Our Favorite Hotels in Pattaya
• 5-star: Hilton
• 4-star: Monttra
• 3-star: COSI
• New: Arbour
• Boutique: Siam@Siam
• Cheap: Blue Sky
• For families: Grand Centre
• For couples: Cape Dara
• Pool: Grand Centre • InterContinental
• Beach: Centara Grand Mirage
One end of the lagoon pool that eventually meanders into a children’s section with slides at Amari.
The 18 Best Hotels in Pattaya
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1. Hilton
Modern, central, jaw-dropping views. It towers over central Pattaya like nothing else. It’s perched above the Central Festival shopping center. The lobby is on the 16th floor, and rooms soar upwards for another 18 levels. The décor is chic throughout. Deluxe Rooms feature a marble entrance and a bed facing an angled balcony with sweeping panoramas across the sea and along Pattaya beach. The more spacious Executive Plus Seaview rooms feature the same furnishings but boast terrific sea views from a balcony with a Jacuzzi. Adjacent to the 16th-floor lobby, the Infinity pool is one of the most extraordinary in Southeast Asia, while views from the rooftop bar are even more breathtaking.
2. Grand Centre Point Space
This unique hotel looks like a spaceship that touched down in Na-Klua. The Kids Zone, Game Zone, interactive space wall, Space Water Park with four themed areas, and rooms that can sleep up to six people make it our favorite family hotel in Pattaya. It’s also good for couples but there are lots of kids. The sea view Onsen features massage, a sauna, a silk bath, a cold room, and a hot springs bath. There’s also a Sky Pool on the roof overlooking Pattaya Bay and a Techno Gym with live or on-demand trainers. Oort Cloud Tea Room offers organic tea, and there are several places to eat and drink, some with spectacular views. The rooms are tastefully spaced themed with all the electronics you’d expect from a ship, like Bluetooth speakers and wireless chargers. It’s close to the beach but not on the beach.
3. Cape Dara
High-rise 5-star hotel on the beach in Na-Klua with views. Two outdoor swimming pools overlook the sea. There’s also a private beach area with chairs and manicured sand, but it’s more for sunbathing than swimming. Radius Restaurant serves an international menu, and Ming Xing Restaurant serves Cantonese. The rooms are beautifully decorated in warm neutrals, but the views are the stand-out feature. The selection ranges from single-room suites to Family Suites, two-bedroom suites, and a Private Pool Residence that can sleep up to 10 people. Some are beachfront with a private balcony and jet bath, while others have a small private pool.
4. COSI
This fun and bold-colored boutique hotel is in Na-Klua and close to Wong Amat Beach. The outdoor pool has underwater speakers and two-person lounge beds. Right off of the pool is a social hub and Café 247. Sit on sofas or swings and hang out with a drink, watch a movie, or play pool or beer pong. Rooms accommodate two adults and are great for couples.
5. The TJ
A new modern hotel in a quiet area and a couple minutes walk to south Jomtien beach and bars. There are many room options, some with access via sliding doors to the pool, a range of Family Suites, and an Executive Suite with a living room, terrace, and an indoor hot tub with a city view. The extended outdoor pool has a glass fourth wall and is next to the sauna. There’s also a restaurant, bar, and a fitness center.
6. InterContinental
Serene, graceful, ideal for families, but a tad distant. Squeezed between mega-resorts and towering condominiums, this resort is delightfully un-Pattaya. The blocks of rooms are low-level and attractively designed with touches of Thai around the exterior. From the street-level lobby, the gardens slope down to a rocky beach. Lounge chairs sit on a raised sandy area. Otherwise, the three pools are substantial and shaded. All rooms face the sea, but only those on the 3rd and 4th floors can guarantee ocean views. The Club Rooms are magnificent at sea level, with a sunken Jacuzzi and huge balcony, while the villas boast a private pool. The kids club is one of the best in Thailand. Frequent taxi trips are inevitable on Buddha Hill, between Pattaya and Jomtien, with very few facilities nearby.
7. Siam@Siam
Family-friendly resort and garden oasis in downtown Pattaya. On surprisingly extensive grounds, this graceful hotel comprises two wings among tropical gardens of fish ponds and banyan trees on either side of a canal. The Ocean Wing provides sea views, but even those from the highest floors are mostly blocked by palms. The pool across the street faces the scruffy beach that’s barely usable. But definite attractions are the elegant courtyard packed with antiques and the colonial-style lounge/billiard room. Rooms in the serene Garden Wing have a bamboo theme. The lagoon-style pool is stunning, and there is still space for six tennis courts. Remarkably, this peaceful Bali-style resort is at the end of the infamous nightclub area of Walking Street but distant enough from the noise and patrons. Also, the main boat terminal is close enough to walk.
8. Wave
Adorable, petite, convenient, beachfront, and uniquely designed (an excellent hotel for couples or honeymooners). It’s truly one of a kind: an exquisite pale-green Art-Deco design reminiscent of Miami, a lobby and café choked with 1920s-era antiques, and an inoperable pink Cadillac outside. Although boasting prime beachfrontage, it only has 18 rooms on three floors. With all rooms facing the beach, they boast perfect sea views and are soundproofed from traffic noise. Most feature a similarly charming Art-Deco style, with pink-and-grey cushions, hanging lamps, and Gatsby-style posters. The marvelous décor continues in the Twilight Suites, with a 4-poster bed and adjoining lounge area. The street-side pool is inevitably noisy and lacks some privacy, while the beach across the road is lovely but busy. Guests can also use the family-friendly facilities at the big sister Bayview Hotel behind. The Wave is in downtown Pattaya, with the world-class Central Festival shopping center nearby.
9. Amari
Impressive pool, quiet location, and good family option. This high-rise is squeezed between the northern end of energetic Pattaya and the calmer Na-Klua area and is walkable to the facilities and beaches in both regions. The abundance of mirrors in the bright and sunny Deluxe Rooms makes them feel more spacious. They also feature a curved glass desk and open-plan bathroom, but the angle of the balconies means that even rooms facing the front do not enjoy perfect sea views. The lagoon-shaped pool on the ground level is magnificent and offers a swim-up bar, plenty of trees, and a shallow end for toddlers. The beach over the road is marginally better 100m further south, and it’s easy to reach by songthaew taxi truck.
10. Arbour
Our best new hotel in Pattaya is set back from the beach but has beautiful views. It’s a 15-minute walk to Central Pattaya shopping mall. On the 24th floor is an infinity rooftop pool and Arbour Rooftop Bar, perfect for cocktails (and mocktails) at sunset. It’s surrounded by white pillars and a unique white steel lattice cover. This high-rise hotel has many room options, including a Penthouse Suite with a private pool, one bedroom, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and can sleep four. There’s also a fitness center and a sauna, and Arbour Spa offers traditional Thai massages.
11. The Monttra
At the end of a small private beach, perched on a cliff sits The Monttra hotel. It’s a nature escape in Buddha Hill. Lush trees and grass surround a large infinity pool, and off to the side, a wood deck and lounge chairs overlook the sea. Stone steps through tiered landscaping lead to the private beach. It’s perfect for couples. The glass-walled Kiin Restaurant serves Thai cuisine with panoramic views. There are a few suite options, and one with a private plunge pool. Jungle Gazebo Spa also offers ancient Thai healing treatments and products.
12. Mera Mare
Small and affordable, yet prime beachfront location. Not as sophisticated as the marble lobby would suggest, this is a rare boutique hotel squeezed among mega-resorts overlooking the beach. Most Deluxe Rooms face the limited gardens, while a few offer views of the sea (palms permitting) and the main road. It’s about 100m from the esplanade, which helps buffer most traffic noise. The rooms’ angular layout is unusual, and the décor is contemporary. A couple of Family Suites offer two bedrooms. The second-floor pool is breezy and sunny. The only downside is that the Hard Rock Hotel next door towers over the gardens, almost menacingly. Not as luxurious or overpriced as others, the inconspicuous entrance is a stone’s throw from downtown Pattaya’s world-class Central Festival shopping center.
13. Centara Grand Mirage
Excellent family-friendly beach resort and amusement park in Na-Klua. The Lost World water park has a lazy river and slides. Zulu Family Club and the Kids’ Club have games and different play areas for all ages. There are six places to eat and drink. The adventure park has a zip line and an elevated obstacle course. Room options include Family suites and some with balconies and ocean views. A large lagoon pool sits in front of the private beach and all the watersports. There’s also a tennis court, fitness center, and spa.
14. Swiss Paradise
Family-run quiet boutique hotel in a residential area in Na-Klua. It’s set back from the shore, so it’s more peaceful, though Wong Amat Beach is only a 10-minute walk away. It’s also near restaurants, a fruit market, and a Terminal 21 shopping mall. The smallish outdoor pool is surrounded by palms and tropical plants, perfect for relaxing on a lounge chair. Overlooking the pool is a restaurant and bar serving breakfast, Thai specialties, and International cuisine. The roof-top terrace has excellent views of the city and the nearby Centara Grand Mirage resort.
There are 12 guest rooms thoughtfully decorated with Thai details and teak furniture. Rooms offer king-sized beds and a balcony with pool or city views.15. Majestic
Modern gated villas in Buddha Hill. The villas are quiet and protected in a gated community and about a 10-minute walk to a small beach. The design is modern and clean, with a gorgeous blue-tiled pool. Each has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a private pool and hot tub, a kitchen, living room, a washing machine, and a patio with outdoor furniture. With separate bedrooms and some with an extra sofa bed, the villas are an excellent choice for families or groups.
16. Woodlands
Quiet and comfortable, with lovely pools and gardens. This hotel is in the Na-Klua area, an easy trip by Songthaew taxi truck from the hubbub of Pattaya. There are two separate sections, but guests can share the shaded gardens and either pool. Most Superior Rooms, which face flourishing gardens and are further back from the main road, feature a colorful décor and sizable balcony, but the bathroom is undersized. Deluxe Rooms are closer to the road but still quiet, and most face the pool. Surprisingly rare among other resorts, some rooms on the ground floor have a stepladder from the patio leading to the main pool, with a swim-up bar attached. Other attractions include a snooker table, a children’s pool, and a petite library. But sun-lovers may be disappointed that the closest beach is 500m away.
17. Beach Gallery House
Directly across the street from the beach in South Jomtien. The small pool has calming waterfalls, and one side faces the street, so it can get a bit noisy. There are many room options, including apartments and family rooms, and some higher up have sea views. The family rooms have bunk beds. 2 bedroom apartments offer a kitchen, dining room, living room, one bathroom, and balcony or patio. There’s no restaurant, but there are several close by.
18. The Classroom
Boutique hotel in South Beach and central to the nightlife action. It’s within walking distance of Walking Street, Central Pattaya Mall, and restaurants. Rooms are basic, with some extras like a refrigerator, microwave, and dining table. A Sports Bar with food and drink and big-screen TVs is on the main floor, and the Music Lounge hosts live performances. There’s no pool, but the beach is just a few minutes walk away. The owner is an avid golfer with recommendations for the best local golf courses.
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