

You are doing your fellow BMs a disservice Vic

 

That was closed last time I was there [20 months ago]. I take it it's re-opened?

[BigDUSA 71]

That was closed last time I was there [20 months ago]. I take it it's re-opened?

 

When I was staying at Sky-Top a few months ago there was at most two or three bars open in the complex. Bars close at 2AM.

[Emil 0]

It honestly never dawned on me to look at whether the toilet walls reached the ceiling. Guess that's because it wouldn't bother me one single bit if they didn't reach the ceiling.

 

It wouldn't bother me either if I was staying alone. However if I was having BGs staying L/T then it would bother me. From what I heard is that there was no light in the toilet so one had to turn on the light in the room if someone was using it during the night. Not a problem if the turning on of lights doesn't interrupt your sleep. But what I wouldn't like is that the design allows others in the room to hear and smell the bowel movements of another person in the bathroom. And if the smell is anything like I experienced one time when I followed KJ Vegas into the toilet at a restaurant after he completed his business, it would drive you from the room.

 

Now I didn't really jump into the Skytop treads originally when BigD was hyping the place. It wasn't until he recommended it to others who were looking for a budget place to stay for a month or longer. One can make the arguement that the daily rate is comparable to other budget places in Pattaya but it comes nowhere close with its monthly rates. Jack Corbett stayed there for about 7 month and he stated that he paid about 18K a month. That isn't even in the ballbark when you compare other monthly rates where you only have to stay 1 month.

[VicVegas 70]

Seaside looks really nice. May have to look into that one.

 

When I say it's less expensive I just mean you can get a decent room (IMHO) there for around 500 baht, which is about the least you'll pay for a decent room in Pattaya. Are there better places to stay in that price range? I think so. I personally prefer to stay at Rolling Stone Bar on Soi 7. The rooms are a little newer than Sky Top and it's 500 baht per night, plus I like the location a little better. I also like some places in the LK Metro and Soi Bukao area. I just don't think Sky Top is as bad as most people on this board say. It's not the best place I've stayed, but it's far from the worst.

 

Emil, I agree about the bathroom noise and smell, but if you're staying alone it's not really an issue. The thing about turning on the room light to go to the bathroom would be silly. I'll check that out when I stay there again.

Edited October 24, 2010 by VicVegas

[Obsession 571]

Let's look at it a different way Vic as we have covered all the many negatives in previous threads. So I ask.............

 

Has any other farang owned Hotel/ GH / Hostel had to sell off / rent out most of it's reception area due to losing money? Or have the owners had to go home and work to support the failing business?

 

Other places like Metro Apts, Jasmine Mansion ( when owned by Kevin) were able to stop advertising and even stop taking in passing trade as they could fill the place with forum punters. That's because they gave a good product at a decent rate. Skytop has failed as a business. It's a poor product at a rate that is actually more expensive than other places with better facilities in better locations. And it has to fill it's rooms with entire Indian families , even during high season. I have never seen that in any other Pattaya GH.

 

Vic. Le Ketai was 400 a night on Lengkee. Remote aircon, fan. Has a new owner since last year though. Ask for a room next to me and I will show you pics of my kitchen appliances from home

 

 

 

 

I always said the windows didn't fit right and let mozzies in. Look at the gap between the windows. That will be why it lets so much noise in from the bars. There were only 3 bars open when I stayed there. I say it's noisy as feck. As did Jack, a friend of Petes. It's not just late at night. If you are having a pre night out, nap, the noise starts at 5 or 6pm, always the same song

[VicVegas 70]

Has any other farang owned Hotel/ GH / Hostel had to sell off / rent out most of it's reception area due to losing money? Or have the owners had to go home and work to support the failing business?

 

I don't know if they had to sell off the space to the tailor. I don't even know if they owned that space at one time, and I don't care. All I know is there's a tailor shop next to the hotel entrance. The only reason that would be relevant to anyone is if they wanted to buy some clothes, or they so dispised Indian tailors that they refused to stay in a hotel with a tailor next door.

 

So what if the owner goes back home to work? The only effect that has on me is if I want to talk to him personally about something.

 

What do either of these issues have to do with the quality of the hotel?

 

Skytop has failed as a business.

 

They're still open, so they obviously haven't failed.

[papillon 695]

"Tropical Berts" to name just one in the area, is far superior and at 650 bht, B/F included is in a different class!

700 Baht including breakfast at the moment.

 

I've stayed at Bert's before. No complaints. Was never up early enough to partake of the inclusive breakfast but the Maid brought me one in bed once

[papillon 695]

That was closed last time I was there [20 months ago]. I take it it's re-opened?

 

 

When I was staying at Sky-Top a few months ago there was at most two or three bars open in the complex. Bars close at 2AM.

Three or four bars open the other night. No loud music.

 

I never heard the music from these bars when I stayed there so how Obsession claims they're "fucking loud" only God knows

 

They're not even all that close by. Any GH on LK Metro will have more noise. How many people are bothered by that?

[Obsession 571]

I don't know if they had to sell off the space to the tailor. I don't even know if they owned that space at one time, and I don't care. All I know is there's a tailor shop next to the hotel entrance. The only reason that would be relevant to anyone is if they wanted to buy some clothes, or they so dispised Indian tailors that they refused to stay in a hotel with a tailor next door.

 

So what if the owner goes back home to work? The only effect that has on me is if I want to talk to him personally about something.

 

What do either of these issues have to do with the quality of the hotel?

 

 

 

They're still open, so they obviously haven't failed.

 

Vic. What complels you to talk such rubbish and mislead BMs?

 

I reckon you should refrain from doing GH reviews as you are incompetent. You failed to notice that the toilet walls don't reach the ceiling. Incompetence.

 

You call the Skytop a hotel when even the owner never calls it a hotel.

 

You don't have any knowledge of the business.

 

Your levels of accomodation are Thai levels, and you find substandard accomodation as ok.

 

Let me inform you. The owner advertises as a hoStel. He never claims it as a hotel...........You are misleading BMs.

He rented out the Indian tailor bit because business was so bad and he needed income.

He rented out the front to the bar.

It still wasn't bringing in enough to survive, so he went home to work.

Bottom line is...Why is it failing when it was spammed so much? ...it's because it is crap. The photos prove it, the scam contract, the reports, the lies that were uncovered, renting it off. It's been for sale for years. Maybe 4 years. Nobody will touch it. Leave the owner alone as promoting it o here will only get Skytop bad publicity.

 

Question.

When I stayed there, it didn't have a TV in the outside bench area. He had taken it away rather than pay th 150bht entertainment licence!

Is there any other GH/ hostel in Pattaya that didn't have a TV in the public area, or is it another naffness record for Skytop?

 

Edit - Forgot to answer Papps

I never heard the music from these bars when I stayed there so how Obsession claims they're "fucking loud" only God knows

 

They're not even all that close by. Any GH on LK Metro will have more noise. How many people are bothered by that?

 

Not just me. NoralKid and Jack Corbett , who have also stayed there. And, it's accepted that there are bars , almost next door.

I have stayed in GHs on Buakaow and itis noisy. But I have never complained about the noise there. I found the noise at the Skytop to be at such an uncomfortable level that I think it's worth warning Bms about.

Edited October 30, 2010 by Obsession

[Parkwahn 61]

Tim42 says its a great place ? I have never been in there,

[Obsession 571]

Tim42 says its a great place ? I have never been in there,

 

Good point.

To anyone who hasn't heard of Tim42, he was a decent sounding friendly guy. However he brought a new level of naivety to being a newbie.

[BigDUSA 71]

Good point.

To anyone who hasn't heard of Tim42, he was a decent sounding friendly guy. However he brought a new level of naivety to being a newbie.

 

Tim42 was able to recognize that Sky-Top offered good value for your Baht. :thumb up

[stevoman 2]

Good point.

To anyone who hasn't heard of Tim42, he was a decent sounding friendly guy. However he brought a new level of naivety to being a newbie.

 

Still a nice guy, but still NAIVE if his recent adventures as posted on "Addicts" under the nic of "Frugal Charles" are to be believed!

[Obsession 571]

Tim42 was able to recognize that Sky-Top offered good value for your Baht. :thumb up

 

There was a big difference between his innocence and your lies and spam.

And Vics slabberings aren't malicious. Just ill informed and poorly observed.

 

And we have proven the Sloptop is overpriced when compared to better places, but you seem unable to take it in.

 

Still a nice guy, but still NAIVE if his recent adventures as posted on "Addicts" under the nic of "Frugal Charles" are to be believed!

 

If I remember rightly, people thought he was a wind up at first because nobody could be so naive

[monochromeman 41]

i take it sky top hasn't moved since i stayed there a few yrs back and it was in the row near the old police station next to the bar complex. the bar complex was as loud as feck. and only a few bars were open as the complex was run/ning down. they just happened to be closest ones to the hotel. honest i got no sleep some nights until the bars shut. even the bright neon lights would enter the room. it was like trying to sleep on a beer bartop. In fact one of the thai run bars there would stay open now and again til 7am or later. no music just thai men shouting and motorbikes. as someone said, even 6 0r 7pm it was too loud to sleep. i ctaually had a TG and 2 thai kids in my room. they can sleep through anything and even they kept waking up. "never stay here again" said TG.

 

I'd already decided not to for various reasons: the room i was in obviously was not a hotel room [originally or even then] . it had a big all glass door hinged on one side that pulled open with a big metal handle. just like a thai office room. the bathroom had a gap at the top - i don't care - and a big step to get into - again i don't care. worst thing the bed sank into the middle [i wouldn't stay again just for that]. and there was the hastily erected on the cheap [cheap wood/cheap materials/unvarneshed/unplaned/unfinished]mini kitchen thing with sharp edges. they'd added a microwave and a few plates. can't see the point.

 

they were well run and friendly enough but way overpriced for location and what you get.

[monochromeman 41]

where's the seaside?

[BigDUSA 71]

i take it sky top hasn't moved since i stayed there a few yrs back and it was in the row near the old police station next to the bar complex. the bar complex was as loud as feck. and only a few bars were open as the complex was run/ning down. they just happened to be closest ones to the hotel. honest i got no sleep some nights until the bars shut. even the bright neon lights would enter the room. it was like trying to sleep on a beer bartop. In fact one of the thai run bars there would stay open now and again til 7am or later. no music just thai men shouting and motorbikes. as someone said, even 6 0r 7pm it was too loud to sleep. i ctaually had a TG and 2 thai kids in my room. they can sleep through anything and even they kept waking up. "never stay here again" said TG.

 

I'd already decided not to for various reasons: the room i was in obviously was not a hotel room [originally or even then] . it had a big all glass door hinged on one side that pulled open with a big metal handle. just like a thai office room. the bathroom had a gap at the top - i don't care - and a big step to get into - again i don't care. worst thing the bed sank into the middle [i wouldn't stay again just for that]. and there was the hastily erected on the cheap [cheap wood/cheap materials/unvarneshed/unplaned/unfinished]mini kitchen thing with sharp edges. they'd added a microwave and a few plates. can't see the point.

 

they were well run and friendly enough but way overpriced for location and what you get.

 

 

Sky-Top has relocated into the old police station. The bars in the complex have stared to close at 2AM. Since you stayed there the owner has replaced all the old mattresses.

[The Jock Bomb 0]

700B for one night? I know the Rockhouse isn't well accepted on here but you can get a room there, far bigger during off peak for 650 or there abouts.

 

Each to their own I suppose. I have seen worse accommodation but seen far better for that price.

[Parkwahn 61]

700B for one night? I know the Rockhouse isn't well accepted on here but you can get a room there, far bigger during off peak for 650 or there abouts.

 

Each to their own I suppose. I have seen worse accommodation but seen far better for that price.

 

 

Rockhouse is a decent place to stay, the big rooms are massive and the wi-fi has been good.

[Obsession 571]

The bars in the complex have stared to close at 2AM. Since you stayed there the owner has replaced all the old mattresses.

 

They stay open as long as they have customers, do they not? I even drank in them with an Australian I met until the morning.

[lee20 0]

Hmmm...I wanna try this one in the first place and see it for my self.

 

Thanks for the information. .

[VicVegas 70]

Vic. What complels you to talk such rubbish and mislead BMs?

 

I reckon you should refrain from doing GH reviews as you are incompetent. You failed to notice that the toilet walls don't reach the ceiling. Incompetence.

 

You call the Skytop a hotel when even the owner never calls it a hotel.

 

You don't have any knowledge of the business.

 

 

 

 

I hope any newbies to this board have caught on to your bias against the Sky Top and are taking your tirade against the place with a grain of salt.

 

You can't just give a contrary opinion. You have to call me names and say I am misleading BMs, like I have some sort of agenda. All because I disagree with you.

 

Your post is laced with judgements. You call Pete a failure because he has rented out part of his space to a tailor, because he went back to Australia to work, because he doesn't have a TV in the entry way. He's not doing things the Obsession way, so he's a loser and a failure. These are the Obsession rules of hotel management.

 

Then you say I have no knowledge of the business? Opps, you've sort of put your foot in your mouth on this one. I worked in the hotel business in the US for over 20 years, and that includes several years in management and 5 years in Las Vegas. I worked at 4-star/5 diamond properties for Marriott, Sheraton, Hilton, Radisson, Omni and Doubletree. If you know anything about the hotel business you might have heard of them. My hotel connections have allowed me to stay in some of the finest hotels in the US.

 

I have also stayed at many, many hotels in Thailand, not just in Pattay but all over the country. Because I'm what you would call a "cheap loser" I have become very knowledgable concerning "budget" accommodations in Thailand. I even stayed in the old Sky Top location for 28 days straight in December of 2005, and have stayed at the new location a couple of times since. I would say all that makes me at least a little bit qualified to write up a review on the place.

 

My advice to other BMs is look for yourself. It's not for everybody, but I don't think it deserves the bad rap it has gotten on this board.

 

BTW, I should be back in Pattaya in the next couple of weeks, and I'll try to spend a night at the Sky Top and update my review.

Edited November 27, 2010 by VicVegas