Hotels To Avoid In Thailand

[Khwanchalerm1]

I wanted to start a thread and let other visitors know of hotels to avoid in Thailand:

Do not stay at the Dynasty Inn in Bangkok on Sukumvit soi Nana

They were terrible.

Lack of ability to manage an already paid in advance room reservation

Poor service

Too many rules for their customers. (made me think who is the customer?)

No manager on duty and lack of ability to contact by telephone

Lack of warm welcome for their customers

Lack of sensitivity to customer issues

No guard on duty to watch your car in their carpark

If you have a couple of minutes of time, read on for the short story version:

A couple of weeks ago, I made a reservation with them on a Monday for a one night stay on Friday the same week.

I told them that I would be checking in after 6 PM because we were coming from up north.

They were ok with that, however, they required that we transfer money to them in advance. They increased the price of the room by 300 baht due to the fact that my 7 year old daughter would be staying with me (which was ok by me, however, it should be noted that most hotels in bkk do not charge me for that...but I let it go). I transferred the money to them in full the very next day.

The problem started upon arrival, since I was driving down from the North, I had my car with me, and we couldn't spot their car park right off. It wasn't obvious.

My wife went in and asked for help on where the car park was....

The receptionist waved her hand in the direction to the right, but no one was attentive to try and go out and actually show us. (it was a small alley street down the side of the building that didn't have any markings of being a car park).

After having to coax the bellboy (if you want to call him that), outside to show us where to park, I pulled my car around in the so called car park, and found out it was a parking lot in the back of the building.

Upon check-in at about 11 pm, which we were tired at that time, we were told that our room was NOT ready. The people before us just checked out.

We were told that we would have to wait another 20 minutes before we could get into the room.

What was that? I paid in advance, had a reserved room, and they couldn't provide it upon check-in. This was NOT a walk in customer. In addition, they weren't really sensitive to the fact that they should have had the room ready, and basically took the, that's life attitude.

After waiting for 30 minutes, and not yet getting into our room, I asked for the manager on duty. Unfortunately, no one in authority was on duty, and they couldn't provide me with a telephone number to the manager, nor would they call the manager themselves on this concern.

Finally, when the room was ready, they asked for me to turn over my car keys to the front desk before check-in. We asked why? As I recall that I had parked in an actual car parking space and not in the middle of the street.

They said it was hotel policy in case they need to move the car.

I asked them, if my car is stolen, if my car ends up smashed up or with scratches, will they insure it for me?

Their answer was basically no.

We asked if there was a guard on duty?

The answer was no.

We asked ourselves if we really want to stay here? And our answer was no.

We asked for our money back and went to another hotel even though it was the middle of the night.

Believe it our not, this is the edited version.

[kenk3z]

Some general advice: Never use the hotel phone if you have a cell phone. Particularly to a mobile - because to a mobile they charge that as "long distance". I made the mistake of thinking local calls from the hotel in BKK were free. Not. I rang up enough charges to have bought a cell phone and air-time cards.

The really stupid part was I already had a cell phone - thought I was saving airtime by using the hotel phone.

Windsor Suites Hotel - Reasonably professional. Have the reputation of not being that "girl friendly". Carpet in rooms pretty old. Otherwise OK.

kenk3z

[kingdom]

One particularly unpleasant memory springs to mind at a hotel on bophut beach in koh samui about 3 years ago called the m****** and it was appalling, dont even bother. The room was right next to the reception foyer so we were forced to listen to loud thai bater all day and night, the air con didnt work and the staff didnt come to clean the room or change the towels once. All their motorbikes had either flat tyres or would leave you stranded not starting. By the time I got back from collecting my Egg card from bangkok, the bathroom was swimming in about 4 inches of 'water' from the blocked up drains and my girl was staying at a friends house.I had to laugh as the receptionist handed me a bill for 30,000, with not one baht discount. I only paid as they had confiscated an ID card. (Thanks Mr. Egg!)

[Padkapow Guy]

I wanted to start a thread and let other visitors know of hotels to avoid in Thailand:

Do not stay at the Dynasty Inn in Bangkok on Sukumvit soi Nana

They were terrible.

Lack of ability to manage an already paid in advance room reservation

Poor service

Too many rules for their customers. (made me think who is the customer?)

No manager on duty and lack of ability to contact by telephone

Lack of warm welcome for their customers

Lack of sensitivity to customer issues

No guard on duty to watch your car in their carpark

If you have a couple of minutes of time, read on for the short story version:

A couple of weeks ago, I made a reservation with them on a Monday for a one night stay on Friday the same week.

I told them that I would be checking in after 6 PM because we were coming from up north.

They were ok with that, however, they required that we transfer money to them in advance. They increased the price of the room by 300 baht due to the fact that my 7 year old daughter would be staying with me (which was ok by me, however, it should be noted that most hotels in bkk do not charge me for that...but I let it go). I transferred the money to them in full the very next day.

The problem started upon arrival, since I was driving down from the North, I had my car with me, and we couldn't spot their car park right off. It wasn't obvious.

My wife went in and asked for help on where the car park was....

The receptionist waved her hand in the direction to the right, but no one was attentive to try and go out and actually show us. (it was a small alley street down the side of the building that didn't have any markings of being a car park).

After having to coax the bellboy (if you want to call him that), outside to show us where to park, I pulled my car around in the so called car park, and found out it was a parking lot in the back of the building.

Upon check-in at about 11 pm, which we were tired at that time, we were told that our room was NOT ready. The people before us just checked out.

We were told that we would have to wait another 20 minutes before we could get into the room.

What was that? I paid in advance, had a reserved room, and they couldn't provide it upon check-in. This was NOT a walk in customer. In addition, they weren't really sensitive to the fact that they should have had the room ready, and basically took the, that's life attitude.

After waiting for 30 minutes, and not yet getting into our room, I asked for the manager on duty. Unfortunately, no one in authority was on duty, and they couldn't provide me with a telephone number to the manager, nor would they call the manager themselves on this concern.

Finally, when the room was ready, they asked for me to turn over my car keys to the front desk before check-in. We asked why? As I recall that I had parked in an actual car parking space and not in the middle of the street.

They said it was hotel policy in case they need to move the car.

I asked them, if my car is stolen, if my car ends up smashed up or with scratches, will they insure it for me?

Their answer was basically no.

We asked if there was a guard on duty?

The answer was no.

We asked ourselves if we really want to stay here? And our answer was no.

We asked for our money back and went to another hotel even though it was the middle of the night.

Believe it our not, this is the edited version.

I stayed 1 nite there. Rooms were dark and dingy. I had no other place to go or I would have left that nite. Never again.

Although the staff was curtious to us, once you wake them up.

[TravelBUG]

I think this thread is a bad idea....

1) people have good and bad experiences in hotels for different reasons.

2) If you had high expectations of a hotel, you should stay in a more expensive place.

3) most of your points are quite trivial...

-Too many rules for their customers. (made me think who is the customer?).... what type of "rules" are you talking about? Rules are put in place for reasons... for the safety and comfort of customers. Maybe these rules are related to the Thai culture, and should be respected by visitors in their country

-No manager on duty and lack of ability to contact by telephone. Yes even managers have lifes they must go home to at 11pm at night!! If i was a manager i would not like to be woken up because a customer was unhappy with the hotel rules. Maybe the staff were using inititive and telling you that they couldnt contact the manager becuase they knew your complaints were only trivial??

-Lack of sensitivity to customer issues. You did not explain this too well.. what issues were you sensitive to???

-No guard on duty to watch your car in their carpark. didnt you check out the carparking siuation before you booked the hotel? I know i would have.

Different people are subject to differnet opinions of hotels. Maybe rather than telling people they should aviod certain hotels, maybe you could call the thread something like "bad hotel experiences", and let people make up their own minds.

Edited August 27, 2006 by TravelBUG

[sbk]

Well, travelbug, you have some very good points. Also, there are some people who are never happy wherever they are and thus they usually only have miserable experiences.

I am reminded of a German couple I knew who, for some reason, liked to travel. But, everywhere they went was "horrible". After their 3rd "horrible" trip I realized they were of the unhappy kind.

I am not saying the OP is one of these but I always take peoples complaints with a very large grain of salt these days.

[taxexile]

its not too difficult to find hotels that dont come up to expectations here , but its far easier to find hotels that do match and sometimes surpass expectations.

but if you stay in cheap hotels , and the dynasty is a cheap hotel , bang in the centre of sukhumvit ,in a street such as soi Nana , then you cant expect 5 star treatment.

if you received such treatment at the landmark , or the imperial queens park , then your complaints would be justified.

the dynasty actually is perceived as a good value extremely well located hotel.

have a nice trip !

Edited August 27, 2006 by taxexile

[think_too_mut]

I think this thread is a bad idea....

1) people have good and bad experiences in hotels for different reasons.

2) If you had high expectations of a hotel, you should stay in a more expensive place.

3) most of your points are quite trivial...

I just don't know what would make me book my wife and daughter into that hotel. Free stay offer would not lure me in.

The main purpose of the establishment is to complement Nana hotel and surrounding short time dungeons (as the OP said, somebody just "checked out" 11pm) offering the venue for sexual transactions to take place, for 1200-1400 girls working in Nanaplaza and around it.

It would not be easy to explain why the mirrors are bolted into the ceiling (not that they really are but one would not be surprised if they were in that hotel).

If I were to stay there for whatever reason, my expectations would not be higher than to have hot water, no bugs and fresh bedsheets. Nothing else.

Another point could be - the staff may have taken the OP for a ride - bringing his family into that hotel may have suggested them he had no idea what he was doing.

The guest who "checked out" 11pm probably knew the ropes and made a hole into the "all booked" situation by offering 500B to the staff on shift. For the room that was already sold.

Or, another possibility, that the guest had a companion who gets customers to late checki in rooms and splits the income. Not a joke, 10 rooms sold twice per evening make a nice complement to 6-7K Baht monthly pay of the staff on duty.

Edited August 27, 2006 by think_too_mut

[rcm]

I wanted to start a thread and let other visitors know of hotels to avoid in Thailand:

Do not stay at the Dynasty Inn in Bangkok on Sukumvit soi Nana

They were terrible.

Lack of ability to manage an already paid in advance room reservation

Poor service

Too many rules for their customers. (made me think who is the customer?)

No manager on duty and lack of ability to contact by telephone

Lack of warm welcome for their customers

Lack of sensitivity to customer issues

No guard on duty to watch your car in their carpark

If you have a couple of minutes of time, read on for the short story version:

A couple of weeks ago, I made a reservation with them on a Monday for a one night stay on Friday the same week.

I told them that I would be checking in after 6 PM because we were coming from up north.

They were ok with that, however, they required that we transfer money to them in advance. They increased the price of the room by 300 baht due to the fact that my 7 year old daughter would be staying with me (which was ok by me, however, it should be noted that most hotels in bkk do not charge me for that...but I let it go). I transferred the money to them in full the very next day.

The problem started upon arrival, since I was driving down from the North, I had my car with me, and we couldn't spot their car park right off. It wasn't obvious.

My wife went in and asked for help on where the car park was....

The receptionist waved her hand in the direction to the right, but no one was attentive to try and go out and actually show us. (it was a small alley street down the side of the building that didn't have any markings of being a car park).

After having to coax the bellboy (if you want to call him that), outside to show us where to park, I pulled my car around in the so called car park, and found out it was a parking lot in the back of the building.

Upon check-in at about 11 pm, which we were tired at that time, we were told that our room was NOT ready. The people before us just checked out.

We were told that we would have to wait another 20 minutes before we could get into the room.

What was that? I paid in advance, had a reserved room, and they couldn't provide it upon check-in. This was NOT a walk in customer. In addition, they weren't really sensitive to the fact that they should have had the room ready, and basically took the, that's life attitude.

After waiting for 30 minutes, and not yet getting into our room, I asked for the manager on duty. Unfortunately, no one in authority was on duty, and they couldn't provide me with a telephone number to the manager, nor would they call the manager themselves on this concern.

Finally, when the room was ready, they asked for me to turn over my car keys to the front desk before check-in. We asked why? As I recall that I had parked in an actual car parking space and not in the middle of the street.

They said it was hotel policy in case they need to move the car.

I asked them, if my car is stolen, if my car ends up smashed up or with scratches, will they insure it for me?

Their answer was basically no.

We asked if there was a guard on duty?

The answer was no.

We asked ourselves if we really want to stay here? And our answer was no.

We asked for our money back and went to another hotel even though it was the middle of the night.

Believe it our not, this is the edited version.

Wow, you took your 7 year old daughter with to stay at the Dynasty Inn on Soi Nana? This alone calls for another Place and another Area altogether.... wouldn't bring any kids there. I have stayed there before and it is a "Hole" and dingy too but it is located in the middle of the "Nightlife" , so i can't remember too well how bad it was....

[Mossfinn]

Some of your comments are justified, but I feel some of the replies are even more so, Cheap Hotel on Nana Plaza, i'm not exactly sure what you were looking for.

But it does remind me of an absolutely awful hotel in South Pattaya, which looked O.K from the outside. well sort of.... Truly awful, we walked up the road and found the Areca an Oasis compared to what we had just walked out of.

We didn't know the area and were looking for a friend and thought we would stay in he area, with so many good hotels in close proximity it makes you wonder what we were thinking?

Moss

[sbk]

Well, I think the general responses to the OP's complaints have been enlightening, to say the least.

So, if you are looking for a short term hotel, or something in the middle of the action then the OP's choice of hotel is the right place to be. However, it clearly wasn't what the OP was looking for, but that certainly doesn't make it a hotel for everyone to avoid, does it?

[kingdom]

Some people are hard to please with high expectations, if you stay at the hyatt you expect alot.

However, basic living conditions should be expected anywhere. Duty staff can usualy help

It took me years to find the perfect hotel, close enough to the action, clean rooms, excellent food and good value!

I dont want to post it here though because next time I visit they might be full.

[daleyboy]

I think this thread is a bad idea....

Well the thread was 2 years old and completely forgotten about till you brought it back up which was probably a bad idea

[rcm]

I think this thread is a bad idea....

Well the thread was 2 years old and completely forgotten about till you brought it back up which was probably a bad idea

so true

[taxexile]

Well the thread was 2 years old and completely forgotten about till you brought it back up which was probably a bad idea

TravelBUG Today, 2006-08-27 14:32:38 Post #5

Newbie

Group: Members

Posts: 5

Joined: 2006-08-20

Member No.: 33,436

newwwwbie , newwwwbie , newwwwbie !!!!!

welcome to thai visa

[sbk]

true tax and daleyboy, but I think this thread makes a valid point. Just because one person has had a miserable experience somewhere doesn't make it a "hotel to avoid". As has become clear (even after two years ) the op made a wrong decision and then got irked because his choice didn't live up to his mistaken impression of the place.

[ding]

...

Windsor Suites Hotel - Reasonably professional. Have the reputation of not being that "girl friendly". Carpet in rooms pretty old. Otherwise OK.

kenk3z

The Windsor also doesn't let you use their gym if you book through asiarooms.com

I like the Windsor a lot -good for families, and still use asiarooms.com a lot as well.

I just think folks should be aware so they can act accordingly when they show up at the gym with shorts and tennies and get turned around...

No bad hotels to report from me.

[thohts]

Avoid Emporium Suites at all costs.

Their service is worth %@# and they like to do construction at odd hours.

Also, their front desk staff mis-places packages and doesn't generally have good sense. Not to mention they do not seem to respect Thai women (older, younger, whatever)

All of this (and more) reflects on the poor management situation there.

Good location, but it really isn't worth the price.

[davidjtayler]

Reminds me of when I rocked up to a 'Youth hostel' in the middle of a very cold and snowy night after a long journey in Thunder Bay (Ontario, Canada) ... turned out to be halfway house for excons and I had to barricade my door against 'ex' hookers and 'ex' drug addicts that were licking their lips at the fresh meat that had just stumbled into their cesspit .........

Would have made the one time rooms in Nana seem 5 star in comparison ....!

[maikauzai]

I stayed in Siam City hotel two nights and won't go there again. This hotel had lots of packaged tourists. Front desk staff were cold-faced. But the real problem was the rooms were not sound proof. All night long I heard doors banging, people taking showers, street traffics, and of course, bedroom symphony, if you know what I mean.

On the plus side, it's close to Phyathai BTS.

[tim77]

It would wrong for the Dynasty Hotel on soi 4 to get really negative comments. It is a budget hotel (say TJH 800 or 900 per night) and it seems to carter to men who like to frequent the bars on Soi 4 and bring bar girls back for the night. Yet, the staff tries to do a good job. It is now being upgraded.

A new Dynasty Grand has just opened on Soi 6, about a block from the old Dynasty of Soi 4. It is really excellent value for money. Very clean, great pool, big rooms, close to skytrain and many restaurants. About 4 star. The room prices are around THB 2,200 per night. My wife and I both think it is fine.

[Thai-Spy]

The Miami Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 13 is another one avoid. A thoroughly dreadful place whose only redeeming feature is the ease with which surveillance can be done there.

[bartender100]

The Miami Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 13 is another one avoid. A thoroughly dreadful place whose only redeeming feature is the ease with which surveillance can be done there.

Miami was the first hotel I stayed in Thailand 1987,it was a hole then.

Talking of hotel reviews,trip advisor is a well used site,only problem is people can say what they want on there,and the hotel can't defend its self.

I'm running a hotel in the UK at the moment,we had a few great reviews,but now someones put on a stinker,and it really can affect trade.

Here's the Bangkok reviews

http://www.tripadvisor.com/AllReviews-g293...ok.html#content

[tk47]

The Miami Hotel on Sukhumvit Soi 13 is another one avoid. A thoroughly dreadful place whose only redeeming feature is the ease with which surveillance can be done there.

Miami was the first hotel I stayed in Thailand 1987,it was a hole then.

Talking of hotel reviews,trip advisor is a well used site,only problem is people can say what they want on there,and the hotel can't defend its self.

I'm running a hotel in the UK at the moment,we had a few great reviews,but now someones put on a stinker,and it really can affect trade.

Here's the Bangkok reviews

http://www.tripadvisor.com/AllReviews-g293...ok.html#content

That url was really helpful Bartender. Good on ya

[sweeex]

Hello ! here is a hotel that should be avoided for al of us/you!

Hollyday tower on jomtien beachroad.

This is what happend night 25-26 nov-06. ,, I had traveld al day from isaan with with my famely and thai famely(in a rented van) in bkk we made a stop and my wife´s sister´s with famely joined. we continued with 2 pickups

completly packed with people 18-20 including children.

I wanted to treat my thai famely with night at hotel and the weekly day of work on the beach.

So,, we arived to pattaya/jomtien around 23,00 at night,and the bungalows I had been in contact with were eigther full or did not anser when I called,, we ended up searching the beachroad in jomtien, and saw this hotel, (i dont travel with a wery large budget , so,, I thouht it´l do untill me and my own famely are here in pattaya alone, 1 or 2 night´s.

so I hired 5 rooms in this hollyday tower hotel (400-500 bath/room).

Most of us went strait to bed completly tierd, including my wife and children, Ofcourse my brothers in law did want me to join for some beer´s and drink outside on the beachwalk,,,, I did and 4 of us stayed up quite late ,barbequ some fish and had a great time, around 4 a clock in the morning I went to bed.

put my clock and (newly bought) video camera on the bed table ,next to my wife´s hand bag(with al her gold,walet, my digital camera, her new mobil phone)LOCKED the door, CHAINED the door, locked the balcony door. (Luckely my walet with credit cards and quite a amount of money was in my shorts folded and put under our bed.)

Some time from 4 in morning to 8 in morning when I am awaken by my wife who ask me were her bag is? and my walet? and our videocam, etc,,,There I said and pointed to bedside table,,,

slowly I realise by her tone that so is not the case!!

Before al sinks in ,,, What the hel_l,,, has someone been in the room??

Quistions were flying,,, did you lock? chain? balcony?

Our famely found the handbag outside the the hotel with necktsrap to video cam,walet(empty).

The only one who new witch room I had were the guy in reception,( i do think he is involved, !!! and told the police,)

Well ,, half a day with the police, taking prints, checking locks , and so on, not what I planed for al of us,,,

Total amount stolen ads up to around 100k Bath, But not my watch and my walet with creditcards ,,

Now we are back in Sweden, and will start tomorrow with my insurance company,, we´ll se how that goes?

I have had the police report translated at a certified lawyer in pattaya.

You cant be to carefull,, that´s the bottomline! keep al walubels, everything stuffed away,

We spent rest of day at beach determent not to let this completly destroy our last day with Thaifamely.

When about to leave in the afternoon,, the guy who rented out waterjet´s said that in this hotel many guest´s have had things stolen during night time!!! The reception guy,,,,

So,, from me to al of you , Dont go to Hollyday tover jomtien beachroad.

[jayenram]

I think this thread is a bad idea....

2) If you had high expectations of a hotel, you should stay in a more expensive place.

Just a factual point on this one. Last week I was having serious difficulty finding a hotel with available rooms in Chiang Mai. We finally found a 'hotel' that was not full. It was the Riverside View hotel in Mai Rim, basically a repainted 'short time' hotel with a few pot plants scattered around and the curtains removed. We were quoted Bht 2,500 per night for a normal room or Bht 3,000 for a room adjacent to the river!

Needless to say, we moved on.