Royal Orchid Guam Hotel

Roaches, two fire trucks showing up during my stay, curtains falling off the walls, and humidity damaged my birth certificate. Over my three weeks here, half the amenities upstairs were broken, and the upstairs area where I lived was eventually closed. The city of Guam posted notices at the hotel saying floors 6-8 were unsafe, so swimming and gym access were off limits. Even with no pool or gym, my weekly rate went from $500 to $120 a day when I rebooked, a $20-per-night increase. My friend followed the same links and booking steps for the same dates and got a cheaper rate, so I don’t know what was going on. When the closure meant I had to move rooms, I asked the day before, before work, to be moved then because I needed to sleep until 2 pm. The front desk said no, then made me wake up at noon the next day to move. I was livid, and got no compensation. The downstairs corner room was nice, but the whole situation still sucked. My reservation repeatedly disappeared from the system, and staff would say it was $144 a night instead of what I’d booked in person. I found it easier to hand over cash for the exact amount and go to bed instead of standing there sorting it out. They wouldn’t run a card unless the booking was online or I paid the full $144 for a booking that wasn’t “booked online.” Be careful: one online booking was canceled while I was at work, and I could only access my email on a laptop I didn’t have with me. Another couple of times, they said my reservation was in January, not for the next day. I booked one or two days at a time after the government shut down half the hotel, just in case. This stopped happening once I started taking screenshots and keeping the booking links open.

The bathroom was one of the best I’ve had at this price, and the rooms looked wonderful. Check-in was quick, though there’s a deposit at arrival to cover theft or property damage. Kmart is within walking distance. The view was, well, not much.

The air in the room felt humid, and a mildew smell came from the AC vent as soon as we walked in. That seems like a health concern. The bathroom needs an overhaul too: the tub was broken, the faucet leaked, and the sink was broken. They need to fix the amenities and bathroom before tourists will feel safe using it. Sigh.

The hotel denied responsibility when we complained, after failing to provide the accessible room and early check-in we’d confirmed for our guest with medical needs. We’d booked a wheelchair-accessible room and paid for check-in before 6 AM, but the promised room wasn’t ready when we arrived. Staff put them in a temporary room that was filthy and clearly hadn’t been cleaned after the last guest, with used tissues and a general mess. The stress of moving again was too much for the disabled guest, so he had to spend the whole stay in a standard, non-accessible room. We’d booked specifically for his safety and comfort, and the hotel’s failure ruined that. It was stressful, unsanitary, and deeply disappointing.