The Loma is situated in North Pattaya (Naklua actually) in what is called the "German Quarter", some 200m down Soy 18 and round the corner from the Naklua main road, which directly leads onto Beach Road over the roundabout.

It's part of a chain of three hotels under European management, one of the other is the Green Park, and reasonably priced for medium quality around 1000-1200 TB. The Green Park is round the corner and some 200 TB more upmarket, said to have been freshly renovated and sporting higher quality aircon.

With all hotels of that chain there is a joiner fee of 100 TB per night and girl. Supposedly, having girly stay all day is 250 TB, although I wouldn't know how they would check up on that and was never asked to pay that higher fee. Might have to do with my being considerate enough tipping the regular night warden 200 TB. Tip the cleaning lady and the pool bar staff the same, it's considered polite and they will be all the more friendly.

Rooms are situated in wings of the main house and two separate houses, on two floors. All in all the houses are nicely spaced apart a little and it won't be noisy. The interior is clean and practical with some decoration, nice enough actually. Bathes have a tub (thai girls generally appear not to like water games, but some will put up with that) with shower head installed over it. Could be better, but ok.

Air-conditioning is OK, noise is quite bearable. What I don't like, but it's the same in all Thailand hotels, are the flimsy blankets wrapped in by linens. But I have only found one place sporting real duvets, and that is really upmarket. Like to have a cuddle under a reasonably warming blanket.

To the back of the guest houses is some undeveloped area with lots of foliage, so expect some insect noise, though I did not have too much trouble with gnats.

Minibar prices are ok, you get some free drinking water free every day. I don't know why everyone in Pattaya goes for Heineken so much, the local Singha is very good beer to my mind, and I am German.

The pool is very nice, you can have some 15 m of a swim, mostly you can stand. Its most prominent feature is a series of concrete stools to sit on half in the water while being served drinks and food, shaded if preferred. It's a little pricier than outside, but food is very good and its an almost decadent experience. Be sure to cover the concrete stool you sit on with a towel, they tend to collect the clorine from the water and might give you mild excema.

Breakfast is extensive, fresh fruit, full English breakfast with scrambled eggs and sausages, some Thai food.

The hotel sports a massage parlour, although the establishment 100m down the road is better in my mind and a little cheaper. They have a tailor too, but I did not have the feeling they are up to much, very small premises, somewhat more expensive than on the Naklua.

Over Christmas and New Year they have an obligatory dinner party, I haven't tried that out, best time to go to my mind is from March to September, when frequentation is so low both hotel staff and girlies have lots of time and are actualy quite grateful to be of service.

The distance to the girlies is just the 200m to Naklua Road, where you will find some 30 bars. It's actually all I want, I don't like gogo-bars and it tends to be a little cheaper and way more familiar in atmosphere. And the girls are just the same, some very lovely. Other good place was on the big Sukhumvit Road. Some mini-markets round the corner, some internet cafes (can have internet in the lounge for some fee, street hawkers, restaurants (some German).

All in all a worthwhile and reasonably priced place to stay, although prices have gone up in a joined effort by all Pattaya hotels to raise the ante for visitors and attract more quality tourists. Won't catch if you ask me, Pattaya is Pattaya and is not going to turn into an Eco-Resort or what, no matter what they try.

What I am thinking about is the Eastern Sea thingy two hotels down the road, whre the newer part has twin bungalows for extra privacy at little more cost. Looks very nice, no joiner fee as of 2007 (200 TB if you bring two girlies ;-)) )But I have not found a single travel agent offering booking together with a flight, which usually runs cheaper.