Covid-19 and the economy: Big four star Bangkok hotel operating for 50 years announces closure

[wwest5829]

8 hours ago, ianezy0 said:

If it is a 4 star facility and 50 years old, it will no doubt be due for renovation. I see this as blaming the virus as an excuse to make the staff redundant while they lavish millions on renovation.

 

It has been a couple of years since our stay there but I do not recall a need for renovation at that time.

[Boomer6969]

Guess they're gonna reopen in December with rates raised 50% and 100% Burmese staff.

[DJ54]

Hopefully the staff received compensation. These days and times 

won’t be easy to find a job... sucks

[Miami007]

8 hours ago, sanemax said:

Why wouldnt they just say that they would be closing for renovations ?

Save face...

They close for renovations, owners are not seen as taking care of their staff.

Putting blame on the virus isolates management a little bit. 

[saengd]

1 minute ago, Miami007 said:

Save face...

They close for renovations, owners are not seen as taking care of their staff.

Putting blame on the virus isolates management a little bit. 

Often in life the correct answer is the simplest one, the one that is right in front of your face, don't complicate that with conspiracy theories that don't really exist.

[Airalee]

Looking at booking.com, it appears that the rooms that have been renovated (as some posters say) are few and far between.  If that is not the case and all rooms have been previously renovated they should have chosen a different decorator.  Dated green furniture, blue carpets, pink headboards.  Welcome to the 70’s.

 

 

There are 3 star hotels, at much lower prices (such as Ibis) that far outshine them.

[smudger1951]

Every Financial Acountant knows employees are the first variable asset to go in a downturn of profits. 

[fordguy61mi]

That must mean Soi cowboy business is down as well. Poor families in Issan will be hurting with no money coming back from Bangkok.

[gerritkaew]

We stay some 2 years before in a 4 * hotel and payed over 30.000b a night.  Just for 2 days.

Beleave me it look nice but dated, i would Never pay like this again in thailand, al the hotels are Ola and furniture insite are old and partly broken.

So when this '4* ' gets a Reno its must be very Very old!!

I hope the rest will follow..

[SupermarineS6B]

Not just the virus, try gov policies and immigration madness......

[hotchilli]

19 hours ago, rooster59 said:

It has been in operation for 50 years and is a 4 star facility.

Was a 4 star facility, after 50 years I bet they dropped a couple... virtually empty maybe it's good business sense to close, refurbish and re-open when this is all over.. maybe next years tourist market!

[SteveK]

11 hours ago, fordguy61mi said:

That must mean Soi cowboy business is down as well. Poor families in Issan will be hurting with no money coming back from Bangkok.

In my village it seems people are not short of funds at all. If I drive to 7-Eleven, there is construction taking place on every road I take.

[cardinalblue]

No problem with renovation as an investment to attract future customers...

 

why waste it and give lazy workers? Don’t pour it down a rat hole..

[Megascott]

16 hours ago, Brickbat said:

I am next to a 4 star Holiday Inn and it’s pretty empty. So are the streets in CM. Nice! 

It's particularly nice to be able to drive downtown without getting cutoff by Tourist van or having to worry about if that Chinese driven Scooter is going to keep it's lane. So nice to be able walk around the market in leisure instead of shuffling around the crowd like Tim Conway on the old Carol Burnett shows.  In fact All I've seen for tourists are Farang, and few of them even.

[justin case]

17 hours ago, Mister MXYZPTLK said:

This Hotel has been undergoing serious renovations for some time.  There is no main lobby, you have to enter thru the back door.  IT NEEDS TO BE SHUTDOWN until renovations are complete. It is unfair to your guests to list your property as a 4 star hotel in its current condition.  AND PLEASE!, stop blaming the Coronavirus on YOUR problems.

 

Sure, it all adds up BUT you created you own problems staying open during construction & renovations, so OWN UP TO IT!

 

Thai simply refuse to say they’re sorry for their mistakes.  Stop blaming everyone but yourselves.

we checked into a pattaya 4 star hotel some time ago

 

they were renovating, the noise, the dust, the paint fumes but still ... wanted to charge full price and moving rooms was no option as it was in full renovation everywhere

 

we left for another hotel off course

[cbc]

I ate at the Chinese restaurant in that hotel in February while in Bangkok.It was crappy Chinese food and expensive for the tiny amount of food per serving.Won Ton soup the size of a tea cup.Main course serving very small.Needless to say I left hungary which is rear when you eat at a Chinese restaurant.The Chinese restaurant in Raddison Blu Plaza much much better and you get value for your money.

[natway09]

The hotel was getting a bit tired so need to be upgraded.

This seems like a logical time to do it.

In relation to staff,,,, being an old establishment many of the staff will have been there for 10 years so will get 10 months pay,,, not a cheap exercise ,,,believe me & the labour department will enforce it (as they should)

[xtof2]

On 3/7/2020 at 10:36 AM, rooster59 said:

The Windsor Suites Hotel on Sukhumvit Road Soi 20 in Bangkok has announced that it is closing temporarily from the end of April.

 

And the most amazing is that you can still book !

1 junior suite for 3550 bahts on May 12th.

Me think I am gonna add the breakfast for 420 bahts. A bargain !

https://secure.accor.com/store/index.html#/en/options?productCode=SKD&offerCode=ACLAV5&discount=0&hotelCode=B627&dateIn=2020-05-11&nights=1&adults=2&origin=accor

 

Edited March 8, 2020 by xtof2

[kiwikeith]

On 3/7/2020 at 4:45 PM, Just1Voice said:

hen a place such as this shuts down, you know things are getting seriously bad. 

I wonder if this will be the end of the enlightened ones reign???

[UbonThani]

On 3/7/2020 at 2:03 PM, Ian Nagle said:

There is a signicant down turn. I bet the place is virtually empty.

Every low season lots of hotels are near empty!!!

 

Ive stayed in resorts alone.

[UbonThani]

On 3/7/2020 at 10:52 PM, saengd said:

Often in life the correct answer is the simplest one, the one that is right in front of your face, don't complicate that with conspiracy theories that don't really exist.

Correct being it's an

old dump like many Thai hotels. Too many hotels in Thailand by about 50%. Ive never stayed in a fully booked one.

[observer90210]

The hotel having to close down, should send the bill for compensation to the Chinese and Korean governments for compensation. He should also file a demande for compensation to the Thai government for letting the Chinese and the Koreans in.

[PhonThong]

On 3/7/2020 at 1:06 PM, Dexxter said:

I stayed in The Windsor Suites Hotel early 2014 during the "Bangkok Shutdown" sit-ins. Great hotel in a great location. I am surprised the hotel is 50 years old because the building seemed a lot newer than that. Were they operating in a much smaller building before the current one?

There was a small building next door. Not sure if it is still there. That was the original Windsor. Was used extensively as an R&R hotel during the Vietnam war. 

[ChipButty]

I think every small resort in the area where I live has a price on it, the killer is the rent I saw one for sale the other day all nicely done with 9 rooms no pool 10 minute walk to the beach but the rent was 65,000 Baht per month given the average rate at the moment 500 to 600 Baht per day when you add in all your cost not easy to make any money

[meggy]

I stayed in this hotel several times, it is old en very smelly and stained. Every night busloads of Chinese arrive to stay one night. Ofcourse the hotel is empty now.

Only the swimming pool and the location are great. 

[scorecard]

Truth be known it urgently needed complete refurbishment 25 years ago.