A smashing good time at the Hard Rock Hotel

Hard Rock Hotel Pattaya celebrated its tenth anniversary and re-opening as 2011 drew to a close with a three-day party and a spectacular ceremonial guitar smashing that involved seven acoustic instruments – none of them, the management was quick to say, of “musician quality”.

Before the party, Greg Lee, vice president of operations for HPL Hotel & Resort, and Pattaya Mayor Ittipol Khunpluem gave short speeches then teamed up with the hotel’s general manager Jorge Carlos Smith, Bang Lamung sheriff Chaowalit Saeng-Uthai, General Kanit Permsub, Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya’s director Auttaphol Wannakij and British soul singer Alice Russell to smash the guitars at the hotel’s entrance.

They then retired with the guests for  a slap-up dinner at Starz Diner before moving to a stage close to the swimming pool for live music by alternative rock band Circle Green, a fashion show and a concert by alternative rock pioneers Moderndog. 

The following day, the entertainment kicked off with sets of Jetset’er, Russell and German DJ Christian Promer. The second night wrapped with a “Beach Foam X Party”, which saw foreign and Thai guests having fun till the week hours.