ANDAZ PATTAYA JOMTIEN BEACH

Just a two-hour drive from Bangkok and Suvarnabhumi Airport, and only 10 minutes away from Pattaya’s best-known hot spots, Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach offers a truly immersive and authentic Thai experience. Travelers checking in at the breezy fan-cooled lobby will immediately notice how the resort blends laid-back luxury with a strong sense of local character.

Guest quarters are set in low-rise clusters around landscaped gardens shaded by century-old trees. Accommodation-wise, Andaz Pattaya offers 204 rooms, suites, and villas, ranging from Lagoon Access Rooms to top-floor Roof Garden Rooms—which feature high ceilings and a spacious balcony—to Beachfront Suites looking out over the Gulf of Thailand. For the ultimate in pampering, however, either the duplex four-bedroom Manor House or the sixbedroom Presidential Heritage House are hard to beat.

Come mealtime, guests can look forward to a tantalizing array of dining options across the property’s lush grounds. Oceanfresh local seafood is served beachside at the Fish Club, while traditional Thai fare is the highlight at convivial all-day eatery Wok Wok. Those with an appetite for hearty Italian cooking can visit La Cucina, and carnivores will want to head over to the Village Butcher for perfectly finished charcoal-grilled steaks. Then, for a laid-back evening accompanied by a drink or two, there’s the Teak Lounge and—for the more traditional-minded—the charming Ruen Thai teahouse within a restored twostory heritage building. All the on-site bars and restaurants make use of tropical fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices supplied by the resort’s own organic garden.

One final highlight is the PAÑPURI Spa. Inspired by local healing traditions, the pampering therapies here utilize natural skincare products by the namesake Thai luxury wellness brand, which has also created the organic bathroom amenities available throughout Andaz Pattaya Jomtien Beach.