Pattaya hotels worth staying at –

LK Royal Suite – This hotel located at Central Pattaya offers 46 deluxe accommodation suites. The excellent services and amenities of the hotel makes your stay comfortable and home like. The hotel has a beautiful lobby, a Jacuzzi, an outdoor pool with a sundeck etc. The rooms of the hotel are luxurious with modern equipment such as a flat screen TV, DVD player, mini bar, Microwave, Wifi and IDD phone. Each suite also has a fully equipped kitchen.

Hotel Baywalk Residency – This Pattaya hotel is situated at beachroad.The hotel offers seclusion from the hustle bustle of the street and yet is easily connected to all the streets of the city. The rooms of the hotel boasts of state of the art amenities along with picturesque views from the balconies. The restaurants of the hotel serve excellent cuisine. The hotel has a gigantic swimming pool and a huge activity area.
Amari Orchid resort and tower – Located at the northern end of Pattaya bay lies this Pattaya hotel. The hotel has a 4 star garden wing and a 5 star ocean tower. The hotel has a total of 525 rooms consisting of deluxe, superior, ocean deluxe and premium executive ocean deluxe rooms. The hotel has two swimming pools and a huge conference room.

Baboona Beachfront Living- This Pattaya hotel is situated at the lively Beach road in North Pattaya. The hotel enjoys a good location with stunning views of the Pattaya bay from its balconies. One can choose from deluxe sea view, sea view and studio rooms to stay in at the hotel. The luxurious rooms have all the modern amenities such as air conditioner, mini bar, satellite TV, DVD player, IDD phone, hairdryer etc.

All Seasons Pattaya Hotel – The All seasons hotel located at Pattaya 2nd road boasts of 259 newly renovated, feng-shui friendly rooms. The facilities available in the hotel include a seasons restaurant, lobby and lounge, internet access, a swimming pool, spa and a huge conference room. The excellent rooms of the hotel have all the luxuries such as an audible smoke alarm, air conditioner, mini bar, telephone, satellite TV etc.
Amari Nova Suites- This Pattaya hotel is located in the Pattaya city centre on the Pattaya 2nd road. The hotel has top level service apartments having all the amenities and luxuries required by tourists. Well designed bedrooms, fully equipped kitchens, classy furniture, rooftop swimming pool, Jacuzzi and fitness center are all a part of this Pattaya hotel. The minus five supperclub is a very attractive and happening restaurant. The hotel also boasts of a high end minus 5 ice bar which serves cool drinks at sub zero temperatures. The hip shaking music at the bar is enough to get you to the dance floor. – T

The streets of Pattaya are loaded with big and small massage parlors and one can find pretty girls and ladies waiting to give you a real good massage. Some parlors can accommodate about twenty customers at one time while the smaller ones can cater to a limited clientele. A good Thai massage in any of the shops at the Walking street will cost around 200 Baht, while oil massage will cost about 300 Baht and foot massage around 200 Baht an hour. Most of these shops are open from 10 a.m. till midnight.

Many hotels and spas also offer massages and treatments for tourists. Here you will come across a much more lavish atmosphere with soft music playing in the background and private cubicles are provided for the massages. These places charge you more than twice for the same treatments you might get outside in the streets for half the price.

Thai massage are of three different types-

1.    Traditional Thailand Massage
Traditional Thai massage is also known as yoga massage as many aspects of yoga are included in the massage. Thai massage focuses on 10 energy points throughout the body, which are known as ‘Sen’. The masseur uses his hands and body to pressurize these 10 points and reorganize the energy lines of the body. Most of the well trained masseurs will say a brief prayer before starting the massage as they need to focus their energies on your body. Hence, the traditional Thailand massage has a spiritual aspect to it. One of the best places to go for a good traditional Thai massage is to the blind men and women masseuses in Naklua.

2.    Oil massage
In oil massage, special therapeutic oils are used to relax the muscle tissues of the body. Various treatments and massages are given using these therapeutic oils. Though this type of massage leaves you a bit oily but it is a great experience.

3.    Foot massage
Foot massage is a treat especially when you have had a rough shopping day. There are various pressure points on the sole of our feet and these are used to produce a calming effect on the whole body. The interior organs of the body are treated with these pressure points and help the body to relax.

Apart from these general massages, Thailand also offers some adult and erotic massages. The adult massage parlors are the places visited by single male tourists in the city. These massages might cost you around 300-600 Baht per hour. Soapy massages are very famous among the male tourists of the city. Here around 35-40 stunning, smiling Thai women sit behind a glass wall, waiting to be chosen by someone. These girls wear a number tag and you can have a look at the girls and pick the one you want. These soapy massages cost around 1500-1600 Baht.

Thai massage is a very important part of Thailand and a trip to Thailand is a waste without having experienced the various massages offered here.

Some of the finest Pattaya hotels and resorts are:

Hotels in North Pattaya

Hotel Bella Villa Metro located in North Pattaya has 53 deluxe seaview rooms, suites and family suites. The rooms have been tastefully designed and furnished. The hotel overlooks the beautiful Pattaya Bay and the white sand Wong-Amart beach is just a step away. The hotel is situated in a calm and peaceful area just a few minutes away from the happening nightlife of the city.

The Green Park Resort is a typical Thai hotel surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The hotel has one of the biggest free form swimming pools in the city measuring around 1,000 square meters. The pool consists of a pool bar which serves some exotic drinks and cocktails. The large windows and soft colors in the rooms give it a tropical look and feel.

The Serene Sands Hotel is a 16 room luxury hotel situated on the hotel’s private beach.  The rooms are luxurious, air-conditioned rooms having a television, a safe, and tea/ coffee making facility. The hotel has a 25 meter swimming pool, two spas, a steam room, treatment rooms and massage rooms. Lazing around on the private beach or opting for a personalized massage are a few leisure activities guests can enjoy.

Hotels in South Pattaya

The Siam Bayshore Hotel is one of the best four star hotels in Pattaya. The hotel is situated amidst 20 acres of lush green tropical gardens. The hotels has 272 exquisitely designed rooms and suites that add to the beauty of the gardens. Excellent services and facilities makes the hotel a first class resort.

The Nova Platinum Hotel is a four star hotel situated in South Pattaya, at a moment’s walk from the shopping area. The hotel has 78 modern, fully equipped rooms with 32 inch flat screen televisions, DVD players and free Wi-fi connections. Zia Restaurant is an all day restaurant serving delicious Asian and Mediterranean dishes. The hotel also has a large swimming pool with a pool bar, a waterslide, a Jacuzzi and a large tropical lawn.

The Island View Hotel situated in South Pattaya, offers a breathtaking view of the Pattaya Bay. The hotel has 206 rooms out of which 140 are in the main building while the rest are in the adjoining wing. The rooms are luxurious, fully carpeted and air-conditioned. A mini bar, color television, mini fridge and hot and cold water bath are the main facilities offered in the rooms.

Hotels in Central Pattaya, Beach Road

The Hard Rock Hotel is a centrally located five star hotel, having 320 well designed luxurious rooms. The staff and services of the hotel are fit for International standards. The hotel has six restaurants and bars that offer Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Californian delicacies. The Hotel is famous for its music and nightlife.

The A-One Royal Cruise Hotel is a uniquely designed four star, sea view hotel in the form of a cruise or a ship. The hotel has 466 fully equipped cabin rooms with private balconies and terraces. There are two beautifully landscaped swimming pools, an in-house pub, karaoke and a restaurant with International and Seafood BBQ dinner.

The Siam Bayview Hotel is an elegant four star Pattaya hotel. The Hotel faces the beautiful Pattaya Bay and is located at the center of Beach Road, amidst the shopping and entertainment zone of the city. It is a nine storey first class resort with tastefully designed rooms. The hotel has a garden patio and a restaurant serving delicious cuisines. The hotel’s swimming pools are uniquely designed with sandstone elephants and waterfalls.

Hotels in the Jomtien Beach Area

The Nusa Playa Hotel and Spa situated on Jomtien beach offers 247 comfortable rooms. The hotel rooms are designed in contemporary Thai type of décor, with bright fabrics and wooden floors. All rooms have sea facing balconies. The Nusa Playa Hotel and Spa is a four star Pattaya hotel.

The Avalon Beach Resort is located on the Dongtam beach. The main Pattaya city is only at a 10 minute drive from here. The rooms are Thai style with grand décor and modern fittings. The resort has a beachside swimming pool and Jacuzzi.

The Jomtien Bayview Hotel is one of Pattaya’s most spectacular hotels, located at the end of walking street and few minutes walk from most of the tourist attractions of the city. The hotel has 55 air-conditioned spacious rooms, having a telephone, hot and cold water bath, Video and radio. The hotel provides a marvelous view of the hillside.

Mostly all big hotels provide luxurious rooms with a breathtaking view, excellent food and a good nightlife.

Mike, a multi- level shopping mall lies on the Beach Road and has another entrance on the Second Road. You can shop for clothes, souvenirs and other accessories on the ground level. It has a departmental store, a food court on level five and a swimming pool for visitors on level ten. Shop till you drop is the perfect statement for Mike as you can shop right from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The Central Festival Centre is situated opposite Soi (Lane) 2 on the Second Road. It has the Big C supermarket which has the latest electronics and reasonably priced designer clothes and the IT Corner which is famous for its cheap deals on mobile phones and accessories.

The Royal Garden Plaza is an upmarket air-conditioned mall on the Beach Road situated close to the Pattaya Marriot hotel. You can also enter this mall from the Second Road, near the Ripley’s Aeroplane.

P.S. Plaza, a double storied mall lies at the intersection of the Second Road and The Central Pattaya Road. The ground level comprises of a supermarket, the first level has billiards, books and massage centers along with a few other shops. There is a bowling centre on the second level.

Com City or Tuk. Com is yet another multi-level mall situated at South Pattaya Road. The basement of this mall has a Tops Supermarket, a food court, shops selling electronic goods and spare parts, stalls selling clothes and other stuff. The ground floor has many regular shops while the first floor consists of shops selling mobile phones. The second, third and fifth floors comprise of shops selling computers and handheld electronic goods. The fourth floor sells Video CDs, MP3s and computer games and software.

Shopping in Pattaya is boundless, you can find shops and stalls everywhere, on the way in and out, at the beaches, on the sidewalks, in the lanes, day in and day out. The shops on the streets offer a huge variety of products such as clothes, shoes, handbags, sunglasses, artificial jewelry, Thai silk, leather goods, watches, handicrafts, antiques, souvenirs, pirated CDs, DVDs, MP3s, games and other pirated duplicate products. The beachfront stalls have fake football t-shirts, rude chest print t-shirts, souvenirs, bikinis, shorts, stun guns and porn DVDs.

The products range from expensive to very cheap ones, haggling is a must at these roadside stalls and shops. Good bargaining can get you still better prices. Shoppers need to beware of fake glitter and a close look is very important while buying jewelry and gemstones. Hand-woven Thai silk is a good bargain deal in these shops. While shopping on the streets of Pattaya, one can also stop over for some delicious Thai curry rice or a plate of Pad Thai.

There are many supermarkets and seven eleven shops (7-11) at the end of every Soi (lane). There are around 93 seven eleven shops (7-11) in Pattaya, a beer or a snack is just a hundred meters away. The main supermarkets are Big C, Foodland, Foodmart, Carrefour, Friendship supermarket, Tops, Villa market, Avenue shopping mall and Tesco-Lotus. The Villa market, The Avenue shopping mall, Foodmart and Foodland are 24 hour supermarkets whereas The Friendship Supermarket is open from 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. next day. The Friendship market located on South Pattaya Road has the biggest collection of bread, wine and cheese.

Pattaya is the best place for a decent business wardrobe, the city has some really good tailors and you can get a tailor-made suit stitched within 24 hours. A Pattaya holiday is incomplete without a visit to the bazaar markets of the city. You can get the best deals by just a bit of bargaining. Some famous bazaar markets in Pattaya are- The Soi Buakow Market, located opposite the Friendship supermarket is open on Tuesdays and Fridays in the daytime. This busy market can get really hot due to its canvas roofing.

The Thepprasit Market on Thepprasit road is a weekend market that opens on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the evenings. This market has nearly 500 shops selling various local or China made replica goods. Watches, accessories, wallets, clothes, shoes, belts, lingerie, pets, mobile phones and other electronics are the main goods found here. It’s very easy to lose oneself in the countless malls, markets and streets of the city. Pattaya shopping has become a major workout regime for vacationers. Pattaya is a shopper’s paradise and it’s really difficult to visit Pattaya and leave the city without a few extra bags.

Pattaya was initially a small fishing village in the 60s. On 26th April1961 around 100 American servicemen fighting in Vietnam came to Pattaya for a holiday, since then Pattaya turned into one of the most popular beach resorts in Asia. The small fishermen’s huts that stood along the beach were in no time replaced by large hotels, resorts and shopping malls. Today there are more than 300 hotels and resorts in the city. Pattaya city has become a major tourist attraction and the residents of the city earn their livelihood because of tourism. Property development is another major business in Pattaya.

The city has been under a special independent system of administration since 1978. Till 2007 the registered population of Pattaya was 104, 3118. Pattaya is a blend of eastern as well as western culture. Most of the inhabitants of Pattaya are of Thai-Chinese origin but a lot of people from the north-east have also settled here due to the flourishing tourism industry of the city. Pattaya has been divided into Naklua Beach, the northern most beach; Pattaya Beach, the main lively beach; the Buddha Hill, to the south of Pattaya beach; Jomtien Beach, lying to the south of the hill and Dongtan Beach. The Big Buddha Hill has a gold painted statue of Big Buddha.

Pattaya city has a tropical dry and wet climate. From November to February, the city experiences a warm and dry climate; from March to May, it has a hot and humid climate whereas June to October is rainy and hot. The elephant is the National Symbol of Thailand for centuries now. Apart from the lovely sandy beaches of Pattaya, there are a number of small islands around Pattaya. These islands are the main scuba diving destinations in Pattaya. Far Islands is one such popular island. Diving in Pattaya is a year round activity as there is good visibility and a rich marine life  can be found all year long due to its favorable temperature of the sea which is around 28˚C.

Pattaya city has a lot more to offer than a raucous nightlife and beautiful sandy beaches. Parasailing, scuba diving, swimming, sailing, jetskiing, fishing, deep sea diving, shopping, yoga, kickboxing, tai chi, meditation, tropical gardens, outdoor games etc are a few of them. There are countless other natural as well as manmade attractions worth paying a visit to. There are many exquisitely designed Chinese and Thai temples here.  Pattaya is extremely famous for its Thai massage and other types of massage therapies. There are hundreds of massage parlors in the city where dozens of pretty Thai girls wait to give you a relaxing massage.

Some places to visit while one is in Pattaya are: The Underwater World, which is an aquarium having a wide collection of marine life including stingrays and sharks. The tunnel which is 105 meters long is divided into four different zones. In each zone there are shows to feed the underwater animals.  Nong Nooch Tropical Garden which is 15 kms to the east of Pattaya is an orchid nursery and has a set of admirably maintained botanical gardens. Trained elephants and chimpanzees are also here to take photographs with. Entertaining cultural shows are carried out in Thai village surroundings.

The Sri Racha Tiger Zoo is home to hundreds of tigers and alligators. A variety of shows are performed here, this is another fun place to come in the afternoon. The Vimantaitalay tourist submarine is a submarine that leaves from Bali Hai Pier next to Walking Street and takes tourists underwater to have a look at the marine life and coral collection of the bay. The Sanctuary of Truth, a colossal teak wood castle with intricate carvings is perhaps the biggest teakwood castle in the world. A lake near the Sanctuary of truth has many beautifully trained dolphins living here. Dolphin shows are put up twice a day.

Mini Siam is the place where miniature replicas of many world famous sights are on display. The Eiffel Tower, London Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, Sydney Opera house, the Trevi fountain, the Golden Stupa and Pimai Khmer Sanctuary Buddha are a few of the sights. Pattaya city also has the famous Ripley’s Believe it or not Museum. The museum features around 250 unusual, unbelievable and odd objects that are a must see for all.

Pattaya has a lot to activities to offer its visitors and tourists. Nightlife, shopping, adventure sports, sightseeing, massages, good food, lovely beaches are all what Pattaya is about.