Jasmine Mansion

[mulphy]

to the guy who stated he would trash the room , good shout mate.

 

youd pay over the odds for the damages and a large amount of compensation and lost revenue and a large bribe to the police if you ere lucky enough to avoid a prison sentence.

 

maybe a good business proposition for me there if theres a lot of your type of guys out there.

 

the add could read , stay one night , trash the room , only 250,000 baht.

[BassGod]

Haveing being a world traveller for more than twenty years I find your comments somewhat bewildering! There are many hotels who photo copy passports for thier own protection, not so much in recent times though, just the details nowadays. As for giving your CC I don't think I've never been asked not to give them a copy again for thier own protection.

 

As for your comment about trashing the room, this is the reason hotels take personal imformation about the guest, unfortunately not all guests can be trusted: read quote!

 

In Thailand, and Pattaya in particular, there is an over abundance of hotel rooms and that's what they call a buyers market. I fill out the check in form and let them look at my passport but when they try to photo copy it I tell them I'd rather they didn't and they don't. They still have the info from my card to upload online.

 

AS far as CC#'s go I just pretend that I don't have one, if they don't like that I'll move on but it hasn't happened yet. I'm not exactly a "world traveler" but I can assure you that I've never given a CC# upon check in anywhere including London, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and I won't be giving one for my stay in Argentina next week.

 

Trashing the room was a hypothetical for if a hotel wouldn't try to work out a partial refund for a room I didn't like. It wouldn't happen and never will because I'll never be in that situation.

[hazze]

In Thailand, and Pattaya in particular, there is an over abundance of Hotel rooms and that's what they call a buyers market. I fill out the check in form and let them look at my passport but when they try to photo copy it I tell them I'd rather they didn't and they don't. They still have the info from my card to upload online.

 

AS far as CC#'s go I just pretend that I don't have one, if they don't like that I'll move on but it hasn't happened yet. I'm not exactly a "world traveler" but I can assure you that I've never given a CC# upon check in anywhere including London, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and I won't be giving one for my stay in Argentina next week.

 

Trashing the room was a hypothetical for if a hotel wouldn't try to work out a partial refund for a room I didn't like. It wouldn't happen and never will because I'll never be in that situation.

 

Same here.

I've never had my passport photocopied.

I'll fill the passport number in on a form, but thats my limit.

 

I always pay cash and stay for 1 or 2 days. If I'm happy I pay for rooms on a daily or 2 daily basis in cash.

I've been asked for a credit card and I say I don't have one.

Paying cash i've never had a hotel seem upset.

I leave a cash deposit, which usually gets eaten up by room service and mini-bar fees and everyones happy.

 

 

Just a thought, but would it be possible to change the threads title from "the shit list". It seems a bit harsh on this particular hotel

Edited May 15, 2007 by hazze

[lebond]

Sorry to hear about the bad experience at the Jasmine Mansion.

 

However in the owners defence, I had a room booked at the hotel in late Jaunuary and due to my own missfortune was unable to pay for my room on arrival, this was due to a F**up on my bank in Englands behalf. Anyway, the owner Kevin kindly allowed me to stay in my room without paying until I managed to sort out the money situation. Cheers for that!

 

I reccomend the Jasmine Mansion to anyone who wants to stay in a clean, safe hotel with good food in the soi BK area.

[Panudate]

I havent read the whole thread, but from reading Kevin Meacher's previous posts on running his business, I trust his word, he has a hard job! I have 100% respect for him, and I wish him all the best! I hope that gets me a free room! lol

[togaduke]

I havent read the whole thread, but from reading Kevin Meacher's previous posts on running his business, I trust his word, he has a hard job! I have 100% respect for him, and I wish him all the best! I hope that gets me a free room! lol

keven it seems like you run a good hotel, and really care about yore guest, I think your securety, is good, from what I have heard, if I was in a bind ,I would stay there, but when I do come to pattaya a pool is a must, if I use it or not and perferabaly a ocean view.. it would be worth cab ride for that for me.. where would you think I should stay for that..

[kevin meacher]

keven it seems like you run a good hotel, and really care about yore guest, I think your securety, is good, from what I have heard, if I was in a bind ,I would stay there, but when I do come to pattaya a pool is a must, if I use it or not and perferabaly a ocean view.. it would be worth cab ride for that for me.. where would you think I should stay for that..

 

Thank you to those who have made some positive comments about Jasmine on this thread. Criticism, whether wholly justified or not hurts when you take as much pride in running your business as Jin (Mrs. Boss to you lot) and I do. If we did not care we would not be here 14 plus hours a day seven days a week that's for certain! My feeling, with the benefit of some hindsight and cooling off, on all of this has been that the situation was not handled well - both by myself and the guests concerned. They placed me in an impossible position in the way they approached me whilst I got the hump about that and did not respond as professionally as I should have. I should have requested that the guests leave the problem with me for a while to discuss with my wife rather than simply echoing her comments of three seconds earlier. We all make mistakes although sometimes it appears some people want me to be executed for mine - persecution complex comes to the fore!!!!

 

As for recommending somewhere else togaduke I cannot do that because I do not really go anywhere else. Of course your budget will be a big factor as to where you may be able to stay and others on this site will help you more than me if you provide them with some more information as to what you want and what you want to pay. The only places I have stayed in Pattaya are Siam Sawasdee (No comment); Marriott (its a Marriott what else do you need to know), Royal Palace hotel (No comment); Dusit (its a Dusit) and Montien (I thought it was expensive for what it was and if paying this type of money would rather be at Marriott). These visits were some years ago except for Royal Palace which I stayed at about a year ago when I came out of hospital - I said no comment although truth be told I would have preferred to have stayed in the hospital!

 

Having resisted the temptation to dive into a vat of Heineken over the past week I am going out and getting drunk tonight and, if blurred vision does not prevent, I will endeavour to watch the English F.A. Cup Final. Probably be best if I steer clear of a few unnamed folk as I wend my way around town eh!!

[BassGod]

Haveing being a world traveller for more than twenty years I find your comments somewhat bewildering! There are many hotels who photo copy passports for thier own protection, not so much in recent times though, just the details nowadays. As for giving your CC I don't think I've never been asked not to give them a copy again for thier own protection.

 

As for your comment about trashing the room, this is the reason hotels take personal imformation about the guest, unfortunately not all guests can be trusted: read quote!

 

In case anyone is curious I just got back from Argentina. Stayed at four different hotels and not one even asked for a CC# and only one asked for the first day in advance.

[mik32]

yes, again very good conversation.......

[quicktex]

I booked a standard room last Sept. for 3weeks. After about 3 days, choose to leave. The room was just too small for me. I had no other problems and the service was good. Would have moved to a larger room but the rooms were booked. The owner refunded me my money for the days I did not stay. Would stay there again if I could get a larger room or need a place at the last minute. The owner was very helpful to me. I had arrived late.(about 4AM) Was not charged for the first night because of the late arrivial.

[BassGod]

The owner refunded me my money for the days I did not stay.

 

I'd say this is the main difference between the OP and your expireance. Why the different policies for different guests?

[kevin meacher]

I'd say this is the main difference between the OP and your expireance. Why the different policies for different guests?

 

It is quite simply a matter of how each situation was presented. In the instance of the OP he went up to the reception desk and told my wife he and his friend were leaving in such a way that she refused a refund. They then said they would speak to me if that was her opinion and immediately came into my office and made the same request standing only a couple of feet away from my wife. I thought that insensitive to say the least, especially here in Thailand where the Thais are concerned about loss of face. Had I agreed a refund then my wife would have suffered a loss of face especially as there were staff present during the guests conversation with her. I was therefore unable to say anything that contradicted her initial statement without a major problem erupting between her and I and her and the way she would have been perceived by the staff. I have already, and will again, admit that I should have been more professional in the way I handled the matter with the guests concerned and simply told them to leave the matter with me. However, they merely said 'OK well that is that then' or words to that effect, and left my office. I was angry that they had placed me in that position though and felt that they should have perhaps waited to speak with me privately.

 

In normal circumstances I would discuss the matter with my wife and tell her the options in a given situation, explain possible ramifications, put forward my suggestion and do so in a way that would lead her to be able to change her mind without incurring a loss of face. The business is run as a 50/50 partnership in actual terms, although everything is in her name for legal reasons here. My wife is an intelligent person who has experienced life outside of Thailand and she has an acute business mind, however, she is also Thai and thus has many of the Thai ways ingrained in her - some we all love and some we find, shall I say, rather perplexing.

 

Again I have said before under normal circumstances on those rare occassions such a situation has arisen then either a refund or credit note has been issued and this is rather proven by the recent posters comments. the fact is that in most cases, especially those of a complaining nature, you really do have to witness an incident to fully understand it from both sides.

Edited June 7, 2007 by kevin meacher

[BassGod]

That is a good explanation that makes perfect sense, in that situation I wouldn't have done any different. You know what they say, "Happy wife, happy life".

[bromad1972]

That is a good explanation that makes perfect sense, in that situation I wouldn't have done any different. You know what they say, "Happy wife, happy life".

 

I am a newbie to this forum but not to Thailand. I appreciate KM's lucidity and openness to this forum and for that reason ( as well as what appears to be value for money) I am very much consiudering staying at his hotel for my birthday trip in September.

 

Dealing with the public in any hospitality industry can be a struggle. And one of the main problems is that satisfied customers keep their positive experiences to themselves but those that are not satisfied tend to tell everyone. I am sure that there are many satisfied customers who have enjoyed their stays at the Jasmine Mansion but have never told anyone, let alone this forum. A good rule of thumb is for every negative response you hear of, there are 10 positive ones you don't. I look forward to possibly staying at the Jasmine Mansion in September and buying Kev the libation of his choice and discussing the difficulties of working in our chosen industry. He sounds like a stand up guy to me.

 

Tommy