Thanks for the comments on Tiger sweetpea, I haven't flown with them but see that they've got all guns blazing with their launch in Melbourne and thought they'd be worth a try. Hmmm perhaps not then?
I agree with your comments re. Siam Bayshore - average. It has a lovely open air restaurant opposite where they have a buffet every night. The rooms they originally gave us (5 people) were waaaaaay down the back overlooking a (stagnant) mosquito-ridden pond and the rooms smelt musty. We refused them and asked for better rooms - with 5 people ready to walk away, the manager eventually negotiated a good price for 3 Executive rooms at the front overlooking the street. These rooms were very nice - buffet breakfast very good.

No Karin, I didn't write a JBR of our last trip - I never seem to get around to it. We actually went to Rabbit Resort at Jomtien (just out of the madness of Pattaya)
An excellent resort and the upgrade to the restaurant and menu made it even nicer than it was on a previous trip.
Beautifully furnished Thai Villas (very private) lovely pools (one adults only and another in separate area for kids ) Just across the paved roadway outside the resort is the beach and you can sit on Rabbit Resort's beach chairs and order food and drinks from the attendant over there. You can book direct on their website or look for better rates through internet sites. Highly recommended. (I've never seen a bad review for this place)

If you fancy the other end of Pattaya (north) Woodlands Resort is very nice. Get the deluxe terrace room - ground floor - your own little deck with timber loungers overlooking the pool. Superior rooms are out the back overlooking the garden and another pool. Also nice and cheaper. Excellent buffet breakfast - sit inside or out on the terrace. A fab bakery/patisserie on site (just at the entrance) BEAUTIFUL cakes, chocolates, filled baguettes, ciabattas etc. and soooo cheap. Great coffee too. You can take away (back to your room) or eat there - inside or out - and enjoy a beer as well! Also highly recommended. Often have special deals on their own website(do a google search for it under Pattaya hotels)

In Bangkok we usually stay at apartments - much more room for us- we like the separate bedroom and lving room. Somerset Lake Point in Sukhumvit 16, Somerset Park Suan Plu in Sathorn are very good - usually between 2500-3000 baht range for 1 bedroom double/twin including breakfast. Neither of these is near skytrain but Lake Point has tuktuk to Asoke BTS on demand and Suan Plu runs a minivan service to SalaDaeng BTS.
There are lots of nice serviced apartments all over Bangkok(available on nightly basis) and with all facilities of a hotel.