SHORT-CHANGED

On February 10, I arrived at the Park Plaza Sukhumvit hotel in Bangkok at 9.40pm, having previously informed the hotel I would be checking in between 9pm and 10pm.

However, the front desk managers met me with a string of excuses as to why I couldn’t check in. They told me the air conditioning and water supply in my room was not working and could not be fixed that evening, so they would have to transfer me to another hotel – the Galleria 10. Another couple from Beijing, who had a sick child with them, were told the same.

The attitude of the staff was rude, with a “take-it-or-leave-it” mentality. I said I wanted to see the room before agreeing to the transfer, but they said it was messy and suggested I go for a complimentary meal in the hotel while they got it ready.

After the meal (around midnight), we were very tired and simply decided to go to the other hotel. However the alternative room was not on a par with the one we had booked and paid for. I received no apology from the hotel.

I have since written a review on Tripadvisor and the general manager replied saying that their hotel was overbooked. Normally I wouldn’t be asking for compensation; however, I feel I am the loser in this situation because I wasted three hours, paid the original full amount for a two-night booking and got a lousy room in a cheaper hotel.

I don’t believe the Park Plaza Sukhumvit should bump people for monetary gain and I think it should always honour a booking contract. PARK PLAZA SUKHUMVIT REPLIES: We apologise for the inconvenience and we are sorry for the frustration felt by Mr Tan. We have reached out to Mr Tan and offered him a complimentary stay at our hotel. He has accepted and we look forward to welcoming him back to the Park Plaza Sukhumvit.