Hotel Vista or Areca Lodge

[irishken]

I'm hoping somebody can help me decide between these two hotels.

Hotel Vista looks really nice and the two bedroom suite is over 64sqm, large sofa and huge TV and balcony. All the amenities look great and its very close to the beach and Central Plaza. 

100 Euros P/N

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/vista.en-gb.html?aid=311076;label=vista-w1zFfNukiCe8kPZ5TJxywgS162175162730%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-11693535256%3Alp1007850%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=dfb18c2e4bd630b62060def977fbfcad;dest_id=-3242432;dest_type=city;dist=0;hpos=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;srfid=645d8c79628f6f0522295594870ceaced9257959X1;srpvid=883d385c4bf9014d;type=total;ucfs=1&#hotelTmpl

 

Areca lodge's rooms are Family rooms at about 60sqm. Its basically one big room and  while the place gets great reviews, the wifi is apparently always broken(not a huge deal) and the balcony has the aircon on it so its always blowing hot air onto the balcony.Other than that it looks great and i  like that it has a nice bar outside and at the pool. 

I'm  sure it also has a lot more choices for eating out and street food as its just of Soi Buakhao and its  close to Central Festival.

90 Euros P/N

https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/areca-lodge.en-gb.html?aid=311076;label=areca-lodge-*VWxNcSJ2D45PlWEk_SM7wS162175163723%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-125733422%3Alp1007850%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=dfb18c2e4bd630b62060def977fbfcad;ucfs=1;srpvid=24583a4b53110309;room1=A%2CA;hpos=1;dest_type=city;dest_id=-3242432;srfid=c33121928ef77148b8d6a4c049fb67b8544856baX1;from=searchresults;map=1&msd=1#hotelTmpl

 

Ill be with the Wife and two kids aged 3+5 and i hate crossing second road and beach road with them. 

[KhunBENQ]

41 minutes ago, irishken said:

Ill be with the Wife and two kids aged 3+5 and i hate crossing second road and beach road with them.

This answers your question in my opinion.

Areca Lodge is in the middle of a red light area with awful traffic/noise.

Pedestrians walking on the driveway always pushed aside/honked at.

The red light is very present (LK Metro, bar areas next to the hotel, coyote bar on the path to 2nd rd., brothel style massage joints around Soi Buakhao, a cheap charlie area).

And of course crossing 2nd rd. is a daily exercise. The worse the traffic jam the better to walk over

Not the first choice for a family holiday.

That doesn't say the hotel is bad but the location is more for "single men"

 

Soi 4 is comparably quiet but easy to reach by Baht bus and some walking.

[irishken]

Thanks mate.

I haven't really been in the area of LK Metro that much in my life so i'm not that familiar with it. 

Two years ago i stayed in At Mind Serviced residence at it had a  similar small soi and then the second road to cross and it was a pain with kids. 

 

As you say i've been in Soi 4 and its one of the quieter Soi's down there.

Cheers for the info. 

[NanLaew]

With kids and busy roads, I say the Vista is the best bet. Although Areca is set well back from the noisy bars and the rooms quiet enough, the general access to/from is the pits.

 

With Vista, you only need to navigate Second to get to Central Marina for shopping and food courts and going the other way, Beach road is the only thing between you and the beach. The long counters in the rooms are not very load bearing so make sure the bigger kids (and adults) don't sit on them. Also note that the room safe is low and easily accessible to curious kids fingers... make sure they don't lock your stuff away by accident! One time there was a special evening event going on in the dining room off the main lobby and it was so loud, reception and customer could hardly hear each other. I hope it was a special event and not the regular band! Note that it may also have a few more guests from the Asian subcontinent these days but this goes for most hotels with easier main beach access.

[digbeth]

There's a rear entrance to areca lodge that is on the street behind the avenue shopping mall that's quite away from the 'red lights' 

[irishken]

Thanks for the info 

[user4654364]

Personally, I'd give the Areca a miss. Last time I stayed there it wasn't very nice. The clientele that hang out at the pool aren't what I would say family friendly going by their antics in and out of the pool. Without trying to offend anyone, there was a lot of male/male shenanigans going on and it was every day. Quite sickening to be blunt.

 

I did speak to an elderly couple and they told me that it's pretty normal for that hotel. LK Mansion it is for me these days until i get a condo.

[irishken]

34 minutes ago, sgoodes said:

Personally, I'd give the Areca a miss. Last time I stayed there it wasn't very nice. The clientele that hang out at the pool aren't what I would say family friendly going by their antics in and out of the pool. Without trying to offend anyone, there was a lot of male/male shenanigans going on and it was every day. Quite sickening to be blunt.

 

I did speak to an elderly couple and they told me that it's pretty normal for that hotel. LK Mansion it is for me these days until i get a condo.

I have decided on Hotel Vista. Rooms look better and bigger and its very close to the beach.

Also i see that Central Marina Pattaya has had a bit of a face lift so thats another small plus as i see they have a place that sells Belgian beer and some new things for the kids to do,just to get them out of the sun for a while.

With it been in the center of Soi 4, Songthaew's run either side in each direction so easy access to everywhere in the area. 

 

[champers]

Central Marina has a burger bar that serves chips with chocolate sauce. ?. Enjoy.

[starky]

Areca for a family is probably the worst place you can go besides the obvious which has been mentioned Soi Diana is a nightmare to traverse at the best of times and you wouldn't do it with kids everyday and due to its location you will be continually crossing 2nd and beach roads if you want to get down the beach