By Daniel Fraser

On a recent trip to Pattaya I was intrigued enough to to and stay at the very new D2Baraquda.

D2 is the new hi-touch, design hotel fleet of the celebrated Dusit group from Thailand. Branded as chic and refreshingly hip, D2 Pattaya is a nice change of pace in Pattaya. The city itself is going through a bit of a subtle face-lift, with some sleek new bars, restaurants and hotels competing with the voluminous buffet of mediocrity which has made the town famous since the last days of the Vietnam War.

D2 Baraquda Pattaya is a nice slice of this new wave of goodness splashing into Pattaya. Located on the 2nd road from the beach right in the heart of town, D2 is withing walking distance to walking street and all of the other bright, shiny objects that compete for our attention in town.

As soon as you walk in to the high-ceiling, airy lobby, you feel as if you’ve been delivered from the commercial grime of coastal Thailand into a energized wellness chamber. D2′s GM Mr Paolo, or ‘Guru’ as his business card reads, has a swift an efficient operation run by enthusiastic and pleasant staff. Small touches like a welcome cappuccino or latte in the cool and airy corner of the lobby made for a pleasant welcome. Rooms are hip and spacious and overall they do a great job of making limited spaces seem very large with giant windows and gargantuan mirrors, curved lines, glass panels and wave-inspired fashionable furnishings. The Deluxe Rooms feature a glassed in bathroom area with rain showers and intelligent places to hang things like towels and shower kits. These bathrooms are designed by people who understand good bathrooms.

Very large mirrors feature Deluxe Rooms beside them

Settling in, I ordered a club sandwich – my initial gold standard of how even the most basic food from the kitchen is. It was outstanding. A gourmet Club2 sandwich made by people who clearly understand what a good sandwich is (maybe sourced by the same company who sourced the shower people above).

Seeing who is staying at the hotel is also a barometer of what kind of place it is. It was nice to see a broad cross-section from young Thai families, healthy western couples, fashionable gay travelers and respectable-looking city folk. This was a nice jolt of comfort in Thailand’s coastal city of neon and beer bars.

it was so groovy i expected dolphins to join my swim....

The other facilities, like swimming pool, restaurant, fitness center and spa all work together nicely. They are functional and practical, and though neither of them win a category award on their own, there is an undeniable freshness and good value vibe in every corner of the hotel. I had a work-out, massage treatment, a good meal, and a nice swim with a little sundeck time and a book while feeling a million miles from Bangkok, and the cluster of Pattaya itself, for that matter.

The Deep Bar, located upstairs on the 3rd floor, is definitely among the hippest lounges in town. It felt a little like a coastal Bed Supperclub with an aquarium-like cool twist. Good drinks, hi-tech touches and trendy staff make it an excellent meeting place before or after a night on the town. Further up, the cool open-air lounge on top has great views of the rest of the town while giving you the luxury of being away from it, with zen-like music and breezy cocktails keeping you occupied. I arrived late, but assume it to be a fantastic sunset lounge.

chilling out in style in D2's Deep Bar

After a late check-in and a nice night in D2, I woke up feeling rather effervescent. In my 10 years in Thailand I can’t recall feeling quite like that in Pattaya before. On an upcoming motorcycle trip across Thailand we will be using D2Baraquda for a final night before our group departs. Great choice.

Conclusion: How refreshing! While it is possible to lose your soul in Pattaya, refreshingly hip places like D2 give it a nice space to breathe.