Marriott Hua Hin Resort Review

Paul‘s Hotel Review for the
General Impressions:
There will be no ratings.
Details:
Duration of stay: booked 5 nights, walked out after 1 night.

 

This hotel review will be different than our usual reviews as I don't want to rate different departments or areas.
I would like to give you an unembellished insight into how we experienced the Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa.
We had a very nice, long and much appreciated chat with the Resident Manager of the Hotel.
We were able to give feedback on how we see the hotel and its services as a guest. I really really think that the feedback was appreciated.

It simply didn't match our expectations and the service the hotel is able to provide.

Pro's:
The check-in agent was actually fantastic and did an amazing job. She interacted with us during the whole process and explained everything, she went above and beyond.
Also the guest relations / Bonvoy elite agent did a fantastic job and tried to save as much as possible.
All Ambassador Elite benefits received and the modern and new room would have been nicely prepared as well.

But......

Con's:
Already when driving on to the parking lot you could feel the mass processing of the hotel.
The driver had to park in a specific and certain way to offload us.
There was a huge group of bell boys waiting in front of the door. One came over, hardly greeted and just took our bags and handed out a little receipt for the bags.
The lobby is rather small for the size of the hotel and it is completely stuffed with furniture. Nothing of a cozy airy lobby. It feels super cramped.
As written above, the check in agent was nice but here begins the process of the machinery. You aren't a guest you are just a number which is processed at check-in.
No charming Thai hospitality (which we love) can be found here at this property. You are simply processed and a paying something which should spend the money.
The hotel is massive in size and way to big. It is a machinery without any personal service or personal touch.
The room we got upgraded into was the same size as the one we booked, but the upgrade was the own pool access but you aren't supposed to use the pool after 7pm!
The room itself is new and beautiful but a huge disaster with zero privacy. Every 30 seconds someone swims in front of your room.
Actually the entire resort does not offer any privacy except maybe the rooms of the second floor and higher up. You can look in each and every single room. See the many pictures I have taken.
In our room it is impossible to walk in undies from the bed to the bathroom without being seen from outside without closing the night curtains.
Everyone but literally everyone in the pool passes in front of our bedroom and can look directly inside. It is so bothersome as you have zero privacy.
There were children and adults screaming constantly as next to our room was a waterslide. It starts at 7:30AM and last night it went until 7PM
In the pool right next to our room they had a floating device party.
The hotel seems more a Club Med or Party location than a Marriott Resort.
They would have an adult pool only which doesn't make sense as there is the water slide next to it with constant screaming and the normal pool is just 2 meters next to it.
Staff... I haven't met so robotic staff in Thailand since I am travelling to this country. (more than 20 years).
Maybe 1 out of 10 staff greets you or even worse, greets you back when you pass and greet them.
We went to the pool bar and the staff was so super unfriendly and pissed that they had to work. No greeting from staff when getting there or at the table, no thank you, no please, no eye contact no nothing.
You felt more like disturbing the staff than being guests who were welcome. They are far far away from being welcoming or living hospitality.
When asking for the bill we were simply handed it over without a thank you or anything else. They just took it and left the table.
Breakfast venue seems rather small for a property with more than 330 rooms and could be easily overcrowded if the hotel is full.
We asked staff what time would be best for breakfast and they said at 6:30am. Perfect time for vacationers.
Also staff at breakfast have no sense of customer service. Also here 1/3 greet you and the others walk past you like air. No smiles, no passion no nothing.
This Marriott Hotel hasn't heared anything about environmental consciousness. When you get to breakfast, I quote "you have to" sign a paper that you came for breakfast. Then the agent takes the paper and signs you off the room list, like regular hotels do. Then the agent passes on the paper to the next agent who prints for every single one a receipt on the electronic cash register. Basically this hotel (when fullhouse) throughs away 666 pieces of paper a day!!! for something which could be entered in the system and done. We brought this up at our meeting with the resident manager and she told is it is a local government requirement.
Also the current guest mix the property has isn't ours at all. There are a lot of two specific nationalities which are not the most pleasant contemporaries.
Some very loud and unmannerly and the others loud, arrogant and hard drinking.
Due to all the above and...
- As we didn't feel welcome from second one
- as there is no hospitality and customer service or attention to details
- as we as guests are disturbing the staff
- as we are only treated as cash cows
- because everyone can see in my room from the pool
- there is no privacy at all at this property or an area where you can retreat (see pictures) from the hassle and noise
- everything feels cramped due to the massive size (lobby, sunbeds, pool area etc) of the hotel
- because we don't like Club Med vacation
... we decided to walk out of the hotel after the first night. I booked a 5* Marriott Resort in Thailand and not an all inclusive bunker like this hotel wants to be.
We can not recommend this property:
- to anyone who wants to make some relaxing vacation
- to anyone who wants to be treated nicely and not as a guest umber or cash cow
- to anyone who expects a hearted Thai hospitality
- to anyone who is not voyeuristic, as everyone can see in your room
- to anyone who does not like a very loud environment

This hotel should be a Marriott Vacation Club catering for Thai Families needs (as they do already) or completely for family vacation with kids but not a Marriott Resort & Spa for individual travellers.

Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services in order to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send us a private message and I will be happy to share more information and pictures.