Christmas in Pattaya.

[frequentflier]

I usually visit in March and October but this year I have decided to visit at Christmas..As I have not done so before is it very busy? I arrive on the 21st of Dec.
Many thanks.

I like going to thai at christmas....last year koh samui....this year Krabi then pattaya for new year

[TOQ]

I usually visit in March and October but this year I have decided to visit at Christmas..As I have not done so before is it very busy? I arrive on the 21st of Dec.
Many thanks.

Christmas is probably the busiest time of the year. If you have not made room reservations yet I would get started on it pretty quick

..pattaya gets booked up really fast at that time of year ..i booked my accomodation for the end of dec 3 weeks ago as the owner told me it will get booked up by the end of july

Likewise mosaik apartments just told me yesterday that they were already almost fully booked for the entire period of November and December.

Yes, as Fred Pontin said - "Book Early"!

Bear in mind that since many old queens have no friends in their own country and their relatives have probably all disowned them - they flock to Pattaya to grab some small crumbs of comfort during the festive season, hence it gets busy and Kamagra goes up 5B per dose.

:occasion9:

Oh my god scots do you have to be so close to the nail as you almost described my life exactly there !! Lol

Oh i did'nt mention the place ..yes it was Mosaik i booked...
me and my bf..really liked it when we stayed in june

[stevehadders]

I have been spending Christmas in Pattaya for the last 7/8 years and thoroughly enjoy it.....spending Christmas day in the sun, calling relatives from the beach and finishing the night in Nab is wonderful IMHO

[ceejay]

You say you will arrive on the 21st. Does that mean you have already booked your flight? If not, then do it now. Lower priced flights covering the Christmas/New Year period are kept in very short supply by the airlines. Leave it until October, and you could find yourself paying 40% (or more) higher than now.

I've done this once, a couple of years ago. Christmas in Chiang Mai, New Year in Pattaya. Expensive, but worth it. It's the only time I've seen Pattaya really busy for a few years (mind you, that's not least because my last few visits other than this have been in the low season.)

Something to look out for. Many hotels will have a compulsory New Years Eve dinner, which will be added to your bill whether you attend it or not. They are usually overpriced and may not be what you want to do.The only way of avoiding it is to book a different hotel.

Don't miss the New Years Eve countdown and firework display at Bali Hai pier. It's lots of fun, provided that you don't mind getting caught in heaving crowds.

[Neal]

Ceejay, A "cumpulsatory" Christmas dinner? I never heard of that. Well they have really got some balls, huh? Would love to know who to keep them away from this board!

Ceejay, A "cumpulsatory" Christmas dinner? I never heard of that. Well they have really got some balls, huh? Would love to know who to keep them away from this board!

It's actually very common at the larger hotels.

[stevehadders]

Both Christmas Dinner and the New Years Eve Buffet are automatically charged at Le CAFE Royale. Having said that, I have enjoyed them both over the years.......

[Patexpat]

The Sheraton has been known to charge B10,000 for their compulsory NYE party - I jest not!

[Neal]

Now that I think of it, I know why the CR would have a cumpulsory dinner with room.
The Sheraton? well I am sorry but I do not feel that this type of forcing a person to dine with you just because it is a holiday is correct.
If you serve good food at a reasonable price, people would be happy to buy tickets or what have you to a special dinner at your establishment.
Having it cumpulsory, speaks for itself I am afraid. :3some:

[Patexpat]

Personally when I was a tourist I avoided ANY hotels that tried to charge me for a compulsory Xmas or NYE event ... it's just a rip off!

The trouble is, you might not know there was a compulsory Dinner until you arrived at reception to check-in - and then what do you do in the middle of the festive season when other hotels might be full?

:dontknow:

[Neal]

If you are 29 like Beachlover, you could always ask for a room at Chateau de Boss (?) :dontknow:

[joe552]

ah, if only I were 30 years younger, DaBoss :crybaby:

[frequentflier]

I am booked into Le CAFE Royale ,compulsory dinner included..I think people should have the choice of paying for that..

[Gaybutton]

A "cumpulsatory" Christmas dinner? I never heard of that.
The other posters are correct about that. I'm surprised you've never heard of that. That's been going on for many years, especially at beachfront hotels - all over Thailand, not just Pattaya. And it's not just Christmas. They do that on New Year's Eve too.

Actually the dinner isn't compulsory at all. You can eat anywhere you like. However, paying for it is compulsory and the other posters are also correct in that many times you don't know about it until you check in.

Most of these dinners are very good and I think usually worth the price. They're expensive, but usually less expensive than prices you would pay at the local better restaurants if they too are serving special Christmas and New Year's Eve dinners. Most of these hotels will also permit people who aren't staying there to reserve a space for dinner too, if they wish.

The reason they make it compulsory is they really do go to a lot of trouble and expense to put together a "gala" dinner. They don't want to do that only to end up with most of their guests eating elsewhere. I don't agree with them forcing it on people, but that's what they do.

For those who do not wish to be forced to pay for these dinners, the best thing to do is to check with the hotel before booking a room to see if they're doing that. If they say they are not going to make it compulsory, try to get a confirmation of that in writing - at least via Email. Also, try to avoid using a credit card to pay for the hotel or advance room reservation. That's where they get ya! If they've got your credit card, you're going to be paying for the dinner. If you're paying cash, you might be able to get out of it, although I would imagine the hotels have their ways to get the money out of you one way or another.

As I said, most of these dinners really are very good and the prices are not outrageous for what you get. Several friends and I have often actually chosen to go to some of these instead of a local restaurant. But if you don't want that kind of a dinner or object to the idea of paying for it whether you are going to eat it or not, make sure your hotel doesn't do that before booking your room reservation.

One more thing: People who are saying now is the time to start booking Christmas and New Year holiday season room reservations are absolutely right. Despite the fact that the tourist numbers have been down, if you plan to be here at that time of year, if you don't start booking soon, you probably won't get a room where you prefer to stay. If you wait very long, you might not be able to get a room at all - even if you're willing to pay extravagant prices or willing to stay in some obscure dump. If you haven't booked a holiday season room by mid August, or even sooner, I wish you luck finding a place to stay during the holiday season. The sooner you book, the better.

[Captain Swing]

I'm sure Da Boss Is familiar with the compulsory dinner charges--I assumed he was feigning ignorance of the "compulsatory" ones. I'm surprised that any regular visitor (or any new visitor who bothers to check the hotel rates before he books) is not aware of the charges: it's not a new practice. I assume part of the reason is simply to add a surcharge for the busiest nights of the year, but I was told (by a very unreliable source) that part of the charge, at New Year's Eve at least, is to pay for the elaborate fireworks shows, which many of the bigger hotels put on.

I'm surprised that any regular visitor (or any new visitor who bothers to check the hotel rates before he books) is not aware of the charges: it's not a new practice.....

Ohhhhh Arrrrrr Cap'n - I wouldn't want ye to be surprised.....

Here be the tariff page for Ye Olde Cafe Royale - I may be only a poor one-eyed muck-spreader meself, but if ye can see any mention of a compulsory dinner, wave yer hand Cap'n. :hello2:

http://www.caferoyale-pattaya.com/index.php?p=room

Furthermore Cap'n, if ye do navigate to the reservations page, ye will find no mention there either.... Ohhhhhhhhh Arrrrrrrr



:occasion9:

[Neal]

Well Captain, I don't think it is quite right to say I am feigning ignorance and while not a big deal but I take offense to it as i don't make it a practice to lie! :occasion9:

Now that being said, I feel that while you can eat anywhere you want but have to pay for the dinner is absolute shit, not right and I would never stay there. The question at hand pertains maybe to places that I would skip the meal rather than eat there. Breakfast lies in a swimming pool of grease, the only thing I did find edible was a tuna fish sandwich and everything else tastes like paper. I have tried special events dinners cause they looked good and after sampling many items I left because there was nothing to enjoy. Sorry but I am sure many people do but that's my take on it.

As far as paying for a meal that I don't wish to eat, I'm sorry but if it happened to me, well there would be some f.......ing words, I tell you that!

And a quick aside, I think any hotel that charges for fireworks etc I would also avoid. Now on the other hand if a hotel wanted to say that on these blackout dates the rooms are more expensive and this is what we give you....a fireworks display, free Christmas Dinner, well that sounds much nicer than a freaking compulsatory dinner or firework show, no?

[christianpfc]

This compulsory (payment compulsory, participation up to you) Christmas or New Year's dinner probably applies only to larger hotels that have a restaurant. You can simply avoid it by staying in places that have no restaurant (as I usually do).

In Thailand, I get up between 10 and 12 so I usually have no separate breakfast and eat lunch somewhere on the way to where I want to go. I go to Thailand to avoid Christmas and New Years festivities (primarily for the boys of course), a special dinner is the last thing I would want.

[Neal]

As far as "larger hotels", I dare say I would not consider putting Cafe Royale in that category, yet another poster said that they have a compulsory
Christmas and New Year's dinner. I do not know if that is fact or not. And even though I have been here so many years, I still go out looking for boys and don't care to about special dinners that someone insists I pay for.

[Captain Swing]

I certainly didn't mean to give offense, Boss. I wasn't implying that you were lying. I merely thought that you were gently poking fun at the use of "compulsatory" for "compulsory." Apparently I was mistaken. My bad. (I hate that phrase.)

[Neal]

No problem. I get over it fast.

[Marsilius]

The Cosy Beach Hotel, Pattaya, otherwise a very nice place to stay, imposes compulsory Christmas AND New Year dinners on its guests. They are not cheap and, even if you don't attend, you will be billed for them.

[bruce_nyc]

At first, as I was reading this, I was as indignant at the thought of a compulsory dinner and charge as you are, DaBoss.

But after thinking it through, it's really the very same thing, effectively, as a higher room rate for certain peak dates.

I would have no problem with that on one condition. A Big If.
As long as they tell me at the time of booking!

If I didn't find out until I arrived.... Yes. I would also be livid.... and would flat out and loudly refuse to pay that.

Please tell me that CR, and those other hotels, inform their guests at the time of booking. ....?

If they don't, that's a scam tactic, IMHO.

[Neal]

I don't know Bruce. When you book your hotel room anywhere they give you the rate for those dates. They have no problem telling you that it is this for this date and this for the weekend. If there is a hoiday period during that time, one would expect the room rate or other things to go up.

What we are talking about here is that you are forcing people to pay for a buffet or dinner that they may or may not want. I say again, if your food is GOOD, many people would be happy to eat there and many going out to dinner may book a table there. If nobody or very few book tables then I believe that it speaks for itself! There are enough people that live in and around the BT area that would certainly book there and other places. Would people not fill your place up if you offered good food at a reasonable price?

[Marsilius]

In the case of the Cosy Beach, the tour operator warned of the compulsory dinners - but not of the exorbitant prices!