I spent 3 days in Pattaya last week catching up with some friends from the UK who were staying in the seaside resort. I stayed at the Sandalay Resort on Beach Road adjacent to Soi 2 in North Pattaya.
The Sandalay Resort has a choice of rooms ranging from standard to deluxe. I opted for a standard plus room with a sea-view. The room was quite small, but pleasant with lots of natural light and was big enough to include a table and two chairs and a desk behind the bed. There was also a wardrobe, a small balcony (with clothes dryer) and a fridge/mini-bar. The bathroom features a shower cubicle with a glass panel which allows you to see into the room if you open the privacy blind. The bed was very comfortable and with a mini-bar, desk and free wi-fi was ideal for me for a short stay. My only slight criticism of my room was the placement of the television on a wall bracket. Although this freed up some space, it made it slightly uncomfortable to watch television whilst lying in bed, but that’s just a minor gripe on my part and I don’t believe it applies to all rooms.
I obtained a discounted rate at the Sandalay Resort by booking online with Agoda and the price didn’t include breakfast. I didn’t eat at the hotel, but they do have the very pleasant looking Redsteps Restaurant which is elevated slightly and provides views over Pattaya Bay.
When I arrived at 3.30pm I was told that my room wasn’t ready. I was surprised (and a little annoyed by this) and asked why not. The reception staff were courteous and said maybe there was a late check-out. In the end, it seemed like it may have been a genuine misunderstanding between housekeeping and the front of house desk. Either way, I checked in and was shown to my room without having to wait. During the rest of my stay, the staff were always courteous and one of the older security guards in particular was very funny and charming to talk to.
The Sandalay Resort has a swimming pool with jacuzzi, a tour desk and various other facilities you would expect from a mid-range hotel. I found the wi-fi connection to be quite slow, although that could have been down to my small netbook which has been playing up a bit recently. There is some construction work going on at the moment although I knew that when I booked my room. I stayed on the 6th floor and it didn’t affect me at all and seems mainly confined to restructuring the main reception area. It is often the case that when a hotel in Thailand needs work doing, it will be done during the low season so that is something to bear in mind when booking any hotel in Thailand during the low season. The flip-side is that low season often means lower rates.
View from the balcony
The hotel has an excellent location in the quieter part of North Pattaya. The Sandalay Resort is located on Beach Road adjacent to soi 2 and is just a stone’s throw from the beach. It’s a five minute walk to the Big C shopping mall and with no noisy bars in the immediate vicinity is a quiet spot. It’s also a short stroll to the excellent Gulliver’s pub and restaurant which serves very good Thai and Western food.
A pleasant hotel with a great location. I paid 1,200 Baht per night for my standard plus room booked with Agoda which was good value for a hotel of this standard. If you want luxury, the Sandalay Resort isn’t for you, but if you want a solid mid-range hotel this is one to consider.
Marks (out of 10) = 7
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