Mosaik Apartments in Pattaya

[basabajo]

Not sure if accommodation reviews belong on his forum (moderators, delete this if it should not be here!) but others may be interested in my recent highly positive experience of Mosaik Luxury Apartments in the Soi Day/Night area of Pattaya. I'm submitting this to tripadvisor also, as Mosaik doesn't seem to get many reviews there.

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Just spent two weeks in a one-bedroom suite, overlooking the Blue House boys massage shop. The bedroom and the living/kitchen room both very spacious. Everything, including the bathroom and balcony and shared corridors/lift, very clean - either everything has recently been re-painted and re-fitted, or else they simply maintain the place exceptionally well. Kitchen area included good-size fridge, microwave, kettle, and basic crockery, cutlery, pots and pans. Flat-screen TV and DVD player worked well, but some channel signals a bit ropey. Lighting very good. There's an extractor fan in the bathroom but no window or other ventilation - not a problem. Big walk-in shower area, high water pressure. Tops supermarket, in the basement of Tukcom mall just across the road, is there any extra cheap bits-n-pieces you need. Security is good - one key unlocks the lobby door (which is self-closing) and individual apartment door. A staff member seems to be on duty 24x7, stationed outside the main entrance at night.

The bed is king-size at least. Clean bed-linen and bathroom towels. However the bed is pretty uncomfortable. Sure, Thai-style is firmer than western style, but this was not just hard but also uneven. I guess it gets used quite a lot!

I paid THB 12,700 rent for the 14 nights, plus 1,720 for electricity and a tiny 75 for water. That was after using one of the two aircon units for perhaps 10 hours in total each day. They charge 6.50 (plus 7% VAT) per electricity unit, which they read from some device on their computer, but I have no way of knowing if the readings are genuine - also no reason to assume they are not. Wifi is now free and generally worked effectively (after a few days of no signal, I reported this and it was fixed quickly). Regular cleaning is 215, change of sheets and towels 119, and last-day cleaning charge of 321. Rental must be paid in advance on arrival plus a deposit for electricity (etc) which seems to be 1,000 per week's stay. No credit cards, so get cash before you arrive. I booked by email and was surprised never to be asked for a deposit to secure the booking, nor even any passport or ID details. In fact, on the early evening that I arrived, still nobody asked for money or ID, but I chose to sort all this out the next morning. Note that the Bell Transport bus service from Bangkok or the airport will drop you off and collect you from Mosaik (journey 200 one-way).

Overall I was very pleased indeed and will return on my next trip. Mosaik is in a relatively quiet part of the city, albeit next to the Tukcom mall, and has a feeling of a semi-residential area, which is a nice contrast to the main tourist hotel strip. But it's just a ten minute interesting walk (or even quicker baht-bus ride) down to where all the action is. Lots of good-value western and Thai restaurants, and massage shops, in the immediate area.

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[vnman]

Well written review. Mosiak is a great place IMHO.

Too bad there isn't something like that in BKK. or at least that I KNOW OF.

I have never stayed in apartments, only hotels- but it's something I wouldn't rule out.

What would others say are the advantages of renting an apartment over staying in a hotel?

At first glance, by the time you add in all the little "extras" which the OP mentions, it seems there is no real financial advantage over a reasonable Pattaya hotel - so what's the upside?

i stayed there a few weeks ago and would also recommend Mosiak for those that like that sort of thing.

To answer your question scots - it averaged out at in TOTAL cost to me was about 1300 baht a night, however that was for a BIG ( three times the size of any hotel room i've stayed in except a suite perhaps and even then still bigger) well appointed and decorated apartment with a sit out balcony ( with nothing to look at except a building site just now) plus as the other poster said a good large King size bed, 42" plasma TV, free wifi throughout, reasonable kitchen area with fridge freezer, microwave, GOOD safe ( both key and electronic combination), a seated table area, a BIG leather sofa ( which was fun :-) a (silent) lift right outside my door and a private (locked) unguarded door where I could come and go as I pleased without being checked in and out with guests etc.

The day night area personally I didn't find to hot but it is what it is and as the other Op said I was ok to get away from Jonitem or the usual hotels plus as I was usually ending up in the Sunee / Boystown area anyway each night is was very handy for going back with guys, who all seems to know the place well and had no trouble finding me when I arranged a few hook ups on gay romeo / Grindr etc and I actually really liked ( my Thai guy and I) just picking up some street
food on the way home each night and then kicking back and eating it in a nice relaxed way in the apartment together whilst being sprawled over each other watching TV and he seemed to love promoting the the idea of how good he could "taking care of me" and done all the dishes, got me my beer, fed my my crisps and showered me he he - and yes I KNOW that's ridiculous but that's why I loved it and I don't CARE so there !! lol

Oh and the staff ( the two times I saw them at check in and out ( which only took seconds each time) were very nice and professional as well and in regard to other tenants I didn't see a single soul in the place or in lifts etc the ENTIRE time i was there ( which was great as it made it feel really private). They also have several guy massage places right around their block but unfortuantely I was so "busy" elsewhere I didn't get a chance to sample any of the guys......sorry get a massage I mean of course there he he :-)

So, would I go back - yes and would I recommend then - yes. My only one small negative was before booking whenever I rang to book or check something no on could speak english but I think that was just unlucky in terms of my timing each time and on sending an email ( which they prefer I believe) Nong the manager replied each time within 24 hours with the required answer and everything was all set and ready for me on my arrival.

[joe552]

Thanks for your informative review. I'll be staying there next month and since it's my first time in an apartment rather than a hotel, it's reassuring to know the property is clean and well-maintained.

[basabajo]

Hi scottish-guy - let me jump in with my Pros and Cons, as a follow-on to my review. Much depends, of course, on the type of hotel that one makes the comparison against. In my case, on previous short 2 or 3 night trips, I've stayed at the Dusit D2 Baraquda hotel, which set me back a pretty steep 3,800 per night (including breakfast, service and VAT). My 14 nights at Mosaik, all-in with electricity, cleaning, etc, worked out at just over 1,000 per night.

The Pros - apartment makes you feel you are "living" in a place, not "staying". The simple fact of having a kitchen area in the apartment makes it feel more like a home, than a hotel room. Sure, there might be no pool or gym at these apartments, but I found an easy way round this by getting a day-pass to use all the Marriott Hotel's facilities (see my separate post on this - on which many others here have got other suggested (cheaper) pool/gym locations). So I only paid for the days that I actually used the facilities: at a hotel you effectively pay for almost everything even if you don't use it. For a 2 or 3 night stay, it might be nice to have staff on duty everywhere to say Good Morning to you, and so on; but after a while this drives me nuts and one great thing about Mosaik is that you can get in and out of the building without having any contact with any staff (nice if one is bring back a friend at night, as well). Not just was the apartment much cheaper, but it is vastly more spacious. My comparison was an average-size hotel room at Dusit D2 with two much larger rooms, plus separate bathroom, plus balcony, at Mosaik. Finally, I quite simply liked the feel of NOT being in a hotel - the routine of having to pop into the supermarket to buy basic foods, heading out most mornings to find breakfast, never having to worry that a room attendant calling to clean at random times (though she did come promptly at 9am at Mosaik when pre-arranged days to do so).

The Cons - again, depending on the class and cost of hotel, you may well miss out on the "little luxuries" in hotels: that free mini-bottle of shampoo; clean sheets every day or two whether you want them or not; a choice of on-site eating outlets and bars; and so on. My guess is that most of us rarely need to use all of these, yet we pay for them indirectly in hotels. Again, for a very short stay, it's maybe worth it, but for a week or more, I think not. I've never stayed at serviced apartments in a resort town before, so maybe Mosaik is just very damn good - maybe others would say that hotels are generally cleaner and better appointed than apartments: I really don't know.

Wonder what others' thoughts are ....

[vnman]

The advantages are very country depended I think.

I like the freedom an apartment gives me. When I decide, after a night of clubbing, to take the whole gang home for an after party I don't get any resistance from a front desk, giving up some security...true. I also feel that I save money when I compare amenities. Apartments give, especially for a longer stay, a more "home away from home" feeling.

Those little extras the OP mentioned are not usual when renting apartments on daily basis. This is because rents are much higher when renting daily compared with monthly.

This is a place I'm currently looking at: http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/385979 400 per month and right at BTS

[firecat69]

I have stayed in many serviced apartments in BKK and the one you are looking at appears to be good value. Except if you are out late at night there is no skytrain and many taxis do not want to go this location and cross the bridge and almost all will charge a stiff premium to do so.

If you do all your travelling during skytrain hours then it may be a great place.

[vnman]

That's very good to know Firecat, tnx.

[martin911]

I stayed in Mosaik for over a year -- Its one of the best of that type of accommodation in Pattaya INMHO - Its all the guys say in previous posts ++++ --and its consistent (ive moved out now 1 1/2 years --) and it sounds like the standards have not changed in that time !!

The rooms are pretty much all the same size --way better than any hotel room sizewise -the leather couches and chairs are so comfortable --

The Wat Chai market area close by means its als a hive of activity around (without intruding soundwise ) and a big big plus in my op is the nearby Tukom
-- all the GR boys know it as a good meeting point -- takes away soo much hassle trying to meet a guy elsewhere -- you say "meet at Tukom " -all know it and you can have the guy back in your room in 2/3 min --

Nong and his staff there do a good job that doesnt seem to vary from month to month

I could not recommend it enough -