The Finer Things in Pattaya

I love enjoying the finer things in Pattaya. The kind of experiences that are just too expensive in my home country of the US.

You are probably like most men in the US and never get to fully enjoy yourself. You certainly do not experience much in the way of the finer things. You are too busy working, bending over backwards for other people, paying bills and trying to keep your head above water.

Spending what little money you have on the finer things in the overpriced USA or Europe is just something you aren't going to do.

But for just a bit of extra money, the finer things in Pattaya are available to us.

Start With How You Arrive in Pattaya

The Flight

I upgrade my economy seats, picking which seat I want. I like an aisle seat on the emergency exit row so there is no seat in front of me.

Yes, this costs more. Usually an extra $520 total for all 4 legs of the trip. But it's still thousands less than business class and extremely cheap compared to first class seats.

From the Airport to My Hotel

I don't want to deal with a bus ride from the airport to Pattaya at this point in my trip, even though the cost for the bus is dirt cheap.

About a month before my trip, I make arrangements with a Taxi service to pick me up at the airport. I don't have to deal with setting this up when I'm in the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, I just look for my name on a piece of paper near the exit, find it, let them know it's me and off we go.

I enjoy the 1.5 hour drive comfortably sprawled out in the backseat of an fully air-conditioned large-sized vehicle. This costs me $1,300 ThB ($39 USD) for the ride of $1,100 ThB plus a tip. This would be much more than $200 in the US.

Finer Things in Pattaya
Where You Stay

There are plenty of hotels in Pattaya that you can book for $20 to $30 USD a night.

But I prefer to splurge on a about a $50 to $60 USD room.

Look what this gets me:

King sized bed
Balcony
Desk and nice chair. Sometimes a loveseat couch.
Plenty of storage place to stow my clothes and gear and keep the room looking tidy
Room safe to keep my passport, credit cards and cash safe
Refrigerator
Kettle to boil water for coffee or tea
A few free bottles of water each day
Large, new bathroom, with layout space at the sink, a big, modern toilet and a huge shower with a handheld shower faucet option
Quiet AC quickly making the room as cool as I like
Daily cleaning with fresh towels and sheets
A super friendly staff

Nice big king-sized bed

The Adelphi Hotel has a few big rooms like this with a couch, comfortable chair and coffee table

You will get the friendly staff everywhere in Thailand, but the cheaper the room the less of the other things.

I have been staying at the Adelphi Hotel for my trips and I would guess that this hotel in a party beach city in the US would be closer to $600 USD per night, more during the best part of the year. It's only the millionaires who stay in beautiful hotels in the most desirable places for a week or more. The rest of us may stay 1 night to get just a tiny taste of the good life if we could even force ourselves to do it.

How to Feel Great with the Finer Things in Pattaya

Barbershop

I love to get the full barbershop treatment the first day I arrive:

Shave
Haircut
Waxed nose hair
Waxed ear hair
Manicure
Pedicure

On my August 2024 trip, the cost was $1,100 ThB ($33 USD) including the tip.

This is the kind of thing I would never pay for in the US. It would probably be well over $300 USD. It just costs too much. But in Pattaya, it's reasonable.

I may even get this treatment again towards the end of my trip.

Massages

Pattaya, and Thailand in general, is known for offering inexpensive massages.

I've never had a massage in the US, except for the machine that seem to only last a few minutes and don't work that well anyway. In Pattaya, I get some type of massage nearly every day.

Enjoy extreme relaxation, comfort and refreshment with a nearly hour long foot massage available all over Central Pattaya. The massage shops have the most comfortable chairs in Pattaya and most of the ladies are experts at this craft.

This is a perfect way to rest in the afternoon after taking a long walk. It is also the perfect thing to do in the evening to stop drinking for an hour and recharge before going back to the bars. Costs range from $250 to $400 ThB ($7.50 to $12 USD).

You can get an all over oil massage or ask for a targeted massage. I like to get a targeted massage on the left shoulder that has been giving me trouble for years.

Massage shops are everywhere.

Thai ladies in front of a Massage Shop

Note that older ladies who are more stout give the best massages. Beautiful, young ladies with the slender arms, dainty hands and thin shoulders are not going to be able to give you much of a massage.

Stop Dealing Time Consuming Annoyances and Enjoy the Finer Things in Pattaya

Laundry

I hate doing laundry. But the cost to have someone do it in the US is astronomical. If they will even do it. I was researching this in my home city. They will wash your button down shirts and dry clean your suits, but they don't seem to want to deal with your workout clothes, socks and underwear.

In Pattaya, I happily drop off ALL my dirty laundry (every day and pick it up the next, all wonderfully cleaned, folded and placed neatly in a plastic bag. All for an extremely low cost.

With these inexpensive laundries available near all the hotels, there is no reason to bring enough clothes for all the days of your stay. Just bring enough for a few days at a time.

My Typical Daily Wear

I cannot make it through the day with just one set of clothes., with what I typically do and the sweating.

Boxers and shorts around the hotel room early in the morning.
Swimsuit, tank top, hat and sandals to the pool by mid-morning.
Boxers, beltless shorts, shirt, socks, tennis shoes and hat for lunch and to explore in the afternoon.
Nice shorts, belt, boxers, nice shirt, socks, tennis shoes for the evening.

Preparing Meals

I hate grocery shopping, preparing meals and cleaning up afterwards. In the US, restaurant meals are out of control. There is no place to go out for a substantial and decent meal for low cost. Even tiny snacks and small drinks are expensive.

But in Pattaya, the entire city is set up to offer this to us at nice prices.

All the meals and other refreshments we love are available at low prices on every street, in the malls, in little shops and on the rolling carts. Hot coffee and tea. Iced coffee. Deserts. Snacks. Cold beverages of every sort.

Nice Little Things to Buy

I love relaxing and puttering around my hotel room early in the morning before pool time and again late in the afternoon before going out. This is the perfect time to enjoy a few cups of coffee.

I don't mind making coffee in my hotel room. The hotel provides a kettle to boil water for instant coffee and fresh cups and mixing spoons every day.

They provide Nescafe, but I discovered a brand of delicious coffee at 7 - 11, called Black Coffee. With some milk, it's delicious and refreshing. It's inexpensive and much tastier than Nescafe.

I think I paid $126 ThB ($3.80 USD) for a pack of 5 servings or about 75 cents a cup.

Transportation

Most of the fun is condensed into the Central Pattaya area. So you can have a great time just getting around on foot. To me, staying in a great downtown hotel where I can easily walk to many high class Pattaya experiences is the ultimate feeling. Downtown hotels, where the action is, going from place to place in moments is an adventure only the super rich can afford in the US. Most of us can only afford to live or stay in the outskirts of a city and waste a huge amount of time and money just getting somewhere interesting.

Plus you can use the baht but to cheaply go up and down the main roads, getting you around quickly.

Baht bus driving down Beach Road

Pattaya has 2 ride apps -Bolt and Grab, that are inexpensive and easy to use.

Plus there are motorbike taxis and regular taxis that do not cost that much either.

Finer Things in Pattaya - Places To Go

I have a lot of fun for low cost in the inexpensive restaurants, open air beer bars and gentlemen's clubs.

But I enjoy some of the finer things in Pattaya for meals and drinks. These places have trained, professional staff, much more comfortable seating, nice/clean/cool restrooms, usually a view, much higher prices and some other good reasons why the prices are higher.

Go For Drinks -

The Horizon Bar. 34th Floor of the Hilton Hotel, between Beach Road and Second Road and next to the Central Festival Mall. The best view in Pattaya. Also, extremely popular, you may need a reservation during high season.
The Hard Rock Cafe. On Beach Road, between Central Pattaya Road and Soi 6. A great place to quietly unwind after spending some time on Soi 6
Bistro Wine Cafe. Soi New Plaza right at Second Road.
Dynamite. On Soi Buakhao, near Soi Boomerang. Full AC, comfortable seating and a much different vibe than the open air beer bars.
Area 51. On Pattayasaisong 13, near Soi Buakhao. Similar to Dynamit with the full AC, comfortable seating and a much different vibe than the open air beer bars.

Go For Meals -

Robinhoods. Second Road. Part of the Second Avenue Mall on the second story.
Mann Steak House. On Soi Lengkee about halfway between Soi Buakhao and Third Road.
Hemmingways. On Soi Pattayasoisong 10 almost to 2nd Road.
Longhorns, Patrick’s and Beefeaters Steak Restaurants. Second Road. These 3 steakhouses are all in one restaurant area. The open area is under a roof and there is indoor AC seating. Most of these open later in the afternoon. I've been to Longhorns a few times because they open the earliest.
Three Mermaids and The Chocolate Factory. In Jomtien. I have not been to these yet, but it appears they have fantastic ocean views, a great menu and fit into the high-class category.
Pupen Seafood Restaurant. In Jomtien at the south end of Beach Road. Huge selection of excellent seafood. Massive open-air restaurant right off the beach with ocean views.