Best Hotels in Pattaya

About Pattaya

Pattaya has that strange, magnetic mix of gentle sea air and the faint chaos of a city that never truly sleeps. It’s not Bangkok-busy, yet its energy hums differently after dusk, neither wild nor polite, but familiar if you’ve ever found yourself caught between business emails and beach sandals. Set roughly two hours from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the city folds itself along the eastern Gulf of Thailand in long ribbons of neon light, beach chairs, and endless markets. The first thing most hotel experts notice? The skyline. New glass-fronted hotels in Pattaya keep climbing skyward, but tucked below are tiny noodle joints where the broth still costs less than a cup of Starbucks. One block can feel like two separate cities on Beach Road, five-star facades gleam, while on Second Road, guesthouses squish between massage parlors and travel agencies.

A faint salt smell lingers everywhere, especially near Soi Buakhao during humid afternoons when laundry lines flap lazily above scooter mirrors. The smart ones learn to walk the shaded sides after 4 p.m. And behind every street of hotels in Pattaya, a local café hides where older expats sip strong coffee and trade hotel gossip like currency. For seasoned visitors, staying here isn’t just about sea views, it’s about knowing which streets flood after sudden showers, which lobby offers free umbrella stands, or which bellboy knows a shortcut to Central Festival Mall. Pattaya rewards observation and patience. The details make all the difference.

Pattaya tour packages include curated stays, fun sightseeing, and easy airport transfers, bundling together the city’s lively beaches, iconic cabarets, and top attractions for a stress-free Thai getaway.

Pattaya Airport Address

U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International Airport (UTP)
Ban Chang District, Rayong 21130, Thailand
Contact: +66 38 245 595
Email: info@u-tapao.com

This is the city’s main gateway after Suvarnabhumi. It’s about 45 kilometers south of central Pattaya, roughly an hour’s drive depending on traffic. Several hotels in Pattaya near airport offer direct shuttle services, especially properties along Sukhumvit Road. The airport itself is compact, with a single arrivals hall and decent coffee at Black Canyon Café near Gate 2.

The Best Time to Visit Pattaya

From mid-November to February, Pattaya breathes easier. Skies turn spotless blue, humidity dips, and hotel balconies face golden sunsets rather than wet storms. March and April bring heat that can melt patience if you walk mid-afternoon, while July to October often means short tropical bursts; fun to watch from a high-floor window, less fun when taxis double their fares.

During Songkran (the Thai New Year in April), street water fights erupt from Beach Road to Walking Street. Hotels in Pattaya raise rates by 35–45% around this week, and towel stock nearly runs short. The quieter spell, oddly enough, is late May into early June, crowds thin, and staff seem genuinely relaxed again.

How to Reach Pattaya

By Air:

Fly into U-Tapao–Rayong–Pattaya International. Flights from Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai land here regularly. Pre-arranged car transfers booked via akbartravels.com help skip inflated taxi queues.

By Rail:

A daily train leaves from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station around 6:45 a.m. It chugs slowly but gives a window-seat look at green fields and small towns. Arrivals are at Pattaya Railway Station, about 2.5 km from the city center, close to several hotels in Pattaya near railway station.

By Road:

A three-lane highway from Bangkok connects the two cities within two hours. Air-conditioned buses depart every 30–40 minutes from the Ekkamai terminal, costing around 130 baht. Private vans can be booked easily through akbartravels.com for same-day rides.

Things to Do in Pattaya

• Walking Street – Late-night entertainment, bars, and neon that hum until sunrise.
• Sanctuary of Truth – Intricately carved wooden temple built entirely without nails.
• Art in Paradise – A 3D art gallery perfect for playful photoshoots.
• Coral Island (Koh Larn) – Short ferry ride; turquoise water ideal for snorkeling.
• Pattaya Floating Market – Local crafts, Thai snacks, and longtail boats winding through timber walkways.
• Nong Nooch Tropical Garden – Landscaped gardens, elephants, and cultural shows.
• Jomtien Beach – Quieter sands favored by families and long-stay guests.
• Pattaya Viewpoint (Khao Pattaya) – Best panoramic shot during early evening light.
• Thepprasit Night Market – Local clothes, grilled seafood, and cheap trinkets.
• Tiffany’s Show – Glamorous cabaret that has defined local artistry for decades.

Shopping in Pattaya

Central Festival Pattaya Beach still dominates the scene, with its seafront glass façade hosting

1. Mike Shopping Mall
2. Thepprasit Night Market
3. Soi Buakhao Market
4. Pattaya Night Bazaar
5. Mikes Mall
6. Outlet Mall Pattaya
7. Mimosa Pattaya
8. Royal Garden Plaza
9. Harbor Mall
10. Tukcom IT Center
11. Pattaya Floating Market
12. Central Marina
13. Rattanakorn Market
14. Mini Siam shopping lane
15. local stalls near Bali Hai Pier.

Pro tip: Bring exact change. Stall owners dislike breaking 1,000-baht notes before noon.

Famous Restaurants in Pattaya

Food here tells stories better than guidebooks.

1. Mantra Restaurant & Bar
2. Casa Pascal never over-seasons
3. Rim Talay
4. The Glass House Pattaya
5. Café des Amis
6. Mum Aroi Naklua
7. Cabbages & Condoms (yes, the name’s correct)
8. The Loft, Pippa Restaurant
9. Bruno’s Restaurant & Wine Bar
10. LK Renaissance Café
11. Chillinn
12. Sense of the Sea
13. MAYs Urban Thai Dine
14. Leng Kee.

akbartravels.com even lists dining recommendations alongside its hotel bundles; less clicking, more eating.

Popular Hotels in Pattaya

• Hilton Pattaya – Sleek design atop Central Festival, endless sunset views.
• Avani Pattaya Resort – Reliable service and walkable to Walking Street.
• Dusit Thani Pattaya – Grande dame on the quieter end of Beach Road.
• Cape Dara Resort – Lovely five-star with a slightly rebellious cliff edge.
• Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort – Water park feel, great for kids.
• Mytt Beach Hotel – Chic urban vibe with rooftop cocktails.
• Amari Pattaya – Refurbished elegance close to Pattaya Beach.
• Holiday Inn Pattaya – Ideal for business travelers with kids.
• Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya – Loud, fun, perfect for large groups.
• A-One The Royal Cruise – Boat-themed decor that makes kids giggle.
• Siam@Siam Design Hotel – Colorful, artsy, sometimes delightfully eccentric.
• LK The Empress – Retro European interiors right on Beach Road.
• Hotel Baraquda Pattaya – Boutique soul, contemporary heart.
• Flipper House Hotel – Reliable mid-range spot off Soi 7.
• April Suites Pattaya – Practical location near Central.

These hotels in Pattaya cover nearly every taste; beachfront luxury, central convenience, quiet residential corners.

Popular Resorts in Pattaya

• Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort
• Royal Cliff Beach Terrace
• Renaissance Pattaya Resort & Spa
• Rabbit Resort
• Ravindra Beach Resort
• Sea Sand Sun Resort & Villas
• U Pattaya
• InterContinental Pattaya Resort
• Garden Cliff Resort & Spa
• Cape Dara Resort
• Mövenpick Siam Na Jomtien
• Pinnacle Grand Jomtien Resort
• Navana Nature Escape
• The Zign Hotel
• Sunset Park Resort

These resorts stretch across the city’s northern and southern curves, offering serious variation from private plunge pools to humble garden bungalows. akbartravels.com regularly lists flash deals and free-night packages across these hotels in Pattaya, often cheaper midweek.

Where to Stay in Pattaya

The best places to stay in Pattaya depend on personality. Seek nightlife? North Pattaya or Beach Road keeps you close yet not too loud. Jomtien and Pratumnak Hill suit longer stays with cleaner air, fewer bars, and a sense of rhythm that feels residential.

Avoid Soi 6–8 for family holidays unless you can tolerate the nocturnal chatter. For couples, Cape Dara and InterContinental Pattaya tick all boxes. For digital nomads, smaller hotel apartments in Pattaya along Soi Buakhao offer good monthly rates around 12,000 baht including Wi-Fi.

Brief aside: one local host at a 2 star hotel Pattaya keeps spare mosquito coils behind the lobby desk in July rains. Little touches like that matter.

Places to Stay Near Popular Attractions

• Near Walking Street – Avani Pattaya Resort. Practical walk-home distance after midnight.
• Near Sanctuary of Truth – Navana Nature Escape or The Zign Hotel. Quiet mornings, green views.
• Near Jomtien Beach – Rabbit Resort and D Varee Jomtien Beach. Good midrange comfort.
• Near Central Festival – Hilton Pattaya. Straight elevator ride to mall corridors.
• Near Pattaya Floating Market – Ambassador City Jomtien. Convenient if renting scooters.
• Near Pattaya Viewpoint – InterContinental Pattaya Resort. Sunset royalty.

Booking through akbartravels.com bundles many of these hotels in Pattaya near beach with optional transfers; fewer negotiations, lower fares.

Budget Hotels in Pattaya

Cheap hotels in Pattaya rarely mean shabby. Sunrise Resort on Soi 8, Red Planet Pattaya, and Ibis Pattaya all strike the balance between cleanliness and cost. Bella Express adds breakfast buffets at a low tariff; Bett Pattaya manages overnight comfort under 1,000 baht if booked early.

For backpackers, Every Cloud Guesthouse or non-air rooms behind Tree Town market suit thinner wallets. The cheapest hotel in Pattaya may lack a pool but often sits near cheap street eats. Just avoid booking unseen via random classifieds; one out of ten listings quietly “forgets” that the elevator’s broken.

Pattaya Hotels by Star Rating

• 5 Star Hotels in Pattaya: Hilton Pattaya, Dusit Thani, InterContinental Pattaya, Cape Dara, Centara Grand Mirage, Renaissance Pattaya.
• 4 Star: Amari Pattaya, Mytt Beach, Hotel Baraquda, Holiday Inn, Royal Cliff Grand.
• 3 Star: Sunshine Hotel & Residences, March Hotel, Flipper House, Areca Lodge.
• 2 Star: Soi 10 Guest Inn, The Stay Hotel Light, small inns near Mike Shopping Mall.

Luxury hotels in Pattaya ride high occupancy on weekends; advance booking 45–60 days cuts the risk of “walk-in surge” pricing.

Best Hotels in Pattaya Based on Location

• Beach Road – Hilton Pattaya for glamour, LK The Empress for classic European charm.
• North Pattaya – Dusit Thani and Centara Grand Mirage, quieter ends, family-safe.
• South Pattaya – Avani Resort, close to nightlife yet shielded by garden walls.
• Jomtien – Rabbit Resort, great for long stays.
• Naklua – Zign Hotel, calm seafront and good breakfasts.
• Pratumnak Hill – InterContinental, where ocean and privacy meet equally.

akbartravels.com lets you filter hotels in Pattaya near beach or market with live price graphs, handy for Pattaya hotel price comparison before booking.

Family-Friendly Hotels in Pattaya

Centara Grand Mirage’s water slides dominate family diaries. Amari Pattaya runs supervised play zones; Holiday Inn offers child meal discounts. Rabbit Resort feels like grandma’s Thai garden and it is safe, intimate, shaded. Hilton Pattaya surprises with interconnecting rooms that soundproof properly, rare in beachfront towers.

Tips for families: book rooms on lower floors, easier elevator access with strollers. Ask reception for corner units; lesser foot traffic equals quieter naps. akbartravels.com has filters for “family suites” which actually help narrow it down.

Pattaya Hotels Tariff

Weekday tariffs often dip 20–25% lower than weekend rates. Average Pattaya hotel prize for good midrange stay lands near ₹4,200–₹5,800 per night when converted. Five-stars double that during holidays.

Hotel tariffs stretch wider than most cities due to supply. Off-season flash sales at akbartravels.com occasionally drop 5 star hotels in Pattaya to midrange costs, especially in late August. Use filters before major Thai festivals; once occupancy touches 80%, auto-algorithms lift rates within hours. For longer stays, ask for “package rate” over daily, saves roughly one day’s tariff per week.

Pattaya Travel Tips

1. Book your flights early for the best deal. Pattaya flight tickets can vary in price. To secure the best fares, it’s advisable to book cheap flights to Pattaya well in advance.
2. Aim for weekday hotel check-ins, hotels in Pattaya drop rates by about 18–22% on Wednesdays and Thursdays, provided occupancy stays under 60%. Local wedding parties and Thai holidays inflate weekend prices without warning; midweek means fewer large group block-outs.
3. Bring small bills (20/50 baht) for local buses. Baht buses songthaews won’t always have change for 100s. The fare jumps from 10 to 20 baht if crossing from central Pattaya to Jomtien, but exact change speeds boarding and keeps the trip fuss-free.
4. Check joiner policy before booking, especially for solo travelers. Some hotels in Pattaya quietly charge 400–800 baht “guest fees” for extra visitors. If you intend to bring friends back, read those policies, sometimes they’re only visible on the third page of booking forms.
5. Carry a printed hotel booking and passport copy. Reception staff must record international guests by Thai law. Mobile-only proofs may be refused if the internet blips or scanners malfunction during late check-ins, a common occurrence during monsoon power surges.
6. Explore early morning street markets for fresh food. Thepprasit Morning Market opens at 6:30 a.m., that’s when local chefs pick produce at the best prices. After 9 a.m., the crowds spike and the coconut ice cream tends to melt fast.
7. Use Grab app for taxis, skip meter haggling. Local taxi drivers rarely use meters at night. Grab guarantees fixed pricing around 900–1,200 baht from the airport to city, or 180–240 baht for short journeys within Pattaya.
8. Pack lightweight cotton clothing and a foldable umbrella. Hotel rooms dry soaked towels on balcony rails easily, but most street umbrellas are sold at marked-up tourist rates after sudden downpours.
9. Secure valuables at the front desk, room safes sometimes jam. A small slip: many midrange hotels in Pattaya have safes that stick after three incorrect code attempts. Front-desk managers keep the override key, asking politely to speed up the reset.
10. Book tours at hotel desks for liability
    Third-party street sellers offer cheaper tickets but skip insurance. Booking at a hotel in Pattaya desk means you’re covered in case of cancellation or weather disruption, a real local rule, especially for island excursions.
11. Travel with power adapters for Thai outlets (Type A/C). Some older hotels in Pattaya near railway station and market zones only have two-prong wall sockets, and adapters sold on Beach Road can cost double the standard price by late afternoon.
12. Visit Koh Larn (Coral Island) before 11 a.m. for a seat. The first few ferry rides are less crowded, and seats on the top deck go fast. If you wait until 1 p.m., it’s standing room only for 30 minutes.
13. Don’t buy souvenirs at the first market stall; compare before bargaining. Prices for crafts and beachwear fluctuate by up to 40% between stalls. Walk the market once and note prices then return for real negotiation.
14. Request lower hotel floors if you’re traveling with kids or elderly. Elevators in some hotels in Pattaya near beach pause or slow down when traffic peaks (4–7 p.m.); ground-level access saves time and worry during busy hours.
15. Be mindful of Pattaya’s seasonal festival dates when booking anything. Songkran week (April), Loy Krathong (November), and Thai public holidays see room rates spike by up to 55%. akbartravels.com’s festival calendar is handy for predicting price fluctuations, so use it to lock in cheaper hotel and flight bundles.

You can apply for a Thailand visa online from anywhere worldwide through Akbar Travels, fill out the digital application, upload your documents, pay the fee, and receive your e-Visa electronically within a few days.