Asia - Transportation BKK to Pattaya

I'll be at the Sheraton Pattaya for a few nights and queried them about transportation from the airport

Greetings from Sheraton Pattaya Resort and thank you for your kind message. We would like to offers first-class limousine ranged from BMW S7(THB 5,500),BMW S5 (THB 4,500),TOYOTA Camry(THB 3,000)and 7-seat Mercedes Benz Vito at THB 6,500 net per way either from Bangkok to Pattaya or from Pattaya to Bangkok including insurance for all passengers. It is sure to be very comfortable traveling for two or more hours. Please allow us a week or two in advance to make the transfer booking if you please. And we have quite a volume of transfer requests.

Seems a little high, but I've never been out to Pattaya. What's the best way to get to Pattaya from the airport (arriving on TG in F from NRT at 10;15pm)?

Should I just do it through the hotel and be done with it?

Traveling solo? Many bags?

Personally, arriving at night I'd go for the Hotel-dispatched Camry at 3,000 THB. You could ask TG to see what they might have as a service and what the fee mght be?

A taxi, dispatched or flagged down, would be 1,000 - 1,500, flat rate, much negotiation, some tolls. No seatbelt, potentially ratty car, driver has been working for 20 hours without rest, has to stop for propane, etc. In a few rare and infrequent instances, according to local gossip, some unwary travelers have found themselves in a 'spot of bother'.

A car service, originating at BKK, negotiated with the touts, might be 1,500 - 2,500. Some Pattaya hotels quote 1,700 - 2,500.

From Bangkok (Ekkamai, not the airport) I recently shared a metered, street taxi with a friend, Friday afternoon. 1,000 THB, we paid for the tolls ( not sure what the were, maybe 200 THB). Trip took ~ 2:15.

From Pattaya to Bangkok I shared a private car, like a Toyota Camry, 1,500 all in, driver paid tolls, Sunday afternoon, two hours to On Nut (BTS/Skytrain).

Traveling w/ mrs. gleff, probably 2 bags apiece. Probably just go with the Camry, don't imagine paying more for the BMW is worth it. And not having to negotiate on arrival is helpful. Guess I was just wondering whether there's a better car service to use?

For your return in the Camry, how'd you pick it up? 1500 all-in sounds good, I'd be happy to save US$20+...

Traveling w/ mrs. gleff, probably 2 bags apiece. Probably just go with the Camry, don't imagine paying more for the BMW is worth it. And not having to negotiate on arrival is helpful. Guess I was just wondering whether there's a better car service to use?

For your return in the Camry, how'd you pick it up? 1500 all-in sounds good, I'd be happy to save US$20+...

I arranged my return at my hotel in Pattaya. Needless to say I wasn't staying at the Sheraton. ;) My hotel was 550 THB per night, incl. a gigantic buffet breakfast. No points and a bit dodgy. :eek:

Well, I've made that trip 20 or more times, both from the airport, and (more often) from in-town in BKK. I now have a few "regular" taxi drivers who are more than willing to make the trip (assuming they aren't booked for anything else or they are leaving shift) as long as I call them a few hours in advance for 1,200 baht (I pay the tolls, which are currently around 150 baht). Ofcourse, sometimes they do need to stop for gas, but that's fine with me - makes for a nice break in the middle of the ride...

As for coming back, there are tons and tons of services (just look for the "TO AIRPORT - 800 baht" signs) in Pattaya that will flag down taxis for you ahead of time (usually the ones who have made the trip from BKK for another customer) and book them at a specific time for you. 800 baht, plus the tolls to BKK city or even the airport.

I've never had any problems with these services, either going or coming, but I must confess I speak quite good Thai and that helps resolve most issues or disputes on price / etc.

Also, on the topic of old / rickety cars - it's very simple - just wait for of pick one that is up to your standards in BKK. And, in Pattaya, I always ask the booking services for a newer model taxi, and they've always delivered for me. There certainly are plenty to go around...

Best of luck!

gleff
My wife and I are visiting the Sheraton Pattaya in December as well and I tried to get the SPG platinum concierge to find me some alternatives to the prices quoted by the Sheraton. It was a simple request, but they completely dropped the ball and since we are headed out the door shortly I just caved and went with the 5series car from the Sheraton. This does seem overpriced for Bangkok, but nonetheless acceptable in the scheme of things. The Sheraton has several other slightly annoying features that are adding to the cost, including that you cannot seem to book an ocean front deluxe pavillion room with points. So if you want one of those rooms guaranteed then you need to pay cash (about $190 per night). Again, not that expensive for a US hotel room, but for Pattaya it does seem like a lot.

by the way, i saw on your blog a link to a write up on El Tamarindo, its an annual favorite of ours, you should definitely get down there to try it out, it's one of the top SW properties in my view.

stephem, please do write up a trip report on your return!

Sheraton Pattaya does seem quite the value as a cat 2... I won't be there till 2006 but booked my award room now as a hedge against category inflation... cat 3 wouldn't surprise me for next year (though perhaps they sell rooms for a bit less locally?).

Upgraded rooms on points are available at some properties, not others. It's a nice feature that they do offer minor upgrades for incremental points, would be SO much nicer if they offered an ocean front pavillion room for sure but I don't have room to kvetch!

stephem, please do write up a trip report on your return!

I posted a trip report over in the SPG forum here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=173940&page=2).

Bottom line of the transport is that the BMW is ultra lux, do it if you have a few bucks to burn. But the lower categories of cars are actually quite nice, we had a new accord one way and it was fine. The roads are all good highways, kind of like driving on a wide US interstate-- No offense to the Thai's intended, I just say this b/c I think some westerners might think about the poor road conditions in Vietnam or Camdodia and equate them with the roads in Thailand. The ride is a breeze, but watch out for traffic.