Grass Residence SM North Condotel by Mademoiselle

The two good things are the raised covered walkway to SM North Mall and the high concrete wall separating the inside from outside. The elevators are often crowded, so you have to wait. There are four, but sometimes two are out of order, which leads to long lines. I also saw people who seemed to live outside coming in to use the swimming pool, even though there are security guards at the gates. It makes you wonder what those guards are for.

Traffic is nearly always heavy here. In the Philippines, the worst traffic seems to be around SM malls, and Grass is right behind SM North EDSA. Parking is limited and paid. You can try SM North if you find a spot, then walk back. The elevators are awful: Tower 4 has 6, with 4 working at best and 2 at worst. Waits can be around 5-20 minutes, so you'll be forced to take the stairwell, especially on weekends when the elevator is already full by the time it arrives. There are rats in the garbage room, as shown in the video, and they roam the hallways at night. Since the place is an AirBnb hotspot, guests leave litter and water marks on the floors and elevators. Poor management from SM corporation doesn't surprise me anymore.

There are over 40 units on each floor, so elevator queues are pretty much a regular thing. The Residences also feel small compared with other condos nearby. They should assign two elevators to the upper floors and the other two to the lower half.

You can choose a studio or a one or two-bedroom unit, for either a short or longer stay. The complex connects to the SM North Edsa chain of malls by a private bridgeway, so it suits staycationers who want the city buzz close by.