The Lake Hotel Tagaytay

The breakfast was good, with smooth-tasting food, and everything was super clean during our visit. The attendants were very nice. I especially appreciated the free cake for my mom's birthday, thank you so much! The room was fair for the price, and the view facing Taal was really good. Service was generally great, except for one woman in white who seemed new and untrained for customer service. When I asked where the gym was, she said I should ask the guard. That attitude, haha. The gym equipment has seen better days: the treadmill squeaks and needs lubrication, and the dumbbells are rusty. Please maintain it. The location is great, though traffic from every direction can make getting a car in difficult sometimes.

I was charged the full amount, around $244 or about ₱13,000 to ₱14,000, despite never checking in. I had intended to arrive around 1-2 a.m. on January 27, but after midnight the booking system only showed January 28. I booked January 28-29, hoping to check in early on the 27th instead. I called reception to confirm. They said early check-in wasn't possible because standard check-in is at 2 p.m. I explained the previous date wasn't available online and asked about walking in at that hour; they said rooms were available. The online price first appeared to be around ₱6,000-₱8,000, but when I asked directly, they offered ₱10,000. I said the online price was lower and booked there. After I completed it, the total showed around ₱14,000. Because of the price difference and check-in problem, I told them to cancel. We were already on our way to Tagaytay without having slept, and really needed somewhere to rest. Reception told me I had to cancel myself, though I had booked directly through their website and they could have cancelled on their end. They also insisted I had used Agoda, which I hadn't. I never used Agoda or another booking app. A few days later I saw the money had been deducted. I messaged and emailed to request a refund, but they kept saying they couldn't return the payment. I don't understand charging a guest who never checked in and notified them immediately after booking. I'd understand if I hadn't told them and simply failed to show up, but I did contact them right away. It was a very bad experience. I've worked in hotels for many years, and the service was disappointing. They didn't know how to resolve the issue properly or ensure guest satisfaction. At least a refund or some compensation should have been offered, since the amount was substantial.

The view of Taal Lake was amazing, well worth getting up early for. A live pianist in the lobby, including during breakfast, added a classy, relaxing feel. The food was solid, room service prompt, internet stable, air conditioning very cold, and the shower hot. The glass shower window was a cheeky touch, with a pull-down shade for privacy. Our only issue was that the curtain motor didn't work perfectly, but staff helped and everything else went smoothly. Conti’s is right on the property, and 7-Eleven, Balay Dako, and Charito by Bag of Beans are an easy walk away. We had an enjoyable stay and I'd return and recommend it.

On our second stay at Lake Hotel, we got to try a lake-view room and it was fantastic. Check-in was quick and smooth, and Donna was very helpful and accommodating. The room was one of their older ones; on our first visit we had a renovated room without a lake view. The next morning there were monkeys on our balcony. They're cute, but a sign about them would be useful since they might take guests' important things. Kudos to the team.