by Supakorn Dontreecharoen 
Spacious stays at The Gems Mining Pool Villas Pattaya
The Gems Mining Pool Villas Pattaya may not be next to the beach but it makes up with a unique vibe, spacious rooms and plenty of tree shade. Having opened its doors in November last year, the 77-room resort is a nod to the Africa continent, especially its safaris and precious gems. The decked-out, spacious reception building may give you a sense of arrival into another world where opulence, geometric shapes and nature meet. They do take the African theme seriously and it’s evident in the colourful art piece in the shape of Africa above the reception desk, exotic room decors and toilet paper origami, which are in a diamond fold.
First Impression
The roads to your rooms and villas are flanked with tall and shady trees. Rooms and villas are named after precious gemstones while F&B outlets and meeting rooms take their names from mining and exploration. One of the upsides of this property is a spacious stay, as a Topaz jacuzzi room, the most basic accommodation, starts with 93m² and the ceiling height that you can star-jump on the bed. It shares the same layout with the next category Emerald One-Bedroom Pool Villa. With the villa, you get a 2x8m pool that can be sectioned off by a sliding door, instead of a 2x2m LED-equipped jacuzzi in the Topaz room. I reckon both types suit lovebirds just fine.
Four people can comfortably share the 140m² Sapphire Two-Bedroom Pool Villa in privacy as it has a sizeable living area that you can liven up with your playlist via Marshall speakers while the 3x9m lap pool with jets awaits in the courtyard, which is adjacent to two ensuite bedrooms. The only complaint I have is that the living area is too bright to use around midday. The next tier is Ruby Three-Bedroom Pool Villa, which has three ensuite bedrooms, a 3x9m lap pool and the outdoor Ruby Pool beautifully covered in gazillions of small red tiles, accessible to Ruby guests only. If you roll deep, book a group of adjacent Ruby units (either in three or four) and your gang can feel like you stay in a resort within a resort. The most precious choice (pun, very intended) is The Legacy Conceptual Residence. The lone and priciest unit has five bedrooms and many perks so you can truly live large within its 1,500m². It’s coming soon.
Staying In
The Tram Restaurant Bar & Wine Cellar serves guests from breakfast to dinner. It goes international with breakfast buffet and offers Thai, international and a handful of African-inspired dishes for the rest of the day. Uncle Roger would go “Haiyaa” because The Tram doesn’t use MSG in the à la carte menu but I think they definitely do justice to Thai favourites. I’m talking audibly crunchy Moo krob with sensible spicy jaew, crisp heart-shaped miang leaves with Isan sausage and crunchy mee krob with a citrusy touch and pickled garlic bulbs.
Stave off holiday pounds by sweating off at Club Amethyst where well-equipped fitness centre awaits. Pamper yourself with a treatment at The Spa or have a rejuvenating dip at The Gems Onsen. It offers eight time slots throughout the day and each time slot is reserved for one gender only with 30-minute intervals between each time slot for cleaning. In terms of events, The Gems Mining offers The Miner Meeting Room for a more formal occasion and The Explorer Meeting Room for an intimate feel. Fun fact: the latter has Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining carpet.
Final Verdict
There are many choices of attractions within 30-minute drive from the hotel but you definitely should check with them case-by-case whether they are up and running as usual or not. If you want to feel like a badass, go for Battle Mouse Shooting Range Pattaya, where you can learn to be a sharpshooter. Consider The Gems Mining Pool Villas Pattaya for your next stay, if the beach isn’t of high priority on your Pattaya itinerary (see what I did) and you have your own transport. It offers a spacious stay without breaking the bank.
The Gems Mining Pool Villas Pattaya is offering Sweet Escape packages for a stay on any days of the week with 30% discount on the best available rate, daily breakfast, early check-in at 10am and late checkout until 4pm. Starting prices are B2,859 for two persons per night in Topaz jacuzzi and goes up to B12,836 for six people per night in Ruby Three-Bedroom Pool Villa. Book directly via the hotel’s website with “SWEET” promo code from now until Mar 31 and the staying period is until Jun 30.
The Gems Mining Pool Villas Pattaya, 888 Moo 1, Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Pattaya, Chon Buri / www.thegemspattaya.com, 038-222-222.
