Planning to visit Thailand for 4 days in early November 2008. Can anyone advise which area is better, Phuket or Pattaya? Can you recommend a nice resort located on the beach?

We'll need more information in order to be helpful:

What are you looking for in a beach location?

What is your price per night for a hotel?

Are these the only two beach areas you are considering?

for 4 days you have limitations...phuket is a fly situation (1 hour flight but 3 hours additional for logistics) and pattaya you can drive to in 2 hours or less...

i'd stay in bkk for the whole time at a nice hotel with a fantastic pool: marriott, hilton, sheraton or peninsula....

Thanks for your responses Kathie and rhkkmk.

As for Kathie's questions:

1. Looking for a resort with an outside restaurant on the beach. A clean beach that steers the vendors away from the tourists. Nice rooms in the $50 to $75 range. Fairly close to the nightlife. Phuket and Pattaya are not the only areas I'm considering. I'm open to all suggestions, but I don't want to have to jump on another plane after our arrival in Bangkok. A 2-3 hour drive to a resort is acceptable.

rhkkmk:

The beach environment is important. We're not so much into water sports, but we did want to relax on the beach most of the day before exploring the night life in the evenings.

If you want a drive-able beach, consider Hua Hin/Cha Am area as well.

Take a look at www.sawadee.com for hotel ideas. They are the booking service I use for Thailand. The prices generally include tax and service (which otherwise add 17% to your bill) and often the rates include breakfast.

Pattaya would be cheaper, you can stay in the Jomtien or Naklua areas and you are within 2 hours by road from Bangkok, Cha Am and Hua hin are about 2.5 hours, quieter than Pattaya area but enough restaurants and bars to suit most tastes. You would get better valie for you 50-70 in Pattaya but it is much busier than Hua Hin, Nern Chalet and Veranda Lodge are on the beach and would be within your budget.
You can of course fly to Phuket, Krabi etc but with 2 out of th 3 budget carriers now off the route the air fares may make a big difference.
Both Pattaya and Cha Am/Hua Hin are just cab rides, or you can express bus to either in a few hours for under $6 each.

james---whch carriers no longer are flying the route?

Phuket is better than Pattaya if you are a couple. Youc an come to phuket and then go to island nearby and then back to bangkok.
If you do not want to travel much than pattaya and ko samet would be good choice for your itinerary.
Indeed pataya would be best for single since the full place is full with red light district areas.
ko samet is nice and romantic for young couple to relax and the sand is the whitest down there.