Part 3 of my series on hunting for a Condo in Jomtien! Now actually in Jomtien and making viewings, this is the third of a series of posts detailing my search for a Condo in Jomtien and now making many viewings and sharing my views and experiences in the hope that they will assist other people in their quest to find a suitable home.
Whilst a majority of the complexes have been built towards the beach, Jomtien is expanding and many Condo Resorts have now been constructed between the Beach Road and Jomtien 2nd Road, One of these is the Dusit Grand Park. Whilst you may feel that you are in the middle of nowhere this is a pleasant development. It’s a series of low-rise buildings positioned around a large swimming pool feature. There is a nice relaxed ‘resort’ vibe in the development and would suit couples. They do offer a shuttle so maybe not as isolated as it initially feels. I was offered a very well furnished 1-bedroom unit on the 5th floor. I know that I want high floors but difficult in a low-rise complex! However, there are nets on the windows to keep out unwelcome insects. This 38 sq meter apartment was priced at a reasonable THB.12,000 monthly.(Probably some bargaining available).
Next, I did some more exploring towards the south of Jomtien Beach and found the massive Paradise Condos. A functional, older building in a quiet but not isolated location. The advantages with the older buildings are that the units are generally larger with good sized balconies. There is a simple but good-sized pool and this could have been a possibility if I could have viewed some units here. As rentals appear to be handled by one person who was not in town, it was not possible to make any viewings but I would not exclude this property from your list of possibilities. Later, I was offered a 42 sq meter studio n 42nd floor for THB.11,000 and a 90 sq meter, 1 bedroom on the 28th floor at THB.16,000. Both look well furnished with great views.
From the sublime to the ridiculous! Located close to the Paradise is the recently completed Cetus Tower, a glistening edifice standing at 49 floors. It is a beautiful property and one of the few where I felt that the management is really taking care and not just turning over to the owners and their AirB&B guests. There is a superb pool in front of the building worthy of any 5-star hotel. Another pool is located on the 5th floor with a state-of-the-art fitness room and a vast lounge and terrace to capture the sea breezes. The 1-bedroom unit was located on the 33rd floor featuring panoramic windows with a spectacular view South-West to Na Jomtien. Perfectly furnished with a very clever sliding door if you want to close off the bedroom. Beautiful, fully equipped and priced at THB.25,00 per month. This figure soon came down to 20,000 and I believe that it I had wanted to proceed with this one I could have negotiated to 17,000.
The next was also a recently completed tower, the new Dusit Grand. It is located on Jomtien 2nd Road and conveniently located to all amenities and not far to the beach. I viewed three 1-bedroom units all with an identical floor plan. The 13th floor at THB.13,000, South View, 29th floor at THB.15,000 also South view and on the 33rd floor with North View, THB.16,000. This last unit had a really spectacular view over Pattaya and to the ocean beyond but subject to a lot of direct sun. It’s a fully equipped apartment but being modern construction is restrictive in size. I was tempted as the unit is comfortable, modern and the view impressive, however the building does not give off a good feeling. People are coming and going and nobody seemed to respect is as their home. Good fitness studio and whilst the pool is nice, it is relatively small for the size of the building and the potential number of residents.
At this stage in my search I had a better understanding of the ‘mechanics’ and whilst tempted by the modern facilities of Cetus and Dusit Grand, I had still not found somewhere comfortable to call my future home! The next day started with a visit to View Talay 3. Another of these Condominium monsters but with a completely different feel. Down a private road shared only with a luxury hotel, the buildings are very close to Cozy Beach. This is actually not in my preferred search area, however, as I mentioned, keeping an open mind is important in this search. So, I let my persevering agent lead me to the Pratamnak Hill and down to this surprisingly quiet area. View Talay 3B is a well-kept building with a sedate and peaceful aura. The studio was located on the 10th floor, 45 sq meters, large balcony, screen doors and classically furnished. Actually, very nice, comfortable and spacious, but was it too quiet? Enough for day 2, still so much to think about!
