March - To book or not to book?

[DayShift]

I'm arriving in Pattaya in early March. My problem is I can't be exactly certain when. My questions are:

 

1. How feasible is it just to arrive and find a hotel without booking in March?

2. Do most hotels require you to pay accomodation in advance on arrival? Is that fairly standard in Pattaya? I would hate to find myself stuck in a place I don't like much or with other problems.

3. Do you have to pay a deposit when booking?

3. Has anybody got a quick shortlist of the most popular/best places to stay, say 500 - 1000 baht? Somewhere not too far from the action, but not above a lot of noise and mayhem.

It's pretty time-consuming going through all the reviewed hotels.

 

Any information much appreciated

DayShift

[Daveuk]

Dayshift

 

I never reserve in advance when going in the low season although I suppose March is a bit in between high and low. Probably better to do this if you want a particular hotel, although you will not be stuck for somewhere to stay, you just might have to try several before finding a vacancy. Lots of medium range hotels in the Soi7/8 area.

Check the hotels section on this site - an excellent resource particularly for newbies.

You will normally have to pay some cash up front - I usually give them 3 or 4 days in advance.

I never have had to pay a deposit when booking - but then I always stay at the same place and they know me

 

A good tip if you want a quiet room and yet want to be near the action is to ask for one - they are usually the ones on the upper floors at the back.

 

Hope this helps  Dave

[VoxVader]

Just find a hotel with good reviews and pick it.  Send them an email and ask for 2 nights.  Once there you can extend the stay or look for another place.

 

You'll be able to find a place if you just show up but I never want to lug bags around in the heat if I can avoid it.  Just pick a place.  The bed will be clean and it will have AC.  That way you'll have a place to chill out for a bit, leave your bags and have a shower.  Then you can scout out hotels in the areas you'd like to stay.

 

I can recommend Eastiny Inn on Soi 8 and the Inn House on Soi 13.   Both are fine (though Inn House doesn't have a pool--well it might, but I didn't see one or go looking for one) and close to the action.

 

-Vox

[partyanimal]

Vox Vader says it best.  Book for two nights.  Then on your second day, scout around, look at a bunch of hotels to find one you like best.  Extending your stay at the original hotel should not be a problem.

 

Neither the Sabai Lodge on Soi 2 or the Welkom Inn on Soi 3 require deposits.  If booking at Welkom Inn request the best available room since the room quality goes up tremendously for an extra hundred baht or two.

VIP 1 (with balcony) or VIP 01 (Welkom Suite) are the best two rooms.