Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya — Hotel in Pattaya City

Update: As I predicted, this hotel is calling hotel guests liars and this isn’t the first time either. Anytime a hotel guest has written a negative review on Google the hotel goes on a smear campaign against them. This hotel took money for a service it DID NOT deliver and that’s the end of the story. I have the receipts and witnesses to prove that everything posted in this review is 100% factual. According to this hotel anyone who leaves a bad review is a liar. The hotel can keep my $40 and use it for hospitality school and a lesson on business ethics.

My personal experience at this hotel is among my top 3 reasons as to why I will never return to the city of Pattaya for vacation. This hotel charged me $40 USD for a bucket of ice and 2 plastic cups and called it a corkage fee. Even worse, the hotel had the shameless greed to charge $5 USD for each additional refill of ice. A large bag of ice costs 10 baht at 7-11 in Thailand which is less than half of a dollar. $40 USD incinerated just to watch the ice melt under the hot sun. No service, no waiter, no napkins, no mixers, no glassware, just 2 plastic cups and a bucket of ice to drink a $300 USD bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Corkage fee? Yeah and the moon is made of feta cheese!

When I complained to management about this unjust charge, I was summarily dismissed. A real 5 star hotel would have waived this erroneous charge, not because I wanted anything for free, but because the hotel didn’t provide the defined service in anyway, shape or form to justify the charge. The hotel staff may wear smiles, but the managers wear ski-masks. The hotel took my money for services that it did not render. It is clear and obvious that some of employees of this hotel need to go back to hospitality school because nothing about my service experience was anything remotely close to what someone should expect from a hotel that advertises itself as a 5 star property.

Finally, to add some context, I stayed at the Hilton in Pattaya and paid the same exact cost of a corkage fee. The difference is that the Hilton actually provided me with the service that I paid for with multiple servers that did everything for me except give me a manicure and a kiss. I gladly paid the Hilton the money because the Hilton gave me the service, not like this hotel that handed me a bucket of ice and 2 plastic cups for $40 USD. The first time in my life where I stayed at a so-called 5 star hotel that treats ice like a precious metal. $1 USD per ice cube!

I will preempt any response the hotel will provide to this review by telling everyone to be prepared for them to produce a litany of excuses, deflections, and basically just say anything they can to discredit the reviewer while attempting to spin the narrative by pointing out how many glowing review the hotel has received in the past. Anytime anyone writes a negative review on Google the hotel takes absolutely no responsibility, blames the hotel guests, and “categorically” denies all complaints. I would have given this hotel a great review had it not made the misplaced decision of charging me for a service that it did not deliver.

I encourage anyone reading to examine other negative reviews written by other travelers who posted on Google echoing the same pattern of dismissive, disrespectful, and wildly arrogant attitudes displayed by management toward hotel guests that have had complaints. When people want to debate why tourism is in a slump in Pattaya just use this review as an example. Nobody wants to stay at a hotel that makes them feel like they are going through a tollway booth at every turn and corner. Nobody paying to stay at a hotel wants to deal with appallingly arrogant personnel that forcibly make hotel guests pay for a service that they did not receive.

Goodbye Pattaya, good riddance...

Beautiful foyer. Nice staff - v busy reception. Close proximity (10-12 minutes) to the throng of Pattaya, yet far enough away to enjoy the most peaceful night’s sleep.

I chose a honeymoon suite because the other available rooms looked rather low quality.

The room design has a very strange set up: Beautiful, comfy king size bed, excellent colour schemes, and a gorgeous view from the large sun terrace/balcony. And yet, it lets itself down in so many unnecessary ways:

It has a tiny bathroom with an even tinier sink for you and your partner to fight over - neither shelves nor cupboards on which to place your toiletries.

The shower cubicle feels more like a shower tube, ready to suck you up and catapult you out into some distant pool on the resort.

The bath mat was a clear breeding ground for all new life on Earth. My feet didn’t go near it.

But then, it has a very ample sized ‘suite’ area next to the balcony’s French windows, with sofa, chair and table that seems to serve no real practical purpose (eg you can’t see the TV very well when you’re sitting down; if that’ its intent).

Would have been much better to remove the suite area entirely, put a table and chairs on the (again, ample sized) balcony/terrace, and create a decent sized bathroom, suitable of the title ‘Honeymoon suite’ that doesn’t cause the honeymooners to bicker over who gets it (she won!)

The dressing gowns look like they were once white but had a tragic washing machine encounter with a red sock or three. Wearing the gown, you immediately feel you’ve been unwillingly admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

A card by the kettle says “Welcome to the state of exclusivity and fascination” - well, I’m fascinated how Nescafé and Coffee Mate sachets made it to a world of exclusivity - and not a Nespresso.In.Sight! Honeymoon suite? Really?

Also next to the kettle is one bottle of water for you to fight over, once you’ve accepted your defeat at “the battle of the sink”. But fear not, there’s another two bottles in the fridge. Just don’t get too thirsty.

We didn’t try any of the pools on the resort, so we can’t comment. We ate at Breazeo, a fish restaurant by the sea. Lovely, tranquil spot!

The papaya salad was nice but I only ate two mouthfuls of the seared tuna - 100% zero flavour and weirdly (for tuna) had an uncomfortably soft texture on the mouth.

To end on a high, the bedroom’s balcony/terrace, with its two sun loungers and amazing view of the private beach, is divine.

Would I go back? Only if I’d left my passport...

This was a return visit after one for my birthday in August. During that visit there was a group of loud guests on our floor that detracted from our stay. I mentioned this to the hotel and they invited my wife and I back for our 32nd wedding anniversary. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left the two nights were a slice of heaven. Knowing we would be there for our anniversary some nice surprises were included. We were upgraded to a lovely suite. Upon entering there were flowers, a chocolate mousse cake, and a delightful card welcoming us back from the management.

The infinity pools at the Royal Cliff are the best I have ever experienced and my wife and I took full advantage of them. 180-degree panoramic views from Jomtien looking south to the port of Lam Chabang looking north with the Pattaya skyline visible both day and night.

The room had a huge balcony with sun loungers and a 4-person table set up. We spent a lot of time out there enjoying the view and having drinks and snacks. We got hungry and ordered a delicious peperoni pizza from room service and it arrived piping hot in just twenty minutes. Absolutely delicious.

We are early risers and walked the whole of the Royal Cliff complex on the first morning. Checked out the tennis courts, fitness center and a few of the other swimming pools around the resort, along with their private beach which is kept immaculate. This worked up a good hunger. So down to the hotel provided full buffet breakfast for a bite. I went western and had waffles with maple syrup, some roasted potatoes with sautéed onions, Canadian bacon, sausages and bacon and eggs to go along with delicious croissants. My wife went Asia and tried the Kau Tom a boiled rice soup with pickled vegetables and pork. Then she had some very fresh fruit, including watermelon, pineapple, and papaya. Seeing my potatoes and crispy bacon she then went for some of that with a slice of French bread and fresh strawberry jam. It was so good. The server asked if we would like a cappuccino and of course we said yes.

A fantastic stay made better by very attentive staff from the security guards, doormen, to the front desk, and all the F&B servers. I highly recommend this hotel to tourists and locals looking for an authentic “Thai” experience of service. Always with a smile and never seeming forced. We can’t wait to go back again. In fact, my wife is thinking of taking a group of her employees back for an incentive type weekend. It was a very impressive...