8 Zhensen Inn

The first warning sign came at 5:30 in the morning, when the front desk woke me to say my checkout was at 5:45 and I’d need to pay more to stay longer. I’d checked in at 5:45 pm the previous day, but nobody had told me I’d booked a 12-hour room or offered any alternatives. I’d only asked for a room for the night because I had a morning appointment nearby, and the price was close to what I’d seen online, just a couple hundred pesos less. I was startled awake and thought at first I’d overslept. It took me a minute to understand what was happening, and then I was angry. The staff member showed me a rate list from behind the counter and said I’d paid for 12 hours. After we argued, she said she’d ask someone later and maybe I wouldn’t have to pay extra, but that was all she could offer. By then I was wide awake and upset, and with only an hour until I’d have needed to get up, I knew I wouldn’t get back to sleep. The room’s own posted policy said checkout was 11:00 am, which made the situation more confusing. I’m 48 and have traveled around the world, staying in thousands of hotels. I’ve seen hourly rooms and three-hour stays, but staff have always explained the options. Maybe the staff here weren’t properly informed, but as a white guy in the Philippines, which is my second home, I felt like I was being scammed. I’ve run into a few hotel scams here before. Maybe the hotel wanted to make extra money, or maybe the employee thought she could make some for herself. If you stay here, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting into.