Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

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Asia Traveler
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Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Asia Traveler »

fedssocr1 wrote:Has Tarntawan ever renovated their rooms? I stayed there once a million years ago but found the bed to be extremely uncomfortable and the bathroom to be a bit of a mess.
Not that I know of and yes it could use an update. I usually stay in a corner suite which so far have been in good repair. Still the same decorations and furniture for past 20 odd years I think. It is just a great location for me with a lot of history.
Farangholiday

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Farangholiday »

Trongpai wrote:Most hotels in Bangkok do not prohibit joiners and don't have a joiner fee. Yet, you have managed to find two and found out the hard way. If you asked here before going, given a price range, area etc. you would have received lots of good advise. Also, research Trip Advisor, Agoda etc. before booking.
I know, i cant believe the bad luck i had,anyway moving to Tartawan tommorrow

It is qouted at 1600 b which incoudes the taxes etc on hotels app
fountainhall

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by fountainhall »

fedssocr1 wrote:Maybe try the Crowne Plaza? Or is that the first place you were staying. I don't recall them having any problem with guests
I had no problem when it was the Pan Pacific but I have heard that it can now be a bit hit and miss. The problem is that you have to come up in one lift to the lobby area and then cross to a second lift to get to the rooms. You are therefore quite exposed in the bright lobby. One friend was asked about his companion who then had to leave - but this was 3 or 4 years ago.

For that price, the short extra distance to the Courtyard by Marriott is well worth it to avoid any hassle with joiners. And it's just a short walk to Rajadamri Skytrain station or peanuts in a taxi or tuk tuk.
Jun

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Jun »

fountainhall wrote:With all respect, every minor detail of a hotel's T&C will never appear either on a booking site or on the hotel's own site. So taking up the fact that a charge for joiners is absolutely nowhere on the T&C - especially if it is a search engine - will achieve absolutely nothing but a great deal of trouble and rarely the result you want.
I get your point, but a 900 baht surcharge on a Thai hotel is not a minor detail. I can stay in adequate hotels in Silom for as little as 1000 baht and they allow joiners. 900 is a large surcharge.

I would expect an add on of that level to be disclosed on booking.com and personally WOULD give the hotel & the booking website hell over the subject. There would also be reviews posted on a a minimum of 5 websites, to ensure they have some eventual loss from this deception. That threat alone would probably persuade most businesses to consider if imposing a undeclared surcharge is fair.

Normally, I get success by such methods. I imagine the original poster would get a backdown or refund for less than an hours effort.

Incidentally, if the booking site prominently showed this in the box where any special terms are displayed, I would consider it to be fait accompli. I just think it's an outrage if snuck in later. This is not like some 1% city tax, it's a material increase in costs.
Jun

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Jun »

Farangholiday wrote: I know, i cant believe the bad luck i had,anyway moving to Tartawan tommorrow
It is qouted at 1600 b which incoudes the taxes etc on hotels app
I will not be liked for saying this, but sometimes it's best to behave like it's not luck and modify your processes so you don't get stung again.

Also, have you gone after the hotel and booking site over the matter ?
Farangholiday

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Farangholiday »

Yes, unfortunately I jumped the gun a bit.

The receptionist at the Siam heritage told me I am entitled to bring back ONE visiting guest ,she said I paid for two,although that policy reads even visiting guests have to pay 900baht on leaving their ID

Now again silly me jumped the gun because when I brought back a non money boy guy i met from from Grindr the security guard at the front door didnt question him in fact he escorted us to the lifts.

I would have preferred actually the guard getting some ID from him, so there you go I did jump the gun quickly without trying to bring back guests first and see if they actually enforce their policy which it seems going by that incident that they dont,I guess it depends in their front door staff.

So at night time I guess it depends on the guard at the time although there is a policy of guests paying 900 b if they wish to enforce it.
Farangholiday

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Farangholiday »

Moving to Tartawan tonight,roughly 1600 b booked through hotels apps
fountainhall

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by fountainhall »

Jun wrote:I would expect an add on of that level to be disclosed on booking.com and personally WOULD give the hotel & the booking website hell over the subject. There would also be reviews posted on a a minimum of 5 websites, to ensure they have some eventual loss from this deception. That threat alone would probably persuade most businesses to consider if imposing a undeclared surcharge is fair.

Normally, I get success by such methods.
I would also give a booking site and the hotel hell. I might also be tempted to write lousy reviews to all and sundry, But, again with respect, do you really believe a booking site - or even a hotel - cares about that? Your experience seems to be different from mine.

Before I wrote my last post, I checked on the reviews for that hotel on several sites. Not one mentions joiners' fees. On the other hand, many talk about it being a great/nice hotel for families. One lousy review with a hidden implication (true or false) about prostitution amongst hundreds of others will achieve nothing IMHO.

I have written reviews ranging from fantastic to dire on booking sites and hotels' own sites. The most I have ever got is the usual standard crap about being sorry you did not enjoy your stay, we have passed your comments to the relevant department and hope you will find improvements on your next visit! I once wrote a 1-star review on TripAdvisor about dinner at the Plaza Athenee in Bangkok(I had not paid, thankfully). There was not even a response from the hotel!

Where I have had success is when I take an issue directly and privately to the management. If it is a genuine problem, I have usually had some form of compensation or additional perk. The last time this happened, there was a lot of disturbance from renovation going on on the floor above. It was a Marriott chain hotel and I was actually lied to three times by an Assistant Manager. (Ironically, one one occasion when this rather cute manager came up to my room, I had a joiner in the bed!) On check out I received an offer of one night being docked off the bill. I refused to accept that because the disturbance had lasted three nights. Eventually I wrote to Marriott in the USA. End result? 60,000 Marriott points added to my account. I will be spending these at a 5-star Marriott Resort in Vietnam early next year! Can't wait!
Jun

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by Jun »

As you say, discussing it with the hotel management firstly would be a sensible solution. Not some lowly clerk on the desk. I would hope to raise it politely, then assertively.


If that fails, time for the reviews. Booking sites & hotels have some competition, so they tend to care about customer feedback and reviews. Some care quite a lot.

I would write reviews along the lines of

(Title) Beware of Hidden Extra Charge of 900 Baht Per Night.
"Room booked for 2 people, but I was charged 900 baht extra. This was not declared on the booking site & is a XX% increase in cost. The hotel refused to refund this. There is a fundamental problem with business ethics if the hotel lists prices and terms on a website, but then chooses to add later extra random charges not listed on the website. I shall not be staying here again !"

In all probability I would expect to have received refunds before this. If not, use the review system to put pressure on hotels to correct such dishonest practice. After all, it's not just for me, but for the collective good of the consumers. Hotels who collect a few bad reviews lose business.
fountainhall

Re: Reccomend hotel Bangkok urgent

Post by fountainhall »

Jun wrote:(Title) Beware of Hidden Extra Charge of 900 Baht Per Night.
"Room booked for 2 people, but I was charged 900 baht extra. This was not declared on the booking site & is a XX% increase in cost. The hotel refused to refund this. There is a fundamental problem with business ethics if the hotel lists prices and terms on a website, but then chooses to add later extra random charges not listed on the website. I shall not be staying here again !"

In all probability I would expect to have received refunds before this. If not, use the review system to put pressure on hotels to correct such dishonest practice. After all, it's not just for me, but for the collective good of the consumers. Hotels who collect a few bad reviews lose business.
This is the way it should be. Sadly in my experience it would be merely an exercise in futility.

Naturally hotels happily accept bookings for double occupancy rooms. However, when you look closely at their T&C (usually available in the guest rooms), there will be something lurking in there about a requirement for all guests being registered at the front desk. It's not necessary for him to be registered at the time you register, but he has to be registered and complete the registration form once he arrives. This is part and parcel of virtually every hotel's licence. Second guest means one second guest. Not a series of rotating guests with a different one each night. if a hotel decides to waive this requirement, that's their responsibility.

IMHO one bad review on one site means precisely nothing to a hotel search engine or the hotel itself. In many cases, the hotels will respond. If it is a question of joiners paying extra, they will - perhaps subtly - write that the original poster was not obeying hotel rules. And since it is usually impossible thereafter for the OP to make another comment, the hotel has the last laugh!

I wonder how many times you have received refunds or additional perks after writing such a review. I'd just love to know because perhaps my bad reviews are not strong enough! Never once have I had any tangible benefit from a hotel from a bad review - and I must have written well over a thousand of all types.
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