Manila Lotus Hotel

The hotel is very clean and getting to Robinsons mall takes just a quick two-minute walk. Rizal park is close by too. Staff were great, especially Ann and Chantal at check-in, who were really efficient and helpful. Breakfast is a nice added bonus. Always a great choice.

I've stayed here for years, and the place is getting worn out. The location is still its best feature, and most of the staff are very good. Rooms vary from good to bad to really bad. The buffet breakfast used to suit westerners well, but these days it isn't worth mentioning.

The hotel stay was okay, but Cilantro restaurant was a huge letdown. Our room cost 2,000 pesos, and they charged 965 pesos just to reheat a small amount of leftovers: half a serving of rice, less than a normal serving of sisig, some chicken, and a 1/4 portion of tortang talong. Nobody told us the price in advance. If we'd known, we wouldn't have agreed. The reheating charge for sisig alone was 360 pesos, while a fresh order costs 385 pesos. Charging almost the price of a new meal for a leftover portion that was already 2 days old makes no sense. The service was just as bad. At 7:28 PM the food arrived in its original plastic packaging, so we asked for a plate, spoon, and fork. We requested the receipt at 7:40 PM. The plates and utensils finally came at 8:05 PM, 35 minutes after the food. At 8:43 PM, as I wrote this, the receipt still hadn't reached our room. By the time we could eat, the food was cold. We paid 965 pesos to have food reheated and got nothing out of it. When we complained, the staff said the rate was in a "memo" from the hotel manager. A private memo doesn't excuse failing to disclose a price, which is a basic consumer right. I also asked for the manager's contact details. We were told they were off duty and given an email address, but Google flagged it as non-existent when I tried to send a formal complaint. That felt like a deliberate attempt to mislead guests and avoid accountability. They offered no refund or discount despite the long delay and poor service. Avoid this restaurant and hotel unless you want to be overcharged for cold food and given the run-around.

We were given just one blanket, and the bed was uncomfortable. The room was cramped and dated, with an AC that sounded like a jet engine. There was a window, but all it faced was a wall. When we asked why the room looked so different from the website photos, reception told us those pictures were used for 'advertising purposes' and weren't real. One of the worst hotels I've ever stayed in.