2012 LK area GH Review

[NorCalKid]

Well I guess you could say I got to check out a lot of places this trip. Dec 2011-Jan 2012. I had a reservation at the Le Katai for the whole trip but moved out due to the 2nd room being dirty, smelly and no internet. So I took this opportunity to check out some of the places I had wanted to try in the LK area. I would have moved out of the Le Katai sooner but I couldn’t find anything but 1 really expensive room and 1 room W/O a in suite bath available in the area. And even after the 5th I was changing rooms and just getting a day here and there between reservations. My advice to anyone staying in Pattaya over the New Year’s period is to make a reservation. It really wasn’t easy to find rooms. And even after the 5th or so I was never able to stay in the same room more than 3 nights. I think I ended up staying in 5 GHes and 9 rooms in a little over 3 weeks in Pattaya. I am just going to write my impressions of the rooms, such as clean, noisy etc. I may seem picky here. But actually some of what I’m writing didn’t bother me. But if I were looking for a room I would want to know. So I’m trying to write everything and hopefully you can use this to make your own decision. I don’t drink and a loud room bothers me so perhaps I am using that a little more than you would in making my decisions and assumptions. I have stayed at SkyTop, Tropical Berts, Killkenny, Billabong, Lekatai, Armageddon, China Garden, Murphys Law, The Rock Place, and Nirun condos. So when I say the average LK, or GH this is what my thoughts are based on. All of the places I stayed had a in room safe so that isn’t mentioned.

In the end if I were booking another trip tomorrow I would book a budget room at the Rock Place,if not available I would pay a little more and book and the 3rd floor of China Garden.

 

 

Le Katai Room 8 No 24hr reception

This is one of the small 550b rooms. The room was clean and it was OK. The internet didn’t work and the bed was SUPER squeaky. But over all I was happy in this room and was able to get an unsecured internet signal. But I like a balcony room and had a reservation for one after 5 days in room 8. I actually stayed an extra day in this room as I was told the owner’s friend wanted my balcony room for another day, so much for reservations. This actually turned out to be a good thing as the balcony room sucked. All the rooms I have stayed at, at the Le Katai have been quiet which is why I have stayed here 3 times(5 rooms total).

 

 

 

 

 

La Katai room 1

I moved my stuff into this room, balcony 650b. Internet still didn’t work but I could no longer get a unsecured signal. I immediately noticed that the room stunk and was dirty. I said something to the cleaner and she sprayed some incent stuff in the room. After a night in the room it smelled so bad of cigarettes and was so dirty it was bothering my allergies I said something to the owner and showed him the room. This resulted in the cleaner mopping the bathroom and a little more spray. The room still stunk and was still just as dirty as before. I was getting a head ach when in the room, I moved first thing the next morning after trying to say hi to the cleaner and getting stink eye in return. I will say that the ladies at reception were nice and apologetic when I was checking out. They blamed it on the cleaner being new (3 days). But this much mold and dust doesn’t appear in 3 days. This was the dirtiest LK “area” room I have ever had. I could get past everything but the cigarette smell. It was bad, the whole room smelled like an ash tray. Even after the cleaner sprayed the pillows reeked of smoke as I lay on them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Billabong room B4, 900b Has 24hr reception/ ID check,hold 500b key deposit (I think normal balcony rooms are 700b)

So I moved into room B4 at the Billabong at 900b a night. This is a big corner room on the 3rd floor(American) that was available for 3 days. I was immediately happier. The room was clean and smelled good. It had great views both ways down LK. It’s a corner room and has a balcony on one side and windows down the other. The view (read LK perving ability) from this room was great. The internet worked OK at night but was poor in the daytime. This room is on the corner of LK and gets all the LK noise. You can hear music all nights but it was LOUD on a party night. Over all I would recommend this room if you are OK with the noise in an average LK balcony room. If you need internet for anything more than checking your email it will drive you nuts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Armageddon Hollywood room 1200b No 24hr reception

I had wanted to try this place out for a while. They had one night available in the Hollywood room so I had a look at it and booked it. The room was great. Big comfortable bed, fish tank(would have been cooler had the fish tank light worked), wifi was great, 2 strong ceiling fans, microwave, quiet etc. I liked the room and would call this room the most livable of all the places I stayed. What I mean is best for a longer stay. It was only available one night but my impression was the room is great but a little pricy for me at 1200b. The balcony faced club blue so I was a little worried about the noise. But it wasn’t a problem and wasn’t as loud as an average forward facing LK room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

China Garden 800b Has discrete 24hr reception/ID check, hold

I stayed in 2 rooms at the China Garden. One on the 3rd floor (301) and one on the 1st floor (103). My impressions, this is the nicest GH I have ever stayed in. Internet worked. It’s a GH and still GH quality but its way better than anything else I have stayed in. I guess what I mean here is if you stay at the Marriott you won’t be happy, but it you are OK in a GH then this place is far and away better than any others I have stayed in. I was very happy on the 3rd floor and would stay there again in a heartbeat. I was bothered by the noise from the Karaoke next door when on the 1st floor. On my first night it was about equal to a LK party night and on the other nights about equal to an average night in a balcony room on LK. My overall thought, if you are OK with the noise in an average LK balcony room then you will be happier here. If the noise in a average LK balcony room bothers you book the 3rd floor or else ware. I believe that it is priced fairly I would book 3rd floor here over a balcony room at somewhere like the Billabong at 700b. But if CG were much more than 800b I would probably consider the Pasadena Lodge an option (800b low/900b high season). Haven’t stayed there but have been in several rooms and it’s nice, though small rooms.

I had a problem W/a broken toilet seal in rm 103. I told them about it in the morning. When I got back to the room around 2pm they had already resealed and fixed the problem. Can’t beat that.

I like the discrete ID check/reception here a lot better that that of the Billabong where you do it at the bar and everybody at the bar is staring at you and eye fucking your lady.

 

Pics from both rooms their basically the same.

 

 

 

 

Key card entry after 24hr reception window

 

 

 

 

 

The Rock Place: 600b balcony room (they offered me 500b off season and guys that were pre booked for stays of a week or so seemed to be paying 540-550b high season. Note: I had to do a 1k key deposit.

No 24hr reception

This is a small(6 rooms) Thai run place directly across from the Ned Kelly Bar on soi Lenkee. I just booked here for one night on the back side of the building to “try before I buy”. I ended up staying in 3 rooms, 2 on the front of the building and one on the back. The room on the back was QUIET, the rooms on the front you could hear soi Lenkee but no boom boom music noise(noise levels here are similar to Le Katai). I don’t mind a little street noise it’s the constant base I don’t like. IMO I would give this place the best value/most likely to return award. Rooms were smaller than your average LK balcony room. Newer with triple(I assume grounded but TIT) plugs, clean, quiet, complementary waters/soap each day, wifi worked well, flat screen TV, friendly staff, in loom safe. If like me you are just looking for a cheap, basic clean quiet room with wifi close to LK then I recommend this place and it’s my most likely to return. Down stairs is a travel agency that seems to be constantly online which was one of the reasons I stayed here instead of one of the ones next door, which had identical rooms when I looked at them. Has the same key card entry that China Garden has then you go down a skinny hallway. If you’re a fat ass or into fat chicks you might not like this. You check in at the travel agency but then just use this hallway so you’re not really in contact with the staff other than the cleaner, who was fucking great and got a tip, she even brought me fresh bananas. It’s more like a travel agency with a couple rooms above than a GH/hotel.

About the 1k key deposit: OK I thought this was a lot, more than I have ever paid before. My taxi was picking me up at 2am so I had to check out the day before. I lost my receipt for the first night and the deposit. Well when I went to check out she asked for it, and I couldn’t produce it. Then she said, “OK when you leave my manager will meet you down stairs at 2am”. I was fully expecting to have a problem here, no receipt, Thai run place, 2am, and have a taxi/ flight to catch. I had already written off the 1000 baht. Well at 1:55am the taxi that they booked for me (860b all in pre paid) called and said he was waiting down stairs. I headed down where the manager was waiting, handed him the keys, he handed me the 1k without me saying a word. He then wished me good luck and I was off. For all the fuss they made over the deposit (they really do seem to be worried about losing their keys) they ended up being totally legit when it came to returning it.

To sum it up, At 500/600 a night this place meets all my needs, clean, quiet, with good wifi at a reasonable price. I will be back.

 

Pics from all 3 rooms mixed up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same key card thingy as China Garden

 

Skinny hallway

 

[xymmot]

nice rooms except the first one was a shit hole...think about an apartment if you long stay, I had a sweet one about 600 bahts a night

[sydney95b]

Outstanding reviews! I'll have to stay in a few places you've recommended - like China Garden.

 

Thanks!

 

Cheers...

[Sexyfarangman]

A very good report. I've never heard of the Rock Place, and can't find it on the web. Could it the Rock House on Soi LK Metro?

[NorCalKid]

A very good report. I've never heard of the Rock Place, and can't find it on the web. Could it the Rock House on Soi LK Metro?

 

No it's on Lenkee, email [email protected] 66(0) 38 416153

Edited January 20, 2012 by NorCalKid

[Grunter]

Great report.

 

Answers a lot of questions for my trip in April.

[stickyfingers]

Nice detailed report there and great pics too.

 

Looks like the Rock Pits as the website name suggests, is best value for money there as all new and clean too. Thought you meant the Rock house at first on soi LK Metro.

 

Personally the noise from soi LK or Lengkee would be too much for me with all the traffic and noise from bars around there, as like it really quiet at nt as am a light sleeper.

[don smith]

I am glad you reviewed the china garden so high I will be there today for a 10 day stay the one thing I was wondering is how far is it from the action like Walking Street or Soi 6 or just how far from the baht bus lines?

[philkrenshaw]

I am glad you reviewed the china garden so high I will be there today for a 10 day stay the one thing I was wondering is how far is it from the action like walking street or soi 6 or just how far from the baht bus lines?

Baht busses running both north and south on Buakow, just a very short walk on Lenkee.

Plenty of action and gogos on LK Metro and in the area, but the southbound Baht bus will take you to Walking Street. Coming back from Walking Street on a Baht bus, best way is north on 2nd road, get off at Soi Diana Inn (opposite Mike Mall) and walk up it to Buakow/Lenkee.

[Epimetheus]

A well written, detailed and informative report. I recently stayed 2 nights at China Garden and found they had best showers in Pattaya. Looking forward to the TR NCK.

[benny31]

It is very informative and useful post.

Thanks NorCalKid for taking the time to do the review.

 

About Le Katai :This hotel's a fuckin' shithole.

[Flimflam]

Great review's thanks.

The new owner at Le Katai needs to get his finger out cause the food is nearly as bad as the rooms.

[Brianrich1]

Good work. I like staying in this area.

[sebast37]

Thanks for info and pictures.

[bullseye]

I stayed in room 301 at the china garden and echo the comments made, its excellent. You wont find better for the money.

 

I stayed in room 301 at the china garden and echo the comments made, its excellent. You wont find better for the money.

[Steven B'stard]

what happened to your Murphy's law review ?

[Pattayasanctum]

woow helpfull report ,excelent work ,well the armagedoon room ,is my favourite ,the worst for sure le katai !

maybe i will check THE HOLLYWOOD ROOM soon

 

bye bye

[perfectbeast]

fantastic review i always stay in the LK Metro/ Buakow area

[JR Hartley]

Really great review.I have to agree with the above poster who said Le Katai is a shithole,although I have stayed at China garden and the Rock Place on two seperate occasions and they are both good value places and worth visiting again,but like yourself I'm put off by the noise from soi Lengkee.

I am travelling back to Pattaya in November so might take up the suggestion of the third floor at China Garden as I have only stayed at the first floor,so thanks again for your review.

Even with the noise Rock Place is a good deal.