johnaalex

I know one lady from the JW who was interested in moving, but I have tried to talk her out of it

BKKLEE

Why do that............... some of the JW staff come from the Rayong District and can then live at home verses paying BKK rent?

johnaalex

She is somebody I have known for years and a friend who I will miss if she goes. When we last spoke she was not sure about leaving everything she has in Bangkok for a move to a much quieter and different environment. AFAIK Bangkok is her home town.

BKKLEE

deleted..............

Chris26WI

"Opening in October 2012" (...)

BKKLEE

I'll be visting with the GM at the property on Monday and will post any further details gleaned that aren't proprietary..........

Stumblefoot

Looking forward to your findings.

jisaac

+1 me too...

BKKLEE

OK, met with the GM (he previously closed out the Courtyard Cha Am but has a new "adventure" in opening a property - at least Marriott isn't as nit-picky as Hyatt or one of my current clients) on Tuesday and he gave us a tour of the hotel and we discussed opening (soft or otherwise) and a few issues as follows:

since johnaalex already posted pics I won't add any more

Opening Date : as everyone is already aware the opening date has recently been changed from September to October........... although the GM will not confirm an opening date, from being in the business for over 25-yrs, October is not realistic...............alot of work that has already been done needs to be redone (ie. exterior stairs not sealed so stair "leaks" when it rains; concrete work without any expansion joints so concrete already cracking - sawtooth concrete and install resin, or other material; room floors need to be replaced because they were installed with water based glue making the floors buckle)........... if I had to guess, I'd say early next year........

Exec Lounge - there is no executive lounge (hotel only has 206-rooms)

Perks - as a resort, no breakfast required for gold/plats, however plats (only) will get full breakfast in the restaurant; upgraded rooms based upon availability

Rooms - basic rooms were 40SM (was shown mini-suite and delux rooms but don't recall the size). Hotel has 2 wings - one with all sea view and the other sea & mountain view............... sea view room all have wrap-around windows for unbelievable views (especially at night). The rooms all have balconies, however the basic rooms have door opening onto the balcony (I'd say about 1.5SM) so no table or chairs can be placed on the balcony making its use "zero" functional - I suggested that they could put a towel rack outside to be used to dry swimming suits - taken under advisement. The larger room have 3-4SM balconies and although door still opens outward and it has room for table chairs - not contemplated.

Pools - lap pool by the beach (similar to Renaissance Samui only wider). Big sun chairs down by the beach. A childrens pool and kiddy room also down by the beach. Two additional pools, one with water slide, with depth of max 1.5M. Near the set of pools that seperate the hotel from the next door condo is a large acquarium bar.

Marriott Gold/Club Marriott vouchers - they'll accept the ones you couldn't use at the Cha Am, Phuket and Hua Hin props that closed, but due to the date of this props real opening I'd think most of these vouchers will have already expired.

Also - There are water features throughout the hotel & planted gardens - think a mini version of the Hyatt Sharm el Sheikh (which I helped build a few yrs back so can compare). 2 lobbies - ground floor for bus groups (probably from Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong) with 1st floor lobby for regular checkins. For locals driving in from Bangkok, etc., don't think they'll have sufficient parking. Artificial rocks (previous experience had us bring rock maker in from West Palm Beach, but locals did these) really look artificial and having them painted black really made them look dull. Restaurant chairs sized for asians so "farangs" will think they're sitting on the floor with no place to put their longer legs. No other restaurants/ facilities nearby so if you don't have a car, forget it - think 3 squares/day at the hotel, but being that there's nothing in the neighborhood it's very quiet and the beaches are quite clean.

If anyone has an questions, please PM them to me...........

johnaalex

BKKLEE Thanks for this. I was 99 per cent sure that I would not be adding this hotel to places I would stay and you have just added the last 1%. The remote location is my main problem (this is definitley not an alternative to the Patong Courtyard ), but no breakfast for Golds plus what seems to be quite a large focus on families (which I read as a possibility of lots of kids) are other reasons. At least it looks like the Pattaya hotel will be a Marriott for a while longer....

BKKLEE

as I mentioned in another post, from the horses mouth (their GM) they extended their management agreement for another 7-yrs............. (and I've been going to this place before it was a Marriott - previously Royal Garden, back in the days when Pattaya was an R&R center for GIs from 'Nam), but all I can say about Pattaya is that it has gone WAY downhill, Ulga is gone from the lounge and everything in the area is now wrtitten in cyrillic.........

dfe

Thanks BKKLEE. This sounds teribbly discouraging. While I had high hopes, I also agree that it probably is not going to be on my list--at least immediately upon opening. If I have to be "exiled" to some place within easy distance of BKK I think that I will stick with the gulag that Pattaya has become rather than being imprisoned at a not so great property at Rayong. Based on your review the prop simply does not have that much appeal.

I really have not had a bad experience with the Russians in Pattaya. I encounter very few Russians at the Marriott. It is pretty much over run by middle eastern and Japanese types, but they have never interferred with a nice stay there.

My 5th visit there a couple of weeks ago was thorougly enjoyable with a nice room upgrade; a great comp breakfast buffet; a lounge (minimal at best but nontheless a lounge); a very cordial staff (many of whom I know by now and vice versa); and easy accessability to shopping and a wide variety of off site restaurants, plus the beach right across the street.

Phuket properties are preferable to Pattaya in my book, but you still need to factor in the air fare BKK-->HKT which is pretty pricy for a one hour flight.

I guess we will see how the reviews of actual guests come in once Rayong is open next year.

BKKLEE

I will post a review once the prop does open as I'll be in direct contact with the GM to determine when it does as I'll likely opt for the Rayong prop since I have wheels.......... did manage to find a pretty good Italian place (owned/run by a guy from Bari) about 15kms east amongst a flock of seafood places (but IMO the seafood rests are much better in Hua Hin)..... although Pattaya has alot of choices, IMO besides the Benehana's Japanese scallops I really can't find much in Pattaya worth while going out to dinner for........

johnaalex

I first went to Pattaya in December 1989 and agree it has gone down hill for a number of reasons. I usually get well treated at the Marriott there, last time in April for Songkran and had one of the nice new rooms on the ground floor of the garden block. I can take about 4 days of Pattaya at a time.

BKKLEE

my first visit was back in '67 when it was inhabitted only by locals.......... (and GIs on a break from the small police action next door)............. I came in with a detachment of Thai merks that were used on patrols before ROK/White Horse Div troops came into our zone........

[QUOTE=johnaalex;18945988]I first went to Pattaya in December 1989 and agree it has gone down hill for a number of reasons. [QUOTE]