More bad feedback re Discovery Suites...

A former officemate and a friend from media reacted to my recent post and shared their sad tales below:


On 1/21/07, Nora Nano wrote:

hi maan,

thanks for sharing. i have stayed at the discovery suites several times and highly recommended it to balikbayan relatives and friends after another friend recommended it too. service was very good, the rooms were nice and any problem reported was acted upon promptly. but those where the days when discovery suites was quite new.

last july, my moms brothers and sisters and neice rented several units for their use. I stayed with them for several days. I saw the difference in service. I reported the aircon of one rooms in the 2bedroom suite because it was hot and i couldn't sleep. no one seems to know the problem. they keep offerring a solution, but it doesn't work. i practically slept beside the thermostat to make sure the temperature wouldn't rise.. finally i told them to send someone to look at the problem. it took hours before someone came.

you mentioned something about the web rates and the actual charges... my cousin encountered the same. i think it has to do with the exchange rate. different rates were being used for different reasons. she even offered to pay in dollars, but again, computations were different. she wrote a letter to DOT(?) regarding her complaint. later, discovery suites was offerring her some free stay, etc. of course she wouldn't budge. no way for her to go back there.

my uncle from canada has been a frequent guest of the hotel for several years now. when he stays there, it is for extened periords - almost a month and he uses either a 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom unit. but i think he also encountered problems with the hotel in their last stay last july.

am copying them your rambling because i wouldn't want them to experience the same problemif they decide to check in at the discovery suites again. it is a pity because the location is really excellent for expats, and professionals with business in the ortigas area and balikbayans who want to shop in the nearby sm megamall and greenhills area.

regards and hope to see you again soon.

------
From: "relly carpio"

> hear! hear!
>
> and that is why after two bad experiences with presscons at that place
> i vowed never to attend any more events there.
>
> plus, i had a friend stay there when he visited manila, he left in the
> middle of the night and moved to another condotel in ortigas, after an
> experience that he simply described as "i'd rather not talk about it"
>
> nuff said.

Another terrible review of Discovery Suites

After I rambled about my terrible Discovery Suites experience, I tried to google reviews on this god forsaken establishment and I found similar complaints, see this review at Trip Advisor.

Discovery Suites: The worst hotel ever!

This is the worst hotel service I have experienced so far. I checked in friday evening since I will be attending a wellness treatment session organized by the Wellness Institute the following day.

Because it will start 8am and everyone will need to check in by 730am I thought to myself, no way will I be able to reach Ortigas that early on a saturday morning.

Since I am paying dearly for this extra day, I had earlier planned to check in by noon to be able to try the gym and wet area plus a spa treatment. Unfortunately, my sked suffered some kinks since I had to attend to some pressing matters which took some time.

When I finally reached the hotel, beverly and our office messenger met me. I told the reception I had a reservation. That was the start of this litany of hotel service woes.

It was taking some time for her to find my reservation so I said it might be under the name Maan instead of Mary Anne.

I then said I am part of the Wellness Institute delegate this weekend and the account officer is named Hazel. She went inside their room then came back saying they just got the email confirmation now. My foot! She must have called Hazel who must have forgotten the reservation.

Why did I say that? Two days ago I tried reserving a room for friday. I was transferred from one department to another - reservations, sales, banquet etc. Can you imagine the staff in this hotel don't seem to know what to do! There seemed to be no procedures at all!

A certain Albert said he will call me back since this Hazel who was in charge of the wellness weekend event was busy. Well what do you know? He never called. Hazel never called. I left all my contact nos.

I was almost sure from the start I will not be able to get a proper service from these people so I called Dale the organizer who fortunately then was at Discovery Suites, just to make sure I will get the friday booking. He said that Hazel confirmed my reservation for 5k+ pesos. I said why did the website say that local rates are only 4,100++? I think these people from Discovery hotel are used to doing short cuts, talking to stupid people and think they can always get away with it. Well I do my research. I had been travelling the world over but never received this type of service!

Now back to friday evening at Discovery Suites. After I was able to check in, I requested the front desk to pls ask the bell boy to bring my stuff to my room asap as I need some papers in my bag badly which I need to give to the messenger.

10, 20, 30 minutes have passed. I had called thrice to follow up. The fourth time, I was sounding upset, the girl on the other line said she thought I was requesting my suitcase to be brought down! Can you beat that???? I really do not know what planet these people from Discovery Suites come from but for sure they were put there without training at all!

After my sixth follow up and suffering an hours delay with my gym and spa appointment, I decided to bang the phone and storm down myself to get my bags. I decided so when the girl on the other line asked how my bag looked like! "expletives"!!! If they know what they are doing, they surely must have labeled my bags, so all they need to ask is my name!

When I reached the ground floor, the cart is still there near the front desk.The place was not full of carts nor guests so I really do not know whats taking them. I grabbed the cart and hoarded my stuff myself. A hotel staff seemed to want to help but I said no way will they touch my things!

Upon entering the elevator, another hotel staff asked what my room number was, and I sarcastically said, he doesnt have to know!

I was really boiling angry! Here I was hoping to have a relaxing day but all I experienced was extreme upset and anger!

After giving instructions to beverly and jing, I changed for the gym. I told the spa people I will be delayed for treatment since I wanted to do a few mins of treadmill and steam. After about half an hour I rushed to the spa place.

I was brought to the treatment room then the therapist said I can lie down for the massage. Huh? I said, I got a package not just a massage which I confirmed thrice (the last time was before I went to the gym! I was wondering why the bed didnt have any plastic cover or something for I know it will start with a salt scrub. She apologiz.ed and check with the receptionist. True enough it was a package I reserved.

The only saving grace this evening was the excellent service of the therapist.

Since I finished close to midnight I checked again with the service staff via the phone if any other hotel eateries were opened. I know the resto closes 11pm but the front desk girl who checked me in said a bar is opened after 11pm. Would you believe the other party on the line dont seem to know what the hotel outlets are? I was always put on hold for every question since he or she needs to ask what the answer was.

Actually when I asked what hotel eateries were still opened, the guy on the other line didnt seem to understand what 'eateries' meant. He had to ask again.

I seem to think that these guys from guest relations answering the phone are all trainees or contractual guys.

I asked about the bar and they said it was closed. I asked about the Serendipity lounge and they said thats were guests take their breakfast. So where is the bar? Nada.

I had no choice but to order room service. I wasnt that hungry but just wanted to gorge a bit in preparation for my hunger weekend :)

After my meal, I double locked my room and tried sliding the other lock. Hmm it didnt want to reach the other pair. I kept trying but it woulnt reach the lock. I then called for help and they sent someone.

He showed me where the double lock was. I said I knew that what I was complaining about was the slide. He tried it. It wouldnt work. It means from the time the hotel was built that lock never worked!

I guess all the other guests were just tired of complaining about other services and never insisted that this contraption be changed.

For someone who has been travelling all her life, and as my dad has always taught me, I need to secure all locks before I sleep. I told the hotel staff I am not in makati, this is ortigas so I dont think I will feel as safe. He said he will report it.

Oh well, I guess I just need to put a chair against the door, no choice. I hope the weekend will be less stressful.

One thing I vowed to do is to tell the world about the rotten service of Discovery Suites. Truly disappointing and embarrassing for the country.