THAILAND: Novotel is located between Cha-Am and Hua Hin. I went there for three days to experience this highly rated Hotel recommended by Agoda.
The first impression was the lack of communication skills amongst the staff working at the Hotel. Their english was fair at best. It could be the fact that 80% of their guests are Asian/Thai.
They call Thailand the land of smiles. Well, not in this hotel. The service was poor and the smiles were absent. The staff seemed fed up by handling all the guests and did not seem to care much about complaints from other guests I spoke to.
Bad breakfast. The room had seen better days. Floors where dirty, there was holes in the wall, and even the shower did not work properly. Also the airconditioner was noisy. The view was good but you could smell the odor from the dirty river suited next to the hotel when sitting in the balcony.
On the plus side the bed was comfortable, the TV has English speaking channels and the Internet was fast.
For the breakfast you have to pay extra. But it’s not worth it. You would be much more satisfied going to a local restaurant outside the hotel that offers real European breakfast.
Family hotel. The pool area was crowded and you couldn’t go for a swim at the rocky beach. Novotel is not suited for couples or business travellers. Families with kids will properly like the swimming pool specially designed for kids, but just a few minutes walk from the hotel the beaches are better as well as the service.
The best impression of this hotel is the surroundings. There is a lovely little street with bars, restaurants, shops etc. And you can rent a bicycle or a motorbike if you want to explore Hua Hin or Cha Am.
Paying almost 100USD a night, without breakfast, is far too much. Staying at the Regent Hotel close by, within the same price range that also includes a fantastic breakfast buffet, and has a nice private beach, is a much better choice.
