The Hotel Sophia

I had a bad stay. The room had something broken or not working everywhere: weak water pressure, a broken toilet seat, and a very loud aircon whose temperature couldn't be adjusted. The staff were kind of rude and got our orders wrong most of the time. The front office also didn't answer the phone.

The location is a big plus: the hotel is just minutes from the airport, 7eleven, and SM Cauayan. We booked a Superior Pool View for one night at the promo price, and compared with the other hotels available then, it was decent. Check-in and check-out were hassle-free. When I raised concerns about the reviews I'd seen, they told me changes had been made to address some of them. It was easy to talk and make arrangements once I reached them on mobile, though their Facebook Page replies during reservation had been slow. I found the staff a bit short on hospitality. They often avoided eye contact and barely smiled or nodded when we passed, which stood out to me as a basic courtesy. One of our two towels had clean, white fabric but was shredded at the edge, so replacing it would help reflect the quality of the brand. I was also unsettled that there was no shower area to use before getting into the pool. The pool itself was nice, but the water looked hazy underneath. We were there on a random Wednesday in October, and other guests seemed to be at a business conference, so perhaps that was a factor. Overall, it was an okay stay with a few things that could be improved.

The room was clean and comfortable, and the staff were friendly. The pool and its bar looked nice, and being able to walk to the airport was especially convenient. One of the better places I've stayed while passing through Cauayan.

We tried a few hotels in Cauayan, and this may have been the worst. The towels were really old, and we could hear footsteps outside our room. The reviews speak for themselves. I wouldn't recommend it.