PATTAYA, Thailand – Rony Fineman’s story is one of grit, instinct, and timing. Widely regarded as one of Pattaya’s pioneering hotel and condominium developers, he built his success not through connections, but through hard work, calculated risk-taking, and an ability to spot opportunity where others hesitated.
Born in the Red Sea town of Eilat, Israel, to an Irish doctor father and a nurse mother, Fineman’s early life was far from easy. After his parents separated, he spent eight years in boarding school – an experience he openly admits he disliked. “I was a lousy student and I hated school,” he once said. Work became his real education. At just 12 years old, he was washing dishes in a hotel after school. His English skills – inherited from his Irish father — quickly set him apart, and before long he was taking orders as maître d’, an unusually rapid rise for someone so young.
Determined to build a career in hospitality, Fineman secured a grant to Israel’s Tadmor Hotel School at just 15, becoming its youngest-ever student and graduating a year later at the top of his class. By 17½ he was already night manager at the Jerusalem Hilton – proudly noting he was the youngest in the Hilton system worldwide.
Military service briefly interrupted his trajectory. Drafted into the Israeli Army as a tank driver, the role proved uncomfortable. “I’ve got claustrophobia, so it didn’t really work,” he later joked. After completing his service, Fineman moved to London, reconnecting with his father and working as a chauffeur – including a remarkable stint driving for Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. When Bhutto was executed, the job ended abruptly, prompting Fineman to return to hospitality.
He rose quickly again, becoming Food and Beverage Manager at Sheraton Heathrow and later general manager of the Maxwell’s restaurant chain. A freak incident – being struck on the head with a wooden table while breaking up a fight – ultimately nudged him toward Asia. Seeking warmth to ease recurring headaches, he began traveling. Bangkok did not initially impress him, but Pattaya did. “I was amazed by it,” he recalled. After a brief visit, he returned to London, sold everything, and relocated permanently to Thailand in 1986 – a decision that would define his life.
In Thailand, Fineman built both family and empire. He married his Thai wife Dang and raised two sons, Eli and Benny. Professionally, he first managed hotels before identifying a gap in hotel brokerage. One major transaction – a $20 million sale – validated the move. His breakthrough as an owner came when prospective clients declined to lease Pattaya’s Nipa Lodge. Fineman stepped in himself, rebranding it as Nova Lodge – the seed of what would become the Nova Group.
Over the following decades, Nova Group became one of Pattaya’s most recognized developers, delivering major condominium projects such as The Cliff, The Palm, Amari Residences, and Novanna, alongside an expanding hotel portfolio. His passion, however, always remained hotels.
“We built condos to finance hotels,” Fineman has often explained. Today the group operates a substantial hospitality portfolio in Pattaya, including Courtyard by Marriott North Pattaya, Holiday Inn Express Pattaya Central, Garner Pattaya Central, Centara Nova Spa Pattaya, Centara Pattaya Hotel, Nova Gold Hotel Pattaya, Nova Platinum Hotel, Amari Nova Suites Pattaya, and Nova Park Hotel Pattaya. In recent years, Fineman has deliberately shifted strategy – stepping back from sell-and-exit condominium development toward long-term hotel investment.
“The market has changed,” he noted in recent interviews, pointing to currency pressures, rising competition from Thai developers, and large volumes of new supply. While still optimistic about prime locations, Nova Group has become markedly more cautious about launching new residential projects.
Despite market headwinds, Fineman remains bullish on Pattaya’s long-term trajectory. He has witnessed the city’s transformation firsthand — from what he describes as a largely undeveloped, nightlife-focused town decades ago into a diversified family destination attracting millions of visitors annually. He does, however, see areas needing attention: drainage and flooding, traffic congestion, beach erosion, and better urban zoning to balance nightlife with Pattaya’s growing family appeal.
Personally, Fineman continues to divide his time between Thailand and London, where he owns property and maintains close family ties. During the pandemic he temporarily based himself in the UK but made clear his connection to Pattaya remains strong. “I love Pattaya – it is my home,” he says.
Looking ahead, his focus is firmly long term: strengthening the Nova hotel portfolio, developing flagship properties such as the planned Nova Titanium Hotel, and positioning the group for Pattaya’s next growth cycle. After nearly four decades on the eastern seaboard, one thing remains clear: Rony Fineman has not lost his appetite for opportunity – and he continues to keep a very sharp finger on Pattaya’s property pulse.
