Jimmy said....

[DeHaro-old]

I am just back from Bangkok, where I stayed at the pinnacle as usual. First I told Jimmy to -please- answer our emails if we make reservations over him. He said, he is too busy. I told him, that we (me at least) have problems in knowing if he received the reservation or not. I dont know if he cares.

Jimmy told me, from 1st July on , Pinnacle Hotel will strictly enforce 500 baht joiners fee if you have checked in only a single person and bringing someone to the room. He doubts, that they can control it, but as I dont want to have any problems there, I will not go back to Pinnacle. I am sure, if the mostly unfriendly staff at the reception tells him to do so, they will. (and even if some say, if the gay people stay away the Pinnacle is empty, I dont think so. It was packed with families and Chinese and Japanes tourists this time) So I guess finally I will end up at the Malaysia hotel, which I always wanted to avoid.

Cheers

[TrongpaiExpat]

I live close to the Pinnacle and have been booking and meeting friends there for quite some time. I either call Jimmy or pay him a visit. I gave up on E mail a few years ago.

There does seem to be more and more straight people staying there. Some, even book via Jimmy and when I ask him how straight, married and families know about him, I get the typical Jimmy wise ass answer and a few tired jokes.

If you keep your key, just walk past the desk with your joiner, not likely anyone will notice, the lobby is generally busy. The management has made noise before about joiners but never actually followed through on it.

Last time I was at the Pinnancle a few months ago, I indeed did see joiners fees being enforced.
Yeah, you could keep your key if you arrive late at night, often the desk is empty, but if it is not, you are definitely busted.

[TrongpaiExpat]

the owners seem to want Chinese tours

What until they see how a few bus loads of Chinese budget tourists can decimate a buffet table.

[Dodger]

Just book the room for double occupancy.

If you bring more than one boy back to your room, just duck low and mix in with the herd of Chinese.

This is sad news. Personally, I like Jimmy a lot, but once again, I've not heard from him regarding a reservation that I e-mailed to him 3 weeks ago. Having heard this news, I won't bother staying at the Pinnicle. Oh well, look on the bright side, no more wasting time in Jimmy's room for an hour or better waiting in line to pay your bill. :idea:

This is sad news. Personally, I like Jimmy a lot, but once again, I've not heard from him regarding a reservation that I e-mailed to him 3 weeks ago. Having heard this news, I won't bother staying at the Pinnicle. Oh well, look on the bright side, no more wasting time in Jimmy's room for an hour or better waiting in line to pay your bill. :idea:
You just have to call him. Thats the way it is. Take it or leave it.

Just book the room for double occupancy.

If you bring more than one boy back to your room, just duck low and mix in with the herd of Chinese.
That would probably work, booking double, what is that about 100 B extra?

[bucknaway]

When I was there last, I stayed at babylon and then went to Jimmy's room to confirm my stay. I enjoy the Pinnacle but it is not a "Must Stay" for me. I am tempted to try the Tower Inn. That place should have more info on the Internet.... It seems that the majority of the places I go and stay at, all have ample information on the Internet. I know tower is on the net but there is not a lot of information on there. Maybe they should have a link for FAQ's

Oh... back on topic.... I like the pinnacle.. Plain'old bathroom and all... (God I hate their plain old bathroom...)

Nothing special about the Tower Inn and it is a lot more expensive. The rooms are bigger but not that clean and not quiet at all, plus the bathrooms are also basic.

Plus some of the rudest reception staff in Bangkok. You will think you are in New York.

[wowpow]

"the rudest reception staff in Bangkok. You will think you are in New York." quote thaiquila on the Jimmy trail

Reader's Digest World of Courtesy: Ranking of 35 Cities

Below is a ranking of the most courteous to the least courteous -- 35 major cities included in RD's Global Courtesy Test. Figures reflect the percentage of people who passed in each city. When multiple cities had identical scores, they are listed in alphabetical order.
New York USA 80%
Zurich Switzerland 77
Toronto Canada 70
Berlin Germany 68
S├гo Paulo Brazil 68
Zagreb Croatia 68
Auckland New Zealand 67
Warsaw Poland 67
Mexico City Mexico 65
Stockholm Sweden 63
Budapest Hungary 60
Madrid Spain 60
Prague Czech Republic 60
Vienna Austria 60
Buenos Aires Argentina 57
Johannesburg South Africa 57
Lisbon Portugal 57
London United Kingdom 57
Paris France 57
Amsterdam Netherlands 52
Helsinki Finland 48
Manila Philippines 48
Milan Italy 47
Sydney Australia 47
Bangkok Thailand 45
Hong Kong 45
Ljubljana Slovenia 45
Jakarta Indonesia 43
Taipei Taiwan 43
Moscow Russia 42
Singapore 42
Seoul South Korea 40
Kuala Lumpur Malaysia 37
Bucharest Romania 35
Mumbai India 32"

http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.d ... ntId=27599 (http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=27599)

I don't beleive it either but there are grains of truth here.

I think I'll post it as a new topic - why not?

You can find a statistic to prove any kind of rubbish.

I disagree with Thaiquila. I have just returned from the Tower Inn. At Bt1600 with a buffet breakfast I think good value. The rooms are big and I found them clean. What do you need in a bathroom apart from a bath/shower, loo and sink? Nor did I find it noisy. I have been staying here for over 10 years.
Do not book direct with Tower Inn it will cost you at least an extra Bt500 a night. Go through an agency such as asia-rooms. There is a sign on the reception stating 'extra bed Bt500' but I always take a double and even when I've taken more than one boy back I've had no trouble.

At 1600, it is still poor value compared to Jimmy's Pinnacle rates. If you are staying a week, you could save FIVE THOUSAND baht staying at Pinnacle. If you think 5000 baht is nothing, happy for you. The Tower Inn location is interesting a few times, but not convenient. Not easy walk to skytrain or subway. You can walk to Patpong, but you have to cross a very dangerous high traffic road to do so. Yes, the rooms are very big, but quite tattered. Also, they give tons of attitude if you try to arrange your own taxi (hotel taxi mafia). The bellboys are otherwise friendly though, my rude comment was about the cold reception desk. The reason the rooms are noisy is because the bathrooms are adjacent to the hallways and the the wall there above is basically OPEN SPACE. And I used to stay at the Tower all the time, so I don't have just a one time impression.

And the breakfast buffet is similar quality to Pinnacle, both pretty good.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I agree with everything Thaiquila wrote about the Tower especially the hotel taxi. I was checking out once at and put a bag down on the floor as I was at the desk. The Bellboy took it when I was not looking and put it in the trunk (boot) of the hotel taxi. OK, you go wif him airport. I said no, want meter taxi, no have, you go wif him, 600B cheap. I finally got my bag back threatening to call the police.

At 1600, it is still poor value compared to Jimmy's Pinnacle rates. If you are staying a week, you could save FIVE THOUSAND baht staying at Pinnacle. If you think 5000 baht is nothing, happy for you. .

I must be going senile as I find myself agreeing with Thaiquila about Tower Inn. :colors:

Some business clients booked in there and when I visited I thought the place was a dump.

The whole place looks tired and very basic.

Pay another B 400 and you can stay at The Tarntawan which has over the last 3 months finished a total renovation.

As some of you know I had sent Jimmy various e-mails to book a room for a week and as usual didn't get a reply. I had planned to telephone him once I was in Thailand but never got around to it so in the end I just turned up last Thursday and found the room had been reserved for me - no problems. But to give Jimmy his dues he did email me a day or so before to confirm the room but as i hadn't checked my e-mails for a few days it was a little late.

Now turning to the hotel - the rooms haven't changed - clean enough and big enough but don't like not being able to open the windows. Don't know if it's the time of year or other factors but the sun terrace was dead most of the time - that is no local boys hanging around or many gay tourists. The spa has now openned up on the 15th floor but the reception is on the sun terrace so this may stop some people 'flirting' knowing that you are being watched.

This was the first time that I have noticed the noise from the 'disco' close by [couldn't actually work out where the noise was actually coming from]. This may not be a problem for most people as you'll probably still be out on the town when the music is playing but if you need / want an early night it makes it difficult to sleep [due to ill health I needed to sleep]

Would I use this hotel again? probably as I like the location - close to babylon, lumpinee park and the underground etc but there is a new hotel / guest house opening across the road - i think it used to be a sauna - the new hotel is called someting like Vincent's and the 7 rooms - it's not yet open but should be soon and will have a web page [so i have been told]

The windows are locked so you don't jump. Word is somebody did a while back.

[TrongpaiExpat]

This was the first time that I have noticed the noise from the 'disco' close by [couldn't actually work out where the noise was actually coming from].

That music is from the Suan Lum Night Market. They must have a sub-woofer the size of a barn. BKK post reported that the vendors were advised that they have till the end of the year to move, the land is being cleared for condo's. The noise is mostly on weekends.

Is Vincent's Gay? I have been watching the renovation and some of the guys working there are cute but no indication that it's gay.

[wowpow]

I heard the distant music as I took a siesta and I thought it was from Suan Lum. The next day I found that the headboard radio was on.

Jimmy confirmed yesterday that the Pinnacle management plan to re-introduce a joiners fee of 500 baht for all joiners no matter what type of room you book. This was re-affirmed by Mr Smiley on reception and even the touts in the forcourt. Last time it did not last long and this time it may or more likely will not. Like many I will bed down elsewhere until I see if it fades. I won't miss the aggravations of dealing through Mr. Jimmy.

I think I will off to the Tower Inn at about 1600 baht a night it is a little more than a deluxe room at the Pinnacle and if you count the joiners fees and additional taxi fares may even save a few baht. I may even try out the new Ibis hotels at 999 baht a night. Alternatives which do not charge joiners are The Malaysia c 750 baht and Tarntawan Place c2400 baht but both these are heavily booked.

Yeah, if you butterfly every night, the Pinnacle looks less attractive. But lots of us don't and/or go to the saunas, so I don't think they will be hurting for business. I wouldn't be surprised if they stick with the joiner fee.

[yaraboy]

Vincents is gay owned
Windows can be opened at Pinnacle......sign a waiver at Desk................probably promising not to jump!

[wowpow]

Hard copy in the post.


Dear Sir,

I hear from Mr Jimmy and your reception staff that you are to introduce a joiners fee of 500 baht from today 1st July. This topic has received quite a lot of coverage on the Internet. I have stayed at The Pinnacle Lumphini for two or three nights a month in a deluxe room for some years now. I will not be staying again if a joiners fee is charged and I feel sure that many of the friends that I have introduced through Mr. Jimmy will not stay either.

I do hope that you will be professional about this decision and advise all your customers who have booked about this new policy and give them the option to cancel. At the very least you should advise them on checking in?

I wonder if you will experience a dramatic fall in occupancy at this low season time of year. My sympathy goes to your staff who will have to handle the situations. I wonder how they are expected to know if a couple coming in are married or girl/boy friends and checked in.

Thank you for your hospitality and good value in the past.

Yours regretfully,

[Smiles]

To my excellent TeePee:

Excellent email.
Thanks so much, and am looking forward to the Pinnacle's reply (which I assume you will copy).

Cheers ...

[wowpow]

Thanks Smiles - don't hold your breath!

OOOOw!! jejune = 1. Not interesting; dull: тАЬand there pour forth jejune words and useless empty phrasesтАЭ (Anthony Trollope).
2. Lacking maturity; childish: surprised by their jejune responses to our problems.
3. Lacking in nutrition: a jejune diet.

Trust a trollop to use such exotic words.

Trollop = A 1. A woman regarded as slovenly or untidy; a slattern. 2. A strumpet.
= B [Perhaps from TROLL l1 to roll about, wallow.] n 1: a dirty untidy woman [syn: slattern, slut, slovenly woman] 2: a woman adulterer [syn: adulteress, fornicatress, hussy, jade, loose woman, slut, strumpet]

"If you want to bump it bump it with a Strumpet" Sondheim?

Sorry I digress.

[TrongpaiExpat]

Excellent idea Teepee. I will follow suit and send one too as should everyone that has been to the Pinnacle. I book all my friends in at the Pinnacle but will not now that they have decided to tack on unfair charges.

This does likely mean the Pinnacle will have a less gay presence. However, it is pushing it to call the charge unfair. Most decent hotels in Bangkok do similar, I guess they want to try out being "decent." The specifically gay hotels generally charge more anyway, so you pays either way.

tea and strumpets!

a jejune diet
"If you want to bump it bump it with a Strumpet" Sondheim?
Yes, Sondheim--From Gypsy: 1953 Broadway show about Gypsy Rose Lee and her sister Baby Jejune--but it was, "bump it with a trumpet," not 'strumpet.' Actually, I've tried it both ways and prefer yours.

But, back on topic: When one adds the joiners fee + taxis...why not\might as well upgrade.

[wowpow]

"However, it is pushing it to call the charge unfair. Most decent hotels in Bangkok do similar, I guess they want to try out being "decent." The specifically gay hotels generally charge more anyway, so you pays either way." quote/troll by Thaiquila

I totally disagree with this statement. If you want to run a decent hotel then you simply don't allow prostitutes on the premises. What they are doing is saying if you want to bring a commercial sex worker into my hotel then I want a cut and then it's OK - that's hardly decent. To my mind it's less honest and moral than the position of the worker or the punter if you find their position distateful. I hope that they declare it on their tax return as immoral earnings from prostitution.

Most of the top hotels in Bangkok and I'm talking upper 4 star and five star do NOT charge joiners fees but discourage service workers from their public areas unless exquisitely dressed.

Yes, that is very true, the higher end hotels don't allow it at all.
I still don't get the whining or even the point of complaining. I know many of us liked staying there and liked the price, but they are a business, not a democracy, they make the rules for their hotel, take it or leave it. Its not like there aren't tons of hotels in Bangkok. You don't think they know they will change their clientele?? They know. They probably have strong bookings for a different clientele.
Also, I don't think it is hypocrisy to charge a joiner. It is another person in your room who was not registered. They are there to make a profit, so they have the choice to charge, and we have the choice to go somewhere else.

[wowpow]

"Also, I don't think it is hypocrisy to charge a joiner. It is another person in your room who was not registered. They are there to make a profit, so they have the choice to charge, and we have the choice to go somewhere else." thaiquila

I agree that it is reasonable to charge and extra fee for a person who books a single and has someone join him for room and breakfast and that the fee should be the difference in the single and double occupancy tariff.

However most hotels that charge joiners fees have a) the same tariff per room whether single or double occupancy and b) charge a joiners fee even if you book a double room or a suite. How do you feel asbout that?

The problem of hotels charging these additional fees has escalated to the degree that it is difficult to find an hotel at a moderate price in central Bangkok that does not yet levy this charge. I'm sure that they do it because they can get away with it and it's a lot of money. In Pattaya it's the top hotels that all make the charges. In Chiang Mai a few years ago no hotel charged this fee but now it's creeping around.

Though I object to the charges in principle what really annoys me is when they don't tell customers until one arrives with an escort and then there is an embarassing delay as cash is often demanded, ID required to be left and often sneers which upset one's friend for the night. You do have a choice to go somewhere else that night but you will have to pay for two hotels.

The Pinnacle is a funny story. It used to be called the Quality Inn or Hotel and was taken over by Pinnacle Hotels but had very little business other then overflow from the Malaysia for which they charged the same rate as the Malaysia. They had an Assistant Manager who was gay and he promoted the place to the Gay community by word of mouth discounts. Business grew fast. Then along cam Mr Cees Van Oye and later Mr Jimmy with massive agents discounts and they promoted hard to the gay communities and were pretty successful in raising the occupancy to good profitable levels. The hotel then, belatedly, started investing a bit in the place and the public areas and rooms were given makeovers of varying degrees and rooms were changed in title and price to Standard, Superior and DeLuxe as this happened. In just a few years I was moved from paying Bt750 to Bt1150.

This is a pretty modest lower 4 star hotel suited to those who like simple clean rooms with a modicum of comfort. It is not very well run but I have found it convenient and keenly priced for my monthly Bangkok visits.I will be sad to loose it and wherever I go I will be either paying more, have a less convenient location or a lower standard.

Yes, I agree it is a loss. But they know what they are doing. I suspected they were going to try to raise more revenue because they realize because of the subway being so close, they are a much more desirable location. Change and profit maximization is the nature of capitalism. I am ambivalent about capitalism, but if you are going to protest the Pinnancle trying to squeeze more money out of customers, you might as well protest capitalism (and good luck on that one).
As far as the surprise factor, well, anybody who has been around the block won't exactly be shocked a hotel is doing this. The only surprise might be that they changed their policy. Perhaps an opportunity for another hotel to pick up a good chunk of custom?

[TrongpaiExpat]

I still don't get the whining or even the point of complaining.

But, it OK to complain about Niddy's Nook? ... and let me get this straight, you never actually ate there?

All this negative PR for Pinnacle is a nice present to the new Vincent's across the street. They are at breakneck speed in the renovations. I will drop in when their done and report back here.

The Malaysia must also be pleased. I was there yesterday for a drink and they did not seem very busy in this slow/rainy season.

I wasn't ever complaining about Niddy's Nook. That isn't the right word for it. Only having a bit of over the top fun with the owner. I have been actually trying to help with suggestions for them to improve their business, if you go back and look at old posts (not expecting you to) you will find numerous contructive suggestions for them, all ignored. That did irk me greatly, so I overreacted. The owner there is clearly a charming man with some very amusing character flaws.