If you are thinking of going to Pattaya, then I suggest staying in Jomtien, which is about 3-4kms away and does have a better beach. You can get a songthaew (baht bus) from Pattaya to Jomtien for 10baht (I usually give 20baht because it's so cheap for the distance) and the ride takes about 10 minutes if that.
There's plenty of hotels in Jomtien and a lot of them do charge joiner fees, but there are Guest Houses as well, perhaps a look in the "Pattaya" section will give you more info. Personally, whenever I go to Pattaya, I stay at the Jomtien Garden hotel
http://www.jomtiengarden.com/web/homepage.htm best to send them an email to ask about joiner fees, I have always had a girlfriend in tow when staying there, so I check her in as a guest. The staff are very discreet and a lot better than any other hotel I've stayed at in Pattaya/Jomtien.
Good luck and welcome to the board.