Rogen Inn

For a place with “Inn” in its name, it felt more like a hotel. The lobby and room were spacious, both the room and bathroom were clean, and the front desk staff were friendly. There was hot water for showers. Breakfast was a basic Filipino buffet. A few things were inconvenient: the internet was slow, the TV only had older channels, and Netflix and YouTube wouldn't work because of the connection. The elevator needs a key card for floor access. I was staying with friends and coworkers on different floors, but we only had one card. Also, the doors don't have a peephole, so you can't see who's knocking.

Walking into the lobby, that real pine tree gave off such a lovely, earthy, slightly floral smell. It felt like a little connection with nature and lifted my spirits straight away. The Christmas decorations at @rogenin in Davao were beautiful, and the natural scent was much nicer than an artificial tree. The staff were just as warm, always attentive, friendly, and helpful. Our room was clean and comfortable, a cozy place to relax.

The biggest headache was the payment mix-up. Our room had already been paid for in a group booking, but they charged us the full amount again at check-in. The morning staff couldn't explain it and said they'd ask the night shift. I asked, “don't you have a system?” I've stayed at plenty of hotels and never had this happen. They promised the money back after 15 days, and I'm still waiting. The place has potential if they sort out the system. We stayed three nights. The towels were very thin, the bedroom floor got slippery, Wi-Fi kept dropping, and the light switches were confusing. One morning none of the lights would come on. Staff could have been friendlier too. We know mornings are busy, but a smile helps, and the front desk staff didn't seem very well trained in hospitality. Breakfast was basic, and there was a smell in the place that my sister in law couldn't stand, so she didn't eat. Overall the stay was okay, but these things need work.

We arrived at 5pm and still couldn't get the deluxe queen room we'd booked, so they put us in a basic twin instead. It was run down, with slippery tiles, chipped walls, and old linens with holes. There was no fridge or safe box either. Breakfast was awful: scrambled egg with bits of shell, and toast with no butter or jam. We ended up going to McDonald's. I don't usually post bad reviews, but this place was awful.