Phuket

mistirios · #1 03-07-2005, 19:59

I'll be visiting phuket in two weeks with a friend of mine.

The travel agencies in greece with trips to phuket are very limited (1-2) and they had offers only with expensive/luxury hotels. That is no problem (we chose novotel) as we had the money but the joiner fee issue is.. (i heard it's 3000 baht for novotel). is there a solution such as renting a room for a night in a cheap hotel or something else that i haven't thought of?

junkhouse · #2 03-07-2005, 20:32

Some travel agencys might try to play you and have you book hotel as well...of course they make more money that way.

Many of Europe's big airports have direct flights to Bangkok so should be no problem at all getting there, getting a flight to Phuket from Bangkok you can do when you get there.

Some even fly to Kuala Lumpur, where you can fly directly to Phuket...or from Singapore for that matter.
The options are in fact endless and it should be no problem flying to LOS without getting suckered by a travel agency.

Just to mention a few options, direct flight to BKK from Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt. Suspect loads of other places as well without having checked

Then it all comes down to price and availability.

If you cannot 'loose' the hotel booked I suggest you book a cheap hotel upon arrival, it will at least be far cheaper then a 3k joiner fee.

Next trip, unless you have a very good travel agent that know and apreciate you as a customer, try getting it straight from the source. Book with the airline itself.

andy50 · #3 03-07-2005, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistirios

I'll be visiting phuket in two weeks with a friend of mine.

The travel agencies in greece with trips to phuket are very limited (1-2) and they had offers only with expensive/luxury hotels. That is no problem (we chose novotel) as we had the money but the joiner fee issue is.. (i heard it's 3000 baht for novotel). is there a solution such as renting a room for a night in a cheap hotel or something else that i haven't thought of?

as junkhouse says ,misterious just book a return flight to phuket and get a hotel via the internet ,or book one night only, in a hotel and have a look around the next day ,for a more siutable one
the hotel availability on phuket is plentiful to say the least!,so just walk in and barter you may be able to find a posh hotel and get them to waiver the guest fee!

junkhouse · #4 03-07-2005, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy50

as junkhouse says ,misterious just book a return flight to phuket and get a hotel via the internet ,or book one night only, in a hotel and have a look around the next day ,for a more siutable one
the hotel availability on phuket is plentiful to say the least!,so just walk in and barter you may be able to find a posh hotel and get them to waiver the guest fee!

Reminds me of my first trip really, booked through a travel agent(this increased flight price a little) and was asked which hotel I'd like.

Said I only wanted 2 nights in hotel and stuck to that, they tried to sell me the entire stay but I would have nothing of it.

Arrived Patong and was booked into The Royal Paradise, hotel was 2500baht a night if we wanted to extend our stay, joiner fee was 500baht, this was all in low season.

Did a little shopping around and was offered 1500baht with no joiner fee at Patong Resort, the choice was easy

Nowadays I spen less on hotel and more on fun so I tend to go for hotels below 1k in low season, maybe book just a cpl nights in a posh hotel somewhere to have some jacuzzi fun and get pampered a bit...

t0rn · #5 03-07-2005, 23:12

Much better to start in a lower priced hotel (Expat and Jintana? are two that are cheap and have pools - no joiner fee) and then move somewhere better if you meet someone you like (book in together)

mistirios · #6 04-07-2005, 14:36

Thanks for the opinions guys!

I'll be staying at novotel and i really like the hotel (it was my choice after all).
I checked the prices for some cheap rooms (500baht) so i' ll book one of these too (with no joiner fee) for some hot nights...

Jaws · #7 05-07-2005, 08:30

Just to add the Novotel is a bit of a hike to where the action is so by grabbing a cheaper hotel such as the two mentioned you will also save on Tuk Tuk fares !

ashley · #8 05-07-2005, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistirios

Thanks for the opinions guys!

I'll be staying at novotel and i really like the hotel (it was my choice after all).
I checked the prices for some cheap rooms (500baht) so i' ll book one of these too (with no joiner fee) for some hot nights...

I stayed at the Novotel on my last trip to Bangkok. It was a very nice hotel, with great rooms, pool, and other facilities. The other plus about this hotel is the disco on the basement floor. It was full of hot hot thai girls and loads of smoking russian babes.
They do have a joiner fee but just make sure that your travel agent books you in as Mr. and Mrs. The price for a single or double room is the same. Or you could take care of that once you get into the hotel. Use your charm and just tell the reservations person that your wife is at the spa if they ask. This is a more upscale hotel so they will not ask their clients too many questions. Play the part and you should have no trouble.
Also it is right behind the skytrain so you can get to Patpong and other places of interest in just a few minutes.
As a plus ask for an upgrade to a jr suite. They room is great, as well as the huge bathroom.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers,

Ashley

dawsey · #9 06-07-2005, 01:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashley

I stayed at the Novotel on my last trip to Bangkok. It was a very nice hotel, with great rooms, pool, and other facilities. The other plus about this hotel is the disco on the basement floor. It was full of hot hot thai girls and loads of smoking russian babes.
They do have a joiner fee but just make sure that your travel agent books you in as Mr. and Mrs. The price for a single or double room is the same. Or you could take care of that once you get into the hotel. Use your charm and just tell the reservations person that your wife is at the spa if they ask. This is a more upscale hotel so they will not ask their clients too many questions. Play the part and you should have no trouble.
Also it is right behind the skytrain so you can get to Patpong and other places of interest in just a few minutes.
As a plus ask for an upgrade to a jr suite. They room is great, as well as the huge bathroom.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers,

Ashley

Thats very useful information for BMs travelling to BKK Ashley but our friend Mistirios is staying at Novotel Phuket.
Being part of a large hotel chain will probably mean similar ameneties as you described.
Novotel in Patong is quite away from the nightlife though and will rack up plenty of tuk tuk fares and a more upscale,guest friendly hotel nearer Bangla would probably be more suitable IMO

Coolhand · #10 06-07-2005, 02:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsey

Thats very useful information for BMs travelling to BKK Ashley but our friend Mistirious is staying at Novotel Phuket.
Being part of a large hotel chain will probably mean similar ameneties as you described.
Novotel in Patong is quite away from the nightlife though and will rack up plenty of tuk tuk fares and a more upscale,guest friendly hotel nearer Bangla would probably be more suitable IMO

Novotel is guest friendly - they build the guest registration fee into the daily price, that's why its so dear. Yes its a little bit out of town, but not that far.

mistirios · #11 06-07-2005, 03:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coolhand

Novotel is guest friendly - they build the guest registration fee into the daily price, that's why its so dear. Yes its a little bit out of town, but not that far.

How accurate is this information?
you say this by your own experience, you heard it from someone and how fresh is it?

Thanks in advance...

Coolhand · #12 06-07-2005, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistirios

How accurate is this information?
you say this by your own experience, you heard it from someone and how fresh is it?

Thanks in advance...

Someone posted on this board - quite some time ago, but I also had it confirmed by a mate of mine who lives in Patong.
No personal experience, sorry, but if you want to check just drop them an email.

mistirios · #13 07-07-2005, 17:03

Well it's official: i sent an e-mail to novotel and they replied that the joiner fee is 1500baht per person per night

tintin · #14 07-07-2005, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistirios

Well it's official: i sent an e-mail to novotel and they replied that the joiner fee is 1500baht per person per night

That really gets me angry! You pay for your room and your choice with who to share it with!

Now an option is to check in with a bg.....Just say it is your girlfriend, and maybe they will not bother to check anymore if you changed the girl afterwrds.

Doubt this will work, but when I checked in with a bg I took around, never had to pay anything extra.

Captain · #15 07-07-2005, 19:05

I think part of the problem is those package tours. If you by a package hotel and flight you pay a very low price. That means the travel company gets a very cheap rate from the airline and the hotel. And they still make a profit. I once calculated how much I paid for my flight and my own hotel bookings and it was a lot more than the same package through a travel agency.
I book sepparately flight and hotel now, but I have what I want in my hotel: a better room, kingsize bed, no joiner fee as I book a room for two and tell them explicitely I won't pay joiner fees. I get a better reception in all.

ashley · #16 08-07-2005, 10:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawsey

Thats very useful information for BMs travelling to BKK Ashley but our friend Mistirios is staying at Novotel Phuket.
Being part of a large hotel chain will probably mean similar ameneties as you described.
Novotel in Patong is quite away from the nightlife though and will rack up plenty of tuk tuk fares and a more upscale,guest friendly hotel nearer Bangla would probably be more suitable IMO

Thanks for clarifying that Dawsey. I did not know that there was a Novotel in Phuket too.
Even so, I think Mistirios should still book in as Mr and Mrs that way he should be able to get around the joiners fee. Myself and friends of mine have done this in the past and had no real problems.
Most of these upscales hotels are more concerned about getting your business and especially repeat business that they will look the other way as long as you dont shove it in their faces. For example. Skinny dipping in the pool, groping each other in the lobby/pool etc. Be somewhat respectable to the other guests and you should have no problems.
However, to get this far you must check in as Mr and Mrs. and then go from there.

Good luck,

Ashley

LivinLOS · #17 08-07-2005, 11:24

Ashley, Mr and Mrs check ins only tend to work when both arrive at the same time and the same 'Mrs' turns up night after night.. Hardly a Patong nighlife holiday is it ???

Also get much harder to explain that the 'Mrs' had a close personal friend that wanted to come and stay over that night...

Get a Hotel that is guest friendly.. Simple advice..