Hotel Joiner Fee Rip Off ??

[cardinalblue]

Question. How would the girl know that no one from staff saw you enter and since you didn''t come to the counter yourself, staff would either come to your door later that night/early morning or a charge would be assessed at time of check-out/next day. She did stay all night, correct, so much more a chance in her getting caught vs short-time. People usually don't try to rip ysomeone off until they know they are scott-free AND you have alrready paid for her services which you probably had not at the time she would have pocketed the money? Also, your initial assessment of the girl should give you a feel also about her potential behavior (not fool proof but at least intuition)

 

Another question did you raise the topic by asking for a receipt or did they ask you for a joiner fee when you went to check out/next morning? How would they know if they did not see you arrive and/or she leave from your room?

 

Cardinalblue

[Wiseone]

Hall... The joiner fee is (and has been been for some years) 600Baht and the Siam Bayshore are very hot on stopping 'visitors' entering without charging and taking the girls ID. I stay there regularly and was there over Christmas & New Year and it was still only 600Baht, even at peak season.

 

I can only assume you entered the hotel very early in the evening, as there are security guards located at every entrance and each thoroughfare through the hotel 'blocks'.

 

Two questions; ::

 

How did you get the girl in without security stopping you and to which block of the hotel?

 

Having avoided the 'joiner fee' why did you and/or the girl think it necessary to volunteer to return to reception (where I assume you picked up your key anyway?). As you know reception can be a fair trek from some rooms and the girl would n't want the added hassle of the walk, even if she knew the route.

 

My guess is the girl took the 'prize' as you would have had to accompany her to reception and she would have received 2no. receipts for her ID, a pink copy to give to security and a yellow card to keep until she leaves.

 

And in answer to one of the other questions the charge CAN be discretely added to your room bill, as long as you sign for it.

[harlequinbkk]

I think "joiner fees" are unreasonable, and simply would not stay in a hotel that charged one. I don't see why the hotel is justified in charging it - just pure greed on their part.

 

Surely there is a decent selection of hotels in Thailand to choose from that don't charge this fee?

 

Harlequin

[thalenoi]

Never paid nor will stay in a hotel asking for a "joiner? fee"

Unacceptable practice.

 

I had buffet dinner with a BG in the Century Park and the waitress asked if I stayed in the hotel. Answer: "No"; question: "Why"? Answer: "No guests allowed, I no stay here"

Reply: "I understand", The reason I go there for dinner is because that waitress is georgeous and worth the expense (of the dinner off course).

[John_Betong]

A friend of mine visited me just before Christmas and I booked him into the The Plaza Hotel, 178 Surawong Road. Reception reckoned there was a charge fo 500 baht for guests so I booked him into a double and said that his "friend" would be joining him later. This was accepted and no charge when he brought his two friends (seperately) back on both nights

[lembeh]

 

Sorry, but "joiner fees" are entirely reasonable. If I was staying with, say a wife and a couple of young kids, would not particularly want them subjected to a constant stream of Nana's "finest" so to speak. The hotels charge this fee to discourage such stays, and the associated hassles that *can* arise from it. Some hotels value the "family" (or buisness) orientated guests, and so make it expensive and/or embarrassing for the other type of guests (deliberately). They are telling you (in a fairly obvious way), that if you want to engage ion those sorts of activities, a different hotel *may* be a better option.

 

There are a number of hotels that do *not* charge any sort of joiner fee's (and as such see much less family/buisness guests). Thailand *is* open for all....

-j-

[Khun_Kong]

I know for a fact that Swiss Lodge Hotel on Convent Rd. will charge the joiner fee to the room. Handy for expense account (but I can't remember exactly how it appeared on the bill). Have to sign when going in with guest and they will photocopy her ID, but very friendly about it ::

 

BTW, this is a very nice hotel, conveniently located to the business district. FWIW, it's a 5 minute walk to Patpong and there are some great restaurants on that end of Convent Rd. Unlimited local phone access to the internet for only a 10 THB/call fee. [color:"blue"] [/color]

[simie]

J, have to disagree with you. Joiner fees are 100 % unreasonable in my book. If a hotels wishes to appeal to the family market they should simply ban the bringing in of "guests" full stop. (as some hotels do, which I respect far more than those using the "guest fee" rip off) No its just a case of greed on their part wanting to look down their noses at sex tourists, whilst at the same time accepting their money and custom. I can't for the life of me understand why on earth blokes stay at these hotels, when there are plenty of nice hotels out there that don't try this scam.

Cheers Simie.

[Mentors]

I think your guest paid the Hotel Fee to the staff. Cause most bargirls are afraid in going into trouble with some hotels. But the problem is that the hotel staff takes the money for this fee but will NEVER NEVER give a receipt to you. Years ago i asked three times in different hotels. Never get one. :onfire:

So why i think bar fees and hotel fees are just pimp money. Since some years i never paid this shit fee again! If you have to pay change the hotel or the girl, bar.

In LOS there are a lot of both! ::

[harlequinbkk]

[color:"red"] The hotels charge this fee to discourage such stays, and the associated hassles that *can* arise from it. Some hotels value the "family" (or buisness) orientated guests, and so make it expensive and/or embarrassing for the other type of guests (deliberately). They are telling you (in a fairly obvious way), that if you want to engage ion those sorts of activities, a different hotel *may* be a better option. [/color]

 

Josh,

 

I don't buy the argument that hotels are trying to discourage prostitution on their premises by charging the "joiner fee". As Mentors said, it is pimp money; prostitution generates a lot of revenue, and these joiner fees are just the hotel's way of trying to grab a piece of the action. If a hotel truly wants to discourage such activity, they can simply refuse to allow customers to bring unregistered guests into their rooms.

 

Hotels with joiner fees are trying to have their cake and eat it too. I say it is better to avoid these places. If you want to check your family into a hotel, choose one that does not allow unregistered guests. If you want to "entertain an unregistered guest" (perhaps a bargirl, perhaps your girlfriend), check into a hotel that will permit this without extracting a pimp fee.

 

Harlequin