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Posted

I found several hotels in Bangkok had this problem, including some 5-star hotels

An example was Grande Centre Point Terminal 21. When I stayed there, the shower temperature was very unstable. It often fluctuated  dramatically. The Shower water was hot at one moment and very cold at another.

I called reception and they sent a technician to fix it twice. But it didn't work. He didn't know how to fix it.

Now I'm planning my next trip, and reading reviews of hotels. It seemed quite a few hotels at Bangkok have the problems of unstable shower temperature. 

Do have similar experiences? Is there a way to solve the problem?

 

Posted

The hotel I usually stay at used to have this issue all the time, it has gotten better. It's due to generally cheap plumbing techniques and most importantly they don't seem to use a quality mixing valve/cartridge that keeps the balance between hot and cold water relatively constant so you don't get scalded when someone flushes a toilet.

In our case we had separate handles for hot and cold and turning on both at the same time, but not all the way seemed to mostly eliminate the problem, but it took me 20 showers to figure out the technique (so about 7 days 😉

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, ricktoronto said:

Not at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. Shower with multiple heads and a separate bathtub. Highly recommended.

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is a great hotel, in terms of location, service, breakfast, etc. But now its standard room is priced at $260 or $270 per night, which is kinda expensive. I hope it can drop back to the level around $220 to $230 per night before Covid.

I found many hotels in Bangkok increased prices significantly  after removal of Covid related lockdowns. Then first most 3 or 4 star hotels returned their prices to the level before Covid. Now some 5-star hotels also dropped their prices to the level before Covid. But most 5-star hotels of Marriott group in Bangkok still set their prices about 20% to 30% above their before-Covid levels.

Posted
2 hours ago, Sabooboo said:

The hotel I usually stay at used to have this issue all the time, it has gotten better.

Glad to know I'm not alone in the experience!

When I travelled in the US, occasionally I had this type of problems at very cheap hotels. But as long as I stay in a hotel of 3 stars or more, the problem no longer occurred to me,

That's the reason why I was a little bit surprised when I realized the maintenance guy at Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 couldn't fix the issue of unstable shower water temperature. 

The hotel also had other issues.  For instance, I couldn't change the target temperature of air conditioner at my room. The AC in my room was too strong and the room became too cold, and my adjustment of the temperature panel of the AC didn't change anything. The technician sent by hotel reception also didn't know how to solve this problem. After working on it for an hour or so, he told me the problem couldn't be fixed. He suggested me to turn off the air conditioning system if it was too cold, and turned it on if it's too hot. So I had to turn on/off the AC couple times every night I stayed there.

 

It's weird because I paid over $140 per night for the room, and it's supposed to be a 5-star hotel. Then I checked reviews of the hotel. It seemed some of their rooms still had the problems, and I could see the complaints from other guests for similar issues. 

 

  • Like 1
Posted

More expensive mixing valves, which have become basically standard in the US and required by code in some places, would solve this, but that'd cost them money.  And it's probably just something most customers take for granted.

Better / more stable water pressure should also resolve this, and they could implement solutions for this in their own plumbing, but again, money. (i.e. roof top water tanks.)

This is also typically just the way it is in Thailand outside Bangkok... Many hotels use electric instant heaters mounted on the wall in the shower, fluctuations in pressure while showering can get pretty wild with those.  And there have been several times water pressure has just disappeared on me at ST rooms in Pattaya...

A small Isaan village resort I'd frequented in the past had a raise water tank in a tower (really only has to be five or six feet off the ground, higher than all the faucets) that they didn't actually use, and there was no real pressure from whatever supply they were using leaving it all dependent on a pump. So every time the power shut off, so did the water. (and apparently the power company would proactively shut off power during thunderstorms).  Most of the houses in the area still relied on cisterns of various types (even if just a couple buckets in the bathroom).

  • Like 2
Posted
11 hours ago, alex712 said:

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit is a great hotel, in terms of location, service, breakfast, etc. But now its standard room is priced at $260 or $270 per night, which is kinda expensive. I hope it can drop back to the level around $220 to $230 per night before Covid.

I found many hotels in Bangkok increased prices significantly  after removal of Covid related lockdowns. Then first most 3 or 4 star hotels returned their prices to the level before Covid. Now some 5-star hotels also dropped their prices to the level before Covid. But most 5-star hotels of Marriott group in Bangkok still set their prices about 20% to 30% above their before-Covid levels.

Hyatt Regency is no different.  Used to get the King Deluxe all in for 190 ish per night, now 220ish and thats if you get a great deal w/o bfast.

  • Like 1
Posted
5 hours ago, JVHyatt said:

Hyatt Regency is no different.  Used to get the King Deluxe all in for 190 ish per night, now 220ish and thats if you get a great deal w/o bfast.

I agree. These days you will consider yourself lucky to get the price of 220ish, including tax without breakfast, per night for a King Deluxe room at Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit. The price I’m seeing now for a night in September is around $260.

However, I think things may change soon.

The significant increase of hotel price in Bangkok was largely due to the surge of demand after international travel became possible post Covid. But the demand has stabilized for some time,

Furthermore, the high interest rates in most developed countries may cool down the economy gradually, which n turn, should reduce the demand of international travel.

Yesterday the stock price of Marriot group dropped 4.8%. The reason was the company announced an outlook for the full year weaker than expected. In my view, it may be the first sign of the demand of international travel is weakening.

Posted

Another piece of good news is the supply of 5-star hotels in the neighborhood is increasing.

IHG announced they would launch Crowne Plaza Bangkok Grand Sukhumvit in the alley of Sukhumvit Soi 6. It will be a large hotel with 514 rooms.

Accor group also announced they would open Fairmont Bangkok Sukhumvit, with 419 rooms, close to the beginning of Soi 20.

I think the additions of new 5-star hotels should help to cool down the prices of hotel rooms in the area.

Posted
9 hours ago, little_me said:

More expensive mixing valves, which have become basically standard in the US and required by code in some places, would solve this, but that'd cost them money.  And it's probably just something most customers take for granted.

Better / more stable water pressure should also resolve this, and they could implement solutions for this in their own plumbing, but again, money. (i.e. roof top water tanks.)

This is also typically just the way it is in Thailand outside Bangkok... Many hotels use electric instant heaters mounted on the wall in the shower, fluctuations in pressure while showering can get pretty wild with those.  And there have been several times water pressure has just disappeared on me at ST rooms in Pattaya...

A small Isaan village resort I'd frequented in the past had a raise water tank in a tower (really only has to be five or six feet off the ground, higher than all the faucets) that they didn't actually use, and there was no real pressure from whatever supply they were using leaving it all dependent on a pump. So every time the power shut off, so did the water. (and apparently the power company would proactively shut off power during thunderstorms).  Most of the houses in the area still relied on cisterns of various types (even if just a couple buckets in the bathroom).

This is a thorough answer. Thanks.

So, I understand why some budget hotels want to save money in certain parts of heating systems.

But I think it will be wise for a 5-star hotel, charging more than $140 per night for a standard room without breakfast, should invest a little bit more on the heating system to offer stable hot water in shower.

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