Citilink Hotel

There’s no elevator, and parking is in a vacant lot. The parking gate gets locked at night, so you need to go to the door and ask someone to open it. The room has a comforter, which helps if you want to sleep cool or warm. It’s right at SM Lucena, and the rooms are small and practical, with a comfortable bed and warm showers. Breakfast is included. At around 1200 per stay, it seemed average value to me, and I got a lower price because I have PWD. For someone passing through like me, it’s a good place.

We’ve returned a few times because it’s our favorite overnight stop before catching the ro-ro vessels in the morning, and SM just across the street is handy. You get what you pay for. It isn’t a 5-Star hotel, but the staff are courteous and helpful. I’d already raised the housekeeping issue with management, but the cleaning needs more attention. On our last two stays I noticed cockroaches in the rooms. The bathrooms weren’t very clean, and the furniture and furnishings looked worn out. Sweeping dirt under the furniture is a definite no.

The location is the big draw: it’s central, has parking at the back, and is only a few feet from SM mall. I’d stay again for that convenience alone. Staff were attentive and quick to help, and the laundry service was cheap and fast. Breakfast is included and decent, though nothing special. The room had air conditioning, and both the beds and showers were clean. We accidentally left a plate out, thinking housekeeping would collect it, and came back to find roaches and ants all over it. Apart from that, I didn’t see roaches randomly around, so keeping things clean should help.

SM Lucena is right across the street, which was a nice bonus. We had a pleasant two-night stay in a clean, air-conditioned room, and the staff were very courteous and helpful. The free breakfast wasn’t the best, maybe 2 out of 5, though I suppose that’s what you might expect at a budget hotel.