Any good swimming pools in Pattaya?

[basabajo]

Hey guys, hope you don't mind me asking - will be in Pattaya for a couple of weeks in April. No pool at the apartments I'll probably be staying in, so I'm wondering if there are any good / clean public pools in the centre of town? Or do any of the better hotels allow non-guests to use their pools (and gyms) for a daily fee?

Any advice, much appreciated!

[joe552]

I understand there's one at Mike's Mall on Beach Road - never been, so can't recommend or otherwise. Maybe others can. I would always stay at a place with a swimming pool - just enjoy sitting around for the afternoon having a beer and the occasional dip.

[luvthai-2]

The Welcome Plaza hotel (near boystown) has a great pool and allows non guest for a small fee.

[joe552]

I stayed at the Welcome Plaza when I first went to Pattaya, and agree the pool is good. Very central if you're in South Pattaya.

[Dani69]

Nice quiet one as you enter Sunee Plaza opposite Don Plaza Hotel .... :party :party

[AKAHagrid-old]

I like Pattaya Park. It has concessions, a few water slides, and most enjoyably, plenty of opportunities for people-watching.

[lonelywombat]

It would be a great help if you stated where you will be staying. Where is close to "nowhere" The two pools that come to mind, one is in Sunee, the other is at Yensabai, both have a nominal charge for using.

[luvthai-2]

Just remembered Center Condos has a nice pool but not sure if they allow non guests for a small fee.

[jomtienbob]

Tony's Gym on Third Road, near Pattaya Tai has daily, weekly, and monthly rates. Has excellent workout and relax facilities, and a huge swimming pool with slide.

Convenient to Boyztown and Sunnee, it is also filled with eye candy. :party

[basabajo]

Thanks guys for so many good replies.

Must admit, I had a look on tripadvisor.com for Welcome Plaza Hotel and the reviews are pretty grim for the hotel itself - but maybe the pool is better. So many comments about Pattaya, and its hotels, being over-run by Russians now - I wonder if that's really true!

Also lots of mixed reviews elsewhere about Tony's. Will be best to visit a few when I'm in town and check them for myself. May also contact some of the other hotels directly and see if they allow daily use of the pool/gym for a fee.

Thanks again all.

[thrillbill]

--Sometimes one may find a less expensive hotel or apartment to rent which doesn't have a decent fitness center , or in this case a pool. Add up the added cost and a person may be better to have paid a bit more for a hotel or a rented apartment that has a pool or fitness center. Yes, 90% of Pattaya's tourists are now Russians. I was on the Songtaew (baht bus) today and I was the only Westerner - the other 5 people were from Russian- same in the Seven Eleven. That's ok, the 20-30 year old men are mostly lean and fit walking around in their short-shorts. I'm waiting to see a Russian "sausage" hanging out of one of the tiny shorts. :party

[gerefan2]

So many comments about Pattaya, and its hotels, being over-run by Russians now - I wonder if that's really true!


Unfortunately it is.

[Hmmm]

Depends on whether you want to swim laps or just splash around, alone or frolicing with the bf or "boy du jour". Decent accessible lap pools are hard to come by anywhere in Thailand, as few Thais can really swim. Last time I swam at Welcome Plaza they had a rope separating the deep and shallow sections, which meant one duck dive per lap. Small-square-holes-full-of-water-style "pools" are a dime a dozen, although few advertise public access. Frolicing is easiest at Dongtan beach, if you're game enough to venture into the water. Probably better options for that at quiet beaches down the coast or the less busy beaches on Koh Larn.

[arsenal]

There is a pool, a huge one on the roof of Mike's Shopping Mall. It's bloody gorgeous with views over the Gulf and towards the mountains. It's usually very quiet and costs about 100 Baht entry. Reasonably priced food and drinks are also available.

[Neal]

Sounds good Arsenal. There is also a large pool with service at the Avalon Hotel just near Tui's Place on Jomtiem Beach.

[joe552]

Arsenal, thanks for the confirmation - I'd heard about the pool at Mike's mall, but I've never been.

[colmx]

There is a pool, a huge one on the roof of Mike's Shopping Mall. It's bloody gorgeous with views over the Gulf and towards the mountains. It's usually very quiet and costs about 100 Baht entry. Reasonably priced food and drinks are also available.

I have often heard of this pool being mentioned...

There are however 2 mike Shopping malls!
Which one has the pool?
The one between Boystown/Pattaya Tai

Or the bigger mall further north?
Thanks!

[luvthai-2]

Actually they both have pools but the one at Mikes Shopping Mall has the bigger pool. The one near boystown is a hotel on the second and higher floors with a small pool for the hotel guest.

[basabajo]

Just to thank everyone for many helpful suggestions. I might also contact a few of the hotels directly and ask if they offer daily rates for non-guests to use their pool/gym and will report back on this forum if any reply to say that they do.

[Beachlover]

--Sometimes one may find a less expensive hotel or apartment to rent which doesn't have a decent fitness center , or in this case a pool. Add up the added cost and a person may be better to have paid a bit more for a hotel or a rented apartment that has a pool or fitness center. Yes, 90% of Pattaya's tourists are now Russians.
Have to agree with that...

If you're open to changing, the Pattaya Hilton has a bloody amazing rooftop infinity-edge pool and poolside lounge amenities. Plus an awesome fitness centre. Don't think they let non-guests in though.

[joe552]

When did you stay at the Pattaya Hilton, Beachie?

[martin911]

Awesome !!another lovely word from the dipshit
any nice holiday snaps of empty pools you want to share ??

one other pool option is the Pool on the top floor of the Tara Court in Soi % ,Pratamnak -- great views of Dongtan Beach --and it usually has people act using it !!

[martin911]

Colmx --how do you know anything about pools in Pattaya ???

the only daylight you ever see in pattaya is when you are on the back of a motorbike taxi on the way home in the early hours of the morning !!!!
AKA 2PM _-getting popular --lots of the fit Idol coyotes go there when Idol closes !!

[joe552]

martin, colmx doesn't tell you everything - like most Irishmen he can be discreet when required - he's obviously swimming laps in the afternoon before you wake up :happy7:

[martin911]

LOL i seriously dont think thats a good i idea given the amount of whiskey that him and co get through every nite /early mornings !! --
:notworthy: :notworthy:

[psd1315]

Best deal around, Marriott Royal Garden, gym membership with numerous machines, plus enjoy all the hotel privileges w/o paying 4 star prices, bathrobes, towels, sauna . Free fruit bar, oats served twice a week with milk for the horse hung guys, fabulous espresso/latte machine, newspapers, TV in lounge and of course a wonderful large pool with lounge chairs in a lovely garden setting off 2nd road. Many cute younger Chinese and middle eastern types. Leave the haggard prunes, sand, and 5 baht chit hole at Jomtiem and join the fun. All free with monthly membership

[colmx]

Colmx --how do you know anything about pools in Pattaya ???

the only daylight you ever see in pattaya is when you are on the back of a motorbike taxi on the way home in the early hours of the morning !!!!


I have turned over a new leaf and will be tucked up in my bed at 1AM every night from now on... No more late night drinking sessions for me :tif:
Going to wake up every morning, go for a jog and a swim and then go to the beach to listen to the gossip!


AKA 2PM _-getting popular --lots of the fit Idol coyotes go there when Idol closes !!
Lets hope that they will be open 8,9, 10th when everywhere else is closed!
(not that i will be there of course... i will be at home sleeping!)

[joe552]

And you'll feel so much better for it, colmx.

[basabajo]

I emailed Marriott Hotel and got this reply today:

"Our daily rate is Baht 1,000 per person, 5 days is Baht 3,500 and 10 days is Baht 6,000"

Not sure if they add tax and/or service charge on to these prices. Assume this is for full use of pool, gym, "free" juice bar, and so on.

[Lunchtime O'Booze]

I like Pattaya Park. It has concessions, a few water slides, and most enjoyably, plenty of opportunities for people-watching.

agree...best of both worlds..you can do the beach and then pool and it's clean.

always has a few Russians as well :bounce:

i have seen Mike's Mall and i have actually been there with my special someone and i think it is quite okay if your looking for an average kind of swimming pool, staff are also nice and we had a great quality time so i guess that is what really matters. it will be great if you could bring complete tuff just so you could make your trip easier and more comfortable for you guys. happy trip!

[witchhunt]

Often wonder why the boyztown bars do not use this bar. Guess it is too hard for the old folks at home I guess.

[lonelywombat]

Friend of mine met John and Sam the owners of Stardust and has visited the Centre Condo pool, now several times. They have the catering and do drinks as well.

I have always been turned off by the Centre Condos but have been told it is a nice afternoon, pleasant company and certainly worth a try.

They also own several apartments and the contact is 0856503667.

[basabajo]

I emailed Marriott Hotel and got this reply today:

"Our daily rate is Baht 1,000 per person, 5 days is Baht 3,500 and 10 days is Baht 6,000"

Not sure if they add tax and/or service charge on to these prices. Assume this is for full use of pool, gym, "free" juice bar, and so on.

------

Since I raised this topic originally, and many of you guys kindly provided suggestions, I'll share with you now my actual experience of the Marriott facilities (I'm in Pattaya now). I've not yet tried any of the other pool / gym venues that were suggested.

I bought the Marriott 5 days pass for THB 3,500. That includes service and tax and, since they gave me 6 guest passes instead of 5, and didn't charge me for my first day's visit, it was effectively a 7 days pass. So, what do you get for THB 500 per visit?

A massively spacious gym, full range of equipment and nicely spaced out, and a separate area with the 5 treadmills plus other cardio machines. There's never been more than 3 other people (hotel guests or gym members) using the whole gym when I was there during day-light hours. There's a couple of outdoor tennis courts. The locker rooms are clean, spacious, and the 3 showers are massive. Upstairs there's a comfy members' lounge with free plates of fresh pineapple, melon, bananas, carrots; and free a-la-carte fruit juices, or salad, or oats (they alternate between days and during each day). Plus free tea or coffee, and unlimited bottles of still water. Big and small good quality towels are issued, and towelling robes and slippers, are freely available; separate towels are at the pool.

Clearly THB 500 is a lot if one only wants a quick swim, or solely to use a gym. But if, like me, you want the gym + swim - suntan combo, in a 4/5-star hotel setting, spread out over maybe 4 or 5 hours, I think this is a good deal. The only "negative" is that, while all the facilities are suitable, everything (infrastructure, machines, pool area) seem to be maybe 20 years old and, while clean and maintained well, could all do with updating / upgrading. Also the pool and surrounding area are much busier than the gym, mostly it seems with Russian hotel guests.

Hope this helps fellow swim-n-gym visitors here.

[davidwilsoon]

There is a pool across the parking lot from Siwalai City Place. I don't think it is expensive - maybe 50bhat? See link below.

http://www.siwalaicityplace.com/en/home.html

[colmx]

This is the same pool as MyView/UCC and VCC condo residents and guests can use... (for free)
Didn't use it on my last trip but i understand that its a Salt water pool...
Not sure if that makes any difference... I'm terrified of water and the only water that i like is Nam Wow!