Whats this policy of taking a deposit?

[themelonman]

24 minutes ago, Autoroam said:

treating everyone as a potential grifter is a bit disturbing.

When I rent a motorbike, if I can talk them out of holding my passport, I leave them with a 2K deposit against damage. It's totally the same thing.

It's just business, they've been burnt enough times to cover their ass, and you shouldn't get your nose out of joint about a standard practice. It's nothing personal, you should stop thinking it's an insult.

(and yes, it's not impossible for a moto rental to trump up an overpriced damage claim also, and withhold the deposit if they feel like it - see some reviews of Koh Panngan. But it's even more common that a guest or a renter would skip out on hidden damage.)

[philkrenshaw]

The Sawasdee chain has a 500 Baht deposit for the entire length of the stay, not per night. You get a receipt and they refund the money after you check out and they've verified you didn't damage the room.

I've also stayed a a guest house that charges a 400 Baht deposit on the key, since they had trouble with people not returning them. Again, refunded when you check out.

No big deal.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

45 minutes ago, Autoroam said:

 

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.

So you can’t/won’t tell us the name of the hotel that requires an ‘up to’ 3,000Thb pn deposit....why does that not surprise me 

[regyai]

[captainito]

That's a very common thing.  Which doesn't bother me.  As long as I keep the room decent I get the money back.  No problems with me.  I don't blame them.  Some people trash rooms and don't pay.  So they charge more to other people to pay for damages.  I'd rather have cheaper room prices and deposit then no deposit and expensive rooms. 

[jaynewcastle]

If the OP is not going to post which hotels are demanding up to 3000bt per night deposit (which is ridiculous), just delete the entire thread

Very rare hotels ask for a deposit in SE Asia in my experience, the highest deposit I've ever paid is 1000bt for the entire stay

 

[hioctane]

So if the OP is staying 2 weeks, he has to leave a 42,000 baht deposit? That makes no sense!

[Autoroam]

The hotel in question is saying the deposit will be 1 nights tariff X no of days stayed.

 

Their tariffs go from 1500 to abt 3,000 per night....hence the "up to 3K" comment.

 

I am not here to name names and start a campaign against this hotel...I'm looking at alternatives.

just wanted to know the stance against such ridiculous charges....as I personally don't trust

hotels here...too much funny stuff going on.

 

If you feel my concerns are nonsense then ok. I then know where the forum stands.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

36 minutes ago, Autoroam said:

The hotel in question is saying the deposit will be 1 nights tariff X no of days stayed.

 

Their tariffs go from 1500 to abt 3,000 per night....hence the "up to 3K" comment.

 

I am not here to name names and start a campaign against this hotel...I'm looking at alternatives.

just wanted to know the stance against such ridiculous charges....as I personally don't trust

hotels here...too much funny stuff going on.

 

If you feel my concerns are nonsense then ok. I then know where the forum stands.

The Forum takes a very measured and mature approach to making critical comments about businesses. In the case of your thread, I don’t see any ‘criticism’ nor any ‘campaign’ against any hotel. You have helpfully hilighted that a hotel is charging up to 3,000thb pn deposit required. Your fellow forum members would however appreciate knowing which hotel this is, and, in the knowledge of this, they can make an informed decision about whether to stay there or not. 

The only reason why BMs believe your post is ‘nonsense’ is because between us we have stayed in just about every hotel in town and not one of us have come across this policy. You must therefore understand our scepticism regarding your (unsubstantiated) claim.

[Autoroam]

Ok in that case, feel free to treaty my post as unsubstantiated nonsense....Im not ready to name this hotel just yet as Im still making my enquiries (and who knows, there may be a slim chance I might call them again to clarify their stance and relent)...you're obviously the hotel guru on here so far be it for me to do anything you don't approve of. 

If i feel it absolutely necessary I will add the name...at my discretion. Thanks.

 

Edit: But thank you all for more or less agreeing that asking for inordinately high deposits in cash (as opposed to blocking off cc funds) is not correct.

[LOTTELLEE WINNA]

47 minutes ago, Autoroam said:

Ok in that case, feel free to treaty my post as unsubstantiated nonsense....Im not ready to name this hotel just yet as Im still making my enquiries (and who knows, there may be a slim chance I might call them again to clarify their stance and relent)...you're obviously the hotel guru on here so far be it for me to do anything you don't approve of. 

If i feel it absolutely necessary I will add the name...at my discretion. Thanks.

 

Edit: But thank you all for more or less agreeing that asking for inordinately high deposits in cash (as opposed to blocking off cc funds) is not correct.

I'm not any sort of 'hotel guru', never claimed that at all. 

As I posted above, you are to be thanked for flagging up the issue, but you have left us all now wondering ...is it the hotel I have booked (or about to book) for my forthcoming trip.

I think the consensus on your final point is this - a modest deposit (say 500-1,000THB) for a one week stay is reasonable (and this can be cash or card).

[themelonman]

I have paid a 5K deposit on a monthly villa rental. That's obviously 5K for the whole period, not per day. It certainly felt a little high, but as it's refundable at the end, it still didn't bother me at all.

In this case, the rental excluded Electric and Water (which was metered), so the deposit was largely to cover the exposure a landlord would have there. If I'd been the sort to leave the air-con on all day, then I'd certainly be able to make a dent in that.

As it was, when we settled up the power bill, and added in a few rounds of cleaning and laundry that I'd called for, I think I got 3K back. It just reduced risk for the landlord. I could potentially have run up 3K in power and then done a runner.
Heck, for me it was something of a convenience as I wasn't blind-sided by a last-minute expense.

 

I'm pretty sure the OP has just seriously misunderstood someones policy, but is refusing to acknowledge or revise the initial mistake. 3K deposit is quite possible, and I'd say could be reasonable depending on circumstances - but it's sure to be per stay, not per night.

For run-of-the-mill city hotel, yeah, 1000 is much more normal.