The Ambiance

[ceejay]

I was in the Ambiance for 3 nights in the first week in November. I've been there before, and have pleasant memories of the place. This time - what a disappointment. I thought I might as well pamper myself, so I stayed in their new "Executive Suite". Oh dear, Oh dear. Don't believe what you see on their website - the room is large enough OK, and reasonably clean, but the decor is dingy and the furniture is tired. As a matter of fact, dingy and tired would do for a description of the rest of the place as well.

The work on installing the lift seemed to have stopped. There was a boarded up hole on each floor. Possibly because of an unfinished lift shaft stretching down into the bowels of the earth, the hotel had a slight dank smell - like standing water (not in the room though to be fair). Making space for the lift shaft has also turned the place into a bit of a warren. To get to my room it was up the main stairs - down a flight of 3 steps - along a corridor - up some more steps. I got lost once! Not much fun for anyone less nimble than they once were.

Well, I hadn't the energy to do anything just off the plane, and after that there were only 2 nights left, but if I had been there for a longer stay I would have checked out and moved on. The room was livable, but it terms of what you had a right to expect from their top dollar, "flagship" room, it was nowhere near the standard I expected. In short - terrible value for money.

So, in three days my one word review of the Ambiance has gone from "recommend" to "avoid".

... complain to the management?

[krobbie]

Complain? That sort of thing can get a man a serious injury!

:inv:

cheers

[Wesley]

what can I say, use to be my favorite place to visit, I can get that kind of thing at Twoguys in Sunee for less and with out the smell. I never felt like the rooms were dingy but certainly not the Hyatt either, I would not spend my money at Ambiance agian. so, I guess enough said from me.

Wes

what can I say, use to be my favorite place to visit, I can get that kind of thing at Twoguys in Sunee for less and with out the smell. I never felt like the rooms were dingy but certainly not the Hyatt either, I would not spend my money at Ambiance agian. so, I guess enough said from me.

Wes

On my first trip to Pattaya 14 years ago i stay in Ambiance. Real to expensieve and that, "MADAM JIM" whit here money face.

I dident like it there !

The Ambiance has been on the slide for at least a couple of years now both in decor and standards of service. They have been living on a past glory and reputation which is fast disappearing.
Madame Jim and the management seem to only be interested in Boyz Boyz Boyz, (which is probably natural as it is their cash cow). If they put even a small fraction of the effort they put into the club instead into the hotel it would not be in decline. It is now grossly over-priced and over-rated. As far as I can see they now treating the hotel as a minor inconvenience and the least important part of their empire and are reaping the dubious benefits of this policy.

[Patexpat]

I certainly think they have some catching up to do with the other side of the Soi following the upgrade to Cafe Royale and the complete refurb of Copa .....

Krobbie wrote:

Are you cazy?
Complain? That sort of thing can get a man a serious injury!

Or much worse Krobbie.............

That place often had bad smells in some of the rooms which was thought to be a coming up through the drains!

[jolyjacktar]

IT was a great favourite of mine to stay there on my holidays, but alas i too about 2 yeras ago found it to be exspensive for the room offered. The rooms are very dowdy now and i wont stay there again.

[lonelywombat]

Some rooms are above the disco and the thump,thump until 0100 is a f###### pain

I used to enjoy an early off or have a nice dinner , but get the wrong room and it is bloody unbearable

Cafe Royale has problems with their steep stairs I found Poseiden and enjoy that, in particular their lift

To me staying in Boyztown is for newbies.

[Wesley]

Newbies with money to throw away, is really what you mean:Eh.

Wes

[jinks]

Disco noise... no problem for me when I stayed there on the 1st floor.

My days were good and as I took my siesta I got a nice wake up call for dinner.

They used to play 'boyz, boyz, boyz' the song at 8pm as they opened.

Great place when the roof garden was open. That is a VERY old feature sadly missed.

Are we taking about the same Ambience Hotel and entertainment complex I have just stayed at?

I dont think so I had a wonderful room and they Boss a Scotch lady man was so charming and fun, the staff were more then helpful and I moved from the Cafe mafia over the road the staff there are like the Mafia they do as they like and so rude most of the time.

Where ever your staying this is the only place to stay its here the action is they protect you from getting into trouble with boys, even the food is not to bad and that Bar Disco is amazing place to pick up you dont have to off the boys just sit at the disco bar area they come to you for free. amazing I just love the place. I could here no noise I had bad Jet lag I would have complained dont worry.

http://www.ambiancehotel.com/

I do agree its no for those who really very old at heart, but if your a fun person, its good at any age, especially if its your first time in Thailand, they put you right and take good care of you.

[fedssocr]

Hey, I stayed in an executive suite there last month too. It was my third visit to Ambiance and definitely my last.

Work is happening on the lift but is limited to 10:00-17:00 which may be why it is taking so long. It really is a maze of hallways. Took my a few trips before the path to my room became automatic.

My problem was the hot water in the shower not really working. And the fact that the shower drain is of insufficient capacity so the shower fills up with water pretty quickly.

I think all of the rooms there are dark. The windows, besides being dirty, are covered with a sunblock film of some sort. And the windows are small to begin with.

If you want to go to sleep before the bars close you will need earplugs.

For the price you can definitely find much nicer, newer hotels.

The one thing the place has going for it is the friendly staff.

Bewildering; the two hotels I've been using for ten years (about forty visits)- Tarntawan and Ambiance- have both been villified within a week or so on this forum. I was last in Ambiance in July so cannot comment on the lift situation now but I can say the following; the staff, from management to cleaners are friendly, helpful and reliable; both hotels have excellent security personnel; the hotels are clean- spotless in fact. They both suit my needs perfectly.
In both cases I choose to pay a little more for prime location, a location to which I can return during the evening to change a sweaty shirt or use the bathroom.
I've no intention of changing hotels and will visiting both during January.
I'm sure the posters are trying to be helpful in providing feedback to potential clients but would it not be fair to suggest that-apart from the implications of the building work, of which I know nothing- both this thread and the Tarntawan one are a little OTT?

[Wesley]

Bewildering; the two hotels I've been using for ten years (about forty visits)- Tarntawan and Ambiance- have both been villified within a week or so on this forum. I was last in Ambiance in July so cannot comment on the lift situation now but I can say the following; the staff, from management to cleaners are friendly, helpful and reliable; both hotels have excellent security personnel; the hotels are clean- spotless in fact. They both suit my needs perfectly.
In both cases I choose to pay a little more for prime location, a location to which I can return during the evening to change a sweaty shirt or use the bathroom.
I've no intention of changing hotels and will visiting both during January.
I'm sure the posters are trying to be helpful in providing feedback to potential clients but would it not be fair to suggest that-apart from the implications of the building work, of which I know nothing- both this thread and the Tarntawan one are a little OTT?

After reading what others have had to say, unless you need a mountain of evidence, I would say the reports are in no way over the top, none have said anything bad about the staff, Other than JL I have no problems with any of them, But then Drag is definitely not my forte'. If several have said, it is dusty not clean and hard to navigate I see no reason not to believe the report. The dust and the problems with drains and such may be related to the work being done. However, the problem with the smell may not be in every room but some have noticed it. As I said, I have been there a month at the time. However, not again. If you want to stay on that side of the street there are other Good hotels close by unless you just want to play in the bar and that one alone. There are several I have heard mentioned in the past that have been alternatives to the Ambiance at half the price. Also, if you stay at twoguys that to me was a perfectly good place to stay, is a third of the price for a regular room at the Ambiance. Nevertheless, it has been a long time since any real money was spent on the hotel, so it may be in the planning stages and for all we now and may be as good as the Hyatt by next year this time.

All the best,

Wes

Drag?
What on earth has that got to do with the hotel? In ten years, I have never seen anyone in drag at the hotel. Have I missed something?

where is he, where is his replies?

No more postings from me on this subject; I sense that I've unwittingly stumbled on a personality clash- Wesley's reference to drag was the clincher.
I stick to my recommendation.

[ceejay]

where is he, where is his replies?

No, I have a day job to do. I might stay logged in here, but if I am going to make posts, it is likely to be at this time of day.

In answer to your question, no I did not complain to the management. To what end? Am I, for example, going to return the following day and find the manager has re-upholstered the tired old sofa while I was gone? I don't go to Thailand to have fruitless arguments with people, I get enough of that in real life thank you.

Like I said, if I had been booked in for more than three days, I would have booked out and found somewhere else. I didn't say that the room was uninhabitable, I said that I was disappointed by the standard of what is supposed to be the best room in a hotel that charges, for the area it is in, premium rates, and I was. In those terms, the value for money was terrible.

Nelson - I have no axe to grind with the ownership or management, because I have never met them. There are probably as many opinions about a hotel as there are guests. Your recent experience, and mine, of the Ambiance have obviously been very different. If this forum is to be any use to others, all we can do is post our honest, differing, opinions and leave others to make of them what they will. You also said something I should have - the staff there are still excellent, indeed they are the best thing about the place. I also agree with you on the subject of the Tarntawan - I stayed there and found nothing to support the criticisms posted here recently. I will make a separate post soon.

[allieb]

The windows, besides being dirty, are covered with a sunblock film of some sort. And the windows are small to begin with.

Might be soot from the fire a few years ago

allieb wrote;

"Might be soot from the fire a few years ago"


Naw the fire was too convenient, it only happened in the one room..... :bom:

I am sorry others have had a bad experience at the Ambiance Hotel but I have stayed there many times for 3-4 weeks each stay over the years and I have been VERY HAPPY with the housekeeping, staff, transportation, arrangements for tourist attractions, and the coffee shop. The staff have always been so helpful and always check the ID's of any guests I might have. The location has always been important factor to me and one can just sit on the balcony in an evening and watch the happenings if one does not feel they want to go bar hopping. I understand the lift has been just completed except for the interior cab and it should be fully operational this weekend. I also understand the drapes and bedspreads in all the rooms have just been replaced and the exterior is being painted. Earlier this year the lobby and coffee shop were redecorated.
If I have any complaint or suggestion I would just talk to management staff or Jim and they have always been very caring and explanatory if necessary. I recommend if anyone has a problem or complaint to please let the management know and I am sure they will be very responsive.
From my experiences at the Ambiance I can only say I believe the hospitality and facilities have been maintained and improved over time. I would recommend it to any friend who wants a clean hotel with good service and a good location. If one wants other amenities such as a pool or golf course or meeting rooms, then there are better options than the Ambiance. Lastly, each of us have our own travel budget so our choices are different and one has many other choices in Pattaya that will meet our budget and the type of ambiance we want in a hotel.
Thank you for reading a different point of view.
Jim
America

The staff have always been so helpful and always check the ID's of any guests I might have. The location has always been important factor to me...

Ditto.

More than 10 years of experience with the Ambiance and nothing but high praise. Clean, efficient, friendly, accommodating, caring, etc.

If your experience is less than satisfactory, speak to Jim. He has always gone the extra mile (kilometer) to make things right.

There will always be those with different tastes and needs, for many the Ambiance will continue to be an outstanding choice for lodging.

[Wesley]

No more postings from me on this subject; I sense that I've unwittingly stumbled on a personality clash- Wesley's reference to drag was the clincher.
I stick to my recommendation.

My reference to JL, was meant to say I have nothing against Him, I just don't like drag. It has nothing to do with the hotel just JL. I would assume he is a great person. I know him and have had a few conversations with him and all were good. I just prefer him dressed as a guy. It has nothing to do with the hotel. Sorry if I mixed personal opinions about him in a post about the hotel, although I think it is hard to separate the two, that is JL and the Hotel as some of you mentioned just talk to him. I am sure he will surely walk on water to fix any problem.

All the best.

Wes

I've stayed at the Ambience many times. I tried several B&Bs and found them to be awful. I'd rather pay a little more and be in a convenient spot anyway. The last time I was there, they were building some type of lift. I complained and checked out. They didn't bother to give me a better rate, offer me a better room, nothing. I ended up checking back in, again with no compensation for the noise from the construction. I don't think complaining will do any good because it seems to me that they must be doing well business wise because it didn't even occur to management to offer anything. It was all very "oh well...."

Anyway, despite my problems with them, my next trip will likely again be spent there, or perhaps Cafe Royale.

[Wesley]

No more postings from me on this subject; I sense that I've unwittingly stumbled on a personality clash- Wesley's reference to drag was the clincher.
I stick to my recommendation.

My reference to JL, was meant to say I have nothing against Him, I just don't like drag. It has nothing to do with the hotel just JL. I would assume he is a great person. I know him and have had a few conversations with him and all were good. I just prefer him dressed as a guy. It has nothing to do with the hotel. Sorry if I mixed personal opinions about him in a post about the hotel, although I think it is hard to separate the two, that is JL and the Hotel as some of you mentioned just talk to him. I am sure he will surely walk on water to fix any problem.

All the best.

Wes

Let me clarify, how I feel about J is personal, how he runs the hotel and the mess with Kevin are two different issues. I will say it until I die. I think it was best forgiven and the bunch of them moveon with life. My feelings about Quill and j are the same. How they run the hotel are not in the same category as how I feel about the other issues. I remain diligent in my belief that what we see and what happed are two different issues. On that issue, I can say I am Biased to no end. I did feel I needed some objectivity however, when talking about the hotel since I have not stayed there, nor will I since the issue with Kevin. Not that management gives ratsтАЩ ass how I feel or my money. However, I cannot say for person how the hotel is run now, how it looks smells or anything, I can only mention the posters in the beginning of the thread were likely right. Too many people of recent stays there say there is a problem. If Jim says they are addressing the issues who am I to say they are not. Therefore, on that issue alone I rest my case that I do not personally know of any problems and can only judge based on what I read.

All the best,

Wes

Wesley wrote: I just prefer him dressed as a guy.

I think you're taking the piss, he looks better in drag.

White Desire, I agree with you 100%,

I wouldnt risk saying that too loudly in Boyztown though! I have been 'out of the loop' for quite some time now, as to who owns the Ambiance and the Big Big Bar next door, as I have heard various rumours, that the McMafia have sold up, and are involved with property developments near Jomtien. Another rumour I heard, was that they still owned a percentage of the hotel/bar, and the final rumour being that the one with the frock runs the bar/hotel, but only as as a manager?

Can anyone advise?

... lightheartedly - I'm sure he's got thicker skin than that!

[Wesley]

White Desire, I agree with you 100%,

I wouldnt risk saying that too loudly in Boyztown though! I have been 'out of the loop' for quite some time now, as to who owns the Ambiance and the Big Big Bar next door, as I have heard various rumours, that the McMafia have sold up, and are involved with property developments near Jomtien. Another rumour I heard, was that they still owned a percentage of the hotel/bar, and the final rumour being that the one with the frock runs the bar/hotel, but only as as a manager?

Can anyone advise?

Just another reason to keep my mouth shut, I want to live or at least not end up sitting beside Kevin if I ever visit LOS again.

Wes

White desire said:

I'm sure he's got thicker skin than that!

It's not skin mate it's 'scales'.......... :cheers: