Grande Caribbean Condo by Somphong

The apartment was filthy and badly kept, with mold throughout the shower and cockroaches crawling around. The whole stay felt dirty and neglected. Parking was another mess. The rules and notices are only in Thai, and if you miss them or can’t read them and park incorrectly by accident, they clamp the car and fine you right away, with no warning or explanation. It felt like punishing guests mattered more than helping them. The security guard was arrogant, rude, and aggressive, while reception and office staff were just as unfriendly and dismissive, even over simple problems. This was by far the worst place we’ve ever stayed. Everything about it was a disaster and the experience was horrible from start to finish. Avoid it at all costs. I can’t recommend it unless you want a ruined stay full of rude staff, disgusting conditions, and frustration.

The main security guard’s arrogant, reckless, and rude behavior left such a bad impression that we won’t return for several years. Thailand used to mean kindness, helpfulness, and respect to us, but what we experienced here was the total opposite and has changed how we feel about the country. We were visiting with family, including a child who uses a wheelchair. The place itself isn’t bad, but the hallways inside the condominium smelled really bad and had roaches.

The facilities are pretty great overall, with a pool, gym, sauna, and steam room. Some rooms are obviously better than others. The location is decent, between Pattaya and Jomtien, and you can get around by motorbike or car. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes, 7/11, and other places within walking distance.

We were really disappointed with the apartment we booked through booking.com. At check-in, security acted strangely and asked lots of questions. Once we were shown the unit, we realized it was in a residential building, not a hotel. The host was renting it out illegally, as far as we understood, and after we complained and said we didn’t want to stay, they cancelled and gave us a full refund. Possibly they wanted to avoid trouble with the tourist police. Fortunately, we found a much better hotel apartment elsewhere in Jomtein.