The well know and popular Classroom dance in 2006.
This venue holds an intriguing tale, like many things in the vibrant city. Its origins trace back to the early days when one of Pattaya's renowned dance clubs first opened its doors.
Back when Soi Pattayaland 2 was its designated name, This venue emerged as the inaugural go go on that street in 1993. Its establishment marked a significant milestone, as it introduced the concept to the area. Tahitian Queen (TQ), situated further north on Pattaya beach road, and Happy, located to the south on Walking Street, served as the nearest competitors. These establishments collectively contributed to the vibrant nightlife scene in Pattaya, each offering its unique ambiance and entertainment.
By 1999, It had expanded its premises to span three units, featuring a spacious stage, two bars, and an impressive ensemble of many staff. The establishment attracted a lively crowd consisting of enthusiastic regulars, including British and American armed forces, offshore oil rig workers, and retired UK expatriates comfortably enjoying their pensions, with an exchange rate of over 60 Baht to the pound.
The surrounding street had also thrived, boasting numerous entertainment venues, guest houses and many other dance clubs and night bars and the largest of them all, it emerged as the inaugural Classroom since they refrained from playing the detested techno music that permeated elsewhere.
After reaching its pinnacle in 2006, it faced financial challenges in 2009 as the owners realized that they couldn't afford the impending increases in key money/rent agreements for two of the units. To mitigate the situation, they made the decision to close down one of the units. In this process, they relocated the front door, bar, and DJ booth, while also clearing out the upper floors.
They where prepared to divide the stage in half when the owner unexpectedly visited and agreed to lower the payment terms. This fortunate turn of events left the owners with three vacant floors upstairs. To make use of the space, they transformed them into fully furnished apartments available for lease, each with its own private entrance. Consequently, these apartments became the first three hotel rooms under the business operation.
Building on this success, only two months later, they managed to strike a similar agreement with the owner of another building. This new arrangement resulted in the addition of eight operational hotel rooms by 2011, further expanding the accommodation offerings.
From 2011 to 2015, the great place experienced a decline known as "The Dying Star." While the hotel business remained somewhat stable, the bar business suffered from sluggishness. Unfortunately, the overall state of the street was bleak, with other go go's gradually shutting down or transforming into boy bars before eventually closing their doors altogether. Walking Street had over 70 dance entertainment venues, and Soi LK Metro had 20, but on Soi 13/4 (renamed by City Hall), this amazing venue stood as the sole remaining establishment. It was no longer considered a prominent destination in Pattaya.
With the decline of the scene, our establishment was on the brink of closure. Though a few loyal regulars still frequented the place, the oil industry had stagnated, the Cobra Gold military exercises had been canceled due to yet another military coup, and the owners were losing money rapidly. This challenging period prompted the owners to shift the focus towards expanding the hotel aspect of the business and implementing changes downstairs as well.
Between 2015 and 2016, the venue experienced a significant transformation, expanding its offerings and making noteworthy changes. Plans and permits were obtained, leading to the construction of a fifth floor on the rooftop. As a result, the hotel section now featured a total of 16 rooms, along with a small sports bar and a dedicated hotel reception area.
Simultaneously, the area underwent alterations, becoming smaller and occupying only two units with three smaller dancing stages.
To address this issue, we made the decision to maintain the private entrance for hotel guests, ensuring that it remained an integral part of the establishment's plans throughout numerous additions and remodeling projects.
Furthermore, the place joined platforms like Agoda and Booking.com, marking the initiation of online reservations. However, this transition brought along some initial challenges, such as encountering overbooking issues for the first time.
In 2017, it faced its final days, with the sports bar and the hotel business becoming the primary sources of revenue. Recognizing this shift, they decided to capitalize the our extensive collection of classic music videos and leverage the growing popularity of live music. The go go bar was demolished, making way for the bright and retro themed Classroom music lounge.
This revamped space featured regular live music performances and transformed the dancers into friendly hostesses, creating a more interactive and enjoyable experience for guests within the comfortable, air conditioned interior. To maintain a sense of loyalty and appreciation, we continued to accept all old VIP cards, ensuring that our regular patrons could still enjoy discounts on their drinks.
Moreover, we expanded the outside seating area and extended the operating hours of the hotel reception to provide 24/7 service. The addition of a modern kitchen allowed us to offer delicious food at affordable prices, with the pad krapow pizza gaining particular popularity among guests.
The year 2018 marked a turning point as the place experienced a remarkable resurgence. The combination of live music, the new food menu, and the well occupied hotel led to an influx of patrons. The high demand even resulted in having to turn away guests during the christmas season. In response to this success, we made the decision to purchase the neighboring Nong's bar and embarked on the latest expansion project.
The ongoing expansion included the addition of four more rooms on the upper floors, while the music lounge and sports bar were also modified to accommodate more guests. The sports bar was equipped with additional big screen TVs to cater to the growing interest in live sports events. The private entrance was relocated once again, and a separate hotel reception area was established to facilitate check ins without having to enter the bar area.
In response to guest preferences, amenities such as a premium coffee making machine, a fresh juice bar, and telephones for wake up calls and room service orders were being installed in each room. The expansion project was set to be completed by August 2018, signifying a new era of growth and success.