Wanaburi Hotel

Warning. I’m writing this from a new hotel where I’m comfortable, and my holiday feels like it’s only just starting. I want to save people time and money by avoiding this place. You don’t have to take my word for it, though. Call the hotel before booking and ask the staff a few questions. I bet you’ll change your reservation. I also suggest reading the negative reviews. As of 11.05.2017, I believed the positive reviews were from fake accounts with just one review each on trip adviser, and that some contributor reviews were paid for. The website, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook make the company look nice, and the English website and reviews looked good at first glance, but please investigate. I think this hotel is set up to farm money. The rooms were in bad shape. The jacuzzi baths were broken in both rooms, sheets weren’t changed during our four-day stay, and the baths and showers had what looked like months of dirt and grime. Both rooms were full of bugs and lizards, and I was eaten alive while sleeping in the bed. There was moldy food under the bed in the second room, along with a strong smell of smoke. Breakfast had so many bugs on it that it was moving and inedible. I couldn’t believe they thought it was okay to serve. We arrived to find no one at reception. Staff spoke no English, put the phone down saying they didn’t speak English, or just said “OK” when we asked something. That was very frustrating. Every morning, staff giggled and made slurping noises, which I could only assume were directed at us. They were all very young, and I think that may be why nobody seemed to know how to run a hotel. Food and minibar prices were five times the normal rate. The hotel is miles from anywhere, so they know they can charge these prices. Taxi and shuttle bus prices were three times the normal rate too, which I think was another location-based scam. We were also charged 250 baht for a broken glass we’d used to trap insects, even though that kind of glass costs far less in Thailand. At checkout, staff inspected our room while we waited in reception and made us feel like criminals. I work in the internet and technology industry. I can provide photos and recordings of my dealings with staff and the rooms we stayed in. I’ll also be contacting the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Thailand’s equivalent of UK Trading Standards. I’ve stayed in lots of hotels in Thailand, and they’ve all been excellent. Thai hospitality is some of the best in the world, but I don’t think Wanaburi is designed for hospitality. It’s designed to farm money. The manager should know that a good guest experience can make more money. Each customer is like an advert for the business, and taking that into account could help the hotel. It’s a nice building in a nice location, but I’d like to tell people to stay away. To the manager, karma is powerful, and there are hotel management courses that could help. Thanks for taking the time to read.

Nothing’s within walking distance, and the hotel taxi costs crazy money. Minibar prices are too high, and breakfast was almost nonexistent. We had small kids with us and had to carry our own bags up and down the stairs. It felt like prison mixed with extortion, with five-star prices and one-star service.

A bad stay, unfortunately. The place is far too expensive for what you get. It wasn’t clean or tidy, and we didn’t have hot water in the shower. The hotel already seems poorly maintained and somehow unfinished. It feels like their main business is handling those big buses of groups following a flag.

A really depressing place, with inadequate facilities and staff. None of the things promised on the website were there. Absolutely terrible. Can I give it zero stars?