Avani and 1000baht joiner fee?

[NNMI1]

I've been thinking of staying at the Avani on this trip and have read the warning about 1000tbh joiner fee on the 2017 thread.  Also some had mentioned a back entrance though the garden to avoid the fee.  Has anyone had any experience recently with the fee or the back entrance? 

This will be my third trip to Pattaya. I stayed at Areca Lodge on the first trip and it was nice but a bit far away from Walking Street.  I did LK Empress the second time but it the decor really wasn't my thing.  I was hoping to do the Avani this trip.  Any help would be appreciated. 

[The Danimal]

51 minutes ago, NNMI1 said:

I've been thinking of staying at the Avani on this trip and have read the warning about 1000tbh joiner fee on the 2017 thread.  Also some had mentioned a back entrance though the garden to avoid the fee.  Has anyone had any experience recently with the fee or the back entrance? 

This will be my third trip to Pattaya. I stayed at Areca Lodge on the first trip and it was nice but a bit far away from Walking Street.  I did LK Empress the second time but it the decor really wasn't my thing.  I was hoping to do the Avani this trip.  Any help would be appreciated. 

Yes...many of those posts by me...never had a joiner fee...always stay on floor 1 (garden rooms)/pool level and walk them in from the back....I like these rooms better any way and they are cheaper

[NNMI1]

Thank you for the information it will be very helpful.

How do you get the 1st floor garden room?  Did yohave to request this or was it on the Agoda booking page? 

Does the back entrance trick only work for the 1st floor?  Sorry I am not familiar with the layout of the hotel.

[The Danimal]

1 minute ago, NNMI1 said:

Thank you for the information it will be very helpful.

How do you get the 1st floor garden room?  Did yohave to request this or was it on the Agoda booking page? 

Does the back entrance trick only work for the 1st floor?  Sorry I am not familiar with the layout of the hotel.

Yes...only for the first floor rooms that I know of as I have actually never used the stairs.  There is one main set of elevators near the reception desk...if you brought a girl back before they close the entrance from royal garden mall you might be able to get them in that way as it is right next to the elevators.  I don't use aogda/expedia...I usually book directly with them and request that room type...never once had an issue.  Both expedia and Agoda may allow you to get that specific with room types...not sure.

[NNMI1]

Hey thanks again Danimal, I will likely give this a shot a report back. 

[Sandscorp]

I always write to hotels and confirm their policy before staying. The Avani is NOT  Guest friendly! Here is their response when you email them: Amazing really as it eradicates nothing only ensures more people get a slice of the pie. Point of interest is she can not use the facilities and must leave by noon. No breakfast for your terak or relaxing dip in the pool. This policy makes the mind boggle considering the hotel's location. Also better 5 star more upmarket hotels welcome your guests. If you re mongering it is best to choice wisely grasshopper...

Greetings from Avani Pattaya Resort!

Thank you very much for interesting in our products and services. Regarding to your question, as part of the government (National Council for Peace and Order) efforts to clean up Pattaya and eradicate prostitution in the interests of public safety and to restore “happiness” we have been instructed by the Thai hotel Association to enforce a stricter control with “visitors” as following,

•             Visitor must be registered at the Front Desk. ID card or passport will be checked for the correct name, picture and age of the visitor.

•            hotel will not allow any person who is less than 18 years of age and those who does not carry an ID card or passport with them to visit the guest rooms.

•             A “visitor fee” of 1,000 Baht net per visitor per day/night.

•             Guest will be able to settle the fee by cash/credit card or charge to guest’s room and settle upon check out.

•             Visitor will be escorted to the guest’s room if he/she is arriving alone.

•             Visitor will be required to leave the hotel premise before noon, and he/she is not allowed to use any of the hotel facilities.

If the reservation is made for two people and you check-in together and register together upon arrival the above (except point 2) will not apply.

Above is in line with the strict rules and regulations we have to follow, common practice in Pattaya and also helps us better ensuring guest safety and security which remains our paramount objective.

If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Best Regards,

[Arnie85]

Doesn’t restore happiness to your wallet if they want 1000bht for nothing. 

[keepitfun]

Surprised any mongers bother with this one.  There are, what? 2000 other hotels in Patts

[tps]

Avani is GF, completely, daytime and overnight. Take ID if you want, up to you.

They did publicise a non registered guest approach after the Marriott branding ended but in reality, nothing has changed. In fact, I'd say that the room upgrades and maintenance improvements make it even better and as it can be had for Bt2500++ on some days, it is a steal.

 It is my go to place, home from home, weeks and months on end.

• ——————————————————————————————
• The above is a quote from another bm from a thread in the advanced section titled ‘high end hotels’ (I think). Maybe the letter is sent out as a formality to show compliance with a law, but in actuality they don’t enforce it?  
• I really like the hotel ,  fantastic pool, gym, and of course, location. Hopefully guys who actually stayed there recently and tested the policy will post their experiences.

[MarkKetting]

6 hours ago, Sandscorp said:

A “visitor fee” of 1,000 Baht net per visitor per day/night.

I learn something today

[Sandscorp]

I wish someone in Pattaya would post if they paid the "visitor" fee...

I will go with the email and give the place a miss. Shame as I stayed for an entire  month when it was the Marriot 

[Jnl]

Was close to booking this one for a short visit, abit hesitant now.

 

Have anybody payed the visitor fee that is mentioned in this thread?

I stayed there a few years back, seem to rmb a back entrance from beach road. Is there a closing time for that, or a hotel guy there in the evenings?

[BigVenz]

I have friends that are Marriott guys that stayed there since it was a Marriott and still stay there and never have had to pay the fee I think they just have the policy to look good to the authorities but do not enforce it.

In fact if you walk by the desk unless you stop they don't even ask for their ID.

At least that's the way it still was 4 months ago.

[Jnl]

On 25/05/2019 at 10:00, BigVenz said:

I have friends that are Marriott guys that stayed there since it was a Marriott and still stay there and never have had to pay the fee I think they just have the policy to look good to the authorities but do not enforce it.

In fact if you walk by the desk unless you stop they don't even ask for their ID.

At least that's the way it still was 4 months ago.

Thanks for the info. 

 

Booked Page 10 instead, due to only having one day to find a okay hotel. Could not be bothered with the hazzle incase there was a joiner fee..

 

However the Page 10 is pretty nice for half the price of the Avani. They let me check in early, room is nice and clean. Staff is friendly and no trouble bringing the girl to my room. 

[drspike]

I stayed at the Avani hotel from Feb 3-28th. Booked it through Agoda as a Garden Plus Room and had it paid for before I discovered the thread about a joiners fee. This was my seventh long term visit to Pattaya. I have stayed at a number of hotels and was curious to go back there again after a 20 year absence. Back then the Garden wing was the largest hotel on beach road, now they have the newer tower which is separated by a garden and pool complex. There is an entrance into this garden from both second and beach road which gets you access to the garden wing without passing through the lobby.

I am strictly ST, so my experience with a joiners fee is based on either escorting my barfines through the second road entrance or having a TF girl stop at the front desk. I was concerned about the joiners fee from the girls who had stopped by the front desk but I was never charged a fee.

My main issue with the Avani had to do with the noise level in the Garden wing. There are three stories of rooms with an open atrium between all the floors. When you leave the room the doors slam shut and you can hear it through the whole building along with any conversations in the hallways. During my stay, the Avani was accommodating a large tour group of single middle aged Indian men who were coming and going between rooms, slamming doors, pounding on doors and yelling until after 3 am. The first tour group was there for three nights and then the next week a new group arrived with the same bad manners.

The room had a very strange tub and shower combo which made it impossible to shower with your date and very awkward to climb in and out with bad knees.

On the plus side, the staff is great, breakfast very good, the garden and pool area is beautiful but…..if you are looking for a 4 or 5 star hotel, I would choose the Hilton.

[tps]

Yeah the Indian groups are apparently going to become increasingly prevalent at Avani.. I was there in February, and the guy that supervises the pool said Avani guest numbers are down, so the hotel is marketing more towards that group. He told me this just after he stopped a couple of Indian guys from jumping in the pool in their skivvies, and added that ‘I always have to watch those guys very closely’ .

 

[tps]

I was just there, checked out yesterday in fact. I would describe it as gf, but with a caveat. 

 Initially I was given a room in the main building so took a look - I didnt like it as it had the shower/tub combo that bm drspike mentioned in his post. So, I changed to the building located just behind where Dicey Reilly's is. Bathroom a bit small, but had walk-in shower with no tub.

I took that room, but then asked the guy who showed me the room if I would be subject to a joiners fee. He insisted we step away from the counter as he said 'others shouldnt hear' but that 'yes, they will usually charge'  but that he will 'make a note on the computer for them not to charge you'. (At checkout, I was not charged any fees).... so, gf but maybe not without some extra banter.

By the way, there was security at the beach road entrance, as well as around the elevators, though I just said hello and walked by.

As for the hotel, it was quiet enough, but there was some annoying daily construction noise near the pool area where they are building a small hut that perhaps will house their spa, which is being closed July 31.

A big negative for me is that the gym is also closing. Maybe they will offer some deal with the recently opened Jett's fitness in the mall, but I much preferred their original gym as it included a break room with coffee, juices, salads, fruits, etc. and was a nice place to relax before or after getting some exercise.

 

[mochatsubo]

On 12/06/2019 at 09:53, tps said:

 

A big negative for me is that the gym is also closing. Maybe they will offer some deal with the recently opened Jett's fitness in the mall, but I much preferred their original gym as it included a break room with coffee, juices, salads, fruits, etc. and was a nice place to relax before or after getting some exercise.

Is it closing for good or are they doing renovations?

If it is closing for good, then that is too bad. I enjoyed that gym. It was never crowded and it was plenty large enough for an easy going holiday work out.

[tps]

It’s closing for good.

[Rainsberger]

Remember this hotel very well but when i stayed there way back in 1997 it was then called Royal Garden Plaza and i remember being charged 600 baht for an extra visitor per night came as a big shock at the time, my stay here was for 2 weeks so i just stayed here during the day and went up the road to the Apex hotel and stayed here night times for less then 400 baht a night without problems i hate paying joiner fees, these days i do my homework and make sure i choose my accommodation carefully and avoid dreaded joiner fees. Anyone remember the Royal Garden Plaza, then called the Marriott hotel, now called the Avani hotel only stayed here once due to joiner fees in the old days.

[mochatsubo]

FYI. Avani was partnered with Jetts fitness (Royal Garden Plaza) for their AVANIfit location. As tps mentioned, the old gym is closing July 31st. Supposedly they will give you a membership card for the duration of your stay.