Harmony Hotel

The room was big, air-conditioned, and under 5 minutes from Alona Beach and restaurants. There was a pool and the surroundings were clean. The two receptionists had a good attitude, and one was honest enough to return excess money from our payment. The welcome gift was bottled water and 2 hygiene kits, but these weren’t supplied daily like at other hotels. Breakfast wasn’t included in the 3500 room per night, and the cable signal was weak. We stayed 4 days and 7 hours with an extension, and the TV broke 34 hours before we left. We reported it 3 times and nothing was done.

The breakfast portions were good, and all the staff were great to deal with. Restaurants and the beach are a short walk away, and I’d stay again and recommend the hotel. My room was spacious, with a large wardrobe and a fridge-freezer. The bathroom had been updated, but after every use the pipes made a very high-pitched, ear-piercing screech. The large balcony was nice to use, though lower floors might be better for non-smokers. Smoke from the unit below drifted up, and I had to go inside several times during my 3 night stay to get away from the smell.

It was good of them to let us move our reservation in advance, and the staff were lovely. But the hotel needs upgrading and maintenance. When we arrived at night, there was nobody at reception and we waited almost 20 minutes to check in. A uniform policy for staff would also help show professionalism. The room smelled dusty, as if the curtains hadn’t been washed in ages, and the bed skirt was stained and obviously unwashed. The toilet in the annex had a tricky plumbing issue and gave off a smell. Staff offered to clean the room, but it would’ve been nice to arrive to a clean, prepared place. Guests had been partying by the pool, which looked much bigger in the photos than in real life, and trash left in the common area hadn’t been cleared early the next morning. We’d picked this hotel because we thought it was beachfront, but it took almost 10 minutes of walking through another hotel to get there.

I wanted to stay here, but after seeing the room, I noticed the curtains were too thin and let people outside see in. I wouldn’t be able to sleep comfortably with that. That’s an issue for me in the Philippines.