Whats this policy of taking a deposit?

[Autoroam]

Checking out some pattaya hotels for a trip and learning that even if I pre-pay my entire stay, I have to plonk down a deposit

that might be up to 3K per night (refundable).....sounds like an awful policy to me. Can I ask if anyone else has

encountered this and what steps can be taken to avoid this nonsense? Is this the nor m everywhere?

Thanks

[Man7]

It’s annoying but remember that for these businesses to try and fight a credit card charge back claim on an international card would be very hard. So they usually want a 1-2k bhat deposit. Makes sense when you think about it from their side. Never had any issues with it at any hotel.

[Macawber]

3 hours ago, Autoroam said:

Checking out some pattaya hotels for a trip and learning that even if I pre-pay my entire stay, I have to plonk down a deposit

that might be up to 3K per night (refundable).....sounds like an awful policy to me. Can I ask if anyone else has

encountered this and what steps can be taken to avoid this nonsense? Is this the nor m everywhere?

Thanks

My advice would be to recheck the T&Cs and make sure you understand what the policy is. If you've prepaid then there is no resonable situation where they would need a 3k per night deposit  on top of your pre payment .. if they insist then you should look alsewhere because they obviously don't want your custom.

[regyai]

19 minutes ago, Macawber said:

My advice would be to recheck the T&Cs and make sure you understand what the policy is. If you've prepaid then there is no resonable situation where they would need a 3k per night deposit  on top of your pre payment .. if they insist then you should look alsewhere because they obviously don't want your custom.

Not great advise, anything additional you could add that would secure an immediate refund of the full prepayment if anyone chose to follow it?

[tps]

A deposit should be expected. If you break something, what are they supposed to do? Some places take an imprint of your credit card, some ask for 1-2000 baht. I have never had a problem with either method in Patts. Personally, I prefer the cash-baht option and by a long shot. I would much rather have the small amount of money at risk rather than access to my credit card. 

[themelonman]

4 hours ago, Autoroam said:

even if I pre-pay my entire stay, I have to plonk down a deposit

Nothing too strange about this, I see it in many of the places I've been - including other countries.

It almost never happens in places that I book online via the aggregators - as the hotel has a relationship with them that they can use to deal with charge-back conflicts. But if doing a walk-in, and/or paying by cash, it's a common enough standard policy to cover damages or, as they may politely call it - so you don't lose the key-card.

It's only a temporary 'deposit' that you get back 100% (provided you haven't kicked holes in the wall) - so it's not like it's costing you anything at all. I don't understand why it would be a problem.

The only glitch that I can imagine affecting me is that I end up with an extra un-spent 2k baht in my pocket an hour before I check out for the airport. But I know I'll be back within a year to spend it, so there really is no downside.

Optimal strategy can be to use it up on your mini-bar during your stay, and end up with very little to settle. 

[Barhop]

22 minutes ago, themelonman said:

It's only a temporary 'deposit' that you get back 100% (provided you haven't kicked holes in the wall) - so it's not like it's costing you anything at all. I don't understand why it would be a problem.

The only glitch that I can imagine affecting me is that I end up with an extra un-spent 2k baht in my pocket an hour before I check out for the airport. But I know I'll be back within a year to spend it, so there really is no downside.

I don't either.  But to the OP's 3K per night (refundable) I suggest it may be a misunderstanding in the wording - just sounds ridiculous.  A single 2K cash deposit is what I normally pay for the whole stay - the "per night" ???

Personally, I take 30-40,000฿ back home every trip so when I arrive next time, there is no need to do any money changes for a  while.  So a 2000฿ refund is a tiny bit of that.  We all have our own modus operandi.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

5 hours ago, Autoroam said:

Checking out some pattaya hotels for a trip and learning that even if I pre-pay my entire stay, I have to plonk down a deposit

that might be up to 3K per night (refundable).....sounds like an awful policy to me. Can I ask if anyone else has

encountered this and what steps can be taken to avoid this nonsense? Is this the nor m everywhere?

Thanks

OP - Pre retiring, I used to stay in the top international hotels in Thailand, and, like hotels world-wide,  I have never been asked for a deposit, just a swipe of the card. Now in terms of the other 99% of hotels in LoS, remember that over here cash is king. Not everybody uses a card when booking - I for one certainly don't want to have my card swiped in hotels and guest houses. So taking a cash deposit is reasonable - against mini-bar and any other charges. I have always got my deposit back without a hitch.

 Now I have never heard of 3,000THB pn deposit, might we ask which hotel? The usual amount is 1,000THB for the entire length of your stay. The most i have been asked for is 1,000THB pn, at Centra Avenue - I got them down to 500THB pn.

[Macawber]

1 hour ago, regyai said:

Not great advise, anything additional you could add that would secure an immediate refund of the full prepayment if anyone chose to follow it?

My advise may not be great in your mind but that's because you either don't  understood the OP or you're just rather naive ... your choice. 555

[bakufoz]

Have never had to put a deposit of any amount per night.

Normally they block a set amount of baht from your card. This covers things like room service and mini bar or bar bills etc. Either the whole amount is released at end of stay or the balance is released.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

9 minutes ago, bakufoz said:

Have never had to put a deposit of any amount per night.

Normally they block a set amount of baht from your card. This covers things like room service and mini bar or bar bills etc. Either the whole amount is released at end of stay or the balance is released.

Well you have had to pay a deposit of sorts. Just that you elected to put it on your card, which is of course fine for those who are comfortable using their card throughout the Kingdom.

[regyai]

43 minutes ago, Macawber said:

My advise may not be great in your mind but that's because you either don't  understood the OP or you're just rather naive ... your choice. 555

No naivety on my part

 

If prepaid in full (ie a Thai has your payment for the full stay) and you want to bail over a demand for an extra cash depo, naivety would be in thinking that your payment is coming straight back to you (especially so if a card was used)

[Macawber]

1 hour ago, regyai said:

No naivety on my part

 

If prepaid in full (ie a Thai has your payment for the full stay) and you want to bail over a demand for an extra cash depo, naivety would be in thinking that your payment is coming straight back to you (especially so if a card was used)

Okay ... so in regyai's world,  what happens to the prepayment if ' you want to bail' ?  You're suggesting that 'a Thai' won't refund your money? Perhaps that's why I suggested that you check the T&Cs... you'd be naive if you didn't. .. get it?

[Autoroam]

I don't get it. I have stayed at hotels like Sandy Spring where I will call them from the airport and book for 10 days,

land up and check in... and settle the entire room stay up front by card...i usually get them to empty the minibar fridge,

so there is nothing to charge me for.... smooth transaction.

 

I don't mind if they swipe my card and block some funds for any final settlement when i check out.

But these hotels want to actually debit my card...Im not sure this is something Im comfortable with.

Guess I have to ask every hotel what the score is from now on...or just choose a good guesthouse.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

1 hour ago, Autoroam said:

I don't get it. I have stayed at hotels like Sandy Spring where I will call them from the airport and book for 10 days,

land up and check in... and settle the entire room stay up front by card...i usually get them to empty the minibar fridge,

so there is nothing to charge me for.... smooth transaction.

 

I don't mind if they swipe my card and block some funds for any final settlement when i check out.

But these hotels want to actually debit my card...Im not sure this is something Im comfortable with.

Guess I have to ask every hotel what the score is from now on...or just choose a good guesthouse.

I have stayed in over 40 Pattaya hotels/guest houses and have never heard one wanting 3,000THB a day deposit, What hotel are you talking about that wants to debit your card 3,000THB a day?

[Autoroam]

8 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

I have stayed in over 40 Pattaya hotels/guest houses and have never heard one wanting 3,000THB a day deposit, What hotel are you talking about that wants to debit your card 3,000THB a day?

did i not say "up to 3,000 baht"?

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

1 hour ago, Autoroam said:

did i not say "up to 3,000 baht"?

OK if you want to be really pedantic, can I ask you for third time, please tell us the name of the hotel which demands a deposit of “up to” 3,000THB a night?

[thinkingallowed]

Only time I've ever come close to anything like this was trying to book a room in VT6 through booking.com. It was a pay on arrival deal but they sent an email advising me that they'd also require a deposit on arrival of 6000 baht, more than the three nights fee. I cancelled the booking immediately. 

[bakufoz]

14 hours ago, LOTTELLEE WINNA said:

Well you have had to pay a deposit of sorts. Just that you elected to put it on your card, which is of course fine for those who are comfortable using their card throughout the Kingdom.

It is common policy all over the world. Especially with the larger hotel chains. 

Some places, like the Paradise hotel in UT, do not ask for this. 

I once had to give cash for the guarantee at Traders hotel in KL. This because they did not accept debit cards. The cash was returned.

[OKAY]

I'd think most hotels have had the guest that refuses to pay for mini bar usage, those that truly 'dirty' the sheets, steal towels, sheets, faucets, and anything else that isn't tied down securl

[Evil Penevil]

53 minutes ago, thinkingallowed said:

Only time I've ever come close to anything like this was trying to book a room in VT6 through booking.com. It was a pay on arrival deal but they sent an email advising me that they'd also require a deposit on arrival of 6000 baht, more than the three nights fee. I cancelled the booking immediately. 

It was a wise decision to have canceled.  Very likely you wouldn't have gotten all or even any of the 6,000 deposit back.   Owners will sometimes offer their condos at a rate that's below what can be considered the "going rate" to attract customers, but then ask a big deposit.  At checkout, the owner or his agent will claim the room was damaged or something is missing. If the tenant has a taxi waiting to take him to Swampy for his flight back home, he's not going to argue too long before giving up.

Also,  with the loss of the damage deposit, the customer wouldn't be paying more than the "normal" rate for the room, giving him even less incentive to push the matter.  This most frequently happens with condos that aren't listed on a booking site or Airbnb but are advertised privately.  However, it can happen with all sorts of S/T condo rentals, but not often with hotel rooms.

Evil

 

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

47 minutes ago, bakufoz said:

It is common policy all over the world. Especially with the larger hotel chains. 

Some places, like the Paradise hotel in UT, do not ask for this. 

I once had to give cash for the guarantee at Traders hotel in KL. This because they did not accept debit cards. The cash was returned.

Of course leaving some form of a deposit (via swiped card) is  a common policy all over the world. Nobody is arguing that it's not.

[Ru4Real]

Can't say I've ever experienced a "per night" deposit request anywhere in the world I've been 

[thinkingallowed]

1 hour ago, Evil Penevil said:

It was a wise decision to have canceled.  Very likely you wouldn't have gotten all or even any of the 6,000 deposit back.   Owners will sometimes offer their condos at a rate that's below what can be considered the "going rate" to attract customers, but then ask a big deposit.  At checkout, the owner or his agent will claim the room was damaged or something is missing. If the tenant has a taxi waiting to take him to Swampy for his flight back home, he's not going to argue too long before giving up.

Also,  with the loss of the damage deposit, the customer wouldn't be paying more than the "normal" rate for the room, giving him even less incentive to push the matter.  This most frequently happens with condos that aren't listed on a booking site or Airbnb but are advertised privately.  However, it can happen with all sorts of S/T condo rentals, but not often with hotel rooms.

Evil

 

I definitely wouldn't have got the deposit back. At that time my flight back to work was generally very early in the morning and Mrs Thinkingallowed would generally check out of the room later to catch the bus up north. The usual couple of thousand would cover her travelling expenses but knowing the wife I'd not have had much chance of getting change out of 6000.

[Autoroam]

1 hour ago, Evil Penevil said:

At checkout, the owner or his agent will claim the room was damaged or something is missing.

 

This is exactly what I fear....why I brought this up for discussion.

The idea is not to name hotels and try and shame them...since it seems to affect

a lot of the mid-tier hotels. As pointed out, if the deposit takes the form of swiping guests card 

on check-in and blocking some funds for incidentals, that is fine...they cant force you to sign something

you aren't liable for....or you can dispute if they try something funny. If they want a cash deposit, like the hotel Ive spoken to is asking, you have no hope if they refuse to give you your deposit back. 

I understand that hotels in TH are exposed to all sorts of scams but treating everyone as a potential grifter is a bit disturbing.