Pattaya Serviced Apartments

[Stewart]

There is lots of good information on hotels in Pattaya, but much less on condos/serviced apartments. What information there is seems to be hidden away in the hotels or travel thread, and difficult to dig out.

I am getting bored staying in hotels, and paying for a bunch of services that I don't need or use.

So, any recommendations on serviced apartments/condos in Pattaya for rental for a couple of weeks?

I have read about Mosaic, but any others?

Any reviews about the location and facilities?

[kahuna]

Exactly what are you looking for Stewart?  A studio with a kitchen or just a room...
And what location would you prefer?  North, south, east, west...You want to be
able to walk to the bars or?  You want a pool and/or gym?

There are rooms all over Pattaya but most charge either by the day or by the month...
For example where I stay in a fairly new complex the monthly rate is 8000 baht...
not including utilities and cleaning...The daily rate is 600 baht including utilities and
cleaning...So a two-week holiday would cost nearly as much as a full month holiday...

But it's in the south area behind TukCom...Not an area where some BMs would want to be...

Mr. PigDogg is the resident expert...I'm sure he will chime in here in a day or so with
some good advice...

[f0xxee]

Hi Stewart,

It would appear to be wise safety precaution to check the height of the balcony rails before booking in....

[Stewart]

I guess my decision criteria would be the following

Location

- I place on the other side of second road opposite soi 6. Then if I want a sleaze week, I stay there.
- If I want a sophisticated week , then a place within walking distance (or Baht bus route) to Walking Street.
- And if I want sleaze and sophistication, then something around Soi 12-13/Soi Diana area.
- In terms of distance inland, Beach Rd would be perfect, second road still OK, 3rd road probably too far from the action.

Walking to the bars ie 5-10 mins without being a sweaty mess is a bonus. Baht bus route also fine.

Mosaik, which I think is near Tukcom, looks fine because you can take the bus to WS....maybe a bit far to walk back though? Not sure

Room Type

- Prefer new place, rather than a place from the Vietnam Wat era!
- Decent sized studio with work area - I will still be working online - or maybe 1 bedroom unit. I guess most places will have several room types.
- Fridge of course
- Microwave a bonus.....I won't be doing much cooking

Features

- Pool/gym a bonus, but not too fussed. Close to some shops if there is no restaurant on site (I guess most want have a restaurant)
- Reliable internet access a must, at least for me
- 3 star, maybe 4 star, not 5 star (for me)

Price?

Significantly less than 3 star hotels, otherwise I might as well stick to the hotels.

Already PM'd Pigdog and he sent some advice. Thought I would open it up for others interested in the same subject

[Chinaman]

(Stewart @ Jun. 22 2010,10:30) Mosaik, which I think is near Tukcom, looks fine because you can take the bus to WS....maybe a bit far to walk back though? Not sure

This depends. I usually walk and shortcutting through Sunee gets you right to WS. However, you might prefer taking a Baht-bus.

BUT, the Mosaik is rather pricey if compared to other options. IMHO, nothing below the Studio Prestige or the 1 Bedroom Deluxe is worth the trouble. I also prefer to be in the main building as they have apartments in other buildings with no elevators and steep stairs. No fun if you are on the 4th floor.
I also always request street view as I do not like the backview at all.

At the Mosaik one has to be very careful what room one gets!

I myself would be looking at other options for next time as the M might be full or the price for 1 month is really not that great.

[manarak]

Stewart, we have almost the same requirements!

I still haven't decided where I would stay, but I'm inclined to stay at Mosaik (beginning of August).

Location is important to me.

I know only 2 reliable baht bus "lines":
The circle beach road / second road and the Pattaya Tai - Jomtien line.
So I like being near the point where both intersect.

Chinaman talks about "other alternatives" that are cheaper than Mosaik, but I don't know any of the "alternatives".

[tapioca]

Hello Stewart,

I had stayed in Pattaya many times, and found an excellent place that would fit your needs. The location is on the beach road at the corner of soi 1, right on the baht bus route, and across the street from the beach. I will give you the contact: K Silvia 087-138-4556. Give her a call and I think you will be pleased.

Tapioca

[Rick Shaw]

I've just stayed at the Mosaik for 10 days; absolutely brilliant except that the bed was incredibly hard, even by Thai hotel standards. It was so hard that even though I was delighted with the place, I am extremely unlikely to stay there again. After all, the point of a room is to be able to sleep at some stage to recharge the batteries -and no one can deny that I need my beauty sleep!

[Chinaman]

(manarak @ Jun. 22 2010,23:45) Chinaman talks about "other alternatives" that are cheaper than Mosaik, but I don't know any of the "alternatives".

Most alternatives only become cheaper if u consider staying for a month.
A decent room at the Mosaik comes up to well over 20K THB per month + utilities, cleaning, internet, etc. at the Mosaik.
Kahuna mentioned in another post that he is paying 8K + utilities.
The Tycoon is 9.5K incl daily cleaning.
There are many options in Soi Buakow and all over Pattaya, but I also have to admit that I have not found the ideal place yet.

[stonefre]

I stayed at the Mosiak last month. It came to almost exactly 20k with internet and the room cleanings, electricity, etc. for the month. Walking back from walking street was not bad. Just a jaunt down Soi 16. But I always took a motorbike if I had company. It was an interesting walk past all the Arab bars and Sunee Plaza.

[thaibound]

(tapioca @ Jun. 23 2010,04:40) Hello Stewart,

I had stayed in Pattaya many times, and found an excellent place that would fit your needs.  The location is on the beach road at the corner of soi 1, right on the baht bus route, and across the street from the beach.  I will give you the contact: K Silvia 087-138-4556.  Give her a call and I think you will be pleased.

Tapioca

i've had a similar dilemma to stewart's, searching in pattaya.
on my last visit i did walk-in visits to a half dozen places, including mosaic, and found 'serviced apartments' ranging from 15k/month (tycoon) to 55k/month (LK Royal Suites). the cheap ones felt too cheap (no view, tiny shower only, no internet, inconvenient location, nickel-and-diming housekeeping and limiting # of towels) and the expensive ones felt over-priced. i ended up returning to the lk metropole getting a deal for the month on a studio (one room w/kitchenette and decent bath and two balconies), all-included at 33k/month. for an apt that's fairly high, but for a 3(some would say a ragged 4)-star hotel i was very pleased. and soi diana is a favorite and convenient locale.
but i don't want to go back to that same situation.
so...tapioca, you got a name for the apt. you recommend so i can do some advance legwork online before i leave the states? i'll probably, again, book a hotel for a few nights while i run all over town trying to see what's the best value available.
at least it's good exercise.

btw, on my latest online search, along with a half-dozen view talays (see a separate thread for diversity of opinions on those properties), i saw a few places (butterfly garden for example) in an area called pratamnak hill -- on the map it looks very well-located, but since i'd never been there and no one has ever recommended i do go there, i'm wondering if there's a catch.
tia.

[daveduke007]

while i run all over town trying to see what's the best value available.
at least it's good exercise.[/quote]


Dont you mean "kerb crawling" ?    

[kahuna]

(thaibound @ Jun. 24 2010,06:10) i saw a few places (butterfly garden for example) in an area called pratamnak hill -- on the map it looks very well-located, but since i'd never been there and no one has ever recommended i do go there, i'm wondering if there's a catch.

Pratamnak Road actually begins where 2nd Road and Pattaya Tai meet and continues south winding its way around Buddha Hill...Not where you want to be unless you rent a motorbike or intend on spending lots of baht on transportation...

[Chinaman]

(stonefre @ Jun. 24 2010,04:28) I stayed at the Mosiak last month. It came to almost exactly 20k with internet and the room cleanings, electricity, etc. for the month. Walking back from walking street was not bad. Just a jaunt down Soi 16. But I always took a motorbike if I had company. It was an interesting walk past all the Arab bars and Sunee Plaza.

What type of apartment was that and were you in the main building, if u don't mind asking me?
Sounds almost on the cheap side 4 the Mosaik ...

[friedfrunk]

Chinaman, I just checked out the Mosaik website. Their Studio Deluxe and Prestige apartments look quite good based on their photos. But 20k seems pricey for what I'm getting. How's the internet access? Is it mainly (sex) tourists staying there?