Bangkok report April 2018

[Nirish guy]

I actually went outside thinking I had to press it.

BTW, I just checked the fridge and you'll be pleased to know that I found one Van Houten chocolate bar lurking behind the drinks.

And there is no 'Do not disturb" sign anywhere in the room. Believe me, I looked!

A) Well now you may not have been the first ever person to do that and indeed a certain Irish farang may have stood doing exactly the same thing after a tipple or two one evening trying to turn it off from the hallway - that's how I know - i mean HE knows ( as he told me) that that doesn't work

b) The chocolate I think I'm going to have to buy in bulk when next there in July if I bother myself as I actually tried to get some here in the UK and it's not to be had anywhere it seems ! I actually read a chocolate blog about it and apparently it's made by Hershey from the US and in chocolate circles is considered to be low grade crap, but I like it - or at least I THINK I do as it may well be me mixing up post fun chocolate eating with ACTUALLY liking it and just confusing myself, either way it always brings back nice memories ! :-)

C) I'll stand by your updated info then and I wonder is that all part of the new ownership thing in trying to "turn the rooms" around faster / more efficiently as I have to admit one of the things I like and reasons I still use TP is the fact you can walk in and out at any time of the day and ask for your room to be serviced, perhaps a few times a day even and it's done quickly. I hope they're not trying to cut that down to a between 10am and 2pm thing or I'm screwed ! Remember to always push the metal "chain" bar across if nothing else, that'll stop the buggers in their tracks if they try to come in.

Have to say if they try to barge in and wake me too early by god they'll only make that mistake once before they have me loudly advising them to bugger off and let me sleep - that usually does the trick - although to be honest I've never had that problem in the TP - hence me wondering is it a change of policy perhaps - lets hope not !

[DaveyJonesLocker]

What it shows is that the light was lit up - I pressed the button on the bedside console before I turned the light off and went to sleep - yet they ignored it and knocked anyway.

So maybe they're deliberately doing it because they DO remember you if no-one else has this experience?

[arsenal]

A personal request for a minute by minute account of a447s time in a.gogo bar with multiple boys from DavyJonesLocker. Its like all his birthdays have come at once. Maybe the boys did the same. Take it away a447.

[a447]

Nirish wrote:

hence me wondering is it a change of policy perhaps - lets hope not !

That did cross my mind, especially as I'm not the only one to report problems with the cleaners. Your comment may be apposite as I would not be so presumptuous as to think that everyone who has had a negative experience with the cleaners is a member of a gay forum where they could post their comments.

Maybe the hotel wants the cleaners to get the job done quickly and so decrease their working hours.

But I just think it's simply a case of the cleaners wanting to clean all the rooms on the same floor for their own convenience. Understandable.

The only other problem I have had with them over the years is that they sometimes forget to leave the two bottles of water, a bathmat (like yesterday) or a spare toilet roll - essential for our after the deed clean-up. But that's no big deal.

But not getting enough sleep, especially when I'm on holiday, is a big deal for me. I don't want to wander around all day half asleep.

But the cleaning ladies are very pleasant and I appreciate the yuk factor, having to clean up after our "activities." Mopping up cum and picking up used condoms with their bare hands is not something that would attract me to the job.

Everything else about the Tarntawan is fine, especially when you consider what you are paying. It's why I'm back again.

I just get the impression that the Thais think like Australians - that will do, close enough, she'll be right, no worries mate.

[Oliver2]

I hope guests are generous with tips. The wages of hotel staff are low and,s a447 says, the ones at Tarntawan are always so pleasant. He may be joking when he mentions the distressing aspects of attending to the needs of the more vulgar of tourists but I fear that such things actually happen.

[DaveyJonesLocker]

I hope guests are generous with tips. The wages of hotel staff are low.

Yet hotel staff in Thailand tend to stay on and on and on, quite loyally. Why is that? If wages are better in other occupations why don't they leave and go there?

[a447]

And at the end of the day, I'm an old softee at heart.

Despite my complaint, which is trivial in the grand scheme of things, the ladies will get a substantial tip before I leave on Saturday.

[DaveyJonesLocker]

Despite my complaint, which is trivial in the grand scheme of things, the ladies will get a substantial tip before I leave on Saturday.

Why limit it to "the ladies"? According to Oliver2 all hotel staff are poorly paid, so you should be tipping everyone, even the people you can't see such as the maintenance staff.

[Oliver2]

Perhaps they have children to feed? Any suggestions for a young man/woman with basic education in the most expensive city in Thailand? My boyfriend tried work in both 711 and Big C; the pay was very poor (6000 bht per month- this was few years ago) and only just paid for his simple room and street-side food. He didn't have kids of course (thank heavens).
People like a447 and I'm sure many others on this board may not be aware of it it but they are helping to buy school uniforms and other basics which working-class pay barely addresses by giving tips which are less than the price of a beer. The maids know it though. Perhaps that's why they are so kind to us, often beyond the call of duty.

[Asia Traveler]

Just checked out at Tartawan Surawong. No issues with cleaning staff but I had and used the door tag. Not sure if electronics work any more in my room. I tip cleaning staff daily 40B and they take very good care of me but I did have a corner suite as well.