Where to go Bangkok / Pattaya 1st time ?

[gerefan2]

So is my Hotel location good or better closer to Jomtien ? If Jomtien has so much to offer

I have always stayed close to BT and Sunee Plaza. Since 2004.

However for my next trip, in a few weeks time, I’m staying in Jomtien Complex!

[thaiophilus]

So is my Hotel location good or better closer to Jomtien ? If Jomtien has so much to offer

Closer to Jomtien and BT and Sunee would be better. At the moment you're at least 1.5 km/1 mile from all the action

[davidmelba]

They have several hotels right inside the complex.. None of them are 5 star but not bad

[francois]

So is my Hotel location good or better closer to Jomtien ? If Jomtien has so much to offer

Your hotel is not close to Jomtien Complex.

[Oliver2]

Plenty of accommodation in the Complex. A newbie would benefit from staying in a gay hotel, or at least one where the gay clientele is visible.

[maump]

Plenty of accommodation in the Complex. A newbie would benefit from staying in a gay hotel, or at least one where the gay clientele is visible.

I stayed at the Agate in the complex. Booked thru Agoda. Very nice, no problem with boys, decent breakfast (2016)

[maump]

All bars have off fees.

they didn't bill me in slow season 2016. The men were freelance as far as I knew. things change or I am losing my mind?

[davidmelba]

they didn't bill me in slow season 2016. The men were freelance as far as I knew. things change or I am losing my mind?

You were very lucky as I never heard of any free barfines. Usually if a freelance is working out of a bar you still pay the bar in addition to the boy.

[pong]

Depends on the bar. A very few-no idea if these still operate, or if yes on the old method, indeed did not charge off-fees as all guys were freelances-this also means there is no method to keep them attached to that bar. They may just butterfly around to see where there are prospects (maybe you......)-or not. or it might not have been a ´gay´ bar at all, it was just an incidental hit/meet.
It is always possible to avoid the fee by making an arrangement with mister B to come later to your hotel-with the odd chance that someone else might hire him in between. But with all the apps etc I think it all gets superfluous soon.
Really-I keep on wondering why so many seem to think it is all running on prescribed military ways-nothing works like that anywhere In Thailand. Which also means you cannot really rely on --yesterday it was there this, so today it is here?

[Oliver2]

I stayed at the Agate in the complex. Booked thru Agoda. Very nice, no problem with boys, decent breakfast (2016)

Yes, The Agate is excellent. But don't book through Agoda; email the hotel and you will get a vastly better price. I've just booked a November visit at 1200 pn...no breakfasts yet, though. My previous visit, pre-Covid, cost 2000bht.