Pattaya Bay Resort

[stogie bear]

Dave... If you need me to give Kim a call, I will...

It's very unusual for him not to answer an email pretty soon after he sees it.

[daveduke007]

Thx Stogie, I even mentioned your name on the last E-mail I sent them    
I'm probaly looking at 10th Nov- 15th in a 1 bedroom suite as long as it has ESPN so me and the missus cant fight over what to watch on the TV  :mad
I would also require an Airport pick up at BKK en-route from Chiang Rai.
Cheers

[stogie bear]

Errr... No ESPN mate... Sorry - it's crappy Sophon cable all the way!

[kahuna]

You all missed my point...It's not that they require a deposit...That doesn't bother me in the least...I leave a credit card impression at most hotels...and do so here at the DIG...

It is:

1.  There doesn't seem to be any firm policy regarding the deposit...I have probably stayed there on 10 different occasions and this is the first time since my first stay that they have asked me for a deposit...I just stayed there 2 weeks ago and no deposit was required...Is the policy posted somewhere or do I have to log on to my computer to show clerk's  the owner's post above every time I check in?

2.  The way the deposit was returned and the look in the clerks' eyes - yes, two clerks -  made be feel very uncomfortable and uncomfortable is not something I like to feel as a paying guest nor in my mind should I be made to feel...My LB companion even felt something was not quite right...

Just my impressions but it is something that has never happened to me in any other hotel in Thailand...and I've traveled around a bit...

We all make our own choices...I'll make mine...You make yours....Enough said...

PS...Those of you who think I am being a cheap charlie...Fuck off...You don't know me...Those who do know me, know that I am very far from ever wearing that label...Let's see how many tits am I up to now?

PPS...I have no other problems with the PBR..my stays there have always been enjoyable...the rooms are large and always clean and the service is fine...and I have stayed in the standard, deluxe and mini-suite...all good value regardless of the time of year...

[Road Runner]

(daveduke007 @ Jun. 26 2008,14:12) I even mentioned your name on the last E-mail I sent them

I did that too..... got an interesting comment back!

RR.

[daveduke007]

(stogie bear @ Jun. 26 2008,14:23) Errr... No ESPN mate... Sorry - it's crappy Sophon cable all the way!

Well thanx anyway Stogie   , defo the LK Renaisaance now then ( UBC   ) and that whirlpool bath  

And kahuna , the way your deposit was returned would make me feel uncomfortable too mate

[daveduke007]

(Road Runner @ Jun. 26 2008,14:25)

(daveduke007 @ Jun. 26 2008,14:12) I even mentioned your name on the last E-mail I sent them

I did that too.....   got an interesting comment back!      

RR.

And?

[Road Runner]

Inferring that if he'd known I knew SB he wouldn't have given me a room!

RR.

[stogie bear]

See... I told you the man had good sense!

[Stewart]

The deposit thing can be seen in different ways. Here they take it in cash, if you pay in cash, but leave the credit card open as they do in nearly everyother hotel in the world, so whats the problem.

Stew: I expect the Marriott cebu did not pre-charge you but can guarantee they asked for a credit card on checking in, and then later that night got an amount on that card.

Most hotels I go to do the cc thing, and I have no problem with that. But they do NOT charge my card in advance. They do something called a pre-authorisation, which checks that there are funds in the account, but does NOT run the transaction.

To me, that is a good balance mutual trust. If I do a runner, they have all the details they need to run the transaction. And I trust them not to charge me in advance.

I assumed we were talking about the PBR doing both ie taking my cc details AND a cash deposit. Because that is what they did to me. If I did not give a cc, no problem at all with giving a cash deposit.

I gave Areca my cc details in advance of arrival to guarantee the room ie if I do not show up, charge it, and that was clearly stated on my fax. They fucking charged all 5 days 2 weeks before I even arrived!! Took me months to get my money back.

[Road Runner]

(Stewart @ Jun. 26 2008,16:00) I gave Areca my cc details in advance of arrival to guarantee the room ie if I do not show up, charge it, and that was clearly stated on my fax. They fucking charged all 5 days 2 weeks before I even arrived!!

I believe that is against the terms and conditions that the hotel would have to agree to before getting the credit card franchise.

It would pay you to complain to to card issuer if that happens again.
In fact if it happened within the last couple of months t the Areca it would still be worth complaining.
You won't get anything out of it but it should stop them doing it again.

I don't understand why the PBR took both your card imprint and the cash.  I can only think someone made a mistake there.

RR.

[Stewart]

The main point that needs clarification regards early checkout.
If one pays upfront for two weeks and pays the security deposit what happens if one checks out after a week?
Or what if one doesn't pay upfront but checks out early, will the security deposit be used for this?
Lots of reasons one might want to check out early such as finding a sweetie and heading to Ko Samet or avoiding a ladyboy stalker.

Spot on, and this is actually my biggest worry about pre-payment.

What happens if the internet is down and you run an online business, what happens if the shower has no hot water? There are dozens of very valid reasons why your plans might change.

If you have pre-paid, the balance of power is skewed completely against you. As the customer, I don't feel good about that, which is why I will always try to avoid hotels that have up front commitments from the client like pre-payments or deposits.

All that explanation about losing keys and all that....sorry, just make it clear in the information booklet in the room that there will be a charge of $x if you lose a key. That same booklet in most hotels will specify what the charges will be for breaking a plate or other things.

This is an issue of mutual trust for me

[stogie bear]

That's fine for customers like you and me and many people who read here...

I've seen some of the Arabs staying at the PBR and the rules of common decency don't apply to them. I've even seen them being actually thrown out on mass from the PBR because their behaviour can no longer be tolerated...

Fine... YOU are a trustworthy chap and your demands include being treated as a trustworthy client. Reasonable enough. But there are many that simply can't be trusted with any kind of honor system and these back ups (especially for a budget hotel) are very much put into practice from experience!

Actually; you'll find that the more you go to the PBR the more the rules and regulations tend to be relaxed. This may be also true of other hotels in Pattaya but I haven't experienced it.

I get the impression that whenever I go there I'm a part of the family and there is no attempt to screw me over for anything.

In fact the opposite is true... Often times when the chance to charge me for something extra has arisen it has been quietly overlooked. (This includes extra guests, extra towels, printing done in reception for me at no charge, badly stained sheets that I confessed to the next day but were still omitted from the bill even after I offered and expected to pay... I could go on.)

My minor quibbles at the PBR are with the restaurant. (Crap coffee, no one speaks English, fake butter and poor food.) Fix that area and I'll move in permanently and use it as a retirement home!

[daveduke007]

(Stewart @ Jun. 26 2008,16:00) I gave Areca my cc details in advance of arrival to guarantee the room ie if I do not show up, charge it, and that was clearly stated on my fax. They fucking charged all 5 days 2 weeks before I even arrived!!   Took me months to get my money back.

Obviously knew you were a "Jock"

[kleetora]

(daveduke007 @ Jun. 27 2008,21:21)

(Stewart @ Jun. 26 2008,16:00) I gave Areca my cc details in advance of arrival to guarantee the room ie if I do not show up, charge it, and that was clearly stated on my fax. They fucking charged all 5 days 2 weeks before I even arrived!!   Took me months to get my money back.

Obviously knew you were a "Jock"    

Not to add zippo fluid to a raging fire, but can't you just blast the credit card company. I get on the phone and I get angry when I see charges that don't make sense.