norman
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Age: 39
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Joined: 21 Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Location: Angeles City
Home Country: philippines
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 Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:30 am Post subject: Practical Guide - Part Three |
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Practical Guide - Part Three: Dealing/understanding hotels in the Philippines, what makes them tick, and what makes them...make YOU tick.
Ok. So airports, taxi-drivers, vendors and beggars aside (naturally, not all hotels/destinations have beggars…or perhaps even vendors hounding the entrance/exit) you enter the hotel, perhaps a bellboy “insisting” upon carrying your bags and placing them on a trolley….all with sincere friendliness and smiles.
You approach the front desk and ask for a room. The common practice in the PI’s hotels as far as “financial matters” goes like this:
a) Often, the room rate isn’t openly presented in either literature or signage at the front desk.
b) Often, the “price” is “layered” i.e. one price for reservations, one price for “walk-ins” and a final price for “those in the know”. There is also the “apology” price, which we will soon discuss. Its all a price-game here in the Philippines, so know what to expect.
c) Reservation prices are usually pre-arranged prior by you, the traveler, and are pretty much set-in stone, unless of course you weren’t ultra-specific about the room, i.e. you didn’t specify a non-smoking room, or a king-size bed as opposed to two singles. It is not uncommon for the hotel to “pull a fast one on you” and say: “Sorry sir/Maam, but we only have your reservation for the room we have available. If you want anything different, those rooms are fully booked (or so they say) and we only have a “superior” room for a higher cost/price.”
d) This aforementioned “apology price” often occurs with “walk-in” guests. You ask for a Basic Room for 1800peso, but “We are sorry Sir/Maam” but they are full. We only have Executive Rooms for 2400peso.” Of course, give them “credit” for “trying”. If you decline and turn away, they might “suddenly” find an available Basic Room. Of course you never planned your trip to become a “Flea-Market” where you would have to bargain on a hotel room, but in the PI (and other places) that is simply “the game they play”.
e) The “walk-in” price might be thrown at you at 1900peso or a Basic Room, but when you legitimately stayed there before at 1600peso, or their website (if they have one) says 1600peso, then they will “cave-in” and say: “Ok Sir/Maam, we will give you the 1600peso price”. That becomes the “those in the know price”. Yes, it’s only a difference of $28 vs $34, which is a tremendously valued price for staying in any hotel as such in a capital city, but it’s the “principle” that might perturb some travelers.
f) So, you approach the check-in. Most hotels will insist on taking a credit-card “approval” or “security” prior to handing you the key. Some will ask for two night deposit++ if you prefer to pay cash. While you are waiting for the key, you might notice the posted “Currency Exchange” notice beside/behind the front desk, which will list the hotel’s exchange rate at several points LESS than the national rate. If the national rate is 56.1 peso to the USD$ on that day, then the hotel will most probably give you in the area of 54.4 peso to the USD$.
That is their obscure way of punishing their foreign tourists by using USD, Euro or Yen here in the Philippines. Just a point to mention, before you check-out, to make sure you have enough peso exchanged to pay the room, or put it on your credit card. (which allows the card-company/bank to douse you on the rate) Please note, that it isn’t uncommon for establishments in the Philippines to hit you with and extra 5%, 7%, or sometimes even 10% “service charge” for you paying with your credit card. Be aware.
So, all these financial complications aside, you are now escorted up to your room with your bags in-tow. Upon entry, you will notice your room is dark, hot, and perhaps a tad musty. Electricity is pathetically expensive here in the Philippines, hence most establishments will only turn on the lights/aircon in your room upon your entry, via a plastic card/key slipped into a “power control” slot. This means, upon your return to your room on a perhaps sweltering hot day, you won’t be greeted by the comfort of a cool room.
There is the option of either removing the room-key from the plastic “thing” and leaving it in the slot, or if it is a card-slot….slipping in an old card from your wallet that has a “stripe”. This works in most places, unless they have master-control switches at the front desk, where they remotely cut power to your room as you walk out the door…often forgetting/no noticing to turn it back on upon your return, requiring you to call the front desk and “remind” them.
In some smaller hotels/resorts, housekeeping will actually enter the room and turn stuff off manually.
So…lets look at the room itself. TV is usually ok with both HBO, Cinemax, CNN, BBC, etc. The showers seldom have piping-hot water (remember the high electricity costs) but everything else is usually ok. There often is a cute mini-bar/snack-tray presented in the room. DO NOT expect anything is free. Not only is it not free, it is often priced out of the stratosphere. Anything to milk the “white cow” of as much cash as possible. Were talking a markup from a cost of 14 peso to a charge of 50+ peso. These minibars/snack trays have no mercy.
They are rigorously checked daily to record your consumption and added to the room charges. It isn’t uncommon to have a toothpaste/shampoo/soap display in the washroom, that you assume is “included”, but is in-fact charged for. The hospitality industry in the Philippines is notorious for “hidden” charges....often stated as the “fault of the customer” for using them without knowledge of cost. NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING. They will stick that “sucking straw” into your pocket at each and every opportunity.
Incidentally, I forgot to mention, that the bellboy will most probably give you a forlorn look if you repeatedly tell him thank you, while he flusters in the doorway waiting for a tip. Remember, this a “you have so mush, I have so little” mentality that is common in tourist areas. No matter how much you tip, it is never viewed as enough (as YOU have “many money”) and if you give too much once, it will become “expected” by the same/other staff…even a moment later. It is not uncommon to have a bellboy go back downstairs to replace an inoperative-room card upon check-in, and unashamedly request ANOTHER tip, after the initial one you gave him just five minute before.
Often, it is suggested to empty the mini-bar into one of the side-cabinets and venture down the road to 7-11 and stock it yourself for a mere fraction of the price. (And no, unlike Thailand, they don’t supply you with a few bottles of safe drinking water. Nothing for free in the PI)
Laundry service is often charged by item, usually in the $1 to $2 range. Yes, its cheap compared to Hong Kong, but you aren’t in Hong Kong, are you?) Often there are laundry-services nearby that wash by the kilogram, and are a hell of a lot cheaper. Keep in mind that there are no responsibilities taken as far as damage is concerned (rare, luckily) and no guarantees as far as “time-ready” is concerned. There always seems to be a “delay” or a “misunderstanding” when such service in involved. Never assume anything. If you have a morning flight, don’t rely on the laundry’s “promise” that you will have it delivered by 8:00am.
Time often runs at a crawl here in the Philippines, but that is another topic entirely.
In a concluding reference to hotels, it is wise not to leave any valuables in your room, rather have them checked-in at the front desk. In most hotels the front desk is secure, but try to avoid temptation by flashing the valuables/cash in the open before you lock them up.
Please remember that the area immediately surrounding the hotel is more often than not, a breeding, festering ground for vendors/scammers/troublemakers, as this is a prime target area to nab/scam/mooch tourists. The hotels have neither care, concern, often neither any power to refrain them from loitering there. The city/government officials care even less.
The classic scammers are those that approach you with: “My friend !” They are not anyone’s “friend”, least of all yours. You “newfound friend” will often have an unmarked car and driver nearby…waiting for their prey to nibble at their “friendliness” bait. Remember the national pride of “friendliness” in the Philippines? Well, this is the unfortunate “dirty-underbelly” of it that occurs way too often in the PI, and is IMHO, the greatest cause of non-returning visitors to the Philippines. They will offer to take you anywhere and get you anything…during and/or after which they will either scam or outright rob you blind….often in the several hundred…even up to a thousand dollars.
These guys will always have the supreme and utter upper hand once you step foot into their trap/vehicle. There have even been countless instances where the tourist was baited into their vehicle, but miraculously discovered he was making a grave mistake, and stepped out of the vehicle, after which they demanded 2000 to 4000 peso from him/her/them because “they already “committed” to their scam-service. AVOID THEM AT ALL COSTS.
It’s the same guys with the same faces, with the same cars, who sit in the same spots outside the same hotels preying on tourists. This has gone on for ages, and won’t stop till someone unfortunately gets seriously hurt or killed. The danger is real and clearly evident.
(The worst a Tuk-Tuk driver in Bangkok would do, is coerce you to an overpriced massage/disco, which you could easily decide not to enter, and at worst pay him 200 baht to get him off your case for the “trip”. Rarely or almost never is there any threat of harm or violence. In the Philippines, there is often no mercy in regards to “many money” foreigners.)
Visit/Tour safe.
Coming next……
Practical Guide - Part Four: Understanding shopping and restaurants in the Philippines.
Practical Guide – Part Five: A guide to the single male/female in the Philippines. |
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