GrandBeach Condo by malai

If you don't expect any luxury or any form of customer service, the benefits offered far outweigh any disappointments. Most of the benefits are external to the apartment. Although it is light and airy, with good air-con, the furnishing is cheap and highly eclectic. The balcony is nice. The benefits outside the apartment are fantastic: the roof-top pool; the nearby beach/sea; the long, largely paved, tree-lined walkway along, but off, the beach; the large number of beachside 'hawker' restaurants and food-stalls all along this walkway; the peaceful and friendly picnickers and beachgoers. The price is lower than most other globally advertised stays along the beachfront. This is appropriate, but also makes it good value.

Frankly, the benefits summarised above outweigh the 'don't likes', which are more amusing - to us, but perhaps not to others - than significant. There were some issues relating to the apartment. The key ones being the cheap shower head/hose, which came apart after three days, and for which, initially, a charge was demanded. We felt that the 500 baht cash deposit on arrival was discourteous. (It would be difficult to cause that amount of damage in this particular apartment). When the apartment's wifi failed to work, we were helped to try the wifi of three other apartments (presumably owned by the same owner?) before successfully connecting. More generally, the details relating to facilities on the website were hugely inaccurate. We put this down to laziness, rather than any deliberate attempt to deceive. Some examples are: the ''pool view'' is of the pool belonging to the adjacent apartment block; there aren't ''two pools''; there is no spa; there is no fitness room / steam room / indoor play area; the TV is not cable / satellite / pay per view. We suspect these all relate to the nextdoor - more expensive - apartment block!!

The room was neat and tidy and well equipped. We arrived late so we could have enjoyed the venue more but that was our own arrangements for late arrival.

The swimming pool on the roof with views of the sea was pleasant in the early morning and late evening.

Having stayed in a managed 2 bedroom apartment in Sri Racha prior to this stay and a family suite in a beach-side resort in Trat after this stay for a very similar price this accommodation did not represent good value for money. If it was a third cheaper this would have been acceptable. The quality of the furnishings and the decor was poor. The extractor fan in the bathroom was not fit for purpose. One of the photos of the property is a view from the apartment balcony and contains a large swimming pool at ground-level. This picture is misleading as the swimming pool pictured is not accessible from the property and is part of the condo next to the property.