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ASIAN ESCAPES
WAVE HOTEL MAKES AN IMPRESSION AS THE CLICHÉ GOES “YOU NEVER GET A SECOND CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION” AND WHEN MIKE SMITH ARRIVED AT THE WAVE HOTEL PATTAYA, HE WAS IMMEDIATELY IMPRESSED BY THE HIP, ULTRACOOL EXTERIOR, AND EVERYTHING INSIDE.
P
attaya’s art deco luxury hotel Wave is an absolute pleasure to stay at with its panoramic views of the Gulf of Thailand, excellent service and captivating feel of a classic Miami South Beach Resort.
HIP & COOL EXTERIOR The first two things I noticed, in fact they are impossible to miss, were the replica of a vintage 1937 pink Cadillac V-16 for car lovers and photographers to check out and a huge, innovative, spray paint mural by the influential graffiti artist Alex Face portraying his iconic three-eyed character outside the pastel blue hotel. Owned by the Thai Sukosol Group, the location of the Wave Hotel is ideal for the beach, shopping and entertainment areas; right on Pattaya Beach Road. The 4-year-old, 18-room
boutique hotel is ranked first out of almost 400 hotels in Pattaya and is the 12th best small hotel in Thailand on TripAdvisor. I would certainly discover why during my three night stay.
A BEAUTIFUL BREEZE Second impressions were also good as I stepped into the bright, beautifully decorated lobby with an eye catching striped sofa, lovely art works, a large collection of reading material and vinyl records complete with turn table. Checking in, enjoying a refreshing welcome mocktail, was a breeze.
My top floor room was large and airy with a great view of the ocean. The pastel blue walls give the room a seaside freshness and combine well with black and white upholstery. Amenities include free wi-fi, a 42 inch LED TV, a wellstocked mini-bar, personal safe and a balcony with a couple of chairs. The extra large, open plan bathroom features a fabulous rain shower, a separate deep bath, twin wash basins and luxury toiletries, slippers and robes.
CADILLAC CAFÉ It was happy hour and 1 for1 drinks were on the offer so after a quick shower it was time for a beer in the amazingly decorated Cadillac Café and Bar located on the ground floor with indoor and outdoor sitting evoking memories of the 1940’s. I almost forgot to order my beer as I admired numerous collectibles, a massive black and white sofa with cushions that matched the pink Cadillac and an old push bike on the wall. I love bars with retro themes and the décor here is up with the best. After an evening at the entertainment spots of Pattaya, and a good night’s sleep in the sound proofed room, I pulled back the curtains next morning to a spectacular view of the sea with dozens of enthusiasts parasailing in the distance. I like to linger over breakfast when I am travelling. At Wave they serve an ‘a la Carte Buffet Breakfast’. You basically order as much as you want, but it is served to you rather than queuing up. The presentation of the food, prepared by Chef Jeff, was outstanding. The poached egg on dark bread with spicy prawns, bacon, egg and sausage and the waffles option were all excellent.
TIME TO DINE The advantage of staying in a small hotel is
that you quickly get to know the staff and vice versa. I had the pleasure of meeting the hands-on manager Khun Nim, a youthful looking, industry veteran who has been with the Sukosol Group for 25 years and at Wave since it opened. Her enthusiasm was infectious and she happily agreed to pose by the pink Cadillac before recommending an al fresco dinner at the Cabana Bar. There are options to dine under the plush and colourful cabanas poolside, but we chose to sit by Beach Road to people watch. The menu is a tribute to Miami’s cultural diversity and includes wagyu burgers, spare ribs, curry and Thai delights, but being at the seaside we chose mouth-watering fresh seafood. Not surprisingly, the wine accompanying the sea bass and cotton fish was excellent and very reasonably priced. A
live band played a selection of golden oldies.
MEETING OF MIAMI & MODERN Wave is superbly located in the middle of the action in Pattaya, next door to Central Festival with its vast array of modern shops and restaurants and across the street from the beach. Walking street and countless bars are within a 10-minute walk or short local hop on the Bhatt Bus. Wave is where classic Miami and modern Thai meet. The exceptional service, smiling staff and ‘unique’ décor add to the wow factor that made my stay a pleasure. What’s more if you book 30 days or more in advance you get special rates on the Sunset Rooms. v
Pocket Guide Wave 310/3 Beach Road Pattaya, Cholburi 20150, Thailand T: +66 38 410 577 info@wavepattaya.com www.wavepattaya.com
www.asianjourneys.com.sg | April/May 2017 AsianJourneys