Days in the Life of a Pattaya Hotel Owner

Work in Hua Hin was finally picking up. Kevin managed to do some work on the new book and together with the pages proofed that I had emailed him prior to our trip, we appeared to be at least making a start. I did a couple of hours editing before Kevin called and made arrangements for us to go out and eat. A pizza and a glass of quite dreadful red wine followed and we returned to the hotel for an early night. I was quite amazed that we were both being so sensible.

Up early the following day and with no hangovers, both Kevin and I made considerable progress on our specific tasks. However, there was still no Internet connection and two days had passed without any sign of the hotel staff doing anything to rectify the situation. We both decided to visit the reception and confront whoever was now on duty. Back in charge was the large female receptionist and we went through the problem with the Internet yet again.

“Bring the computer to the lobby. Nobody use here see, so you can use.”

“No we want the WiFi in the rooms to be looked at. I run a hotel in Pattaya, we have WiFi and in situations such as this a simple reboot usually sorts the problem out,” I responded.

“No I certain problem is because too many people using WiFi on your floor. Here in lobby you can use.”

“There are only seven or so rooms on our floor. We have two routers on the floor, one of which covers my friend Kevin’s room and the other mine. We have endeavoured to use our computers for almost two days now with absolutely no success. We have both tried all times of the day and night so the likelihood of the system on our floor being over-loaded is remote to say the least.” I was now angry but holding myself together and speaking quietly yet firmly.

“Your safe okay?”

“What?”

“Your safe okay now?”

“My safe is fine, my safe has always been fine, my safe does not nor has not had any problems and, even if it did have a problem, why would asking me about it now be appropriate to the problem we are discussing which is the bloody WiFi,” I said, now loosing the little cool I have.

“I glad safe is okay now.”

“Yes the safe is fine, thank you,” I said in wasted sarcastic tones “However, what about the WiFi?”

“If we get man to look he have to come from Bangkok, this could take many days.”

“Why does he have to come from Bangkok. Surely there is a computer company here in Hua Hin you could use,” Kevin stated, deciding to join in the conversation and give me a chance to take a deep breath.

“He work for our Bangkok hotel,” was the response that ended this discussion.

There were now various people assembled in the lobby waiting to check-in or whatever it was they wanted to do — I hoped they all wanted to complain about the WiFi but that looked unlikely.

We decided to go for a late lunch, or early dinner, and re-visit the WiFi scenario the next day. For a second consecutive day we returned at a very early hour and the chance to do a little more work before another early night. Within 20 minutes there was a knock on my door, which I opened to find Kevin beaming away and telling me he had managed to connect to the WiFi. We opened the WiFi section on my computer and he told me to click on “Sunshine Hotels.” “That is not our hotel though,” I said looking at him as though he had just gone mad. “I know, but just click on it.” I did, it worked, I was connected and everything appeared just fine.

The next morning, before going for my breakfast, I visited the reception and told them the WiFi connection was now okay. Their hotel WiFi was, of course, still not working but I had my connection and I wanted to avoid any further discussions with the manager, or other reception staff, on the subject. After breakfast I returned to my room to find the maid had just started her cleaning duties. I told her not to worry and just carry on but if she was able to turn the mattress over that would help. The previous two nights I had found parts of the mattress to be rather lumpy and was waking with a pain in my back. The room maid fortunately understood what I had said and called someone to come and help her, at which point I decided to go out and buy some provisions from a store across the road.

I returned to my room, having been out for around 15 minutes. The door remained open and the room maids trolley still outside. As I entered my room I saw the room maid and, what I presumed to be, the young maintenance man both fast asleep on the bed. My appearance jolted them both and they awoke and went very red faced very quickly. “It is okay, no problem, do not worry,” I told them, “So long as you have turned the mattress over there is no problem.” They assured me the mattress situation had been dealt with, made humble apologies once more and hastened to finish the room and leave. I just sat down for a while and wondered just how often the room maids are asleep on guests’ beds in my hotel! I then decided to get back to work and not think about it, it was starting to depress me!