Phuket Thailand

Jjason132 · #1 02-11-2004, 01:39

Hi guys, Hope you are all well? I arrive on the 17th of november for 11 nights in Phuket (sounds like a movie!) I have not booked my hotel yet. Still weighing up the options. Has anyone stayed at the Leelawadee Boutique Hotel? Is it a nice place? is it girl friendly? I have looked at the C&N, okay but no pool and Stonymondays same situation. Can get the Leelawadee for about 1500 a night. Any help would be much appreciated! Cheers, Jason

marc26 · #2 02-11-2004, 06:58

i dont know much but it does look very nice

gregor200 · #3 02-11-2004, 19:12

We check in after tomorrow, fly over to LOS in the night. Have booked 3 rooms on www.latestays.com (5 days with b/f and one dinner for two) at 1300 bt per night. Hotel sounds quite good on internet. We allways book room for two. Therefore no problem with girlfriend.

charlie b · #4 05-11-2004, 21:37

How was your trip? Would you receomend using the last minute site?

Peter.g · #5 06-11-2004, 04:45

Charlie B

I hv used latestay,com many time in Bangkok.
They are good and they are own by the biggest travelleagent in thailand.
I can recomend them.

Brgds
Peter.G

gregor200 · #6 30-11-2004, 18:57

Location
just beside C&N near the road to Karon. Hotel is new, well built, rooms are of very good quality (bed, aircondition, mobiliar, bathroom). You have to walk up stairs to go to your room, no elevator. Nice small swimmingpool. Small breakfast. You can have dinner, but no big choice, but town is just over the street. To be recommended.
Joiner fee to be applicable (300 Bath), when you order room for two at checkin, you can talk them down later.

gregor200 · #7 30-11-2004, 19:01

I booked now 5 stays with latestays.com. I never had any problem. You pay in advance with credit card, therefore you do not have to show credit card at checkin, no hidden costs. Confirmation takes about 1 to 8 hours, you can email voucher directly to hotel, or send message to hotel regarding room preferences, arrival time, airport pickup. You book online availability, that is, no email like 'sorry we are booked'.
to be recommended

ancientmariner · #8 19-02-2005, 21:17

got email reply from leelavadee stating it charges a 4000 baht joiner's fee

"Important note form hotel : All Thai visitors & joiners are subjected to pay 4,000THB extra charge on each visiting in room. Any used of hotel faxcilities by joiner is prohibited."

on the other hand, reply via another reservation website(www.resort-hotels.com):

Subject: Re: Rate / Reservation Inquiry

Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your interested our Hotel. as for your question
Our Hotel far from Bars and shopping area about 700-800 m.
and also far from the beach about 500 m. you can walk to
Bars and shopping area it may take about 15 minute.
Also very easy to renting a motorbike or car. they service at
the front of Hotel. TukTuk, Taxi avaliable all time very easy to take this
service
From now we just have to revised very special rate on this web site that
very benefit to you.
( joiner free of charge)
Hope to see you soon.
Somsak K,

gregor200 · #9 20-02-2005, 01:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by ancientmariner

got email reply from leelavadee stating it charges a 4000 baht joiner's fee

"Important note form hotel : All Thai visitors & joiners are subjected to pay 4,000THB extra charge on each visiting in room. Any used of hotel faxcilities by joiner is prohibited."

on the other hand, reply via another reservation website(www.resort-hotels.com):

Subject: Re: Rate / Reservation Inquiry

Dear Sir/Madam
Thank you for your interested our Hotel. as for your question
Our Hotel far from Bars and shopping area about 700-800 m.
and also far from the beach about 500 m. you can walk to
Bars and shopping area it may take about 15 minute.
Also very easy to renting a motorbike or car. they service at
the front of Hotel. TukTuk, Taxi avaliable all time very easy to take this
service
From now we just have to revised very special rate on this web site that
very benefit to you.
( joiner free of charge)
Hope to see you soon.
Somsak K,

I think, that on the official website they want to keep the profile high, therefore they offer a prohibitive high joiners fee. When you contact them directly, they are very cooperative. They have a very low occupancy rate.

When I stayed with my friends there in November, there were only some russian boys there, two french men, some european couples and some daytoday guests. We never paid joiners fee, since we talked about on checkin. Could see some BM with ST joiners go up to the room in the evening, even with ladymen, and stop the time, since from the terasse you have to go up a staircase to the rooms. Breakfast is very frugal, but rooms are great and pool is small, but lovely (see internet side). One katoey in state of conversion is working in the restaurant.

gregor200 · #10 20-02-2005, 01:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by ancientmariner

got email reply from leelavadee stating it charges a 4000 baht joiner's fee

"Important note form hotel : All Thai visitors & joiners are subjected to pay 4,000THB extra charge on each visiting in room. Any used of hotel faxcilities by joiner is prohibited."

not to be confused :

there are two Leelavadee´s

Leelavadee Boutique Hotel

Hyton Leelavadee Resort Phuket

maybe they have the same owner, but it is a different location...

steve@thaib · #11 20-02-2005, 03:14

I find intersting this. When I was in Patong last August a lot of the hotels wanted a joiner fee. I think that many BMs found it hard to believe when I put it on the forum but I did not make any mistakes, lots of the places I checked out were charging for guests'

Now, it looks like the majority are not looking to charge extra. I am thinking that the joiner fee is charged according to how busy they are. At quiet times such as now they just want your business, but if you find yourself looking for a place when they only have a couple of rooms left, it is a way of squeezing you for a bit more money.

Also, when there are a lot of families in town, I wonder if they want the party people around? There does not seem to be any definitive list of the places that do and do not charge. Maybe we could start one?

ancientmariner · #12 20-02-2005, 10:59

yeah, maybe i got confused with the 2 leelavadee's. the hotel's rates are quite economical though so sounds like good value

dizbuster · #13 20-02-2005, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregor200

We allways book room for two. Therefore no problem with girlfriend.

A little word of warning here, do not assume just because you have booked a room for two that you will not have problems taking a girl back to your hotel. I have stayed at places where they wanted to charge a joiner fee, so I said I had booked for 2 people. The hotel then told me that I must then check the girl in same as I had done. At first I did not want to do this and it put me off, but then I thought "what the hell !!" and checked the girl in. Next morning I went to reception to check her out and was told that i could not !! I didn't waste time with the desk staff, I got the main man down to the reception, the hotel manager. It took some doing but evetually he came and I quoted his terms and conditions at him. He finally admitted that his hotel did not like guests bringing back ladies, but said that I had done nothing wrong and would advise the staff not to stop me in future.

I wonder how many guys have faced this and just accepted the situation ?? If you face this prospect, then the hotel is more than likely bluffing you and you should play them at their own game. After all, it takes a lot more effort from them to keep checking girls in and out !!

Cheers
Diz

gregor200 · #14 20-02-2005, 19:39

Generally I think, that the better off hotels do not like joiners, because of the problems with other guests (their primary clientele) and some possible misbehaviour. Therefore it is always a personal favour in you, when you are allowed to bring joiners with you. Therefore you have to

- book a room as double room (2 adults)
- convince management, that your style of living is according to the rules of the house.

ancientmariner · #15 20-02-2005, 20:35

would tipping left and right resolve hassles by the management?

generally staff would treat you above standard if you tip them well

steve@thaib · #16 20-02-2005, 20:40

All good thoughts, I think. There seems to be no set rules, which does make it tricky when you are looking for suitable hotels.

The best i have found was the good old Ex-Pat, pretty basic but ok, and the staff are great. The beds are so hard there though that I am a little reluctant to go back; I am at an age where I need my sleep.

Any advice on guest friendly hotels is welcome, we really should compile a list.