It seems this hotel is more concerned with their profit margins than the safety of their guests. The staff is not well trained and wait for management to help them make decisions regarding guests issues. We had 6 guests staying at the hotel in 6 rooms, 3 rooms coordinate by me personally. Our of total of six rooms, the following concerns were raised to management:
1) Lax security procedures when entering hotel. Really a façade as they are not fully checking bags and cars as they should, more interested in other distractions available.
2) Failing to answer the phone calls to the operator and/or front desk – If an emergency, they would never know. This happened daily and causes great concern for my guests.
3) Seems like a lot of unpaid interns working in key positions of the hotel. While I love to see training, not at the expense of the guests’ experience and all interns really know how to say when there are issues are “I’m sorry” and then smile and/or set up a meeting with a mid-level manager, who then is not interested in helping if they feel they will have to give you something in consideration of bad experience.
4) Management that hide behind the “policy” to prevent making concessions when things don’t go right during a guests stay including:
a. Circuit breaker problem which caused guests power to not come on due to improper wiring it seems
b. Offers no concession when bookings are incorrect (dates, 3rd party adverse impact saying “you should have book with us directly as since you booked with 3rd party there is nothing we can do” even though it may or may not be your fault
c. Cold water in the shower that engineering doesn’t understand how to fix and having to get a more senior person (unpaid interns)
d. Valet procedures having interns drive your car that don’t even own their own car.
e. Room service food that looks like it has been left out/prepared in advance from their limited menu if you order at night past 12am.
What we were told was we are sorry on each situation. Sorry isn’t good enough when it comes to the safety and security of guests at your property. I’m happy to say our groups will not be staying at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center and not holding any events there for the safety of our clients.
Room Tip: Lots of inexperienced interns learning at this property so they can keep costs down it seems.
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Stayed November 2016, traveled on business