The Bricks Hotel

The building has a raw, exposed look that I found interesting, with parts left visible that other places usually hide. It’s a bit like the place itself, which can be striking but rough around the edges. The shower has a large head, though the on-off valve is fiddly and there’s no handheld option. They provide tiny travel soap bars, and liquid soap would be a welcome change. At least there’s both a bum gun and toilet paper. Breakfast was okay, but I missed some simple things I have at home: fresh orange quarters, cereal with fresh milk, Greek yoghurt in a pot, good toasted bread, bitter marmalade, fried tomatoes, and a latte from an espresso machine. Those don’t seem impossible for a hotel to offer. One morning I spotted a cucaracha on the wall and pointed it out to the server. Bugs can turn up even in good hotels, but the server dealt with it fast, stomping it like Ronaldo and clearing away the remains. Brutal, but effective.

My husband and I were relieved to leave this hotel and continue our trip. We stayed Jan 5-9 and again on Jan 14 2026, after travelling about 24 hours from Switzerland. Our agency had booked the hotel for us as part of our Asia trip. I’m Filipina and my husband is Swiss. The security guards, the men who help with luggage, and housekeeping were kind and helpful. When we called at night, a male staff member was also nice and made us feel heard. The front desk experience was very different. The women there seemed to acknowledge only my husband, directing questions about details, forms, and ID to him as if I weren’t there. They could be selectively nice, sighed when asked to work, and put down their phones reluctantly. We also heard loud gossip during breakfast. When a foreign man came in with a Filipina, the women acted as if she didn’t exist. I saw them look guests up and down, as if deciding how much respect to show. Seeing it repeatedly while we had breakfast or coffee as a couple was unpleasant, and made us feel bad for the other guests too. When we arrived on January 9, our first room wasn’t clean. We were exhausted from the 24-hour journey and didn’t complain, but the cups and glasses had stains and things stuck to them, and there were short hairs on the tables and in the fridge. There’s only one room key. Since the light goes off as soon as you remove it, the room won’t be made up if you leave the key out and turn on the light. You can come back to unmade beds and no fresh towels, then have to ask the front desk for help. There was construction noise from early morning until bedtime. Tricycles and people talking at normal volume were easy to hear too, and loud staff conversations carried into the rooms. We felt tense and uncomfortable, as if the services we paid for were an inconvenience. Whatever stereotypes people may have, guests shouldn’t have to explain their circumstances or be judged by what they wear or look like. We wished staff had name plates or tags so we could report them, though perhaps there’s a reason they don’t. Avoid this hotel. The Price Difference at The Henry Resort in Dumaguete isn’t much, and it has a lot more to offer.

The industrial look, handy location, and friendly, helpful staff made a good impression. The free breakfast is worth getting, especially for the local dishes on the menu.

Oh, The Bricks Hotel, the price made this a real letdown. I left at 7:00 AM for a dive schedule in Dauin and asked the front desk in person to make up my two booked rooms, the Suite and the Executive (Rooms 301 & 208), while we were out for the day. We got back at 6:30 PM to find everything just as we’d left it: used cups, empty water bottles, and unmade beds. I called the 6:00 PM front desk staff member to ask why. She asked if I’d pressed the Make Up button. I started to ask whether pressing it in the room overrides a face-to-face request made at 7:00 AM, and she said, “Yes.” Oh wow. Guess that was my fault, then.