The seaside resort of Pattaya is just a short 2 hour ride away from the big city of Bangkok. And it’s true that the further away you are from Bangkok the cheaper your living expenses will be. This is especially true about budget hotels in Pattaya. But it does take a little bit of time and footwork to find a place that fits your budget with a room that has a clean bed and hot shower.
It is best to visit Pattaya during the low season which is from late March through early November. Room rates during the low season are reduced from 20% to 40%. Which is a real good value. However, the temperature can be unbearably hot and the rainfall torrential though short during that time. Also keep in mind most hotels in the area with ridiculously low prices do not have air conditioning. That’s the trade off for traveling in Thailand on the cheap. In most cases spending an extra 100 baht will get you a room with air conditioning. Which is well worth the extra cost, even if it means you will have to skip a meal or two.
There are many popular budget hotels and guesthouses located throughout Pattaya. But the problem is that most of the best budget hotels in Pattaya does not have an Internet reservation process. Most do business on a first come first serve basis. Since these hotels are so popular if you show up out of the blue during the low season you may not even get a room.
The solution is to look for a hotel that you can afford first. One that you can reserve on the Internet. There are many hotel reservation agencies online that can help you with that. But make sure those agencies are based in Thailand so you know you are getting the best rates. Better yet look for a company that provides a best price guarantee. Book the rooms for a few days only. Because you don’t want to reserve a room for too long of a time and get stuck throughout the remainder of your vacation time in Pattaya if the room turns out to be in horrible condition.
So once you arrive in Pattaya you will not have to worry about finding a place to sleep for the night. Then you can set out in the morning to find a cheaper hotel or guesthouse that fits your budget accordingly. Best thing of all is you can see how the room looks physically before you hand over your hard earned money. Since you are there you can also haggle with the hotel to see if they can offer you a special room rate or deal.
