Pattaya Newbie

Pattaya Accommodation

Being a popular holiday destination there are many accommodation options available for your stay. In recent years accommodation has been difficult to obtain in the high season. For this reason it is best to book before you travel. This season starts towards the end of December and ends in the middle part of February.

It is probably best to book for visits in December through to March. Outside of these months it is possible to arrive in Pattaya and find accommodation. This is a good option as you can see what you are going to get. However, for a first time visitor this may not be a viable option as how do you know where to go? You may well be at the mercy of your taxi driver. A better option is to book somewhere for a few days and have a look around

It is possible to find accommodation in Pattaya starting at about 200 Baht a night. Unless you are on a backpacking budget you should avoid this type of accommodation. Prices from there go up to as much as you want to pay.

The most basic type of accommodation advisable is guesthouse type establishments. These places start at about 500 Baht a night and are very good value.

The next step up is three to four star hotels. These range in price from about 1000 Baht to around 2000 Baht. Again these are very good value especially compared to the prices we pay at home.

The next step up is the four to five star hotels and luxury resort type of accommodation. Like anywhere these can be expensive and they tend to charge world-class prices. There are many options for this type of accommodation in Pattaya.

The management and staff of hotels in Pattaya are fully aware that you will be inviting guests to your room. This accepted as normal and you should feel comfortable doing so.

The area in which you stay in Pattaya should be dictated by what you expect to do. For a first visit it is advisable to stay in central Pattaya. This allows quick and easy access to the best that Pattaya has to offer.

Warning: Some hotels (especially the high end hotels) will charge you if you take a lady (who didn’t book in with you) to your room. This is called a joiner fee and is in the range of 300 to 500 Baht per night. Many places will charge you if you take a second lady to your room also. If this concerns you you should, and can, ask before booking.

Safety

When you are trying to decide where to stay you will also want to think about security. Many hotels and guesthouses have safes in their rooms, but not all. These are not your bomb-proof safes but they are sufficient. For your first visit it is a good idea to get a room with a safe to keep you important documents, expensive items and cash in. These safes are usually electronic user set combination lock type safes.

The level of general security of the hotels is variable too. Many hotels will check and record the ladies details from her ID card. Some will keep her ID card until she leaves. The most secure hotels will call your room before allowing the ladies to leave if you are not with them. If you want a certain level of security make sure you ask before booking.

Incidently guesthouse type accommodation generally provides the lowest level of security. If you want to increase it, and they have a bar that is open 24 hours, you may be able to pre-arrange for them to take the ladies ID cards that go to your room.

Tip: If your hotel requires the ladies you take back to leave their ID card before going to your room it is a good idea to ask them if they have an ID card before paying bar.