i have been to pattaya twice now. i find that if you are tacking on a couple of days at the beach to a business or pleasure stay in bangkok it is easy to do it. the hotel will arrange a car to meet you at the airport and you are there in an 1 1/2 hours or so. they can also take you back to the airport or in my case to the sheraton grande sukhumvit. if you want cheaper alternatives you can book cars to pattaya at the airport. the hotel itself is very nice. the pools are beautiful and the pavilion rooms are more than just rooms and they are great. the city itself has some nice restaurants, typical thailand shopping, and a night on walking street will definitely give you something to talk about when you get back. all in all it provides a nice diversion if you feel like one.