Somerset Alabang Manila

The gym was good, and I liked being able to relax after a hard day's work. The hotel is right in the heart of Alabang, only a few minutes on foot from Festival Mall. My room was well equipped, with great blackout curtains that let me control the light for sleeping. I was happy with the Western breakfast, though my Chinese colleague found the Chinese choices repetitive. Noise insulation was mixed. I heard nothing from the neighboring room or outside, but the balcony windows let in motorcycle noise early in the morning and often woke me. The old refrigerator was noisy too. Sunday evening check-in was busy, with several people waiting and only one person at reception, so the line moved slowly. At 6 am Saturday checkout there were two staff at the desk, even though it wasn't busy. I was rushing to catch a flight and couldn't eat breakfast, so I asked for some bread to take along. The container lid wouldn't stay closed, making it awkward to carry, but two women at the restaurant reception saw the problem and gave me a larger bag. The hotel should improve its service.

I was woken late one night by a staff member knocking to ask about laundry, even though my Do Not Disturb sign was clearly on the door. There was no reason to disturb me at that hour, and it showed little respect for guest privacy or basic hotel etiquette. The room service was just as bad. The food arrived cold, and the chicken was visibly bloody and raw. That's a serious health and safety concern, especially at a serviced residence. My stay at Somerset Alabang was awful. The service was extremely poor, coordination was lacking, and the food quality was very low. I would never recommend this hotel.

The staff were helpful and easy to approach, especially when they assisted us with the elevator because we didn't have a key card. The lobby felt cramped and uncomfortable, and the air conditioning seemed barely on. That's disappointing when groups may be taking photos there in formal clothes. The lobby washroom wasn't much better, with a broken sink that made handwashing impossible. Our room smelled unpleasant when we first came in, though the odor faded after a while. The voltage kept fluctuating, but staff fixed that quickly after we called. The bathtub drain stopper didn't work well, there weren't enough bathrobes, and the bedrooms had no mirrors.

The kids loved the bathtub, and we enjoyed the pool. The food was tasty and flavorful without being too salty. We also appreciated the staff's complimentary birthday performance and the delicious slice of cake they brought us. The unit was spacious, with a big bed and plenty of cabinet space. There was free drinking water and a washer with a dryer. It was clean, though there was a noticeable unpleasant smell when we entered, apparently from the carpet or sofa. It lingered despite the room being clean.