Sintesa Peninsula Hotel Manado

The room was large and had a king-sized bed, but there wasn’t much to explore on foot nearby, and I won’t stay here again. The hotel has seen much better days. My room was run down and poorly cleaned: a broken mirror and taps, a urine-soaked toilet seat that should have been replaced years ago, and a safe that was locked and unusable. The toilet had a constant smell like rotting fish. The carpet was badly stained, and there was hair and food crumbs on the chairs. Scum covered the shower walls. Breakfast selection was forgettable. All rooms are smoking rooms, so expect a stale cigarette smell.

I checked out around 8 PM, about an hour after checking in, because I couldn’t settle in any of the rooms. I’d booked one night for a sudden business trip after seeing good ratings, nice photos, and active social media. The online images didn’t match the actual condition. Later I heard eerie stories about the place, including from my taxi driver, who said the building had been a Dutch-era hospital. Online research turned up similar accounts from previous guests. I also learned it’s considered an urban legend in Manado. I arrived around 7 PM and was given a room on the 8th floor. The corridor air-conditioning was off, and the air was stuffy and unpleasant. My first room was spacious but old and poorly maintained, with scratched, damaged furniture, a bathroom that looked neglected, shampoo and body wash expired since 2023, and musty towels. I felt uneasy, so I took my belongings to reception to ask for another room. The second room, in another wing on the same floor, had the same unsettling feel. Staff said lower floors were closed or full, which seemed strange. The AC gave off a bad smell. The phone cable was unplugged, and after reconnecting it, there was no dial tone when I tried reception. A few minutes later, a male staff member, housekeeping or maintenance, knocked and asked if I’d called for help. I said I hadn’t. The door latch was incomplete, as if it had been removed. I asked to move once more and was put at the far end of the 8th floor, even farther from the elevator. That room felt just as uncomfortable. I turned on the TV for some noise, then heard knocking behind it that seemed to move toward the balcony. It stopped when I went to check and started again shortly after. I packed up and left.

I’ve stayed at several 4-5 star hotels in Manado, and Sintesa Peninsula was one of the quickest to respond to guest needs. Reception, housekeeping, security, and restaurant staff all gave me their best service. Even with so many rooms, I slept well without noise from other rooms. The room could have been cleaner, especially the carpet and curtains, which seemed to hold a lot of dust. Breakfast felt like they were doing their best to keep things efficient during the pandemic, but they could at least offer simple egg dishes like scrambled eggs or sunny side up. I also think the dining tables and chairs need extra attention for cleanliness during the pandemic.

The bed was good and the view was nice, but there’s no way I’d call this five-star. You only get bath towels, no face or hand towels, not even anything to step on outside the shower. The closet light stayed on constantly and couldn’t be switched off, so staff had to remove the bulb. Annoying and unnecessary. Breakfast was ok, a bit less oily than elsewhere in Indonesia.