Hotel requires 3000 Baht security deposit

[Xircal]

I was just perusing Agoda for hotel rooms and came across the one called Sleep With Me which is close to Jungceylon and the nightlife. But scrolling down to the Policies section I was intrigued to note that the hotel requires a 3000 Baht security deposit on arrival.

I know apartments and houses usually require one if the occupant intends to stay for few months, but I've never heard of a hotel doing it especially if the guest is only going to staying for a few days. Is this a new trend?

Maybe it goes hand in hand with the exorbitant airport transfer fee of 1100 Baht.
 

[JHolmesJr]

Dont do it….Ive had hotels do the same…ask for 500B per day as deposit….even after I had pre-paid my entire room tariff.

 

Deposit for what…just swipe my card and block off the funds you feel will cover my stay.

 

I dug in and they agreed…with an extremely sour demeanour….but hey, their problem, not mine.

 

One hotel actually swiped my card and asked me to sign a blank CC slip…which is like signing a blank cheque.

 

I usually ask all hotels to empty the mini bar so there is nothing they can charge me for as I never eat on the premises or use room service.

 

 

[simon43]

A 500 baht deposit for a room key or card is reasonable.  But 3,000 baht for what?  Perhaps they have had bad experiences with guests trashing their rooms?

[Rob13]

I'd pass.

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, simon43 said:

A 500 baht deposit for a room key or card is reasonable.  But 3,000 baht for what?  Perhaps they have had bad experiences with guests trashing their rooms?

Exactly, quite common practice these days to ask for a deposit like 3000-5000 baht.

[gk10002000]

I have rarely stayed at a hotel that did not require a deposit.  3k seems a bit high but I am sure I have put 1k out there before in several cities

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, stevenl said:

Exactly, quite common practice these days to ask for a deposit like 3000-5000 baht.

 

Common in Thailand ? I don't so in my experience. Many want to swipe your credit card, I prefer  not to present my credit card and offer cash deposit - 1,000 baht is usually all that is required. 3,000 baht and I would walk away to the next hotel.

[madmitch]

Most larger hotels swipe your card which is, effectively giving them a blank cheque. I've never had a problem with this personally, nor would I have a problem with a cash deposit; it'll be returned provided there's no loss or damage to any of their property.

 

Has anyone here ever failed to have a deposit returned or had their card charged for an invalid reason?

 

At our guesthouse we do sometimes charge extra for damage, though don't take a deposit, the largest amounts being for the replacements of a mattress and a washing machine. Interesting stories relating to both those incidents! 

[Lamkyong]

 Interesting stories relating to both those incidents!      ???come on spill

[stevenl]

48 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

Common in Thailand ? I don't so in my experience. Many want to swipe your credit card, I prefer  not to present my credit card and offer cash deposit - 1,000 baht is usually all that is required. 3,000 baht and I would walk away to the next hotel.

Yes, it is common. Check on a tourist website like Tripadvisor.

[cooked]

A colleague recently was asked for ‎฿2000 deposit for a room that he had booked per internet.

Some hotels have a list of misdemeanours with a price list (soiling bed sheets for instance, cooking  a barbecue on the carpet, etc) and they will generally go to check your room that nothing has happened / disappeared before you get your deposit back.

[KhunBENQ]

New trend? No.

 

My preferred place in Pattaya always requested a 2000 Baht deposit.

They don't fancy to reserve a room in heavily booked high season just for a no show.

 

[siam2007]

47 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, it is common. Check on a tourist website like Tripadvisor.

 

 

but not for prepaid rooms

[LivinginKata]

1 hour ago, madmitch said:

Most larger hotels swipe your card which is, effectively giving them a blank cheque. I've never had a problem with this personally, nor would I have a problem with a cash deposit; it'll be returned provided there's no loss or damage to any of their property.

 

Has anyone here ever failed to have a deposit returned or had their card charged for an invalid reason?

 

At our guesthouse we do sometimes charge extra for damage, though don't take a deposit, the largest amounts being for the replacements of a mattress and a washing machine. Interesting stories relating to both those incidents! 

 

In my many years of hotel stays I've never had a deposit return problem or credit card improperly charged. Well, just the once in the US when I found a charge on my AmEx card for a phone call that I never made. A complaint to AmEx and the charge was cancelled.

 

For long stay guest we do charge a month's deposit to cover outstanding utility bills,  while we often have to deal with peed on matresses I have never charged the guest so long as he sleeps on it until he checked out. 

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by LivinginKata

[stevenl]

32 minutes ago, siam2007 said:

 

 

but not for prepaid rooms

As I said, check tourist websites like Tripadvisor, where you'll see this is common practice. Also for prepaid rooms.

[siam2007]

Just now, stevenl said:

As I said, check tourist websites like Tripadvisor, where you'll see this is common practice. Also for prepaid rooms.

 

 

I don't need to check crappy websites such as tripadvisor with millions of false reviews, as hospitality marketing is my business and I have been staying in more than 300 hotels in Thailand and more than 800 in Asia, so I dare to say what I am talking about and don't rely on third-hand-experiences. never ever in life a hotel in SEA asked me to pay 3000 Baht deposit if that room was prepaid through a consolidator or their own chain's booking system, the only case could be that in a 5 star hotel they will ask you if you want to voluntarily open a deposit that covers potential expensive ancillary hotel services (fancy in-house restaurants, room service etc) that then can be signed to your room bill

[stevenl]

26 minutes ago, siam2007 said:

 

 

I don't need to check crappy websites such as tripadvisor with millions of false reviews, as hospitality marketing is my business and I have been staying in more than 300 hotels in Thailand and more than 800 in Asia, so I dare to say what I am talking about and don't rely on third-hand-experiences. never ever in life a hotel in SEA asked me to pay 3000 Baht deposit if that room was prepaid through a consolidator or their own chain's booking system, the only case could be that in a 5 star hotel they will ask you if you want to voluntarily open a deposit that covers potential expensive ancillary hotel services (fancy in-house restaurants, room service etc) that then can be signed to your room bill

Ok, so you know better than the TA users who are paying a deposit. Good to hear they're all wrong.

[tolsti]

Senior management of the hotel in the OP are  now aware of this thread.

[Briggsy]

This is standard practice for hotels dealing with mainland Chinese, usually in China of course. But the Chinese like all races bring their customs and practices with them.

[laban]

I've stayed at Sleep with me hotel through Agoda 3 months ago and only asked for 1000 Baht, which can happen frequently in Thailand. Seeing the type of tour group they have, it doesn't surprise me. Some tourists thrash their rooms!

I also had a 500 deposit not returned on checking out on a hotel in Hua Hin and found the receipt later. On a subsequent visit a month later, I asked for it back and had to make a fuss to get it, but they did pay it.


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[scorecard]

6 hours ago, simon43 said:

A 500 baht deposit for a room key or card is reasonable.  But 3,000 baht for what?  Perhaps they have had bad experiences with guests trashing their rooms?

 

Well I use a small friendly clean hotel often in Ramkamhaeng area. Their room rate is 900Baht per day incl. breakfast.

 

They recently started a new policy:

 

- Western and Thai guests, no deposit on check-in needed.

 

- Chinese guests, room rate 900BAht per day, does NOT include breakfast and cannot access the breakfast buffet. Have to order breakfast from a menu, around 50BAht per person payable in cash in advance. Nothing can be charged to the room. 1,000Baht refundable deposit on check-in for 1 night stay, plus additional 1,000 deposit payable each day for additional nights, all deducted from the final bill.

 

- Indian and Pakistani guests  (very few in reality).  Room rate 900BAht per day, does NOT include breakfast and cannot access the breakfast buffet. Have to order breakfast from a menu, around 50Baht per person, payable in cash in advance. Nothing can be charged to the room. 5,000Baht cash refundable deposit must be paid on arrival or cannot go to the room, for 1 night stay, plus additional 2,000 deposit payable each day for additional nights, all deducted from the final bill. Have to sign a document to acknowledge all their bags must be inspected before they can leave the hotel.

 

Why? Some minor problems with Chinese but 8 times out of 10 very tricky Indian and Pakistani guests. Final straw, recently Indian family booked on-line (no deposit) to attend a seminar at same hotel, they arrived, stayed 10 nights, lots of food and laundry charged to the room, then just disappeared, nobody noticed they left. Sheets, pillow cases, towels also disappeared, final unpaid bill around 150,000Baht. Hotel owner asked several times for a progress payment, always an excuse but no payment. Seminar operator refused to disclose any further information on this family. 

 

I don't blame the hotel owner for now demanding deposits.

[Deli]

Plenty of choice in Patong, just go to another place, less frequented by the Chinks.

[JHolmesJr]

25 minutes ago, scorecard said:

- Chinese guests, room rate 900BAht per day, does NOT include breakfast and cannot access the breakfast buffet. Have to order breakfast from a menu, around 50BAht per person payable in cash in advance. Nothing can be charged to the room. 1,000Baht refundable deposit on check-in for 1 night stay, plus additional 1,000 deposit payable each day for additional nights, all deducted from the final bill.

 

- Indian and Pakistani guests  (very few in reality).  Room rate 900BAht per day, does NOT include breakfast and cannot access the breakfast buffet. Have to order breakfast from a menu, around 50Baht per person, payable in cash in advance. Nothing can be charged to the room. 5,000Baht cash refundable deposit must be paid on arrival or cannot go to the room, for 1 night stay, plus additional 2,000 deposit payable each day for additional nights, all deducted from the final bill. Have to sign a document to acknowledge all their bags must be inspected before they can leave the hotel.

 

Why? Some minor problems with Chinese but 8 times out of 10 very tricky Indian and Pakistani guests. Final straw, recently Indian family booked on-line (no deposit) to attend a seminar at same hotel, they arrived, stayed 10 nights, lots of food and laundry charged to the room, then just disappeared, nobody noticed they left. Sheets, pillow cases, towels also disappeared, final unpaid bill around 150,000Baht. Hotel owner asked several times for a progress payment, always an excuse but no payment. Seminar operator refused to disclose any further information on this family. 

 

I don't blame the hotel owner for now demanding deposits.

 

The tourist profile sure has changed now….good idea banning the chinese from buffets….they brought it on themselves…but it s also up to a hotel to assess guests individually where possible…if a guest has paid room in advance, will not patronise hotel restaurants and has emptied the minibar, that leaves nothing to worry about except rockstar room trashing behaviour. Which can easily be recovered by not letting them leave till reparations are made.

 

[hansnl]

6 hours ago, stevenl said:

Exactly, quite common practice these days to ask for a deposit like 3000-5000 baht.

In a hotel?

What for?

No way!

 

 

[remobb]

Never been asked for a deposit. I stay in hotels 3 times a year at least and have done for many years. Maybe I have a honest face

[krabi local]

I have stayed at that hotel and it is great.
The only problem I have had was with Chinese people completely blocking the small foyer as they wait for tours. Also forget the breakfast buffet , again Chinese 'locusts' devouring everything


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[bbbbooboo]

Hmmmm......vote with your feet

[gandalf12]

Find somewhere else

[whatproblem]

I stopped in one hotel left a deposit 500 I said I had to leave at 05.00 and told no problem ,yes ! ,can't give back deposit untill manager comes ,what time ? 06.30 ,we have disagreement untill I go inside office ,then they telephone manager ,ok ,gave back money ,leave at 05.30 .

[David in the north]

Look elsewhere! So far, in 12 years I have never been asked for a deposit.