Sep 21, 2014, 10:57 am
Last edit by: ElevatorEnthusiast
Hotel email address: [email protected]
OR: [email protected]
Lounge: [email protected]
Le Royal Club Benefits + Facilities (As of Feb 20, 2019)
OR: [email protected]
Lounge: [email protected]
Le Royal Club Benefits + Facilities (As of Feb 20, 2019)
The Athenee Hotel (formerly Plaza Athenee), Bangkok, Thailand [Master Thread]
Aug 22, 2010, 3:39 am
#392
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH*G, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 116
Hi Seanthepilot,
no problem to check-in at the front desk (and I might do so again next time), but the hotel advertises with the "separate check-in on 26F for club room guests", so I just wanted to use it this time..
Regards, Chris
no problem to check-in at the front desk (and I might do so again next time), but the hotel advertises with the "separate check-in on 26F for club room guests", so I just wanted to use it this time..
Regards, Chris
Aug 22, 2010, 6:19 am
#393
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: India
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also, the reservation & elite status is in your wife's name so it is understandable that the property might have a problem giving you club access & gold benefits without your wife being present....a lot of elites make reservations for other people & don't actually stay at the property themselves....hotels would definitely be looking out for situations like this....
Aug 22, 2010, 10:52 am
#394
Community Director Emerita
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Anywhere warm
Posts: 33,747
Do you share a last name? Was your name also on the booking?
They had booked a club room, so he wasn't trying to get anything based on his wife's status.
It does sound like a frustrating stay. I can understand being disappointed by having to present documents multiple times. As for your wife having to show hers subsequent to registration, is it possible that they wanted to confirm that the passport you presented was actually for the lady staying with you? I know, that's an odd way to put it - but the Bangkok hotels do have an issue with men wanting to bring in local ladies and not registering them.
also, the reservation & elite status is in your wife's name so it is understandable that the property might have a problem giving you club access & gold benefits without your wife being present....a lot of elites make reservations for other people & don't actually stay at the property themselves....hotels would definitely be looking out for situations like this....
Aug 22, 2010, 2:40 pm
#395
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Also, generally, all hotel guests must be registered. As such, asking to see your wife's I'd once she arrived is standard practice. Although I've stayed at the WGS a couple of times and they know me, they always ask for my passport so they can record the visa number from the immigration slip.
Aug 22, 2010, 3:59 pm
#396
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
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Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
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Also, generally, all hotel guests must be registered. As such, asking to see your wife's I'd once she arrived is standard practice. Although I've stayed at the WGS a couple of times and they know me, they always ask for my passport so they can record the visa number from the immigration slip.
Aug 23, 2010, 2:27 am
#398
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Aug 23, 2010, 7:09 am
#399
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TYO
Programs: NH*G, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 116
Dear all, thanks for your replies.
Seems like I indeed contributed to some extend to the confusion at check-in, didn`t expect it to become so complicated when not both travellers are present - and I obviously didn`t consider all possibilities of fraud.
Still I showed our both passports (different names) from the very beginning on ground floor and 26F and they made copies. From my (naive?) understanding this should be more than sufficient and to get asked and asked for verification again, really leaves a bad and hostile taste...
Even worse, if you mention it and don`t receive any reply / feedback on your experience and questions.
Would also be great to get some sort of "official statement" for the correct check-in procedure for executive floor guests and the reservation policy for breakfast.
Best regards
Seems like I indeed contributed to some extend to the confusion at check-in, didn`t expect it to become so complicated when not both travellers are present - and I obviously didn`t consider all possibilities of fraud.
Still I showed our both passports (different names) from the very beginning on ground floor and 26F and they made copies. From my (naive?) understanding this should be more than sufficient and to get asked and asked for verification again, really leaves a bad and hostile taste...
Even worse, if you mention it and don`t receive any reply / feedback on your experience and questions.
Would also be great to get some sort of "official statement" for the correct check-in procedure for executive floor guests and the reservation policy for breakfast.
Best regards
Aug 23, 2010, 7:15 am
#400
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
The PA has a lurker on this thread. Also Starwood has two lurkers on FT. I suggest you contact any of them via PM to help clarify.
Aug 23, 2010, 7:20 am
#401
Company Representative -Le Meridien Plaza Athenee Bangkok
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 77
Chris27 - we are currently looking into the details of your experience, and will be in touch shortly.
Thank you for being patient.
Best regards,
Plaza Athenee, BKK (Starwood)
Aug 23, 2010, 11:30 am
#402
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX, PSP
Programs: SPG & CO Plat.
Posts: 3,143
I've asked the same question myself, most recently today when checking in at the Westin in Bangkok, as this actually is the norm across many brands and loyalty programs.
My first experience with it actually was at a Conrad, and the novelty of the experience made me feel special, a style of VIP if you will. Thereafter, however, my preference has been to just check-in at the front desk.
The benefit of a lounge check-in appears to be the extra attention the staff provides. While no Front Desk is going to shoo you away when you still have questions, the presence of other guests waiting in the queue and the busy nature of some lobbies can provide subtle pressure to just grab your key and move on. In the lounge you can take a seat, sip on a drink, and ask all the questions you have with rarely ever anyone waiting for you to finish so they can check-in.
Seems you have the PA's attention, hope it resolves to your liking.
Aug 23, 2010, 11:41 am
#403
Moderator, El Al and Marriott Bonvoy, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ*G, Mar LTT, Hyatt Glb, AA LTG, LY, HH, IC, BA, DL, UA SLV
Posts: 12,018
Hi Chris27,
I've asked the same question myself, most recently today when checking in at the Westin in Bangkok, as this actually is the norm across many brands and loyalty programs.
My first experience with it actually was at a Conrad, and the novelty of the experience made me feel special, a style of VIP if you will. Thereafter, however, my preference has been to just check-in at the front desk.
The benefit of a lounge check-in appears to be the extra attention the staff provides. While no Front Desk is going to shoo you away when you still have questions, the presence of other guests waiting in the queue and the busy nature of some lobbies can provide subtle pressure to just grab your key and move on. In the lounge you can take a seat, sip on a drink, and ask all the questions you have with rarely ever anyone waiting for you to finish so they can check-in.
Seems you have the PA's attention, hope it resolves to your liking.
I've asked the same question myself, most recently today when checking in at the Westin in Bangkok, as this actually is the norm across many brands and loyalty programs.
My first experience with it actually was at a Conrad, and the novelty of the experience made me feel special, a style of VIP if you will. Thereafter, however, my preference has been to just check-in at the front desk.
The benefit of a lounge check-in appears to be the extra attention the staff provides. While no Front Desk is going to shoo you away when you still have questions, the presence of other guests waiting in the queue and the busy nature of some lobbies can provide subtle pressure to just grab your key and move on. In the lounge you can take a seat, sip on a drink, and ask all the questions you have with rarely ever anyone waiting for you to finish so they can check-in.
Seems you have the PA's attention, hope it resolves to your liking.
Aug 23, 2010, 12:45 pm
#404
Suspended
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Posts: 102,095
I often go directly to the club to get checked in, especially when the front-desk is busy. At this property, however, I've not done that since my hours of arrival there are such that there is usually no line by the time my car rolls up to the hotel driveway.
Aug 25, 2010, 1:05 am
#405
Company Representative -Le Meridien Plaza Athenee Bangkok
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 77
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to explain what has transpired during your recent stay with us.
Security is of utmost importance to us. All of our guests are screened at the front desk and once we have established that the guest has a booking for a Royal Club room with Lounge access we will escort the guest up to the 26th floor for check-in.
We highly recommend, in order to avoid any inconvenience in the future, to please inform the hotel in advance of any special arrangements you have made.
The benefit of checking in 'upstairs' is that you have the chance to sit down, relax and have a drink while we process all formalities. Having said that, many of our guests (Platinum and Royal Club) prefer to check-in in the lobby as it is quicker.
All guests who are staying in the room need to be registered - this is for security purposes and in case of an emergency, so we can account for all guests in-house.
We do not practice taking reservations for breakfast. Please accept our sincere apologies, as this is clearly a service glitch - we will do our utmost to ensure this will not happen in future.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us offline and we will be happy to assist further.
Gerard Soh
Rooms Division Manager
[email protected]
Arrival / Check-In:
<SNIP>
Surprised about this procedure I went there and thought that if I show a print-out of our reservation (done via their homepage) everything should be fine and I could proceed upstairs, but it turned out to become a big hassle: they wanted to see all docs, passports, SPG membercards, etc. Overall they were pretty arrogant and gave me the feeling I tried to “cheat” myself into the hotel…
Finally, they confirmed all was in order and one lady accompanied me to the lounge apologizing for the inconvenience.
In the lounge I had to do the whole process again and needed to present all docs, passports, etc. again, so it took ages until I finally was “allowed” in our room.
<SNIP>
Surprised about this procedure I went there and thought that if I show a print-out of our reservation (done via their homepage) everything should be fine and I could proceed upstairs, but it turned out to become a big hassle: they wanted to see all docs, passports, SPG membercards, etc. Overall they were pretty arrogant and gave me the feeling I tried to “cheat” myself into the hotel…
Finally, they confirmed all was in order and one lady accompanied me to the lounge apologizing for the inconvenience.
In the lounge I had to do the whole process again and needed to present all docs, passports, etc. again, so it took ages until I finally was “allowed” in our room.
We highly recommend, in order to avoid any inconvenience in the future, to please inform the hotel in advance of any special arrangements you have made.
The benefit of checking in 'upstairs' is that you have the chance to sit down, relax and have a drink while we process all formalities. Having said that, many of our guests (Platinum and Royal Club) prefer to check-in in the lobby as it is quicker.
Breakfast:
Still fantastic, unfortunately service was not.
The evening before, we have asked in the lounge if they could reserve a table for us at breakfast in Rain Tree Café for the next morning, which they declined “as reservations aren`t possible for breakfast”.
When we went to Rain Tree Café the next morning, we had to wait nearly 5 minutes for a waiter to show up and allocate us a table. Just after we took our seat and wanted to order, another waiter came to our table and said we couldn`t sit there as this table had been reserved for someone else - what an irony. Didn`t want to start discussion on early holiday morning, so finally had to move to another table.
Still fantastic, unfortunately service was not.
The evening before, we have asked in the lounge if they could reserve a table for us at breakfast in Rain Tree Café for the next morning, which they declined “as reservations aren`t possible for breakfast”.
When we went to Rain Tree Café the next morning, we had to wait nearly 5 minutes for a waiter to show up and allocate us a table. Just after we took our seat and wanted to order, another waiter came to our table and said we couldn`t sit there as this table had been reserved for someone else - what an irony. Didn`t want to start discussion on early holiday morning, so finally had to move to another table.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us offline and we will be happy to assist further.
Gerard Soh
Rooms Division Manager
[email protected]