Go Hotels Tacloban

For my overnight business trip in Tacloban, GoHotels had everything I needed. It was affordable, comfortable, and safe, with convenient covered parking. The customer service was the best I've experienced in my 8 years living in the Philippines. The mall was only a minute's walk from my room, with a movie theater and three dozen great restaurant choices. GoHotels delivered everything they advertise and more.

The shower got nice and warm, but there was a sewer smell, so I had to keep the bathroom door shut. The queen room felt really tiny, and the pillows smelled like sweaty old clothes.

The bed was a real highlight: a comfortable thick mattress, four pillows, and power points on both sides. The room had enough space, a nice bathroom with a glass shower door, TV, aircon, kettle and cups. There was a bedside light on one side, and a small drop-down table that wasn't flat or useful. I think a proper table and two chairs would help. Water was available from a can outside the room. I stayed two nights, and on the second day I got a text asking if I wanted housekeeping. The hotel felt comfortable and pleasant, with level two rooms opening onto long corridors with planters and a raised roof lined with windows. The lifts to that level are Schindler. The setup is pretty digital: keycards operate both the doors and room power, and you activate Wi-Fi on a website by entering your name and room number. It's in the Robinson's shopping complex, which is an excellent mall, and the hotel is a nice option for the price. I booked without breakfast, but there's a Jollibee about two minutes away that opens at 6 a.m. Taxis, jeepneys and vans go from the airport, and Go offers an airport shuttle for 158p. Staff were positive in every interaction. I'd recommend staying here.

The room looked clean and acceptable when we arrived, though it was basic and had few amenities. Water was available, but we had to walk some distance to get it. Coffee and tea had to be bought at reception. The housekeeping staff and security were the reason for the two service stars I gave. A couple of room issues were manageable for the price. The toilet door was warped and wouldn't close, and water leaked through the shower glass partition, leaving the toilet floor wet all night even though nobody used it. Maybe the floor wasn't level. The lift button sensor also didn't work well, and with only two floors, having a sensor button seemed unnecessary. What really hurt the hotel's credibility was a note saying to press '0' on the hotel phone for service. There was no phone in my room. When I asked at the front desk, they simply said not all rooms have phones. I had paid for a few rooms, and apparently I was “lucky” enough to get one without a phone. I'd rather they hadn't left that note there. It reflects badly on management. The front desk staff were not professional or friendly with customers. Everything else was still acceptable given the low price, but that service made the experience worse.