Accomodation, Part 19: Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments, Pattaya

A Superior room, with the "ocean view"

Front entrance on Soi 3... 
on the quiet side.

I hope those of you who had a long weekend enjoyed yourselves - I know I did. I scanned a few hundred old family photos; always somewhat of a mixed bag of emotions since most of the people in them are no longer with us, but the process also often triggers happy memories, too. Ah, well - several hundred more down, several thousand more to go.

This isn't Part 10 of the current trip report, but since I stayed here during that visit and did mention trying to do  Accommodation posts along the way, here's one about the Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments on Soi Three, between Beach Road and Second Road in Pattaya. It's one of six properties owned by the Sunshine group, and although some of the fine details around the place are starting to become somewhat careworn it's still a place I feel comfortable and recommend to my friends.

The SVSA is the yellow dot on the enhanced Google maps image above, about mid-point between the large Big C mall and the deep blue sea, so to speak.  

There any number of places to stay in Pattaya that make for a convenient home base with easy access to simple shopping, the beach, the large malls, Walking Street and nightlife of various stripes.

One of my favorites has been the Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments, towards the North end of Beach Road, on Soi 3. Actually a bit closer to Second Road, right where the Big C shopping mall is. It's one of those that blurs the line between a hotel and a serviced apartment, and I tend to think of it as a hotel, but they call them serviced apartments.

In the past I've usually stayed in an ocean-side room, but not this last couple of times.  One reason I stopped asking for an ocean view room is that there really isn't much of one, as I'd mentioned in Part 8 of the trip report. To simplify things I'm repeating that image below:

The ocean is visible beneath the violet Vs

The other reason is the long, low set of roofs in the lower right of the picture; the six or eight beer and pool-playing bars that enjoy trying to out-do their neighbors with their sound systems.  Since they're open-fronted clubs, the jumble of music graces the entire area until closing time.  Up on a higher floor it's not as bad, but still...  Now I ask for a room on the other (front) side, and I sleep better. Their rooms are all quite similar, but the room in the panorama up top - up over the lobby - was much quieter.

Part of the lobby area. The dining room is past the elevators and to the left.

The room safe is of a generous size, the air conditioning worked well and adjusted easily, the TV was larger than in a lot of places and the refrigerator actually stayed cold enough to hold ice cream without melting.

The bathrooms at the Superior level have a stall shower and a tub with a shower, and that's something my friends appreciate; tub baths being somewhat of a treat rather than a shower. Sorry, I know I've mentioned this before, but some of us travelers enjoy a soak, too, if the tub's been properly kept clean.

About a quarter of the dining area for the cafe. Outside seating is available, also.

The cafe's buffet breakfast food has been good each time I've stayed at Sunshine Vista; much the same as you'd expect at a buffet primarily for Westerners, but I'd say at least one third of the items available were Asian, and Thai friends have repeatedly said the food was fine. There's a good selection of salad items, and they make a good omelet. I've only had lunch there one time, and never had dinner there, although it's open until 9:00/21:00, I believe.

The Big C shopping center - less than a block away - has movies, stores, restaurants, banks, money changers and most anything else you're likely to need. For more basic sundries there's a 7-Eleven and a pharmacy between the Big C and Sunshine Vista, on Soi 3.

The staff is most pleasant; some of them have been there for years. There's almost always a uniformed guy out front for vehicular traffic, arrivals and departures, and at night there's a guy sitting in the little booth visible to the right in the lobby photo above. They're interested in keeping the place safe much more than they are what time you're coming back or who you're with, I'm told, although they're supposed to be asking for a visitor's identification.

One of the bellboys who are often at the bell desk and enjoy a chat if you're there waiting for a ride or something.

It's an easy stroll to the shore if you enjoy a beach walk in the morning for the setting up or for sunset - or both, if you're lucky.  Other than somewhat limited amenities in the hong nam (such as a single small bar of soap and basic shampoo) I really have nothing to pick on the place for.

If you're arriving by taxi or limo you'll probably want to let your driver know that Soi 3 is a one way street away from the ocean, but if they're coming down Second Road and discover that themselves they can always make a left on Soi 2 - a one way towards the beach - and circle the block.  The Sunshine Vista sign is visible from either end of the soi.

The Sunshine Vista properties are one of those occasions where you may well be better off booking directly through their own web site and not through a service, such as Agoda.  There are often specials where you get a free night (or two) depending on how long you're staying.  From my experience, their own reservation service is simple and reliable.

The Sunshine Vista Serviced Apartments, Pattaya