Golden Bar - Nana Hotel Closing

[Mickmick]

My good friend Bee was bar manger for 9 years, last Saturday 15th, he received his monthly wage and told to finish that day

One reason I haven't posted much on Thaivisa is,the A'holes, that have no friends or have their wife or gf hanging out of their **** have no real value of life.(Please don't take offence)

The Golden Bar has always been a great meeting place, especially for Aussies. Over the years I have meet many people who are still friends.

Well my friend Bee, who had been manager there for 8 years told me he was already quitting because he was tired of Bangkok BS, nothing to do with the closing of the bar. What I heard from him was that the old guy who leased the area from the hotel was retiring, and had sold out. Girls there who I have known for some time say it is going to be combined with the coffee shop into a pool/sports bar, coffee shop is moving upstairs. Apparently the bar area was once part of the coffee shop, so it would be easy to knock out the dividing wall, nothing structural there

[Mickmick]

Stickman wrote a couple of weeks ago that the hotel is moving the restaurant up a level and installing a swimming pool on the ground/first floor. Sad, and why? Don't see many hotels with a pool just off of the lobby, unless it's a resort-type place which the Nana isn't and never will be.

LOL ....it was actually a pool bar ( ie with cues and balls) that he wrote, not a swimming pool !

Which concurs with what I heard from some of the staff .....only heard, not confirmed.

[jacksam]

Every time I sit on one of Golden's stools, I think to myself: "There are 10,000 guys around the world at this moment wishing they were sitting right here."

Not me and about 40 million other guys.....the pits of the earth, ive walked past noticing the expression of lifeless over the hill gang wallowing in there beer with bored out of there brain village girls sitting around playing with there phone a few stools down....

Some people are easily pleased the rest of us have a life.

One mans trash is another mans treasure. Get of your high horse. Each to their own. Or as they say in Thailand. "Not your business"

Edited August 28, 2015 by jacksam

[jacksam]

Mick Mick is spot on. That's what bee told me also. Mind you I don't have concrete facts. Hope the staff get new gigs

[jacksam]

Not for a second does this mean its fact. But just spoke to lady works there. She said ....its closes September 30 for a MAKEOVER. Will still be a bar. But who knows.

[elgenon]

Not big enough for a shopping mall that would compete w Terminal 21 et all.

[elgenon]

My friend lives permanently in the Nana Hotel

been in his room a few times to have a look,

the whole place is old drab and ugly like many

people there, get rid of the lot.

hey if you don't like it, it should be gone!!!

[elgenon]

is the golden bar the gloomy area near the double doors before entering the since gone nana disco where grandmothers solicit parents in need of babysitting services?

No! It's the bar on soi 4.

[losername]

is the golden bar the gloomy area near the double doors before entering the since gone nana disco where grandmothers solicit parents in need of babysitting services?

No! It's the bar on soi 4.

555. The grandmothers have moved outside to the car park where there is seating very near to Golden Bar!!

[Sviss Geez]

Total nonsense. Why would a place that is being torn down be issuing new leases to tenants and why would developers be interested in buying a place that is in that situation?

• Issuing new leases to steal their money
• Prime real estate, but a bit small for anything practical - Landmark Hotel supposedly 'bought' the ppty about 14 years ago, was in litigation for ??how long?? don't know the outcome - we have had rumors of nana closing since 2000, still going strong.

A ridiculous assertion. The master lease holder is running a business that cost tens of millions of USD to acquire and that needs to show a ROI. Stealing comparatively insignificantly small amounts from new leaseholders is not the way to do that.

We do know that the site and the plaza is owned by the FICO group regardless of "Landmark" rumours. It may be prime real estate but it's not an attractive buy for someone who wants to develop it into something completely different when it comes with scores of long-term lease holders in their kind of business, many of them with the sort of connections that would make illegal evictions impossible.

[MyFriend You]

Total nonsense. Why would a place that is being torn down be issuing new leases to tenants and why would developers be interested in buying a place that is in that situation?

• Issuing new leases to steal their money
• Prime real estate, but a bit small for anything practical - Landmark Hotel supposedly 'bought' the ppty about 14 years ago, was in litigation for ??how long?? don't know the outcome - we have had rumors of nana closing since 2000, still going strong.

A ridiculous assertion. The master lease holder is running a business that cost tens of millions of USD to acquire and that needs to show a ROI. Stealing comparatively insignificantly small amounts from new leaseholders is not the way to do that.

We do know that the site and the plaza is owned by the FICO group regardless of "Landmark" rumours. It may be prime real estate but it's not an attractive buy for someone who wants to develop it into something completely different when it comes with scores of long-term lease holders in their kind of business, many of them with the sort of connections that would make illegal evictions impossible.

Okay, I surrender, they don't want to steal it, maybe just tie it all up in court for awhile until the Army comes in and tears the place down............hope not, I have enough frequent flyer miles since 86 to own at least a stool in each bar........its still my favorite place to people watch.

[The Deerhunter]

I have heard so many stories about Soi 4 for so many years. Rajah Hotel was "Definitely" going to close years ago, and Everything from Nana to The Bus Stop was also toast years ago And everything from the corner on the other side of Soi 4, right up to the Tavern or beyond, (depending on what rumor is current) is going too. Maybe part of the Nana is perhaps becoming a Hard Rock Cafe, but I would wait to see anything else before I believe it. Too many contradictory rumors for too long. I do hope Nana Hotel, itself, Hanrahans Irish Bar and the Nana Enertainment plaza are all there for a few more years to see me out. Damned convenient for us & we live here (but not in Bangkok)

[The Deerhunter]

My friend lives permanently in the Nana Hotel

been in his room a few times to have a look,

the whole place is old drab and ugly like many

people there, get rid of the lot.

Oh NO!!!!: And they have just painted up the corridors and rooms over the last year or two. 555 Most of the desk staff & coffee bar staff etc have been there for decades. The coffee bar does not have the patronage it used to for the size and position

[1marco1]

Bye bye to my favourite egg burger!

[Sviss Geez]

Total nonsense. Why would a place that is being torn down be issuing new leases to tenants and why would developers be interested in buying a place that is in that situation?

• Issuing new leases to steal their money
• Prime real estate, but a bit small for anything practical - Landmark Hotel supposedly 'bought' the ppty about 14 years ago, was in litigation for ??how long?? don't know the outcome - we have had rumors of nana closing since 2000, still going strong.

A ridiculous assertion. The master lease holder is running a business that cost tens of millions of USD to acquire and that needs to show a ROI. Stealing comparatively insignificantly small amounts from new leaseholders is not the way to do that.

We do know that the site and the plaza is owned by the FICO group regardless of "Landmark" rumours. It may be prime real estate but it's not an attractive buy for someone who wants to develop it into something completely different when it comes with scores of long-term lease holders in their kind of business, many of them with the sort of connections that would make illegal evictions impossible.

Okay, I surrender, they don't want to steal it, maybe just tie it all up in court for awhile until the Army comes in and tears the place down............hope not, I have enough frequent flyer miles since 86 to own at least a stool in each bar........its still my favorite place to people watch.

Why should the army tear the legally operating, legally owned place down? You're getting even more ridiculous now.

[MrBrilliant]

Stickman was 'predicting' Nana Plaza's closure since 2000 and every year since hoping to push people into his (or his mate's) interests in Cowboy. It seems like some of the "ITK' members here have been using his rumour blog as their 'facts' here.....

Highly unlikely Nana Plaza and the surrounds will go the way of Clinton Plaza or Soi 10 when the area brings in millions of tourist dollars annually.

[lostoday]

Remember the guys mom who used to throw the flaming dead dogs over the wall? What a place. Had my first 276 there.

Edited August 29, 2015 by lostoday

[clearmirror]

Remember the guys mom who used to throw the flaming dead dogs over the wall? What a place. Had my first 276 there.

No?! Can u tell us more....

What is a '276' anyway?

[lostoday]

Remember the guys mom who used to throw the flaming dead dogs over the wall? What a place. Had my first 276 there.

No?! Can u tell us more....

What is a '276' anyway?

--Bargirl: Did you pluck your eyebrows?

--Me: No honey, I had a flaming dog fall on me!

So if you were walking down Soi 4 at night many years ago; and you got hit in the face by a flying flaming basset hound--don't blame me. Blame Mom. She was a small woman but she could grenade toss dogs out of 10th floor hotel windows like a 20 year old paratrooper. God, those were the days.

I think you can google that for the rest of the story.

69 times 4 = 276

Edited August 29, 2015 by lostoday

[clearmirror]

Remember the guys mom who used to throw the flaming dead dogs over the wall? What a place. Had my first 276 there.

No?! Can u tell us more....

What is a '276' anyway?

--Bargirl: Did you pluck your eyebrows?

--Me: No honey, I had a flaming dog fall on me!

So if you were walking down Soi 4 at night many years ago; and you got hit in the face by a flying flaming basset hound--don't blame me. Blame Mom. She was a small woman but she could grenade toss dogs out of 10th floor hotel windows like a 20 year old paratrooper. God, those were the days.

I think you can google that for the rest of the story.

69 times 4 = 276

Okay but I hope you made sure that they all had a good rinse first.....

[kiwi151]

Every time I sit on one of Golden's stools, I think to myself: "There are 10,000 guys around the world at this moment wishing they were sitting right here."

Never a truer word said !

I have thought the very same - as I have a there so many times.

[melvinmelvin]

Stickman was 'predicting' Nana Plaza's closure since 2000 and every year since hoping to push people into his (or his mate's) interests in Cowboy. It seems like some of the "ITK' members here have been using his rumour blog as their 'facts' here.....

Highly unlikely Nana Plaza and the surrounds will go the way of Clinton Plaza or Soi 10 when the area brings in millions of tourist dollars annually.

You may be right with your assumptions or you may not be.

I dunno.

But look; soi zero has vanished

soi 1 has hardly any bar left

Clinton Plaza has vanished

Washington Square has vanished

Parts of soi 22 is wrecked

looong time ago the bars in Taa ruua vanished

I think mongers have to get to grip with that shopping centres, hotels and condo blocks offers way more satang than wee red-light quarters.

[chiang mai]

+1 Absolutely, at some point in the not too distant future it will be gone.

[lostoday]

Stickman was 'predicting' Nana Plaza's closure since 2000 and every year since hoping to push people into his (or his mate's) interests in Cowboy. It seems like some of the "ITK' members here have been using his rumour blog as their 'facts' here.....

Highly unlikely Nana Plaza and the surrounds will go the way of Clinton Plaza or Soi 10 when the area brings in millions of tourist dollars annually.

You may be right with your assumptions or you may not be.

I dunno.

But look; soi zero has vanished

soi 1 has hardly any bar left

Clinton Plaza has vanished

Washington Square has vanished

Parts of soi 22 is wrecked

looong time ago the bars in Taa ruua vanished

I think mongers have to get to grip with that shopping centres, hotels and condo blocks offers way more satang than wee red-light quarters.

The mongers are the one bright spot left for Thai tourism not being afraid of a few bombs and such; they face greater dangers every night at Cowboy, Nana and Patpong.

As the baby boom swings into travel/divorce status nothing but blue sky for this market segment.

[fish fingers]

I've never been to that bar but quite like people watching in the the most downbeat lowlife places. Strange I know..

Maybe the Hard Rock will be quite fun .. think about it. Normal tourists mixing with sexpats, nutters, pro's, thai gangsters. It will be a bit like Timber Hut in Phuket

[t8769]

I doubt this story.

The Hard Rock is a billion dollar, world wide brand. Its reputation is paramount and I doubt it'll open in front of a large red light district. Won't exactly go down well back home.

I doubt they'll spend millions to open onto a people market, they tend to open in rather nice areas and attract a wealthy, respectable crowd.

Sure, if Nana Plaza closes down it might happen, but until then, I seriously doubt it.

I think the low-life element of Nana is safe for now.​

It won't be too long before the whole place is flattened to make way for another shopping mall and endless condos, but that's probably a few years away - and then it'll all be a strange memory discussed on websites by people in care homes.

Such is life.

[NanLaew]

I doubt this story.

The Hard Rock is a billion dollar, world wide brand. Its reputation is paramount and I doubt it'll open in front of a large red light district. Won't exactly go down well back home.

I doubt they'll spend millions to open onto a people market, they tend to open in rather nice areas and attract a wealthy, respectable crowd.

Sure, if Nana Plaza closes down it might happen, but until then, I seriously doubt it.

I think the low-life element of Nana is safe for now.​

It won't be too long before the whole place is flattened to make way for another shopping mall and endless condos, but that's probably a few years away - and then it'll all be a strange memory discussed on websites by people in care homes.

Such is life.

If HR are such a pious lot, how come they have been in Pattaya for well over dozen years already? They took over the faded, beach road edifice known as the Merlin Hotel, gutted it and renamed it rather than invest in a new build.

BTW, the brand in SE Asia is owned by Singapore-based HPL Hotels & Resorts and includes the Concorde Hotel in KL, right next to the premier pussy trawl in the city.

... and they don't charge joining fees either.

[chiang mai]

[Friendly Stranger]

Stickman was 'predicting' Nana Plaza's closure since 2000 and every year since hoping to push people into his (or his mate's) interests in Cowboy. It seems like some of the "ITK' members here have been using his rumour blog as their 'facts' here.....

Highly unlikely Nana Plaza and the surrounds will go the way of Clinton Plaza or Soi 10 when the area brings in millions of tourist dollars annually.

You may be right with your assumptions or you may not be.

I dunno.

But look; soi zero has vanished

soi 1 has hardly any bar left

Clinton Plaza has vanished

Washington Square has vanished

Parts of soi 22 is wrecked

looong time ago the bars in Taa ruua vanished

I think mongers have to get to grip with that shopping centres, hotels and condo blocks offers way more satang than wee red-light quarters.

And even more recent, I think you better add soi bladerunner to that list (alley way connecting soi 5 to 7).

Times are a changin.

[dcsw53]

Nana Hotel is going to be gutted, completely refitted and rebranded as Hard Rock Hotel. Prices will be 5 times higher, but Nana Plaza will still be just across the road.

Are you speculating on that notion , throwing out a wild guess? Or do you actually have some facts on that subject?

Facts. BTW, Nana Plaza will be closing in 2016. It is to be torn down and a shopping mall erected on the site.

When was this announced ?