KimJapan

Maybe I expected too much...but then again, I don't really think so.

I certainly should have asked about the cocktails and hors d'oevres...learned a lesson there, because it still bugs me. Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't cause problems...maybe living in Japan so long...

We were happy on arrival, very happy with the greeting at the airport, the check in was fast and friendly, the room looked great and the view was great.

Overall, though, we both felt it became less satisfactory with each small problem. If one of the issues were a one-off thing, then it would have been fine. But accumulated over 5 nights they added up to our dissatifaction.

merckxxx

Incredible. Truly difficult to believe a person could even recall being left standing for 15 minutes or 'the driver calling ahead' so servants would be standing right there to receive HRH FUSSY. This must rank as the most obsessive travel reporatge I have ever seen - and obviously many people here adore a report that even details unsatisfactory crackers (!!!!!). It seems never to have once entered HRH's vision that she is staying in the world's best and most advanced accomodations while there is much hunger, suffering and want all around here. This must rank as one of the world's most pretentious and egotistical statements (which, on Fodor's is really saying something). She should be on her knees thanking fate that she has the chance & live in a century of such insane comforts & attention to every detail.

Kristina

Merckxxx-
By reading some of your other posts I can see you are an avid budget traveler. That’s admirable.
However, your “holier than thou” attitude is hypocritical. Do you think others here would treat you with such disrespect if you reported on your experiences staying in a $7 per night guest house?
Why even comment if this is not your style of travel? What ever happened to “if you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing at all”?
Why chastise someone for staying in a nice place if they want to? I don’t think Kim’s expectations were too high considering the price per night. I think her observations were astute and honest. I don’t think anyone should have to suffer bugs in their room for example, whether it’s $30 or $300 per night. If a hotel touts something “special” then doesn’t deliver, I think it should be noted.

rhkkmk

one of the benefits of this open forum is to say it like you see it and kim is just reporting what she saw with her eyes in the hope that others can benefit from this observation...

like any comments you can take them into your brain and decide how you feel about what has been said...

i personally find the comments usually expressed on trip advisor to be off the mark, often a vendetta of some sort, so i read them with interest and then draw some conclusions from them, either positive or negetive or simply neutral...

none of these comments are cast in rock by god...

lighten up...

too bad kim didn't see "the real thailand and cambodia..." note: that can only be seen when eating street food and staying in flop houses....

hawaiiantraveler

rhkkmk, very good, I'm impressed!

merckxxx, or is it jerkxxxx???
You win the official hawaiiantravelers O P award for the day

and we all know what that is

Aloha!(not you merckxxx)

Craig

Maybe I'm such an old-timer to this forum that those type of posts don't annoy me as much as they used to. I do however look forward to the creative replies that inevitably follow. HT - you win the prize this time...

jules39

Kim I am very interested in your evaluation of the fishing village trip. We toyed with the idea of this trip with Tong last Nov. She was very enthusiastic about it but the monkey thing did not appeal and a couple of other things so we decided on some other options. Since then I have seen numerous recs to get Tong to take folks to her secret place but I now think that your review may be exactly how we would have felt about it. Intersesting!
Thanks for a great blog by the way. Loved catching a glimpse of Ponheary and seeing Tong I could just hear that wonderful laugh of hers!
J

KimJapan

Interesting that I had some of the same thoughts about myself that merckxxx expresses as I wrote the reviews. I paused before including criticisms, because it does seem ungrateful in a way.

However, in the end, I included all the faults we encountered because I felt for the money, many of those things shouldn't be encountered by guests and I felt it was fair to report that we encountered them so that others considering a stay at the same places might be aware that everything is not perfect all the time.

I also feel that where you stay, where you eat and what you do when you travel is your own choice. We wanted luxury this time around. We gone the flop house route before and feel lucky that we have the means for other options. There isn't a right or wrong way to travel...everyone has their preferences.

Craig

Well said, Kim.

travlr67

Great blog Kim and nice pictures too! Can I ask you what camera you used to take the pictures? Thinking about getting a new camera for my trip in December.

rhkkmk

i have to say that we loved the "secret place" and found it to be one of the most unique days we have ever spent in our travels...

the monkeys were fantastic, the food was delicious (too much of it), the ride in the cramped boat was fun, reed and his wife are a delight, the stilt house is unique....the toilet was welcomed....we would do it again and i feel that we would enjoy it just as much a second time...

jules39

rhkkmk please don't mis understsnd me. I know you loved the secret place and I am sure many others would too. and I am sure that if we had chosen to go there we would have had a fine day....how can you not love a day spent in the company of Tong! We all have stlightly different preferences and that is what makes the world the facinating place it is. I was just interested in Kims take on it.
Happy & safe travels.
J

rhkkmk

i was only attempting to restate our happiness with the day at the secret place....no problem

lcuy

I'll have to chime in that our day with Tong at the secret place (and other spots) was of the highlights of our trip well, despite that being the day I had some sort of "bug"!

Of course there were four of us women who were talking and laughing with Tong and Reed, so we could have been sitting on a bench in a jail cell and we still would have enjoyed the day.

And the food at the secret place...I was really really sick, but I couldn't resist and chowed down anyway. I visited the happy room, then had a lovely nap while Sumie, Stacey, Mari808 and Tong finished the rest of the food. (Not a surprise, if you know how Tong and Mari can eat!) I would give anything to have that food in front of me right now!

But I know how it can be, Kim. Sometime things just don't do it for you when traveling - often it could be any number of things that are "off"- the weather, your health, your mood, your energy level, the social interactions . Who knows?

But I'm glad you posted your experiences, even the negatives. Thats why we're here...to share so others can be prepared.

KimJapan

The camera is a Fuji Finepix S7000...bought about 5 years ago. I really like it.

Don't get me wrong...the fishing village was a fine day for us, just not a WOW day.

bmttokyo

Hi Kim,

Thanks for sharing your travels. Wish I had the patience & the gift of story telling like you. We had 6 great days in BKK but will have to wait till I get to tell others about it. My kids are a week & a half later for school & I have 5 suitcases to unpack still.........

We just returned to Tokyo yesterday after spending a month in the Phil & 6 days in BKK . We spent the day with Tong Sept 3rd & enjoyed our day at the Fishing Village. I even saw your note to Reed & his wife in their guest book.

Tong told me that Reed lost his 5 year old boy to a brain tumor years ago. No wonder Reed took a real interest in our 13 year old son- first asking him to take a swim with him in the middle of the sea (?)- then having him drive the boat back to their home. My 2 girls (aged 9 & 15)were not just going to watch their brother enjoy himself so they jumped into the water as well. No swim suits- I was not prepared. No problem - they must have been in the water for over 30 minutes then swam to the hut where we were served food.

Loved the mud ripping on Reed's boat. That was fun. Kids loved the monkey feeding, wouldn't have minded not doing it but I know Tong loves it. Totally agree that Tong can party & can enjoy herself too. I too slept while she ate. It was good to see her relax. So different with our hectic paced day with her to Floating Market , Tiger Temple, Death Rail Pass, Elephant Riding & much more.

Thanks again for taking us with you through your travels. Much to learn from lots of folks. Keep safe from the storm. We are waiting for the rains to hit hard. Can't hang my clothes out in the line.

bmttokyo

By the way, I used the Happy Room in the stilt house too & asked about "collection" of night fertilizer. Tong told me there was a receptacle under the water that took care of that. I wonder what happens when that's full? Trust that little details is also taken cared of.