Тай Tai

We stayed at this hotel from 11 to 21 August 2012. Two adults, one child aged 9. The meeting party of Sayama Travel. Actually, I will devote the entire review to both the hotel and the country itself.
Well, firstly about the rainy season - it rained three times. Started at 17-30-18 hours went two, three hours. Everything. The rest of the time there was no rain. The weather is sunny until 14-15, then cloudy in places.
An unpleasant moment - they flew from Ukraine - Aerosvit. The flight was canceled 12-15 hours before the plane's departure. No explanation. Everyone got there, as they say, by way of relay (some through Europe, some through Istanbul, some through Moscow, the tour operators worked for the benefit). Loss in rest amounted to 8 hours. The mood naturally deteriorated, but oh well.

We met at the airport, after 1.5 hours we were taken to the hotel (by the way, they are taken from excursions first, they are brought in last, vice versa to the airport). The hotel is on the outskirts, you are tormented to get to the center. True, if a taxi is not a problem - the minimum was to get 150 baht to Volkin Street. Upon arrival, they put 2.000 baht on a deposit (they don’t take dollars, you can exchange them right there, the exchange rate is better than at the airport), looking ahead, they returned the deposit without any problems. We were given the keys - "voila" and we were in the room of the central building. The room is absolutely normal, but not large (although in Europe it would be a large room). The view, unfortunately, is on the arriving transport, etc. Opposite us are rooms with a view of the garbage heap. I tried to change with a sea view - for an additional fee. Although there were a lot of empty rooms. Yes, I forgot to say, there were few people in the hotel, not the season, however. The only negative of the room is the bathroom, namely the shower. Fungus is everywhere on shower walls. And the shower didn't work well.
Beach. The beach is not dirty - they clean it. But every day the tide is out in the morning, and in the afternoon a slow tide begins. In the morning, in order to go deeper - go 200 meters. In the evening, 20 steps. Naturally, because of this, the water is muddy. Not dirty, but muddy. But in the evening there is also floating garbage (bags, boards, pieces of wood, coconuts). There were almost no sun loungers on the beach. I do not know why. There are few sun loungers around the pool. Very. If you went out at 10 o'clock, then the places were on the outskirts. During the season, there are definitely not enough places. Therefore, there is a strong minus. The pool is ok, not perfect but still. The waterfall and fountains did not work (as in the photo). Towels were issued according to the standard. Theft was neither on the beach nor in the room.
Guide. Hotel guide Enver. Tells - listen. In fact, I constantly forgot to warn about a change in the departure time. After an agreement to call at 18:00, he dials at 22:00. And so constantly, in general, did not like it. There is a Russian-speaking guy at the reception, resolve issues with him.
Massage. The hotel sucks. They did it in a salon next to the hotel. Some positive emotions. Prices 200-300 baht. Depending on which part of the body.

Food. For prices (from nearby cafes), it is most preferable to eat at the hotel. But the choice is not large, although tasty. If you want a choice - not a bad Pakistani restaurant Omar is nearby. Another point - if you leave the hotel and go straight along the road, before turning the main road to the left, on your left hand there will be a hotel (I don’t remember the name), which has a restaurant - in no case is there! For prices - for three to eat at the hotel (with beer and cocktails) 600-700 baht. In Omar 1000 -1100 baht. You can go to a restaurant at a hotel on the beach, but per person, in my opinion, 800 baht. At the same time, the buffet, eat at least some blue crabs. Tipping left 20-50 baht. See where and why.
The territory of the hotel, let's say, is not small at all. But kind of empty. There is absolutely nothing to do in the hotel in the evening. And to go for a walk with a child at night, well, it doesn’t work out.
Excursions. Long topic. If we compare the prices of sayama and street vendors, I would not say that the latter are much cheaper. Where 5, where 10-15%. I decided to go to Kwai or Bangkok from the advertised Sasha. Yes, I do not argue, pleasant makes an impression. And he will help you choose and advise, BUT in the end, when the choice was made and we decided to contact him (2-3 days before the start of the excursions), he stupidly disappeared. That is, he was simply absent from the workplace for 4 days and his mobile phone was turned off. So it's up to you to decide for yourself. Well, we had to go from the tour operator. I definitely did not want to take from other street operators. The famous quai, for some reason, did not leave as many impressions as many. Decidedly boring. In addition to elephants, and rafting in a dirty river, only a long road remained in my memory. Guide - Egor, young man. Tells a lot and is interesting. The only thing people do not buy - tea and nothing in pharmacies. Firstly, expensive, secondly, of dubious quality (especially advertised tea). Bangkok is interesting, but somehow crumpled. They let you into the Temple of the Emerald Buddha without a Russian guide, they give you a Russian-speaking one…. Believe me, not the effect. The golden buddha is not the same. Riding on the river and feeding the catfish is super. Lunch at a Chinese restaurant is disgusting (imagine a crowd of people raking food of dubious taste). Dinner in the tower is worth a visit, but there is too much of everything. Do not count on shopping - it will not work. Although by what we managed to see - it's worth it.
Excursion to the croco-farm and the park of stones is cool. But again, don't waste your money on jewelry and latex factories! If you really want to - drive from the hotel here - at least 20% of the money spent will be returned, and the road is free. Nong Nooch Park is amazing. It’s better to go from a travel agency, it’s more expensive on your own. Mini Siam Park is great. Alcazar is interesting. Islands (the name sounds like Banzai tour) - mediocre. There is simply nothing to do on the first island, on the second you fish, but you just need to go diving (we saw a stingray, a turtle, a lot of jellyfish). On the island of monkeys, a herd of monkeys sits, waiting for you to be brought ashore by boat. Involuntarily, it looks like they are taking you to lunch! At the same time, they warn - if they scratch or bite - the hospital, because they are rabid, contagious, get sick with all sorts of garbage, etc. , but we are not responsible. What was frustrating in all excursions - kickbacks, all the guides sit on kickbacks and time - they push you all the time. That is, you just run, there is no free time! If you are late - immediately snot, the whole bus is waiting for you. So give 15-30 minutes more time! It feels like you are on a free marathon and you owe something to someone.

Shopping - all shopping centers (mike, bigsupercenter) - definitely expensive. The same things on the street are cheaper by 30-40% (we compared bags and hats). Lotus is better, but the choice is much smaller. According to a souvenir - I did not find a cheap center, they took everything in different places.
In the end, Tai is a beautiful country. I will not go to this hotel again (I just never go twice to the same place). Don't hesitate to come here in high season. If again in Tai, then to the islands - where the sea is good. Aerosvit sucks. Sayama is a fairly reliable operator, but, unfortunately, you are just statistics and a stream of tourists for them.