It's getting close to Christmas and it was time for a luxury vacation on Koh Samui, one of the finest beach destinations in Asia. While researching online for a nice hotel with 2BR suites Kirikayan Luxury Pool and Villas caught my eye. It looked great. Luxury in a peaceful mountain setting away from main tourist hassle. It's exactly what I like, no compromise. The booking included free airport transfers to and from Koh Samui airport. There were various free shuttle services to a private strip on Mae Nam Beach and to Chaweng Beach, the island's central tourist strip with shopping, restaurants and entertainment.

Comfortable living room area with LCD TV and a small patio. The apartment contained two bedrooms, one with kingsize bed and another with twin beds, a kitchen and dining area.
Source for Discount Reservation at Kirikayan Villas.

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It's one of the most recently build tourist hotels in Pattaya: the Pattaya Bay Resort. It's a basic tourist hotel in the second row of buildings behind second street, a 10 minute walk to Beach Road and Walking Street, the two main attractions of Pattaya daytime and nighttime activities. It's right next to Mercure Hotel Pattaya. The rooms are basic and clean. Internet access is available and they have a small pool on the roof top. If you bring Thai guests into the hotel they will insist on holding their ID on the reception. I am concerned about the lack of respect towards guests and their friends, but understandable concerning their location right next to the biggest night entertainment district in Asia. The room I booked was located on their top floor.

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Located on Soi Nana Omni Tower Bangkok is one of the oldest serviced apartment buildings in Bangkok. A serviced apartment is basically a hotel that rents out furnished apartments for short and long term stays. I booked a 2 BR for me and my friends. The apartment was located on the 26th floor. It was nice and offered a lot of space. The furniture showed a bit of tear and wear compared to other competitors in that area like the newly renovated Centrepoint on Soi 10. The security is very tight and a bit annoying. They ask for IDs of Thai visitors, but foreign looking friends like Westerners and Japanese pass without the need to show an ID. Go figure! Maybe it's because the hotel is located close to Nana Plaza, one of the red-light districts of Bangkok. As long as they offer promos and reasonable pricing the Omni Tower is a good offer for people who want to stay close to Nana Plaza. The elevator ride on the outside of the building offers a great view of the city, but can be scary for people who are afraid of heights.
Online Discount Booking: Omni Tower Serviced Apartments

Top Image: Aerial view from my bedroom overlooking Sukhumvit area with its high rise office and condo buildings. Bottom table of images: snapshots of my 2 BR apartment on the 26th floor.

A smaller Bangkok hotel in central location on the crossing of Sukhumvit Road and Soi 19. The Grottino located very close to public transportation like MRT, BTS Skytrain and the Ekkamai bus terminal, taxi transport to the Suvarbnahumi airport lasts around 30 minutes via Asok and Rama 9 highway. The rooms are comfortable and provide a nice amount of space, but some of the hotel rooms are for smokers, be aware of this and ask for a non-smoking room if this is of concern to you. The owners are friendly Swiss people who are more than happy to assist in many matters. The restaurant offers Thai and Swiss dishes. My tip: Try their bread! They operate a bakery with some of the best bread in Bangkok.