THE BASE Central Pattaya by UL

I was staying at a friend's flat for a week and really liked it. It's compact, but the design and the wall of windows on a high floor make it feel more spacious. The lifts were quick, security was good, and the location beside Tree Town and Central Pattaya mall is handy. The pool's big enough to swim laps. I like this place.

The check-in was a hassle, and right after arriving we were given a long list of unreasonable rules. This felt nothing like a proper hotel. Even though pool access was advertised as free, there were strict restrictions, and we were told even a small mistake could mean a hefty fine. We dried ourselves after swimming, but our shoes were still a little wet and left some water in the lift. They fined us 2000 yuan. Staff said that was lenient and claimed police might detain us if the same thing happened elsewhere. The facilities were in poor shape. The washing machine had black grime on it and smelled musty when opened, and the hair dryer was so weak it took at least half an hour to dry my hair. There was loud singing outside until 4 a.m., followed by renovation noise starting at 9 a.m. every day. The check-in complications, half-hour wait in the scorching sun, staff who didn't answer calls, unauthorized deductions from payment, unfair discrimination, and shabby, dirty facilities made this a terrible stay. I strongly don't recommend it.

I canceled the reservation because the check-in process had become far too complicated. Expedia's instructions said to contact them at least 24 hours ahead, so I sent a message through the app when I couldn't find a phone number. No one replied. The instructions then sent me to one place to collect a key card from a housekeeper, while the room was in another area. Eventually I reached a woman in Shanghai who said she was the owner and lived off the property. She gave me the housekeeper's number and told me to use WhatsApp, adding that the woman spoke neither English nor Thai because she was Chinese. It wasn't much help. The listing and my receipt both called the place beachfront, but looking at the map, it was nowhere near the beach. That felt like false advertising. I've never encountered such a complicated check-in, and I'd warn other vacationers about it.

We booked a flat through Airbnb and loved the bedroom's beach view. There are lots of restaurants, bars, night markets, and 7/11s around, and it's 100 meters from the beach road.