Firstly we have no knowledge of this reviewer mentioning any of these faults during his reported stay and as the review is anonymous we cannot recall the customer. I have showed it to our current guests who think the reviewer was at another hotel.
Well how do you respond to this review when it is so diametrically opposed to 49 out of our 51 reviews(the other freely admits he didn't stay here).The other 6 reviews for June don't mention any of the problems refered to.
We will try and answer the many complaints. Of course our views will be different and we have the support of 49 previous reviews on TA.
1) The reviewer states that they will try and give an honest feedback when some of the statments are totally opposed to all our other reviewers, were these not honest.
2)I agree that we ask for the balance of the booking money on arrival>We have a high occupancy rate and if a person makes a booking for 2 weeks we expect them to stay as we will have turned away other potential bookings.If the reviewer felt this was was a problem,as it is clearly pointed out in our letters and website why didn't they book for a shorter period. We have had many guests who book for a shorter period and want to extend and we are full.It has happened today actually and we are full.Reading the review there seems a very good chance there could be faults any where.
3)" Directly behind the hotel there is a very busy bar/restaurant"
Well this is a really a classic over statment.This is a small tapas bar which is nomally closed at 10 pm. In fact one of our current guests from Canada is in the bungalow directly oppopsite the bar and when I told him of this statment he said he didn't know the bar was there.
Also it is a hotel and their one review on TA makes no comment on noise and she was staying there! Nobody else , reviewers and guests have ever had a problem.I find it amazing that it is mentioned as very busy and noisy and no one else seems to notice it.As for motor bikes revving up I don't know from where.We lived on the resort for 3 years and never heard them.As most people know Bophut know Bophut is a quiet and sleepy village and we have a few passing motor bikes but it is not a very busy road.To say sleep was impossible until 2.30 am well we lived here and nobody else mentioned it..
4) "This is the worst room the reviewer has stayed in"
Well what can we say this is in complete contrast to all our reviewers>Of 51 reviews 41 gave 5 stars, 7 gave 4 stars,one 3 stars and 1 at 1 star.(the one who never stayed.
We pride ourselves on our rooms and their cleanlinessThis statment that is the most surprising!
The bungalows are not huge but contain a quuen sized bed,,wardrobe(with room safe and blanket if required), bedside table with bedside light, dressing table with mirror(we include torch,electric adaptor,hairdryer and laundry bag in the drawer),tv stand which incorporates tv,dvd and room fridge plus dressing gowns and fresh flowers.The bathrooms have a hot shower, sink plus mirror,, a seperate shaving/make up mirror and both pool and room towels.
A little more than the bed and cupboard referred too!
5) " The air conditioner worked poorly"
Well occaisionally we have problems but we have a resident engineer who normally fixes A/C immediately.In fact yesterday we had a motor fail.Our engineer repaired it in 3 hours.I hope the customer sends a review to confirm.Again this was not repoerted and the reviewer doesn't seem the sort to not mention it!
6) "The bathroom had a foul and overpowering smell"
I find it quite amazing the reviewer would just stay in this foul and overpowering smell for there stay and not complain!Obviously we would offer a full refund or another room if this was the case.Who would stay in this and suffer it!
We had a problem in May with a smelly room and again we were full.We paid for the guests to go to a nearby hotel and I slept in the room to establish the problem which we sorted out the next day. All our guests know we try to sort any problem out immediately.
7) " The shower didn't drain properly"
Yes we have sometimes had this problem but usually rectify it immediately.The smell continued apparently but we were never informed.
8) Our swimming pool is not huge and we have thought of extending but many customers like it as it is.
9)Now for this comment " Unhealthy behaviour between the staff and guests" this must be a first for any website.
Well most of our guests are very friendly and like to talk to our staff which we encourage and it makes for a lovely atmosphere.I am sorry if this offends the reviewer.
We have just had a family with a 12 year old daughter just leave having stayed for 2 weeks It was their 3rd stay and they are coming again at Christmas.Virtually all our staff were there with hugs and kisses-is this unhealthy?
10) " A few long term European guests/ residents have their Thai girlfriends living with them'I would like a lot of people to answer that one.
Our most regular guest is a retired English gentleman who stays for 7 weeks at a time and has no Thai girlfriend. In the last 3 months we have one quite regular visitor who spends 3 or 4 weeks with his very charming Thai girlfriend of 3 years standing> A few others come into eat at the resort. This is a multicultural society and I certainly don't apologise for that. As for swearing we have heard a few profanities but very few.Yes many of our guests are very sociable and like to meet other sociable guests.Obviously the reviewer didn't join in or approve.
11) "This is not a place to bring young children"
Well last night we had 8 children of various ages staying and all the parents are delighted with the resort.Mostly they are staying for 10 days or more.Oh and apologies again as fireworks were let off last night for one of the childrens birthdays it was about 21 to 21.30 hours and about 20 sociable people joined in. Another guest thought they were old friends but they only meet 5 days before.
12) We have never claimed to bve casual that's not part of our vocabulary so I don't know where that came from.We try to promote a happy atmo sphere which seem to suit 99% of our guests. We hardly get miserable ones.
13) "The reception girl yells at the staff"
Well we have no manager here as Sue and I run the hotel;Our girls can be a little vociferous at times but most guests enjoy the friendly banter.
14)" The staff are indifferent, rude and indiscreet"
Another first.Well indiscreet is revealing secrets.Is the reviewer suggesting that the staff know their secrets?If secrets were discussed it would be in Thai. Rude and indifferenr, well just read the other reviews which are so complimentary. It must be thousands of times we have been complimented about the staff.Now we have found one who didn't like them!
46 reviews out of 51 gave 5 stars need we say anymore. My wife and I have been delighted by our staff and treat them as an extended family.
15)Neither the staff or I have any knowledge of a snake here in the last 2 years.Having seen the staff running when the last one came I can assure anybody it would not be ignored on the contary.
16) We are very aware that there are some nice hotels nearby they are our friends and we often book our overflow into them.
17) If the reviewer suggests we are the place to party he/she must have had a very sheltered life.
We are very disappointed and surprised to receive such a review which finds fault with virtually every thing and readers should draw their own conclusions.
So much wrong and nothing mentioned. I have never meet a customer before who would stay in a smelly room without complaint!
We have been virtually full for months and we have a lot of repeat business which shows we must be doing something right.We don't profess to be perfect but we do try very hard indeed to make our guests feel welcome and to make their stay enjoyable.
We are not a 5 star hotel, we are a boutique hotel that gives value for money.
What I find strange is that we always tell our guests that, if they need anything at all, not to hesitate to ask. Also if there is a problem to tell us immediately so we can rectify it.What went wrong here!
Robin Worden
]Co-Owner