Congressional town center 21st floor

The owner arrived and cleared things up with the receptionist in less than 10 seconds. That made it clear there hadn’t been a real issue with our small Pomeranian in the first place. Before that, we’d been kept waiting nearly an hour while a guard wouldn’t let staff resolve it. We’d booked and paid in advance through Airbnb for a unit at Congressional Town Center. The listing said it was pet-friendly, which was the main reason we chose it, along with its convenience for our business in Manila. We arrived on November 30, 2025, around 11:00 AM, after a 9-hour trip. The entrance guard was polite and directed us to parking. We brought our luggage inside and went to the front desk to register. Then a guard behind the counter, named Salar (or Salay), abruptly intervened and aggressively told my wife, “No pets allowed here. I am not going to let you enter the building.” He took over, wouldn’t let the receptionist speak, and acted as if he owned the place. We were already in the reception area with our dog, exhausted, and faced an unnecessary, tense confrontation with someone showing no professionalism, courtesy, or understanding. It left us wondering what authority this guard has, and why nobody with real authority or common sense stepped in. As a businessman, I wouldn’t let someone so unprofessional, entitled, and poorly trained represent a beautiful property in a great location. We return to Manila next week, and it’s a shame that one person left such a negative, lasting impression of a nice place. I wish I’d seen this article before: Congressional Town Center (CTC) gets bad reviews mainly over cleanliness, including strong smells and dirty pools; broken amenities such as hot showers; worn units; and inconsistent experiences, especially with short-term rentals and Airbnbs. People describe a gap between what listings promise and what they find. Some report air freshener masking cat urine, pools dirty enough to cause rashes, unclean units, hot showers that don’t work, electrical problems, and wear in older units. The experience seems to depend heavily on the unit and owner, with photos sometimes showing a better condition than the actual stay. Though the building is tall and well located, upkeep and management of rental units appear to disappoint many residents and guests.