The Regency Hotel Hatyai

I am a frequent traveler, and I’ve never had a hotel physically hold my passport—it's always just been copied and then immediately returned to me. The next day, when we were checking out, the lifts were packed with people stopping on every floor. My family and I had no choice but to wait for the next available one. By the time I reached the checkout counter, the staff told me I was late. I checked my watch and realized I was indeed 15 minutes past the checkout time. I immediately apologized and explained that we were delayed because of the crowded elevators. She replied that I should have come down earlier. I apologized again and assured her it wouldn’t happen in the future. However, she then said, “No, no, no—we are going to charge you a half-day rate.” I tried to speak politely and hoped they would be understanding, considering it was only a 15-minute delay. She refused and insisted that if I didn’t pay, they would not return my passport. That’s when I realized the purpose behind holding our passports—so they could enforce penalties like this. Charging 1,700 baht for two rooms over a 15-minute delay felt unreasonable. Even two weeks later, I still feel this practice is not right—holding guests' passports and showing no tolerance for a mere 15-minute late checkout. I genuinely feel this approach is unfair and not guest-friendly. Really disappointed by the way this hotel handled the situation. I also found some write up for this Do hotels in Thailand keep your passport? They are required to make a copy and report your stay to immigration. No one other than you should hold your passport. (Not motorbike rentals either - insist on copies and deposit only, or find another shop).24 May 2024

I rarely write reviews, but this experience left me no choice. From the very beginning, the service at this hotel was shockingly poor. During check-in, I presented my hotel voucher clearly issued under my travel agency's name and branding—as I had made my booking through them. On duty at the reception were two individuals: an older gentleman and a woman with a round face. They were the first indication that my stay was about to be anything but smooth. The man took my voucher without even glancing at its contents and bluntly asked, “Under which platform is your booking? Agoda, Booking.com, or direct hotel?” I was baffled. I calmly responded that I had no idea—as this was handled entirely by my travel agent. The voucher I handed over was the official document I received, and that should have been more than enough. Then, without warning, the woman cut in with a noticeably higher tone, interrogating me with, “What exactly is your booking?” It was clear that neither of them had made the effort to actually read the voucher. Within seconds, they dismissed my booking altogether, claiming they could not accept it. I was stunned—and frankly, furious. I had already paid for my room in full. I pointed out the reference number stated clearly on the voucher—only then did the old man start flipping through their guest list. Unsurprisingly, he found my booking... listed under the Agoda/Booking.com section. That confirmed my biggest frustration: they could have resolved this in moments if they had just done their job and read the document I handed them. What shocked me further was the complete lack of apology or accountability. Instead of offering even a hint of courtesy, they scolded me with unwarranted rudeness. I was the paying guest, but I felt as though I was being reprimanded for their oversight. As for the facilities—if you're expecting modern comfort, prepare to be disappointed. The room felt like it hadn’t been updated since the early 2000s. Only one plug point available in the entire room, and no iron or ironing board in sight. For a property of this supposed standard, that's simply unacceptable. Overall, my stay was nothing short of frustrating and unsatisfactory. The attitude of the staff, the outdated facilities, and the complete disregard for basic hospitality standards left me incredibly disappointed. I will not return—and I certainly won’t recommend this hotel to anyone.

The hotel rooms are old- some rooms were cleaned but some still has hairs in the bathroom. But the worst are there are no hair dryer available and also the kettle is dirty- it looked like it was rusty- when we requested it to be replaced the hotel stated there was no replacement.