Supposed the restaurant is quite nice after my trying the breakfast, but got irritated when I tried to get in for a dinner. The lady refused me to go in by saying they have a dress code for long pants and sleeved shirts...etc. Then I went to complain for not getting this notice to me in the first place after booking it, considering it's a resort. Then I ran into their manager. I told him "First, you should have reminded your guests about dress code in this restaurant. Second, as a resort restaurant even for a 5 star standard, they should consider to make it easier. Third, your resort post a notice to the guests for recommending the guests to walk up and down instead of calling a golf cart. So wearing properly and walking up and down, don't you think it's awkful? (He didn't even know I read his notice in the room.). Fourth, even if I bring my long pants, I wouldn't go in this open air restaurant at 30 degree without air-conditioning. I don't wanna sweat having my dinner. This is very embarrassing for the guests.".
So this caucasian manager replied "can I buy you a drink?". Wow, that further irritated me "I was to come here to raise my comments.". He thought a while: "Well, we need to maintain our quality and services and we do require dress code.". He apparently didn't answer my first question and all others. I replied "this is a resort. This place is in an island. I am coming here for a relaxing vacation. This is not Bangkok, not Tokyo, not HK. I've been to some other high end resorts like The Sala Phuket, Aleenta Phang Nga. They don't require such dress code.". He got silent and without a second, I told him "this is my comment as a guest trying to get a relaxing holiday and I am now disappointed. That's it.". After a few seconds, I then realised "quality of the restaurant? Then don't serve some thrift brand tea bags as "premier"! BTW, the 2 caucasian managers only get social with the caucasian people, disregarding the Taiwanese and Korean and of course me. I think in his mind the Asians complaining means they want free drinks. If they think so because they want such a thing if they complain. Very pathetic of such a thought of them. Well, now we know why this resort earned an award.
1/2 the restaurant.
3/4. the dried fruits and milk.
5. cereal. 6. juice station.
7. cold cut - quite selected. 8. hot food station.
9. more hot food. 10. bread station. The breakfast is not that bad over all.
11 comments:
so will u write an official complaint to the group GM? and to the Thai Hotels Association? also post it to the Bangkok Post and CNN Go open forum ..
Actually I was talking to the GM already last night. The place itself here is nothing wrong; so I wouldn't let that ruin my holiday mood. After this, I will prepare something serious.
Well, I just had a second thought on this. I don't bother to write immediately. As I have been volunteering myself in promoting those nice resorts like Sala Phuket and Aleenta, some of my business friends went there thru' my referral. So this hotel should know the power of "word of mouth".
My book report:
1) This reflects the poor sense of the management team. Wearing long pants in 35 degree and eating outdoor with no air con?
2) There are certain people who really try to get free stuffs by complaining. Even at the bank this happens a lot. So there are some black sheep unfortunately.
3) This hotel must be very local and not international chain. As all the high end resort hotels in Cancun, Hawaii, Palm Spring, LA, San Diego don't require to wear long pant to eat indoor, so let alone the outdoor part.
The only exception is Vegas' fine dining restaurant. But I don't think this one is a fine dining restaurant though.
4) The bread and the food looks good here so forgive them.
5) It is not worth your time to write the complain unless you come here often. Why waste your time to put money into their pocket while they don't appreciate?
6) Yes, use the words of mouth to complain is more efficient.
To respond:
1. Yes, crazy idea and after 2 days of watching, I know why. They have more clients who smoke, and even in the room there are ashtrays everywhere. Well, I would write it down as that GM told "we need to respect each of our guest; so we have dress code.". Well, for quality restaurants, they need to have a separate area for smoking! Double standard!
2. This morning I ran into him and I initiated to talk to that GM, but he even didn't feel like talking. To run a big resort like this, a GM needs to be very versatile. No matter what the guests comment or complain, they need to hold their EQ to cope with every situation. This GM really didn't deserve to work here. BTW, all the local Thai staff are very nice and even more professional than him.
3. Not sure if they are local. The things they use are very cheap in the room, like the sink, marble stone, toilet bowl..etc., Worst of all, the bedding is not on over 200 thread. Very rough material. If i pay for US$80, it's fine, but it's US$400 (550 on the cheapest website).
4. Yes, the bread is very nice here. I took 3-4 each meal. Ok, for the sake of bread, forgive him (oh, it's just that GM, not the other staff).
5. Correct. No need to complain, as they are not Jade Garden which I have an unspoken close feeling.
6. Sad that this resort is run by such a poor senior management.
to #1, u should take photos (of those guests smoking in the premises, and make sure the back ground r shown, as proven this is Pimalai), and send an official complaint to the Ministry of Health and the Interior Ministry, the resort already broken a serious Thai law, this will lead to fine or imprison or both
i am serious about the above suggestion
Good as I also found some other things (yes very ridiculous - will post that later) I can put together in the complaint. As for the smoking issue, those people smoke around the sheltered balcony areas, but as the wind blows in, we all "benefit" from that. OK, let me take a photo later, but the guests are getting less and less. Not sure if I can see some people later. :)
Positive thinking:
You shall be glad you only encounter this kind of poorly run "high end" hotel once in a blue moon, so it is quite an unique once-of-a-kind experience.
This makes us appreciate MO and other equivalent hotels more.
Well, I found out more faults. I talked to the other guests and when I told them about dress code and it seems they don't have a problem when they dress shorts. BTW, those are caucasians. So apparently it's a discrimination issue.
the Thai non-smoking law tells to cover a premises, not a room (many ppl "pretended" to be misled), so smoking in the sheltered balcony area is not allowed, this is part of the premises
in legal term, premises and room r very different
So that means it's the same as the smoking laws of HK. People can't smoke in the public park, public beaches except the areas with designated partition for allowed smoking. So even those people smoke in the drive way, the lobby, the swimming pool...etc of this resort are restricted.
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