Not for me...my cousin (male, 60ish)wants to visit Bangkok and possibly Pattaya for about 10 days at the end of April. Hasn't been since Vietnam war days, so expects it to be very different this time around!

I told him to check www.sawadee.com, plus mentioned Suk 11, Buddy lodge, and the Asia Hotel in Bangkok. We're talking $40/night or less, with breakfast.

Any other sugestions? How about a close in beach area?

Thanks everyone!

For that price, you can actually get something nice, if perhaps a little out of the way. There's the new Unico on Sukhumvit, the Travellers on Ratchadapisek or the Siam Beverly, also on Ratchadapisek. The last one is a bit run-down but handy to the subway, as is Travellers.

In Pattaya, the Welcome Plaza is close to the center of things (it's behind the Marriott). It's reasonably clean and really cheap.

Places closer to Bangkok can be harder to get to. There are lots of options for getting to Pattaya.

He doesn't want to go to Korat?

Around/under $40 in Pattaya he has a huge choice. Sunshine residence about $23 with breakfast, a/con etc with s/pool, promotion stay 7 night pay for 6 from mid April,
http://www.r24.org/asiaoz.com/pattaya/sunshine/details/

Siam Sawadee about same price, as Michael suggested Welcome Plaza should be around $25, if he wants quieter North pattaya/Naklua Sunshine Garden around $30, Naklua beach about $32, also a deal, stay 7 nights pay 5

I hope you can persuade your cousin to give us a good report on how it was back in those days, he won't recognize it, but it would be 'fascinating' to hear about those days.
Tell him U-Tapao is 'still there' whether he was on R&R or based there it could well be where he flew in/out of.

Plenty of bars though probably playing the 'same' music as back then ! - No kidding.

Icuy,some time back I had posted a enquiry on this thread about Charlie House.Though no one seemed to know about this budget place, I thought it was a quaint little place.Seems nice & reasonable.I'll want to try it out next time.Thought I'll share it with you.I'm refering to the Charlie House @ Pinklao & not the one @ Soi Saphan Khu ( its too cramped ). Heres the site.http://www.charliehousepinklao.com/index.html
Your feedback pl if happen to stay there.

The first time I went to BKK I arrived on a bus from the south; went to Banglamphu and just wandered until I found something that suited.

Your cousin could do the same - there is a bus from the airport.

On later visits when arriving at night I used the website you have given - sawadee.

It's very reliable.

No beaches in BKK as far as I know.

I should stay at Jomtien insted of Pattay much nicer beach and just 5-10 min from pattaya south for good hotels try http://www.r24.org/restipset.nu/pattaya/hotels