Meliá Pattaya Hotel, the fifth Meliá in Thailand, is a 12-storey building on Pattaya Sai Song. Grand Sole Pattaya has been given a major glow-up and emerges anew as Meliá Pattaya Hotel. Had I not been told, I would have thought it was a new property built from the ground up.
As to be expected from Meliá, a great deal of effort and thought has been put into creating a stylish stay. As someone who has – ahem – been to all Meliá hotels in Thailand, I can attest that Meliá Pattaya Hotel doesn’t disappoint.
Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted with good feng shui from the fountain in front of the hotel before you check in at the spacious lobby where you can see from the get-go that the hotel tries to pay homage to the locality, the Gulf of Thailand, from the textured wall panels resembling waves behind the receptionist counters to the different shades of blue on accent pillows and the carpet. Oh, and there are a lot of arches, as per usual for Melia hotels. The wavy inspiration extends to guest rooms and public spaces, as well.
On the way to your room, you may notice the low ceiling and many rounded corners in the hallway, which gives off a cruise ship vibe. In front of each room is a pottery display representing a lost treasure found in the sea. Ranging from 27-125m², the hotel’s 218 rooms and 16 suites come in seven categories.
You’ll be washed over with more interior details inspired by the sea once you step inside a Deluxe Room, from the wallpaper to the bathroom wall tiles. The use of arches and rounded corners, in addition to natural light through the big windows, makes the mostly-white room look very clean and inviting. The room-length sofa sits adjacent to the windows in case you want to take in the view. To make up for its compact size, the bathroom can be opened or closed off with sliding doors.
The Premium Room and The Level Premium Sea View Room are each 31m², with the latter offering, as the name suggests, views of the Gulf’s azure waters. There are also one- and two-bedroom The Level suites that are 61-125m² in space, respectively.
The Level Presidential Suite is where guests can live large. Its spacious kitchen/living room comes with a proper island and a dining table, while its two ensuite bedrooms afford guests a view from the 11th floor.
Higher price tags come with perks as 18 rooms and 16 suites belonging to “The Level” come with exclusive access to The Level Lounge on the hotel’s second floor, where guests get to enjoy various perks such as breakfast, all-day refreshment and afternoon canapés.
The hotel’s beautiful mosaic pool serves as a small oasis, with an adjacent function lawn and Lula pool bar. Five pairs of sunloungers are on the Baja shelf, if you don’t mind the towering condo next to the hotel. To minimise prying eyes, opt for roofed cabanas that can be closed off with curtains.
On the same level, the kids’ club Kidsdom boasts its own pool, a submarine theme and activities to keep little ones occupied.
Still on the same level, Sanehh Sarae, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, serves a bountiful breakfast and fresh, locally sourced seafood and tells the story of Pattaya’s Bang Saray fishing village through its decor.
Given that the hotel is under the Spanish hotel group Melia´ Hotels International, you may be surprised that it does Chinese cuisine well. As a nod to the longstanding Chinese communities in Chon Buri, Yitong Chinese Restaurant and Sky Bar does more than justice to Cantonese cuisine and selected Sichuan delights in a sophisticated setting characterised by pops of red, complemented by black and gold trimmings.
Expect generous portions that showcase both flavours and finesse here. Think a succulent fish sliced into a crisscross pattern and deep-fried until it turns golden, a classic platter of char siu, roast duck and crispy pork belly and stir-fried aromatic fish fillet with black bean sauce.
Yitong’s long balcony already offers beautiful views of the Gulf, but you can go upstairs to its rooftop bar for a true sense of openness, weather permitting. There, you can feast your eyes on the horizon dotted with countless boats (and spot the Pattaya city sign) as the sun goes down with a fancy cocktail in hand.
Although the hotel isn’t that tall, thankfully, there are no major buildings that block the view. Either sit at a table for two set near the edge or on comfy bean bags set on the artificial grass. Definitely a romantic spot.
Another dining highlight is the Nikkei restaurant Den and you can’t miss the golden pine tree at the entrance.
Expect non-traditional delights such as Hamachi ceviche with ponzu vinaigrette topped with green chilli and black olives, Salmon crudo with chimchurri sauce and ikura and Spicy wagyu aburi rolls with grilled asparagus and wasabi aioli.
On the other hand, Den also serves a mean Shoyu ramen with braised pork belly and chashu for those who crave something more traditional.
If the night’s still young, catch a free ride from the lobby to Lay Beach Club, which is just across the street from the hotel.
Located on Beach Road, the two-storey beach club offers a stylish yet laid-back feel, signature cocktails, Mediterranean-Asian flavours, poolside fire shows and more. Its upper floor has a huge outdoor Led screen befitting a fancy event.
Unfortunately, vacation calories do count, but you can hit the hotel’s gym which has an interesting design. The layout basically is a passage along the building perimeter with exercise machines and equipment placed in a way that guests get to enjoy some views while working out, instead of the usual one big room.
For a quick serenity, get pampered at Meliá’s signature Yhi Spa. Once again, you’ll be reminded that you’re in Pattaya as a decorative tray of sand and seashell on the floor is the last thing you see as you lie face down in the massage bed’s face cradle before drifting away in bliss.
Given its location in the heart of Pattaya’s action, Meliá guests have plenty of attractions along Beach Road and Pattaya Sai Song, while the Sanctuary of Truth and Bali Hai Pier are just a short car ride away.