Santos Hotel

The hot water never came back during our six-night stay, not even by checkout. We kept staying only because the front desk repeatedly promised it would be fixed the next day, and we didn’t want the trouble of finding somewhere else at the last minute. They did offer some money off the room rate, but that couldn’t make up for the experience. If zero stars were an option, I’d give it that. Between the excuses, poor standards, and rude staff, this was unbelievable. The first night was manageable, though the room felt dated, the mattress was hard, and there was only one pillow. Then we got a note under the door saying a hot water pipe had burst and repairs would be finished soon. We had to shower in icy water. The next morning’s note promised hot water by evening, but it still wasn’t fixed. When we called, the front desk confirmed that. They offered complimentary breakfast as a gesture. Breakfast brought more trouble. I waited a few minutes to be seated, then a waitress took me to a table. Before I could eat, another staff member challenged whether breakfast was included. I showed her the complimentary voucher, but she didn’t apologize and instead told me to wait to be seated next time. I asked her to check with her colleagues before assuming I’d walked in alone. She apologized, but a moment later, while I was at the salad bar, I put the tongs in the wrong spot by mistake. She hurried over to tell me to put them back correctly next time. I was stunned. I’ve never been treated so rudely at a hotel as a paying guest. We sometimes had tea in our room before going out, then came back to find the used cups and glasses still unwashed. The manager said housekeeping doesn’t wash them because guests might not want cleaners touching them, or might still want the drinks inside. That excuse made no sense to me. If that’s the reasoning, why do they make the beds?

We had a great stay. The room and view were very nice, even if the hotel is a little old, and the staff were friendly and helpful. The MRT station is very close. We checked out early and came back later to collect our luggage.

The metro station nearby made getting around easy, and the staff were genuinely friendly and helpful. Cleanliness was acceptable, though nothing special. The main problem was a strong mold smell coming through the ventilation and air conditioning across the building, which made the stay uncomfortable. The hotel feels old and its infrastructure needs renovation. Breakfast had very little variety and few fresh or healthy choices. The location and staff are good points, but the facilities and air quality need work before I could recommend it.

There are lots of restaurants close by on foot, and the place is spacious and convenient. Recommended.