Hotel requires 3000 Baht security deposit

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, stevenl said:

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

I guess I just don't get out much anymore. Never heard of it. 

[bangkapi]

Try AirBNB for one night and then get a steep discount for the rest of your stay by threatening to report them for running an illegal hotel biz.

[geisha]

Most 4 star hotels charge a deposit. I've paid at Holiday Inn and Novotel, and Koh Chang, never had a problem getting it back though. By the way, Sleep with me hotel is not near Junk Ceyon, it's on the road to Phuket town on the way out of Patong, unless they've opened a new one. Not the best area for me.

[reallybigken]

I average 200+ nights in hotels a year, I travel for work, and hotels with extra services (bar, restaurant, laundry ... etc) always ask for a deposit. It is a very common practice.

 

I stayed at a hotel in Pattaya that required a large cash deposit (10,000 thb), and I would pay it again because it was a great location and the service was excellent. They also gave me my deposit back promptly when I checked out.

[BlindMagician]

17 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

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.

 

 

This is what happens when there is justifiable mutual mistrust on both sides. Bad experience track records for both sides. It a spiralling collapse phenomenon.

[richard_smith237]

I too had an issue a number of years ago in Pattaya... 

 

Firstly turned up at one hotel... GF jumped out of the car to check for vacancies... 

All ok, so I set about getting our bags out and carried them into the lobby - my GF was then told, oh... the price was for Thai's, its more expensive for a 'farang' !!!...  We were not please, Manager came out, eventually apologised and offered us the Thai price...  (this was in a lobby with other foreigners watching !!)...  GF and I both left... 

 

We phoned up and booked another hotel between Pattaya and Jomtien. We turned up 15 mins later. 

They told us their Card Machine was not working... not a problem for me !... 

But, they wanted 2 nights Room payment in advance, they also wanted security deposits (usually hotels do this by blocking off an amount on the card). 

I didn't have enough Cash on me - I offered to provide 1 night Room charge - but didn't have enough for a security deposit. 

No - they wanted me to go to the ATM and get more Cash to pay for 2 nights in advance and 2 nights security deposit. 

So, we agreed... left in the car to the ATM and just went to another hotel...

 

----------

 

Generally speaking - IF the hotel has a Mini-Bar a security deposit is taken - usually an amount blocked off on your Credit Card which is perfectly normal. 

Recently I was asked if I 'wanted to' leave a security deposit, they would then give me keys to the mini-bar !... 

 

 

I can certainly understand hotels wanting security deposits - I've heard some horror stories from some hotel staff and some friends who own small hotels in Thailand. 

 

 

 

 

[madmitch]

33 minutes ago, geisha said:

Most 4 star hotels charge a deposit. I've paid at Holiday Inn and Novotel, and Koh Chang, never had a problem getting it back though. By the way, Sleep with me hotel is not near Junk Ceyon, it's on the road to Phuket town on the way out of Patong, unless they've opened a new one. Not the best area for me.

Sleep With Me is next to the PEA office, very close to Jungceylon.

[Fookhaht]

I stay in hotels in Thailand more than 20 times a year.   A 500B deposit is common, and I've paid upwards to 800B.  Like previous posters, I'd walk if asked for anything over 2000B, and would NEVER sign a blank credit card slip that had been swiped with my number--at least not in Asia, except for perhaps 5-star well-known chain hotels.   

[LivinginKata]

3 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Sleep With Me is next to the PEA office, very close to Jungceylon.

 

Correct ...

[nickmondo]

8 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

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

i have never had to pay a deposit.........maybe the hotels i use are a bit more up market

[simon43]

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

 

Same for me.  Never asked to pay upfront.  Same applies to the women 

[psyvolt]

I've pretty much always had to leave a deposit when staying in hotels 4* and above.  As like others, they generally ask for a credit card imprint, but I always refuse that and pay in cash instead. Highest I've paid is 2000b on numerous occasions, with the usual been 1000b.

[Peter Pattaya]

The state  some people leave their hotel room 3000 baht wouldn't even cover it. Smoking in the rooms stinking the place right out. Blood and s...t all over the bed yes there are some really grubby pigs out there. 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

i have never had to pay a deposit.........maybe the hotels i use are a bit more up market

 

Check in to any 'up market' hotel and see if they don't require your Credit Card (along with your Passport) up on check in.... 

 

Any idea what they do with your Credit Card ????.....  They are 'applying a block'  or a 'hold'  of a specific amount... That amount is then released on check out...  and usually it happens 'behind the scenes'....  

 

This in effect is the deposit. 

 

 

 

[Mousehound]

8 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

i have never had to pay a deposit.........maybe the hotels i use are a bit more up market

You are lucky.  I have stayed  with the Hilton all around the world and usually have to prepay the first night.  I agree the Hilton is not top notch but on the occasions the Peninsular or Mandarin were used it was the same.  Maybe because we got special rates for the number of nights booked.  If it was me running a hotel I would want the first night paid and a deposit or card details - if not then you find another hotel.  On the other hand I most likely would not trust a smaller establishment with my card details.  First night as a deposit and then I prepay my stay.

[4MyEgo]

800 baht for taxi, if you want a reliable and good driver (English speaking too), message me for his number, he also works at a bar with some nice young ladies under the new Tiger disco.

 

Security deposits are not unusual, just depends on the hotel, the security deposit is usually refunded if you have been a good boy, lets not forget these hotels don't want bad talk on the booking agencies websites, I have trashed a few I can tell you and ones I have read about have steered clear of.

 

If you intend taking back a lady here and there, make sure there hotel policy doesn't charge you a joiner fee, because that will come off the security deposit when you check out if they don't stop you after you get your key to pay on the spot. Always book 2 adults that way you shouldn't have to pay a joiner fee, but also clarify if you have to register the lady at the beginning of your stay, ALWAYS get things in writing, that way when the shit happens, you pull your piece of paper out of your pocket and SMILE.

[novo58]

I have always paid a 1000B deposit at hotels in Pattaya. ALWAYS get a separate  receipt just for this money.....present the receipt on check out and so long as no damage or items ( towels, sheets etc) missing you get the money back. Never had a problem. I also usually leave 200b IN THE ROOM for the housekeeping staff

( if they have done a good job in my room).

[impulse]

I'm amazed at how many people don't think handing over a credit card is, in fact, a deposit.  

 

Even if they don't have your signature on the additional charges, hotels and rental car agencies will add whatever charges they deem appropriate long after you left when they discover the big ding you left on their car, or the plush bathrobes you filched from the closet.

 

Edit:  Used to happen a lot to people who accidentally lingered on the pay for view TV channels too long.  But that doesn't seem to happen much any more since cable and streaming became ubiquitous.

Edited September 6, 2016 by impulse

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

I'm amazed at how many people don't think handing over a credit card is, in fact, a deposit.  

 

Even if they don't have your signature on the additional charges, hotels and rental car agencies will add whatever charges they deem appropriate long after you left when they discover the big ding you left on their car, or the plush bathrobes you filched from the closet.

 

So sorry, no have

[mike324]

Its quite normal and has been the trend since long time ago all over Asia.... they ask for credit card which they swipe for a deposit - but not actually charged on the card.

[impulse]

I rather like the idea of staying at a hotel with policies that keep badly behaving people in line- or staying elsewhere.  

 

An $85 cash deposit seems pretty reasonable as long as they'll be giving it back.  A quick check of the online reviews will tell that story.  

 

And if that's going to break the bank, perhaps I'm not their target demographic anyway.

[windas]

I will be soon and have stayed at Centre Point Silom hundreds of times over the years.  They want to block my card for 1000baht a night,  so when I stay a month they try to persue a deposit of 30K baht.  Even though I'm a loyal regular customer, we have a heated discussion and no deposit is then required. Most decent hotels require some kind of deposit. 

The Shangri-la were supposed to block my card for 5k. I had pre-paid the room and the know all idiot receptionist charged my cc for the room and the deposit. What a palarva to get the money back,  had to wait a month. Overall a small deposit is reasonable. But pay cash if you are worried about the card. 

Only had one hotel rip me off, the Elegance Suites (a real carp hotel booked on the net, a mistake) wanted 500baht depo,  they said had no change of 1k note and then denied I had given them a 1k note, refused any return saying I'd made an international call. Not a nice place at, like a Victorian hospital. 

Happy days 

[theguyfromanotherforum]

I stayed in a prepaid Hilton rate just the other day and had to put 8000 baht deposit. In the past year I also stayed at all Hilton 4 Hilton properties in Bangkok, 5 different Holiday Inn properties, centara, Sheraton, Marriott and Siam@Siam. All required a deposit. I have seen Indian people refusing to give deposit and we're refused a room until they came up with one (centara). 

 

 

[Chicog]

When Indians first started tour groups to Bkk, one Suk hotel found on checkout that they had cleaned the rooms like piranhas. The bedding and even the curtains were in their cases.

They of course claimed that they assumed it was included in the room rate.

The unfortunate thing is that if you have to have a policy to protect yourselves against lower class tourists, you would probably be breaking the law if you didn't apply it to everyone.

 

My usual stay in Bkk swipe my card onto a blank debit voucher on arrival which is filed with my reservation and, since I pay cash for any incidentals, give it back to me to tear up. I find this quite reasonable. They never debit the card, and the voucher is useless to anyone else since it has the hotels details imprinted on it.

[MyFrenU]

A thousand baht is just about acceptable for a deposit on losing the room key,anymore and just go somewhere else Agoda and Booking.com are your friends!

[MyFrenU]

"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 don't know about "Sleep With Me"?More like sleep with one eye open and your credit cards and passport stuffed down your pants?

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, MyFrenU said:

A thousand baht is just about acceptable for a deposit on losing the room key,anymore and just go somewhere else Agoda and Booking.com are your friends!

 

1000 for a room key.  What's the acceptable deposit for stealing all the linens, towels and blow dryer, cleaning out the mini bar, leaving a few puddles of puke in the corner and not bothering to stop by reception on your way out of town?

 

Yes.  It does happen.

[MyFrenU]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

 

1000 for a room key.  What's the acceptable deposit for stealing all the linens, towels and blow dryer, cleaning out the mini bar, leaving a few puddles of puke in the corner and not bothering to stop by reception on your way out of town?

 

Yes.  It does happen.

Ask a German or Italian?

[JHolmesJr]

Lets keep this simple. 

 

Deposits are fine, as long as they use the customers card to 'block' the funds. 

 

Cash deposit is bs .... It should only come into play if the customer has no cards. 

 

I stay at sandy spring .... I usually pay my room rate for my entire stay upon checking in. On my instructions, mini bar has been cleared before i move in. Never had a problem. 

[Ronuk]

Fraser suites Bangkok 10% deposit taken off your card at checking in.

Last stay was 10500 baht taken off my card at check in.No problem getting it returned. Royal Thai Pavillion Jomtien 2000 baht cash deposit on check in. No problem getting it returned. Airport Novotel Bangkok again 10% at check in and no problem getting it returned.

Fact is the better hotels now want a big security deposit. I've never had a problem getting a deposit returned.