Jasmine Mansion

[ViolatedM3]

I thought we should start a thread of places to avoid and have it stickyed or its own section on the forum, here is my experience of hotel named Jasmine Mansion.

 

Another board member and I reserved a 2 rooms for Jasmine Mansion for 1 months of stay costing nearly 20,000 baht. The pics on his website are very misleading making the rooms look much larger than they are. It is suppose to be non-smoking hotel upstairs from what I understand and my room stunk of smoke, the bathroom would not drain, water pressure non-exisitant and a bug problem.

 

We mentioned our displeasure to the owner and he said he would correct the issue 2 days latter still nothing was done, so after staying 3 days, we went to the owner and asked for a refund. I told him he could charge us the normal daily rate, keep the 1,000 baht desposit, and to just return us the balance. He told us no and basicly to go f**k ourselves. The room was so bad I coud'nt take it anymore, Jeff and I found much better place to stay for 8,000 less a month.

 

I highly recommend this place, about 46 square meter, full fridge, dvd, microwave, balcony, wifi-internet. for 12,000 baht amonth including electric. located on Soi LK Metro next door to Lolitas. The place name is Memories Go-Go. The noise from the gogo can not be heard and there is another enterence to avoid the gogo all togehter, The owner and his wife are very nice.

 

Anyway, unless you like to get f*****d by a con-artist and be over charged I would avoid Jasmine Mansion on soi bukow or however you spell it all together.

[Bitch Controller]

Im completely suprised by this given Kevin, the owner of Jasmine Mansion is the complete opposite to the person you have just described. I know deadman, who always stays there could vouch for this place. I stayed there, and Im a fussy f****r, no problems at all, if anything, service was beyond what I expected.

[dimples]

I'll add my view-

 

Stayed there over the X-mas period for about 17days in total. On the the last day (after checking out) I needed to use the internet to check what work had sent me for the flight details, they had sent some reservations for a hotel in Dubai so I had to print it out. Asked and was told it was fine.

 

Once completed I was told I owed approx 100baht - thats for 3mins internet usage and one A4print.

 

Not on my list of places to stay again.

 

Otherwise it was an ok place, stayed in alot better for the same/less price

[deadman]

also a bit surprised! i admit the price is a bit more than what i think it should be but personally never had any problems! i found kevin & his wife very accommodating! regarding the internet, its about 1bht per minute!

[nus01]

I posted this on talk, but as this topic is also on here

 

Violatedm3 ,Sorry to hear you had such poor a experience .

 

I have stayed at Jasmine Mansion and for 700baht a night found it an ideal for the budget conscious traveler and good value for money.

 

Yes the rooms aren't huge , but they are not prison cells, I have stayed in five star motels where the rooms are no bigger, and I don't think the rooms are misrepresented on the website.

 

I normally like to stay in more luxurious hotels but was unable to find suitable accommodation last high season so I stayed at Jasmine Mansion, I did a lot of research into the hotel and there is a number of reviews on the hotel section on this board and many members speak highly of their experiences here.

 

The water pressure was mentioned by others who had stayed there as the only problem, however I didn't experience this problem.

 

The owner is a BM on here "Cookie"(Kevin Meacher) and many Board Members who have stayed at JM speak highly of him and his wife.

 

It is disappointing to hear you were unable to get back a refund for the unused portion of your stay though.

[mbiggs]

Sorry you had a bad experience mate, I think it pays to read reviews first before making a booking.

[bibzo]

Do you have booking detail for this apartment?

[stew]

Deadman, I downloaded yer Pattaya music and it's good, listening to it now! The music, a few bottles of beer and surfing all the Pattaya websites is all that keeps me going until my next trip in July

[ViolatedM3]

Do you have booking detail for this apartment?

 

If you are asking about where I am staying now, its the Memories A Go-Go, on Soi Lk-Metro, next door to Lolitas. Owner's name is Gordon.

[onourway]

I did research Jasmine Mansions online (2 different boards) & found only positive comments.

I have never been there but i am booked to stay soon... due to the previous good PR i read, i would still try the place & i will update this thread after my experience...

[gs joe]

I know the OP has given his honest opinion ,

but the title shit list gets, may make some feel you may have an agenda .

would this post be more beneficial in the hotel section as a review ,

 

Joe

[ViolatedM3]

I know the OP has given his honest opinion ,

but the title shit list gets, may make some feel you may have an agenda .

would this post be more beneficial in the hotel section as a review ,

 

Joe

 

I have no agenda other than I a bit pissed with my experience dealing with Kevin and his hotel. If anyone was to ask me about his hotel I would say avoid it just my personal experience. Also to inform other BM's what to expect if you stay there and want to check out early you will not get any sort of refund. On top of that if you used any part of the mini-bar and you check out early you will not get credited for that either he will take it out of the deposit, total bullshit.

 

So make your choice. Also I was hopeing that this thread could cover anything that put somone off, be it a bar, or whatever.

[gs joe]

I have no agenda other than I a bit pissed with my experience dealing with Kevin and his Hotel. If anyone was to ask me about his hotel I would say avoid it just my personal experience. Also to inform other BM's what to expect if you stay there and want to check out early you will not get any sort of refund. On top of that if you used any part of the mini-bar and you check out early you will not get credited for that either he will take it out of the deposit, total bullshit.

 

So make your choice. Also I was hopeing that this thread could cover anything that put somone off, be it a bar, or whatever.

 

 

What I meant to say is , the term shit list makes the forum look like its got an agenda.

there nothing wrong with giving your opinion on any thing good or bad ,

its what the forums for

but if its put into the appropriate section ,

anyone looking for advice on the topic can find it with ease .

 

Joe

[bundy]

anything that is owned by the russians, as dont like to pay 500bht per drink

[sexy beast]

Anyone got any pics?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now moved to the hotel section, please no swear words now

[nus01]

anything that is owned by the russians, as dont like to pay 500bht per drink

Virtually every hotel,gogo, bar etc is going to be subjective based on ones expereince .

 

Excpet the above everyone agrees the russian places are terrible and are on eveeryones shit list

[The Professional]

I can't imagine Mr Meacher will take this lightly - expect some serious verbals soon.

 

ViolatedM3 - have you a relative called Mightyone

[kevin meacher]

I suppose it is necessary for me to reply to these comments. When running any business it is not possible to please everyone despite trying as hard as you can. Our rooms vary in size and our pictures are not misleading, they show the different rooms and are a genuine reflection of the rooms, the furniture and the condition. If anyone books with us and has not stayed here before they are welcome to look at the rooms and even stay for one night before commiting to a longer period as per their booking. However, we do not refund money once a booking has been made and payment received and our policy is clearly stated. Therefore if you stay for a few days and then decide it is not for you well, unfortunately that is tough, but you have had an opportunity to consider everything before you pay. I always check a room before making a payment in a hotel I do not know unless it is one of the brand name places which will be the same wherever they are located. The problem for hotel operators, particularly at this time of year, is that people will make a booking and then walk up and down the streets looking for something cheaper. In some cases they then find what they consider a better deal and want to move whilst the hotel operator has turned down bookings because reservations had already been made and paid for!

 

The guests who started this thread came down one morning to complain of in one room a smell of smoke - we sprayed the room and washed the curtains. We also offered to move the guest if he wished, he declined. The other guest mentioned that the water from the sink was not draining away quickly and that there were ants in the room. The plumbing in Thailand generally is not good and the drainage is a constant problem that we are on top of most of the time. normally some mixture down the sink clears the blockage in a few hours although this did not work this time and the next day we had a maintenace man in to resolve the problem. Ants, as anyone who has been here for any amount of time will know, appear as if by magic the moment and food or drink is left around. We immediately sprayed the room. There is not a problem with the water pressure in the hotel and neither of these guests has ever mentioned this as a complaint to me, as such, I have had no reason to investigate this.

 

At no time during these discussions did they mention they wanted to leave the hoteland that did not follow until the next day after which time they had already been here several days. I believe the issues we were presented with were dealt with efficiently and as quickly as was possible. Problems occur, fact of life, not only here but across the world. I am a perfectionist and I get very uptight when we have a problem and am constantly jumping up and down until it is resolved. I doubt anyone can tell me of a problem that has been reported to me and not had wheels put in motion to rectify it immediately.

 

I am not even going to bother to comment on the laughable remark that guests get charged fur using the mini bar.

 

As for NON SMOKING rooms I believe the comment was 'the upstairs rooms are supposed to be non smoking'. Well I challenge this person and wager whatever money he can muster that he has never seen anything ever said by this hotel that says we have non-smoking rooms because we do not and never have had. I would repeat that we offered to move this guest but he declined. As for charging people for using the mini bar well I am sorry but that is what every hotel does. We have now entered the world of make believe.

 

As for the person who claims he was charged B100 for two minutes on the internet and one page of printing well I am sorry but that is simply not true. We have FREE Wifi but that has only been since earlier this year. However the internet usage through our computers is not nor has ever been free and there are large signs showing the price. If you say 'Is it okay for me to use the internet' then of course my staff are going to say yes - and then charge you. Goodness knows you will be expecting free rooms next! The rate for internet usage is B30 for up to 30 minutes whether you use it for 1 or 30 minutes and this has been unchanged for 2 years. Thne rate for one page black and white printing is and has been for over 2 years B15. If you did one page of printing and were only the computer 2 minutes you would have been charged B45 NOT B100.

 

We are presently full, not nearly full, not 99% full but 100% full. We are heavily booked through to mid July. We are not the cheapest place to stay but we offer clean rooms which are redecorated every year and the paintwork attended to every time a guest departs (where at all humanly possible). At present our rates start at B650 per night although for stays of 7+ nights are B600 per night and even less for monthly stays. The rates include breakfast which is from a menu with six or so options and all freshly prepared rather than being buffet style. We have FREE WiFi, FREE pool table and numerous other facilities and services. All rooms have a safe, there is CCTV coverage of guest areas, we have a 24 hour reception and a security door to guest areas. The rooms are cleaned every day, they have air-con, fridge and mini bar and all have proper double beds not single beds pushed together.

 

We are located in the heart of Pattaya allowing access with ease to almost every place of interest and entertainment and we offer a good quality cafe (plus room service) and relaxing lobby area where you can chill out away from the bar scene should you wish. Either Jin or I (most usually both of us) are here 14 plus hours every day of every week month in and month out and attend to any questions, queries, problems and so forth immediately.

 

At the end of the day I believe that we offer value for money, we are neither cheap nor expensive, for what we provide. Over 50% of our occupancy throughout the year is from returning guests and 25% comes from the recommendation of returning guests. I believe that says everything about Jasmine Mansion that my words cannot adequately enough express.

 

I would say the same to anyone thinking of staying here whether they read about us through a positive or negative review (and fortunately the former outweighs the latter by 1000 to 1) that it is for you to make up your own minds. It does not follow that you will enjoy staying here just because a friend or colleague did nor does it become afact that you would not enjoy everything we have to offer simply becuase a few others did not like it here. We are all different, thank heavens, and our hotel will not be for everyone - we only have 23 rooms so cannot accommodate everyone anyway!

 

As far as I am concerned we are one of the best small hotels in Pattaya offering a good deal at a fair price. I will, however, leave you to be the judges! I am not going to sink to the level of the person who posted these comments - if he thinks me a con-artist then so be it but in all honesty I have never cheated anyone in my entire life and all we are doing here is endeavouring to run a business and provide a life for our family.

 

Finally I have never said go ***** yourself to any customer regardless of the provacation - however all of that may soon be about to change!

Edited May 13, 2007 by kevin meacher

[LaaMok]

Great post, very informative! Sounds like you have everything thought out. Now I understand why no hotels pay money back when leaving early.

[donny]

Great, detailed post Kevin, good to see hoteliers responding to criticisms.

 

If anyone books with us and has not stayed here before they are welcome to look at the rooms and even stay for one night before commiting to a longer period as per their booking

I presume, though, that this is only if the guest specifically asks for that opportunity and that it isn't something you tell each and every customer before they hand over their money upon checking in - it isn't mentioned on your website. I presume that ViolatedM3 was not aware of it and paid the full amount upon checking in.

 

ViolatedM3 was clearly unhappy from the start and, in my experience, an unhappy guest is rarely worth the trouble - moving them to a different room rarely does anything more than break their will to complain further but, if they've already decided they don't like the place, there's not really anything you can do to make them happy. I totally understand why hotels don't generally offer refunds but, sometimes, it make sense to bend the rules a bit, especially when your reputation means you won't have much difficulty filling the room.

 

What I would sometimes do is make a deal with the guest that, if and when I found a replacement guest, they could have their money back, minus the day rate for days already used and minus any "last minute" discount or agency commission hit I took on filling the rooms at short notice and any days I could not fill. I made it clear that I was not legally required to do this but that I was willing to make the effort to oblige them. I would then stick a notice on a couple of forums and release the availability on the various online bookers I used - I found Rates To Go particularly good for soaking up last minute availability. I was in Amsterdam, so, I wasn't able to stick a notice outside to attract passersby but I'm guessing you could do that in Soi Buakhao and generate a lot of interest.

 

Yes, it is a lot of trouble but so is the fire-fighting you've now had to do in response to his dissatisfaction. This strategy worked out 100% of the time, with a good 50% of guests deciding, upon reflection, to stay anyway - I guess they just wanted to know they were being taken seriously. This approach actually got us positive reviews on Trip Advisor from guests who could have been PR nightmares.

 

Just a suggestion, I can't even begin to imagine the day-to-day difficulties of running a Pattaya hotel. I know what a kick in the balls it is when you put so much effort and pride into what you do but a handful of people are still unhappy - it's not a business I'm in any hurry to get back into

[Shuggy]

Personally, i've stayed thier before and will stay there again. Nuff said.

[dudebrah]

With all due respect to Kevin . Your a great guy and the staff at your hotel are top notch. I realise your hotel is almost always full which means a lot of customers must be satisfied with the rooms. I cant comment on the regular rooms as

I have never stayed in them.

 

But in all honesty the photos of the penthouse suite are misleading. They depict that the whole top floor patio and kitchen are available to the penthouse renter when in actuality this is not quite true. The housekeeping staff need acess to the top floor to get to the laundry. Thus making the Penthouse really another room on the top floor. not really what I would call a penthouse suite. There is also the issue of the sewer gas coming up throught the sink and shower drains. I,m not a plumber so i cant comment on the cause all I know is that it made my stay uncomfortable.

 

Cheers

Dude

[monkeyspanker]

Personally, i've stayed thier before and will stay there again. Nuff said.

 

same same

[LaaMok]

There is also the issue of the sewer gas coming up throught the sink and shower drains.

 

I've noticed this at many places, why dont places use U bends?

 

stops the smelly air getting through

[dudebrah]

I've noticed this at many places, why dont places use U bends?

 

stops the smelly air getting through

 

 

Good point Bryan.

 

The sewer gas problem is common at a lot of places in Patts . But Its not everywhere and I prefer to stay in a hotel without the extra smell.

 

Cheers

 

Dude