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Only Bangkok beats Pattaya in number of hotel rooms. For seclusion, you'll have to stay at one of the high-end places. Ask hotels about packages and discounts—it can save you a chunk of change.
At the northern end of Pattaya Beach, this sprawling hotel has superb bay views and several pools, including one with a swim-up bar. The rooms themselves also have comfortable seating areas and private balconies, and the lobby that leads to them is a light-soaked atrium complete with waterfalls. Not to be outdone, the resort's restaurants have expansive views, and the Devarana Spa is a luxurious, cutting-edge facility.
Despite a somewhat odd African theme, The Gem's Mining is one of Pattaya's classiest new luxury properties. Fabulous landscaping means that each of its 98 rooms and villas feel wonderfully secluded, even though the hotel is next to the main Bangkok-Pattaya motorway. The pick of the accommodations are the Ruby three-bedroom pool villas, which have a private pool and access to a larger lagoon pool.
High on a bluff about 1½ km (1 mile) south of town, this four-hotel ensemble, a Thai institution, is known far and wide for its gulf views, setting, and staggering size. Even the standard rooms are well furnished, and most have ocean-view terraces (request one ahead of time). Some suites have two bedrooms, making them good for families. The beach is nice, too, but it's a hike down some stairs. The 11 on-site restaurants prepare a range of cuisines. Rossi serves high-quality Italian food at affordable prices.
