Basic Facts to Review your Hotel

[doug]

I am not here to tell anyone how to review your hotel but I do believe that a short list of answers to common questions in a review would help many of us on deciding which hotels would interest us most.  This thread is the possibly create a checklist for those reviewing.  I am generally looking for a simple checklist with only simple answers, if it takes the reviewer more than a few words then it should not be in the checklist and should be in their written report if they choose to have one.

For Example:

Area of Pattaya: (i.e. Central, South, Naklua, Walking Street)
Daily Rate: (i.e. 1000 baht)
Monthly Rate Availabe: (Yes or No)
      - if yes Elec/Water Rate: (i.e. 10b elec/unit, 200b water/mo)
Charge for 2nd guest: (i.e. no charge or 300 baht)
Off Street Motorbike Parking: (Y or N)
Staffed 24hrs: (Y or N)
Late Check-in: (Y or N)
Lift, Elevator: (Y or N)
Air Conditioning: (Y or N)
Free Wifi Internet: (Y or N)
   - if yes Speedtest.net speeds tested: (i.e.8mb down, 2mb up)
Fan in Room: (Y or N)
Flat Screen TV: (Y or N)
Balcony: (Y or N)
How often Cleaned per week?: (None, Daily, Twice)
How often Linens Changed per week?: (Never, Daily, Twice)
Refrigerator Size: (None, small, 3/4)
Kettle: (Y or N)
Free Bottled Water: (Y or N)
 

This is just a sample of what could possibly be an easy cut paste and answer for some people to give some basic facts on their hotel along with a review.  If you have any suggestions of what else could be added to the list or what should not be there please contribute.  These are many of the questions I have when reading reviews of hotels.

[Marcus85]

All of that seems pretty standard issue, unless you're staying in the cheapest places possible.

[doug]

12 minutes ago, Marcus85 said:

All of that seems pretty standard issue, unless you're staying in the cheapest places possible.

Aircon I would agree that is pretty standard.  I have seen many without fans, parking, barely usable wifi, no fridge and old tube tvs.  I guess I am writing this for those on a budget like myself who want to spend less than $800 for one month all in with most amenities and then compare them against each other.  I could read 20 pages about a great hotel and not one mention that the internet speeds are shite. If I am in LOS for a month I like to watch a movie or show on my tv through the internet if possible.  That means I bring my android box and hook it up.  If I was there a week I wouldn't care but a month I am looking for most all those things if possible.  Last year it was Honey Inn and I would stay there again if the internet wasn't always less than 2mb download speeds even at 7am.  I like a bigger fridge too as the really small ones barely hold anything and I would rather shop less often to stock it.  Many rooms do not have a fan, but I do appreciate the ones that do as it lets me use the AC less.  I would say most hotels do not have a lift and if you get the 4th floor you will wish you had known that.  These are simple things that most people answer in their report on a hotel.   This just lets them hit all the questions that most of us have as some things will be forgotten when writing the review.

[mustluvbuns]

On 5/16/2017 at 4:17 PM, doug said:

Aircon I would agree that is pretty standard.  I have seen many without fans, parking, barely usable wifi, no fridge and old tube tvs.  I guess I am writing this for those on a budget like myself who want to spend less than $800 for one month all in with most amenities and then compare them against each other.  I could read 20 pages about a great hotel and not one mention that the internet speeds are shite. If I am in LOS for a month I like to watch a movie or show on my tv through the internet if possible.  That means I bring my android box and hook it up.  If I was there a week I wouldn't care but a month I am looking for most all those things if possible.  Last year it was Honey Inn and I would stay there again if the internet wasn't always less than 2mb download speeds even at 7am.  I like a bigger fridge too as the really small ones barely hold anything and I would rather shop less often to stock it.  Many rooms do not have a fan, but I do appreciate the ones that do as it lets me use the AC less.  I would say most hotels do not have a lift and if you get the 4th floor you will wish you had known that.  These are simple things that most people answer in their report on a hotel.   This just lets them hit all the questions that most of us have as some things will be forgotten when writing the review.

Probably a better assumption that the WiFi is terrible in Pattaya and then work from there.

[thinkingallowed]

5 minutes ago, mustluvbuns said:

Probably a better assumption that the WiFi is terrible in Pattaya and then work from there.

Yup and I don't fancy reading reviews in list format all the time. 

[westie1]

On 16/05/2017 at 10:17 PM, doug said:

Aircon I would agree that is pretty standard.  I have seen many without fans, parking, barely usable wifi, no fridge and old tube tvs.  I guess I am writing this for those on a budget like myself who want to spend less than $800 for one month all in with most amenities and then compare them against each other.  I could read 20 pages about a great hotel and not one mention that the internet speeds are shite. If I am in LOS for a month I like to watch a movie or show on my tv through the internet if possible.  That means I bring my android box and hook it up.  If I was there a week I wouldn't care but a month I am looking for most all those things if possible.  Last year it was Honey Inn and I would stay there again if the internet wasn't always less than 2mb download speeds even at 7am.  I like a bigger fridge too as the really small ones barely hold anything and I would rather shop less often to stock it.  Many rooms do not have a fan, but I do appreciate the ones that do as it lets me use the AC less.  I would say most hotels do not have a lift and if you get the 4th floor you will wish you had known that.  These are simple things that most people answer in their report on a hotel.   This just lets them hit all the questions that most of us have as some things will be forgotten when writing the review.

800 usd will get you a fine place for a month 

 

[doug]

4 hours ago, mustluvbuns said:

Probably a better assumption that the WiFi is terrible in Pattaya and then work from there.

I completely agree with that statement.  That's why a speedtest.net test would be helpful to see the differences.  I do believe that a hotel with good (not great) reliable wifi would increase their bookings.   I loved Secrets hotel for their wifi speeds and reliability because they had multiple services coming in at once and if one went down the other would continue to work.  That hotel is lacking in other areas for my tastes now.  Many Thai hotels love to use residential wifi routers when there is such a huge difference when using a commercial ones.  About 18 months ago I bought a commercial Ubiquiti wifi router for about the same as a residential one and it has 3 times the range and has never needed to be reset yet.  The speeds are amazing with it also.   The main problem (a friend told me) is that the residential ones can't handle having many different items connect to it in one day and it gets bogged down.  The speeds are horrendous

[mustluvbuns]

2 minutes ago, doug said:

I completely agree with that statement.  That's why a speedtest.net test would be helpful to see the differences.  I do believe that a hotel with good (not great) reliable wifi would increase their bookings.   I loved Secrets hotel for their wifi speeds and reliability because they had multiple services coming in at once and if one went down the other would continue to work.  That hotel is lacking in other areas for my tastes now.  Many Thai hotels love to use residential wifi routers when there is such a huge difference when using a commercial ones.  About 18 months ago I bought a commercial Ubiquiti wifi router for about the same as a residential one and it has 3 times the range and has never needed to be reset yet.  The speeds are amazing with it also.   The main problem (a friend told me) is that the residential ones can't handle having many different items connect to it in one day and it gets bogged down.  The speeds are horrendous

Recently learned a crap lesson when trying to fill my house with Lifx wifi light bulbs ... router no likey beyond about 16 different things, so things were always battling for a client assignment ... recently said "fuck it" until I can get a commercial router.

[doug]

Yup and I don't fancy reading reviews in list format all the time. 

You are misinterpreting what I am saying. That list is only for some of the facts of the hotel. The reviews thay are written out should be included as well, this suggestion was never meant to replace the written story.

Doug

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[thinkingallowed]

8 hours ago, doug said:

 

You are misinterpreting what I am saying. That list is only for some of the facts of the hotel. The reviews thay are written out should be included as well, this suggestion was never meant to replace the written story.

Doug

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk
 

 

To be honest people should be free to write reviews as they wish about things they have opinions about. If you've no opinion on the quality of bed linen, which may be important to some, there's no point in you trying to do so. Plus you'll end up with pedants spending more time spotting omissions than anything else. 

[doug]

To be honest people should be free to write reviews as they wish about things they have opinions about. If you've no opinion on the quality of bed linen, which may be important to some, there's no point in you trying to do so. Plus you'll end up with pedants spending more time spotting omissions than anything else. 

This was only ever a suggestion and not a demand. People are free to do whatever they choose. Including not pay attention to the first sentence of my original post.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

[Mockingbird]

I'd add special features as well, and the best and worst thing, and a review of the facilities such as:

Swimming Pool: (Big or small, slides/no)

Poolside Bar

Restaurant/Cafe

Laundry

Special Features/Amenities 

Best Thing:

Worst Thing:

[Mockingbird]

I'll try a short one for my last stay in March - March Hotel 

 

Area of Pattaya: Central Pattaya 
Daily Rate: THB1009 (inclusive of taxes)
Monthly Rate Availabe: Unknown - didn't ask
      - if yes Elec/Water Rate: N/A
Charge for 2nd guest: No charge
Off Street Motorbike Parking: Yes
Staffed 24hrs: Y
Late Check-in: Y, checked in at 8pm
Lift, Elevator: Y
Air Conditioning: Y
Free Wifi Internet: Y - very strong wifi
   - if yes Speedtest.net speeds tested: Didn't do it
Fan in Room: N
Flat Screen TV: Y
Balcony: Y
How often Cleaned per week?: Daily
How often Linens Changed per week?: Daily
Refrigerator Size: small
Kettle: Unsure
Free Bottled Water: Y

Swimming Pool: Small but adequate

Poolside Bar: Y

Restaurant/Cafe: Y

Laundry: Y

Special Features/Amenities : Sauna, Gym, all power outlets are universal, router in each room - strong wifi.

Best Thing: Price point, service, relatively new

Worst Thing: Bit of a walk (3 minutes) from Pattayaklang or Beach Road (10-15 minutes). Okay if healthy, bad if having leg pains/morbidly obese

[Barhop]

On ‎5‎/‎17‎/‎2017 at 4:45 AM, doug said:

If you have any suggestions of what else could be added to the list or what should not be there please contribute

DIGITAL SAFE IN ROOM  is hugely more important for this newbie than motorbike parking

Interesting post and particularly like the LATE CHECK IN as that has been an issue for me arriving very early in early June but everybody's situation is different, I suppose...

[regyai]

I gripe from way back in my Hotel days

 

Is there Parking for four-wheeled vehicles (as well as twist n gos)

 

I used to use Hotel and long term rental vehicle. Would have been nice to search without schlepping around the town in person

 

 

For the Hotel dwellers of today's needs, I suppose a definitive Wi-Fi speedtest reading hits the mark. At lot of places think minutes to load a page constitutes an internet connexion. As an aside I could hardly contain my disbelief when in the cheapest Thai dentists in town I logged into his free wi-fi and got a rock solid 100mg + connect!!

[RICK36]

I don't care for the firm Thai beds so low to the ground, so mattress quality would be another good bit of info. I agree a in room safe is a great addition to any room.

 

[likeaking]

Can't believe this isn't included in the list.

Girl friendly? Yes/No. Extra charge? Yes/No.

[Gone-east]

20 minutes ago, likeaking said:

Can't believe this isn't included in the list.

Girl friendly? Yes/No. Extra charge? Yes/No.

Item 4.

[Scuba+]

I think a note whether the cleaners are up for it would be helpful. Y/N

 

 

[likeaking]

21 minutes ago, Gone-east said:

Item 4.

Damn, and I read it twice. This oldtimerz disease is no fun. 

[mixedberrys]

These are important to me as well

Number of pool lounges.

Comfort of pool lounges.

Number of pool umbrellas.

Quality of room service.

Quality of fridge contents.

Size of bath and shower.

Quality of spa bath. 

Quality of breakfast.

The list goes on and on.