Traveling abroad promises new experiences and lasting memories, but for one Australian couple, their trip took an unexpected turn.

Their journey serves as a reminder to stay mindful when making travel arrangements.

What started as a dream getaway soon became a lesson in caution.

Faisal and his partner, Ryan, from Sydney, were looking forward to a luxurious stay at the Three Monkeys Villas in Patong, Thailand, a property they booked through Booking.com, a popular hotel reservation site.

The couple shelled out over $3,400, expecting five-star treatment and amenities.

Australian couple threatened with police action over hotel reviews in Thailand. Credit: Booking.com

Unfortunately, the reality fell far short of their expectations, prompting them to leave a one-star review on Google—a decision that led to an alarming response from the hotel staff.

The couple's experience is a stark reminder that the glossy images and glowing descriptions on booking platforms can sometimes be misleading.

Upon arrival, Faisal and Ryan quickly realised that what was marketed as a five-star hotel was more akin to a serviced apartment, lacking the expected luxuries such as a hotel bar, restaurant, or 24-hour concierge.

To make matters worse, they found the rooms poorly cleaned and maintained, and their attempts to address these issues with the staff were met with what they perceived as ignorance or avoidance.

After enduring one night in these disappointing conditions, the couple decided to move to a different, more satisfactory—and cheaper—hotel.

They expressed their discontent by leaving two one-star reviews on Google, warning future guests of what they called a 'tourist trap.'

However, they were unable to leave a review on Booking.com as the hotel had marked their stay as a 'no-show.'

The situation escalated when hotel staff contacted Faisal and Ryan, threatening to involve the police if the negative reviews were not removed.

'They threatened us and said if the review is not deleted, the manager will pass our information onto the police, and you will have to deal with the police,' he said.

The couple received a text message stating they had no right to give such a review and were given a deadline to delete it. The message was followed by a link to an article about a tourist who faced legal action for a negative review.

In Thailand, defamation laws are stringent, and tourists have previously faced serious consequences for leaving negative hotel reviews.

Fines can reach up to 20,000 baht (around $950) or up to two years of imprisonment.

This legal backdrop adds a layer of complexity and potential risk for travelers expressing their honest opinions online.

'Of course, every guest should be able to leave a review, but it does not mean that guests should use reviews to blackmail a full refund just because they are not happy with the hotel or their services,' the hotel staff said.

'All our services, amenities and facilities are mentioned in the Booking.com description. If the guest expected something else because he not read before he booked, then the guest is responsible.'

They argued that Booking.com accurately described all services and amenities and that any unmet expectations were the guest's responsibility for not reading the description thoroughly.

Faisal immediately reported the threat to Booking.com, but after three months of seeking a resolution and an investigation, he felt nothing substantial was done.

A Booking.com spokesperson expressed disappointment over the customer's situation and stated that while they advocated for the guests, the hotel declined to provide a refund.

Booking.com offered a full refund as a gesture of goodwill, but Faisal clarified that he was only credited the booking cost, which he argues is not the same thing.

The ordeal has left Faisal and Ryan hesitant to use Booking.com again.

They cite the lack of acknowledgment for the stress they endured and the continued advertisement of the hotel on the platform.

Faisal's experience underscores the importance of due diligence when booking hotels online.

He advised travelers to cross-check reviews on multiple platforms, look out for repeated complaints, opt for refundable bookings, document all interactions, and be cautious about review retaliation.

At the Seniors Discount Club, we understand the value of honest and reliable travel experiences.

We encourage our members to share their own stories and tips for navigating the world of online hotel bookings.

Credit: YouTube​

Key Takeaways

• An Australian couple was threatened by hotel staff with police action after they left negative reviews of their accommodation in Thailand.
• The tourists felt misled by the 5-star claims on Booking.com and were disappointed with the hotel's standards and services.
• Booking.com offered a full refund to the couple as a gesture of goodwill, but the couple feels hesitant to use the platform again due to the experience.
• The couple advises other travellers to be diligent when booking hotels online, such as cross-checking reviews on multiple platforms and documenting all communications and bookings.

Have you ever faced a similar situation? How do you ensure your holiday accommodations meet your expectations? Join the conversation and let us know in the comments below.

 

[Miss Chris]

I went with some friends to Bali some time ago now….One of them booked the hotel which was one street back from the site of the Suri club atrocity and still quite fresh in people’s minds…..In my opinion it was awful….my first trip and I didn’t know what to expect….. I accepted the 3rd room they showed me, they were very accommodating in the end…I had booked a couple of tours and the Muslim driver was really nice…..Another trip was to Singapore and I booked into the hotel I had stayed in previously…..when I got there I was shown to a room that I knew was inferior to what I’d booked so I went to reception and complained…. I was told that they had a contingent of Indian actors who were in Singapore for a particular event…….I told them that it wasn’t my problem, that I had booked before they had and that I shouldn’t be penalised just because the actors were famous and I wasn’t…..anyway they showed me another room but I felt claustrophobic in it and asked the bell boy to take my luggage back to reception….. I was then asked if I would accept another room for one night and they would prepare a room for me the next day….so I stayed in that room, didn’t unpack anything and slept in the dressing gown provided and used the complimentary toiletries….the next morning I went for breakfast and in the meantime my luggage was taken to my new room and I was given my access card……it was a very nice room, a junior suite. These particular trips were booked through Booking.com but they were not responsible for anything I didn’t like……I saw to myself and got what I wanted without anyone being rude or nasty and enjoyed my holiday. I think it’s up to the individual to accept or decline what is offered and if done calmly you just might get something out of it………I suppose the purpose of the hotel room is basically just somewhere to sleep after you’ve enjoyed the day exploring etc, and it is……. But sometimes you just want to be spoiled a bit don’t you….

 

[Miss Chris]

Ive travelled quite extensively across the world and rarely had a problem. One place I would NOT go back to was in Bathurst - within sight of Mt Panorama.
It’s a large converted ex boys home and looks it (although there’s no bars on the windows.) Thankfully I only stayed two nights.

The entire building is NEVER staffed so if you have a problem there’s no one to assist you. It’s quite bizarre and a bit creepy. Entry is gained via a lock box at the front door You are meant to get a code sent to you by text or email to open this box so you can get your room key. When I arrived I had not received a code. I had to call the owner and get it over the phone.

I was not impressed with the room. It looked like something from the 1960s. In most hotels there is at least cleaning staff to change bedding and towels everyday - not this place.

I see on Booking.com guests are leaving high rated reviews - even when they had problems. WTF is that about??

The owners always leave cut and paste replies like “that problem is now fixed” or “some effort on your part was needed “ which is not much help after the fact.

I don’t want to wade through 100 reviews to see if there’s issues with any hotel - the ratings should reflect that. And if there’s no staff at all then that should be stated right up front.

Sometimes these hotels are a live and learn experience. Thankfully that’s rare.

It does look a bit spooky doesn’t it…

 

[Macarj]

WE booked a room in Canberra many years ago a 4star hotel we opened the door it hit the bed we squeezed in luckily we were only there 1 night never went back

 

[DLHM]

Never been interested in visiting any country in SE Asia. Just seeing the various travel programs that gush on about this and that and you can see the filth and living standards of the natives is enough for me - I will stick to touring Australia thanks even if it is more expensive. At least my dollars stay in this country.

Of course it’s important to realise what our country is made of, how the people are, what makes our country as it is.

But I’m curious enough to want to experience other parts of the world, even though I won’t have the money or time to fulfill that wish.

I’ve seen a bit of the world and although I have my own thoughts about it, I can still appreciate places for what they are.

I hope I can remain open minded, but I’m only human.

 

[Ricci]

Back in the '80's we emigrated from the UK, being young, adventurous and strapped for cash we came the bus route way and had a stop-over in Jakarta. All our travel had been booked via an agent in the UK.
When we arrived at Jakarta airport we were met by a friendly enough guy with very limited English, his stock phrase was "I take your hotel" but he had our name on a sign so we assumed he was legit. We were proudly led to a dilapidated people mover whose main colour seemed to be rust! It rattled, banged and lurched its way towards the main business district then went straight through and out the other side. This was rather disconcerting as we had been led to believe our hotel was right in the heart of Jakarta.
The driver kept saying "your hotel no good, I take new one" We did wonder if we were being hijacked or abducted, and we had heard of white slavery! Anyway, after crossing a few smelly open drain ditches and passing more than a few hovels we did indeed pull into the entrance of a hotel.
We were expected and they did have a reservation for us, the only problem was no-one spoke English! After much pantomiming we were shown to our room, not too bad if you overlooked the fact that the bathroom sink was not attached to the drain so you washed your hands and feet at the same time!!
We went down to dinner and by a process of elimination found the restaurant and took a table. Not one word of the menu was in English and our waiter was no help until he mentioned chicken (I think that was his only English word)! Still, we ordered 2 chicken dinners and sat and waited, Other guests came in after us, ordered, served, ate and left and we were still waiting. We were just about to give up in despair when our waiter staggered out of the kitchen under the weight of two plates. Yay! It was our order at last, we had ordered 2 chicken dinners and that's what we got, a whole chicken each with veggies!!! We were so impressed that they had attempted a Western style meal and the waiter was so proud that we thought we had better do it some justice. We set too with a gusto but have you ever eaten a whole chook in one sitting?! We didn't manage it all but we gave it a damn good go.
Breakfast the next morning was another story in its own right and by that time we could laugh about the whole adventure. We discovered that we were the first overseas visitors they had had and the reason our hotel booking had been changed was that the Government had called an election and commandeered several hotels, including ours, for all the parliamentary hopefuls.
We left a glowing review even though communication was problematic if not impossible, they had done their very best under trying circumstances to accommodate our every wish and need.

 

[marni]

You only have to look at the conditions that they are willing to live in when here, one room for three or four people.

Just because you are able to afford better, there is no reason to look down on different cultures. Great they have a roof over their heads, so many have to live in a car

 

[Radiant]

Definitely a problem if you can’t report that the agent in your opinion misrepresented the standard of the accommodation. However I would not use Booking.com because there are many known places to stay rather than going to an obscure apartment/villa and you can get good deals including airfares through them. I have always found this to be quite efficient because there is so much to choose from

 

[shikhakim]

That’s really unfortunate for the couple—definitely a reminder to be careful with reviews. I’ve had the complete opposite experience at Mercure Perth on Hay. The staff there was lovely, super accommodating, and made my stay so pleasant. They were always ready to help with any questions and genuinely made me feel welcomed.