I lived in SEA for >10 years and had about 5-8 trips within the region (until Covid hit) every year. I always stayed with 'mom and pop bread and breakfast'/Airbnb/VRBO/homestays and at non-brand/non-chain hotels in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia - >50 stays.

From that >50 there was one which was not great because dust was not cleaned from furniture and window frames. Apart from that have nothing to complain. On average, the room was USD $20-$45 price range.

But people have different priorities. If it is once in a lifetime trip I can understand why someone would want to stay at a 5* hotel where everything is supposed to be 'perfect'.