One El Nido Suite — Hotel in El Nido

The hotel wasn't too far from downtown, so tricycle rides averaged P50. There was also a free transport van that would bring you to and from the hotel and your mode of transport upon checking in and out. Sadly, that's where the good stuff ends. We booked 2 rooms at this hotel from June 2-5 through Expedia based on average reviews. This is a 2-3 star hotel, so I didn't have unrealistic expectations - however there were fundamental flaws that made our stay borderline unbearable. The first disappointment was with the so-called beach-view - the only "beach" you could see was in the far right, and the rest of the view was pretty slummy. Yes, there's a free breakfast buffet - but you get what you pay for. The dining area was nice - however food wasn't the best (on one breakfast, the scrambled eggs seem to have been saturated with water) - however apparently the breakfast is catered offsite and delivered to the hotel. Cleanliness was hit or miss. Yes, the hotel decor was modern and simple but the upkeep in between nights left much to be desired. Cleaning in the room I stayed in was okay, but cleaning was incomplete in the other room with the sheets left unmade and unchanged, towels not replenished, toilet paper not refilled, and cleaning rags left behind by the cleaning staff. The bathroom also had a weird stench. Next issue is comfort. The beds are hard - like really hard, like sleeping on a concrete floor with a sleeping bag. The walls are also very thin, and the way the hotel is designed is that each room door leads to the atrium-style lobby, so you can hear almost everything that happens in the hotel lobby (more on this ahead). Woke up several times mid-sleep because of the noise levels and the bed made of bricks. The biggest issue we had was the hospitality, or lack thereof. Apparently the hotel owner had hooked up many of his family/friends to stay over in several rooms (while we did), and those guests practically treated the lobby like their own living room (hence the noise). People were slouched barefoot on the lobby couches glued on their smartphones (one man was practically shirtless in his boxers), there was an out-of-control kid screaming, running and dragging himself on the floor, and dragging lobby furniture in and out of rooms, and room doors were left open with everything happening in those rooms being seen in plain sight. One of those guys is also apparently the secondary owning officer of the hotel, but appeared as though he would much rather engage in his smartphone game than helping run the hotel. Understandably, the front desk staff couldn't really do or say anything to remedy this not only because of a language barrier, but because they are their boss' guests. We tried to bring this issue up to the manager and we were told we would be able to speak with them the next day - but turned out to be "unavailable" as they weren't actually in the building (and supposedly only speaks Tagalog/Chinese). Front desk supervisor Anna acted as a proxy between us and the manager and in the end was able to grant us a 70% refund (originally 50% but after persistent negotiation, increased the refund). All in all, I believe the front desk staff (for the most part) work hard and were friendly and easy to communicate with and showed understanding - and I also understand their hands were also tied due to the circumstances surrounding these issues. However at the end of the day, this is a hotel - a place where you're supposed to relax and feel comfortable after long days of touring and island hopping. Unfortunately our experience at One El Nido Suite proved otherwise and just tells us this hotel is poorly managed. Unless you want to risk feeling like you're staying in a stranger's home and living with them while on vacation, I can't...

Review of One El Nido Suite: Horrible Experience, Unsafe Conditions, and Lack of Assistance:

I am compelled to write this complaint due to the appalling experience my partner and I had at this hotel. We initially booked for four nights but stayed only one. Unfortunately, due to their "no refund" policy, we are now fighting for a refund for the three nights we did not stay. Here are the reasons why we are demanding this refund and warning others against staying at this establishment:

Noise Issues The room was unbearable. The air-conditioning unit and fridge were so loud that sleeping was impossible. On top of that, the windows provided no insulation against the constant noise of traffic outside, and the gaps around the doors let in every sound from the corridor. To make matters worse, the reception phone—which is situated in an open atrium facing the rooms—rang loudly every hour, disrupting any chance of rest.

False Advertising of Breakfast The hotel advertises a “delicious breakfast,” but when we arrived at 9:10 AM, almost everything was gone. When the staff replenished food (eggs and meat), only enough was prepared for three people, leaving many guests, including us, dissatisfied.

Unacceptable Safety Standards The most alarming part of our stay occurred during breakfast. There were large puddles of water on the restaurant floor due to rain. These slippery tiles caused me to fall and sustain a serious injury—a fractured knee that required hospital treatment.

The hotel had no basic first-aid supplies such as bandages or antiseptic. I had to clean and stop the bleeding myself. Despite asking for medical help, none was provided. They offered transport to the hospital, but after 15 minutes of waiting, no vehicle arrived. In excruciating pain, I had to arrange my own transport via a tricycle, which cost 100 pesos and worsened my injury. I am currently waiting for the hotel manager to address this, but after two hours, no one has responded. The reception is not picking up calls either. Complete Lack of Accountability and Assistance The hotel’s failure to assist in an emergency situation is unacceptable. Even after I returned from the hospital, no follow-up or support was provided. Despite my complaints, they have refused to refund my remaining nights or offer any compensation for the injury I sustained due to their negligence.

Conclusion: This experience has been a nightmare. We have already booked another hotel and will never return here. The lack of safety measures, assistance, and basic customer service is shocking. I am considering legal action if the hotel does not compensate us for the three unused nights and the costs incurred due to my injury.

To anyone considering staying here: avoid...

SCAM ALERT! WORST HOTEL EXPERIENCE EVER – STAY AWAY!

If I could give negative stars, I would. This pathetic excuse for a hotel completely ruined our trip and left us stranded with five young children, including a 7-month-old baby.

THE BIGGEST SCAM IN EL NIDO

We had 5 rooms booked for 3 nights through MakeMyTrip, with confirmed reservations and pre-arrival email confirmation from the hotel itself. But when we arrived after a long journey, the clueless, unapologetic, and completely incompetent staff told us they had only 1 room available and casually suggested we “look for options” as if we weren’t traveling with families and young kids. No remorse, no solution, just a bunch of staff who couldn’t care less.

STRANDED FOR 4 HOURS – HOTEL STAFF VANISHED!

With zero help from the hotel, we were stuck at the reception for FOUR HOURS, scrambling to find alternative accommodation in peak season. The so-called manager conveniently “disappeared” to avoid facing us, leaving the reception staff to shrug their shoulders and tell us, “Sorry, nothing we can do.” Pure incompetence, zero responsibility.

INTENTIONAL FRAUD – THIS HOTEL SCAMS GUESTS REGULARLY!

After digging deeper, we found out this is a recurring scam at One El Nido Suite. They routinely overbook and turn guests away upon arrival, even with confirmed reservations. Their previous reviews show countless people being scammed this way, yet they continue their fraudulent business practices.

AC DOESN’T WORK – ZERO CUSTOMER SUPPORT

As if the booking scam wasn’t enough, the one useless room they offered had a broken AC, making it impossible to stay in the humid El Nido heat. When we complained, no one cared, and again—the manager was nowhere to be found.

FORCED TO PAY DOUBLE ELSEWHERE

Because of these cheaters, we were forced to find another hotel at TRIPLE the cost just to have a place to sleep. We had no choice but to move because this disaster of a hotel left us with nothing.

DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL – YOU WILL GET SCAMMED!

If you value your time, money, and sanity, DO NOT book One El Nido Suite. They are running a full-fledged scam, ruining people’s vacations, and getting away with it. Book here, and you might end up sleeping on the streets.

STAY...