LK Empress - scam attempt or honest mistake

[Sloracer]

6 hours ago, WhiteThai said:

Holy crap! It's a miracle you didn't cut your feet. In the u.s. you could have sued the hotel.

I threw a towel down so I could walk out to get my shoes. But still discovered a small shard of glass in my foot while walking the following day.

[formulaonefan]

7 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

No he says joiner fee for second lady.

Correct...first lady no fee

[formulaonefan]

9 hours ago, Tarl said:

Think you handled the situation really well. They will know you as well now so I think all is good for current and future stays. If you like the place just let it go and continue to use it.

Now that I've cooled off and that last night there was no drama when I returned with two ladies, I'm considering my future options of staying here

[formulaonefan]

9 hours ago, skink said:

I have friends scheduled to stay there in a couple months. Did you notice if a new building is under construction across the street from the LK Empress?

There is work being done across soi12 from the empress...it's not too loud or obtrusive.  I have an ocean view room on 8th floor and construction noise hasnt been an issue

[misteregg]

Not read the whole thread but no hotel would put a 20k lamp in their rooms so it’s bullshit.
Go elsewhere.

[Toddler]

4 hours ago, formulaonefan said:

Now that I've cooled off and that last night there was no drama when I returned with two ladies, I'm considering my future options of staying here

Good decision. Other than your poor one off experience it’s a great hotel in a good location and no issues with additional guests.

When I stayed I had a beach front room on the 3rd floor. I used the stairs in the restaurant to get to my room and there are no employees working there later in the evening. I never brought 2 girls back but if I had there is no one there to check. I never registered any of the ladiesI brought back to the hotel.

[LongPlay]

2 hours ago, Toddler said:

Good decision. Other than your poor one off experience it’s a great hotel in a good location and no issues with additional guests.

When I stayed I had a beach front room on the 3rd floor. I used the stairs in the restaurant to get to my room and there are no employees working there later in the evening. I never brought 2 girls back but if I had there is no one there to check. I never registered any of the ladiesI brought back to the hotel.

Yeah, there is an elevator behind the cashiers area.  I used that.  And had no issues with multiple ladies in and out.  I took a jacuzzi room which was right next to the elevator up a few floors.  Very convenient with Thai Friendly meetings.  I could sit out on the outside veranda having a drink, wait for the lady of the moment to show, and take them directly up the elevator.  No hassles no issues.

If you take younger ladies and want their ID;s checked, you would need to get to the front desk.  But as i like them in the high 20's and up into the 30's, I had no problem with ID checks.  

Good place for me.  I think the cleaning lady just wanted to keep that lamp off of her pay check since it likely happened prior.  They do dock these workers for things not checked properly...

[Lambik]

On 6/2/2018 at 21:36, formulaonefan said:

They didn't have a new lamp, so it's still broken

Seems they will try to charge the next occupant of the room for it.

Maybe a not bad idea for a scam : putting something broken in the room and trying to make the customer to pay for it.

Just need a broken and a not broken item.

If the customer pay for it the broken item is changed to the unbroken one.

[assraider]

Planning my first trip to Pattaya in two months but have been to Philippines several times. So i have never seen it in the US but in Philippines before they let you pay your bill they check the room.  Had to pay for bottled water cause seal was broken even though i wasn't drinking their high dollar water. 

So is it the same in Thailand they inspect room before you can pay your bill?. I assume in the US they would just stick it on the CC sense most people pay with CC.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

22 minutes ago, assraider said:

Planning my first trip to Pattaya in two months but have been to Philippines several times. So i have never seen it in the US but in Philippines before they let you pay your bill they check the room.  Had to pay for bottled water cause seal was broken even though i wasn't drinking their high dollar water. 

So is it the same in Thailand they inspect room before you can pay your bill?. I assume in the US they would just stick it on the CC sense most people pay with CC.

Yes, your room will be given a cursory check at checkout time. It usually just consists of looking for useage of minibar, making sure crockery and towels are all there, plus any obvious signs of damage. 

At check in to any Thsi hotel I always tell them ‘no credit card’ and pay a small cash deposit (usually 1,000thb) which I get back at checkout.

[bbbz]

On 6/2/2018 at 04:28, formulaonefan said:

Here's the offending lamp...not sure how I could break it and not remember....

Story sounds fishy. Both ways.  And you continued to stay there. Hmmmmm...

[alex1981]

Sounds like the cleaner done it ,covered herself.

be good to have had a hidden cam in the room

$600 for a lamp ,fuck meeeee 

[vivid2]

Yes, your room will be given a cursory check at checkout time. It usually just consists of looking for useage of minibar, making sure crockery and towels are all there, plus any obvious signs of damage.[/qquote] 

 

Right on LW, but that room check is also designed to see if you've forgotten something in your room. I’m glad they do it, because last time I checked out they noticed that I left a bathing suit out on the balcony. So the check is good for both the hotel and the departing guest.

[formulaonefan]

7 hours ago, bbbz said:

Story sounds fishy. Both ways.  And you continued to stay there. Hmmmmm...

Fishy both ways?  Meaning what?  

I continued to stay because I like the location and room amenities, and up until now never had a hassle.  

[WoWuk]

My cynical view is they tried to scam the OP.

How many more customers will they try pin this damage on ?

How many customers have they already tried to squeeze 20k from ?

Scamming is commonplace in every nook and cranny here. 

Just another day, just another buck, just another scam.

[formulaonefan]

I forgot to mention that there is also some plaster damage be the same side wall near the night stand the broken light is on.  I bet they both were damaged at the same time.  Surprised they didn't try to pin that on me as well

 

[ZRHuser]

I think its a honest scam attempt.

It is possible they did see it first when you did stay there (looking at the photo's I think you have to have a closer look to see it), but the price is mighty high for that lamp. With all the fake Louis XIV style they use, I do not think they put expensive items in the room. 

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

7 hours ago, WoWuk said:

My cynical view is they tried to scam the OP.

How many more customers will they try pin this damage on ?

How many customers have they already tried to squeeze 20k from ?

Scamming is commonplace in every nook and cranny here. 

Just another day, just another buck, just another scam.

'Scamming is commonplace, in every nook and cranny'....maybe your experience, but it certainly isn't mine. I have stayed in around 40 hotels/guesthouses over the last 6 years. Never been scammed once. 

[bbbz]

9 hours ago, formulaonefan said:

Fishy both ways?  Meaning what?  

I continued to stay because I like the location and room amenities, and up until now never had a hassle.  

"Here's the offending lamp...not sure how I could break it and not remember...."

That statement sounds disingenuous to me.  Nobody was there but you so we can only speculate.

My personal thoughts are you may not remember breaking it and the maid is responsible if it isn't reported on her shift.  She upped the price to compensate for past breakage, scam potential, and falang animosity built up over time.  Just my guess because I have seen many scams and this one seems familiar.

[formulaonefan]

I was too wishy washy with my statement - I did not break the lamp and if I had, I would remember it, there would be debris, and frankly I would have reported the damage.

 

Rich

[formulaonefan]

Checked out and carefully reviewed bill, no funny charges, so all good.

I'll chalk it up to an innocent mistake and move on.  No reason to sour a good holiday with lovely ladies!

[vivid2]

'Scamming is commonplace, in every nook and cranny'....maybe your experience, but it certainly isn't mine. I have stayed in around 40 hotels/guesthouses over the last 6 years. Never been scammed once. 

I agree with you, LW. I've taken 23 one-month trips to Thailand, and I had only one bad experience. I was laying out at the pool at Tim Boutique hotel (now renamed Intimate Hotel) enjoying the day and a cocktail, when a strong gust of wind blew some umbrellas over. It also blew my nearly full glass off of the table next to me, and it shattered when it hit the deck.

The bar tender came right over. I expected him to ask if I was hurt by the mishap and offer me a replacement drink. Instead he brought a bill for the broken glass and insisted it was my fault because I left the drink on the table rather than holding on to it! They charged me for a new drink and the broken glass.

That was my seventh one month stay at that hotel. And, needless to say....it was my last.

[Ben4454]

I had this process as well. I had blood all over the sheets from a bar girl who had her period.

Security and a housekeeping manager was at the door to inform me I had to pay 1600 baht for new sheets. Security had a huge smile on his face as they knew it was pay day. I paid it immediately as I didn't want the hassle, but couldn't imagine paying 20K for a lamp. 

From now on I always inspect the room for damages when I first get there and always ask the girls if they're on their period.

[Farangkie]

They are a bunch of pricks and I'll never stay there again after the staff shafted me when I brought back my bar fine to that hotel. 

The receptionist checked her ID , and said that she couldn't come in because she was 19 y.o , and the hotel had a no under 20 y.o policy.

Then the security guard comes over and starts taking to my girl in Thai, the girl tells me that he says that they will let her in if I pay a 1000 baht 'extra fee" but I have to pay it now in cash .

I was pissed off because I knew I was being fleeced , but my bar fine was so hot , there was no way she wasn't coming up to my room , so I reluctantly paid it and walked away leaving a very happy security guard and receptionist to split the proceeds.

 

.

[Memurtle]

They are a bunch of pricks and I'll never stay there again after the staff shafted me when I brought back my bar fine to that hotel. 
The receptionist checked her ID , and said that she couldn't come in because she was 19 y.o , and the hotel had a no under 20 y.o policy.
Then the security guard comes over and starts taking to my girl in Thai, the girl tells me that he says that they will let her in if I pay a 1000 baht 'extra fee" but I have to pay it now in cash .
I was pissed off because I knew I was being fleeced , but my bar fine was so hot , there was no way she wasn't coming up to my room , so I reluctantly paid it and walked away leaving a very happy security guard and receptionist to split the proceeds.
 
.

I had the same experience at LK Royal Wing except I didn’t get the offer of paying 1000 baht. I was so pissed off I had two girls from Windmill, one 19 the other 22. They flat out refused to let the 19yr old up to my room.
Wasnt fun trying to find a short time room at 2am, ended up renting a ST room above some small bar on Soi Buakhao