5 REASONS TO NOT TRUST HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS

Have you ever tried to ask the hotel for dinner recommendations?

And then end up getting burned because of the average to low quality food?

Choi has! Numerous times!

Well, you probably deserve it because you are a lazy bum. 

True.

We got in late into Chiang Mai, and since I did not do any research I asked the hotel for a recommendation with a HUGE emphasis on wanting AUTHENTIC, LOCAL THAI food.

In a very confident voice he said:

” We recommend this restaurant called Whole Earth. It is authentic Thai, you will love it there”. 

With high expectations we proceeded to walk to Whole Earth which was just 10 minutes away.

I can tell you now this place was complete shit, for the following reasons:

• Waitress was fucking bitchy the whole night. Maybe because we came in late and she wanted to get her ass home early. Fuck you.
• The food was alright, quite average. Don’t think it was THAT authentic.
• There were no locals here. Again. Don’t think it was THAT authentic.
• It was quite pricey (total came to 1200THB) which is a lot for Thailand standards.
• Place was empty. Not only did locals not come, there were no foreigners. Look at this:

Mr. Hotel guy you have failed me.

While I was eating this average, shitty food, shitty service I was wondering why does Hotel always fail me in food recommendations?

And then I said, this is deserves a blog post!

So here we are, my 5 reasons why hotel gives you shitty recommendations:

# 1 – You are a tourist. They don’t know if you can know what actual local food. 

You are a tourist. It’s pretty obvious to them.

What they DON’T know, is how knowledgeable you are with the local food. They can recommend you something that is actually really good, and you won’t even know how to appreciate it. So why not just send you to some tourist trap?

Well fuck you!

Choi does not have a masters in cuisine, but he knows a good pad thai when he sees one.

And this was not a GOOD PAD THAI:

• Texture of the noodles were not that good
• Not enough flavor
• Not spicy enough
• Chicken was quite dry
• Too small

Overall, fail of a dish.

But I guess if I never went to Thailand before, I would have thought this was the best shit ever.

It really isn’t.

# 2 – They think u need to be in a fine dine restaurant with excellent service. 

Yes. Choi is picky with the level of service.

Asia in general has really good service, not like North America where the 50 – year old waiter / waitress will give you a big fuck you if you want anything.

But come on Mr. Hotel Guy!

Does a guy that orders morning glory and tom yom gong need to be in a fine dine restaurant constantly?

• Morning glory was pretty good actually. I find most of the time this dish is always a winner. Don’t know, maybe Thailand grows pretty awesome vegetables.
• Tom Yum was also not bad. A bit watery, but given the low quality of food here I will give this soup a pass. 

Further, this damn restaurant isn’t fine dining! The service was horrible?

We were trying to order when the bitchy waitress kept telling us to slow down, or give her a minute because she has another “waitress” to jot down the orders.

Why the fuck does a waitress need another waitress to jot down the order?

Maybe she was the boss…but Choi does not care.

# 3 – They want you to spend money to help economy

If the economy does well, then everyone including the hotel does well.

So of course they want you to go to these non – local expensive as shit restaurants.

Why not right?

And expensive this place was. Total bill came to about 1200 THB. As mentioned above, this is considered quite expensive.

Man I am going to be so poor from this dinner and trip if Mr. Hotel Guy keeps recommending this kind of shit to me.

# 4 – It’s the safe choice – some people are not adventurous

I get this one. Some people are quite safe with their food, i.e. aside from burgers and pizza they will eat anything else.

So that’s why Mr. Hotel Guy will recommend something is on the safer end. A restaurant that is a bit more Western.

DOES CHOI LOOK LIKE HE CAN”T TAKE LOCAL FOOD THOUGH?

I specifically said I wanted LOCAL FOOD, and that’s what I ORDERED:

• Red Thai Curry. Small as fuck. Okay flavor. 
• Small as fuck. Not spicy enough. Chicken was also dry. Fail. 

Can’t believe this restaurant failed on the curries..usually it’s s a winner in Thailand….

# 5 – Because why the fuck not. they can do whatever they want.

This is true.

They don’t owe you anything.

Why the fuck should they care if you go to an authentic restaurant or not.

Fair, fair.

If anything, Choi should know better and just plan ahead next time!

Don’t ask hotel for recommendations anymore Choi!

Written from Chiang Mai, Anatara Apartment Suites on May 11, 2018.