The Sheraton Pattaya is really quite removed from Pattaya proper. I spent 3 nights there and never went into town except that I had the hotel car take me to the Hard Rock Hotel to pick up a shirt for thezipper on the way back to Bangkok. I would never have known (with my own eyes) what Pattaya was like except for this. The resort truly is a different world.

Now, I did see two likely 'guests' of hotel guests during the three days I was there... a young Thai woman with a 50s-ish European man down at the pool (he was actually ignoring her, doing business on his phone the whole time, and there was clearly a language barrier) and a young Thai guy with a late 60s American man at breakfast one day.

So the 'trappings' of Pattaya aren't 100% walled off from the Sheraton. But that was the entire extent of what I saw at the resort.

Now, it's true that the water isn't all that blue, and the beachfront is limited. But I found the hotel service to be outstanding and the spa to be excellent as well. Restaurants on property were very good as well.

For me it was about a place that could be accessed by car from BKK, and it fit the bill. Though admittedly I was there on points (booked when it was SPG cat 2) and upgraded. Platinum recognition is good.