Grand Palace Hotel Butuan

We booked for a family stay, but the arrival was awful. I was with two Senior Citizens, including one person with an orthopedic injury who is also a PWD. We had a valid PWD ID, yet the guards wouldn't let us park in the PWD spaces, saying, “For wheelchairs only.” Philippine law doesn't say those spaces are only for wheelchair users. When I challenged the guard, he said, “Kami ang makasab-an” (We will be the ones scolded). That made it seem like Grand Palace management was telling staff to deny access to PWDs who don't look disabled enough. They treated us as “conference attendees” and disregarded us until I angrily clarified that we were checking in. Only once they realized we were paying customers did their attitude change and they directed us to a parking spot. After a long drive, this wasn't the “Grand” welcome we wanted. If accessibility and respectful treatment matter to you, book somewhere else.

At first, I expected a comfortable stay. The staff were nice and understanding, and the broken elevator didn't bother me much since my room was on the 2F. But on my first night, while sitting on the chair, bed bugs bit my legs. I spotted another one on the table. I complained and gave them another chance because the staff were so friendly, but I saw one more on the bed the second night. I decided to move out before any got into my luggage. I didn't receive a refund either, which was disappointing.

The staff seemed happier sitting on their phones than cleaning things around reception. They also looked down instead of acknowledging or saying hello. The service was lacklustre, and the place seems far from its possibly Chinese-themed, grand-hotel days. I wouldn't recommend staying here unless black mould and poor service are your thing. I wouldn't book the presidential room. There were plenty of problems in my room: a broken shower, black mould on the shower head and shower mat, a safe that didn't work and was coming out of the wall, dirty ripped bath mats, and stains on the mirror. Breakfast was dry and terrible even with an hour left before it ended. When I complained, staff asked me to wait for the manager. After half an hour, they said the manager wasn't available and gave me an email address that turned out to be wrong. I emailed the address on the website a week ago and still haven't had a reply. I asked for a partial refund and am still willing to hear from management, though I doubt they'll contact me anytime soon.

Polite, helpful staff were a bright spot during our stay at The Grand Palace Hotel in Butuan. The facilities look dated, and our room's refrigerator didn't work. The elevators were out of service too, which was inconvenient, and one room had a bad smell. With upgrades and better upkeep, the hotel could improve, but as it stands it didn't meet expectations.