Areca Lodge has been the standard answer to "where should I stay in central Pattaya?" for two decades, and it holds up. It runs 216 units across three towers — Areca, Corona and Evergreen — on Soi Diana Inn, midway between Second Road and Soi Buakhao, with lifts in all three and rooms from 32 m² up to 120 m², every one with a private balcony.
The pools are why people come back. There are two, both with built-in jacuzzis: the Cabana Pool by the Areca wing and the Blue Ocean Pool between Corona and Evergreen, plus a children's pool, and guests consistently report that they are large and rarely crowded. Around them are a fitness centre, a sauna, a spa and salon, the Bai-Mai Kitchen and Marble Café restaurants, a Blue Ocean pool bar and an open-air Beer Court and beer garden that is a pleasant place to start an evening without leaving the property. Breakfast is included on most rates and gets good marks for both Thai and European variety. Parking and wifi are free, though reviewers rate the wifi poorly.
Position is the other half of the case: LK Metro three minutes, Soi Buakhao three, Beach Road eight, Soi 7 and Soi 8 eleven to thirteen, and the Walking Street gateway 1.55 km — about nineteen minutes on foot or one baht bus at $0.45–0.60 (฿15–20). LK Metropole and Page 10 are both five minutes away; this is the practical centre of the city.
Guest policy, reported by several listing sites quoting the hotel and reconfirmed through 2025 and 2026: a double room takes two people at no extra charge — "if you travel alone and bring one guest it is free" — and a third person is billed ฿500 per night. Valid photo ID is held at reception and the minimum visitor age is 18. It is one of the most consistently reported guest-friendly properties in Pattaya, but confirm at check-in anyway; how guest-friendly works has the wording.
Rates run about $50–90 (฿1,650–3,000) depending on wing and season.
| Tier | Mid-range (4-star) |
|---|---|
| Rooms | 216 across three towers — Areca, Corona and Evergreen |
| From | About $50 (฿1,650) a night, typically $50–90, Aug 2026 |
| Walk to LK Metro | ~3 min |
| Walk to Walking Street | 1.55 km, ~19 min |
| Guest-friendly | Yes — one visitor free, ID at reception; ฿500 for a third (reported 2025–26) |
Pros
- + Two large pools with jacuzzis that are rarely crowded
- + Rooms from 32 m², all with balconies, lifts in all three towers
- + Reported guest-friendly with no charge for one visitor (2025–26)
- + Three minutes from LK Metro and Soi Buakhao
Cons
- − Reviewers call the decor dated — "very 80s"
- − Wifi rated poorly by guests
- − Large and a little impersonal after a week
- − Nineteen minutes on foot from Walking Street
