Artina Zobel Residences — Hotel in Makati

I would not recommend staying in this hotel. I had loads of problems whilst I was there on an extended visit, and the staff were less than helpful. I chose it as the location was convenient for me at the time since I was working locally. I had a room at the front which was large and spacious, fully furnished. I thought since the hotel was on a back street it would be quiet; far from it. The traffic is horrendous. You get woken up every morning at 6.00 by the jeepneys using it as a thoroughfare. There is a loose manhole cover just ten yards from the entrance which makes a horrible clacking noise every time a vehicle drives over it; the sound bounces off the walls and into the room. The people opposite are always holding parties with karaoke music blaring out every weekend. So forget about peace and quiet. There is no hot water in the showers; at the prices they charge you would think it reasonable to be able to have a hot shower in the morning. Forget it. When you wake up there are bugs crawling all over the place. You open a drawer and are shocked to see them scurrying around. This can be quite unnerving for those of a nervous disposition. Although they try to minimise the problem of infestation, the pest controllers don't seem to be doing their job properly. The first week I was there I came across dogs faeces on the stairs, disgusting. Also there was a problem with the internet, very poor wi-fi connection, which they tried to fix but was still slow. Further, after the first few weeks the staff kindly provided me with a microwave so I did not have to keep using the communal one in the hall, but this was for their own sake: to make sure I paid for the electricity using it as each room is charged every month. The security on the doors is lax. I had a problem with a local girl I banned from the establishment. Security were made expressly aware of this but she still was allowed in to visit me. It does not help either that there is a fast turnover of security staff, with them changing all the time. We wonder why. And to top it all, some damage had been done to a furniture item in my room whilst I was at work. When I returned I made them aware of this, explained it was not down to me; it must have been the cleaners. They accepted this explanation and it was agreed I would get my deposit for the electricity bill back when I left. A month later they refused to return my deposit, going back on their word, now holding me responsible for the damage: basically they conned me out of hundreds of pesos. So no, I would not advise staying here for the long term, unless you don't mind bugs, having to be wary of stepping into dog mess, cold showers, poor wi-fi, being woken up early by noisy traffic, kept awake at night by loud music, and enjoy...

If ever the owner reads this, my sincerest apology for what I am about to say. I don’t wanna question the way on how you train your staffs. My partner and I have been staying in your hotel for more than 10 times now. Obviously, we kept on coming back because AT FIRST we didn’t see anything wrong on the service that you are rendering, well, pertaining on the rest of your team. HOWEVER, tonight. We’ve had a horrible experience with your front desk staff. Here are the concerns we would like to raise to the management:||1. WE ARE RETURNING GUESTS. It costs 0.00 to thank your guests for their loyalty. Well anyways, returning guests or first timer guests, show some courtesy.||2. As we entered the property, we didn’t get any “Good evening!” nor a smile. We didn’t even get a “How may I help you” nor “Checking in?” as we reached the desk.||3. We went outside to have some dinner, but unintentionally left the key in the room, admitting we also forgot our room number. As we got back, we asked assistance however, she was having this pissed off expression in her face. She made it worse when she made a “tsk” sound.||HOW. RUDE. CAN. YOU. BE.||||Don’t even know how to render a quality service. We are about to ask for a complimentary water but disregarded already because of her treatment.||||*||To the management:||Generally, I am saying this for your management to take action on training your staffs more. And this is on behalf of all those poor guests who have somehow experienced her service.||||The guests aren’t staying in your hotel for free. It’s your responsibility to hire staffs who would meet the quality service that you raised when you were promoting your property.||||||To the staff:||I understand that there would be times when you would feel frustrated probably because of the busyness or personal problems, but you’re at work. You’re getting paid. WORK for it with passion...

I got a very good deal from Agoda which allowed me to book their one bedroom for only Php 300. I wasn't expecting anything special since I already stayed in another Oyo branch in Makati. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the room I got has its own living area, kitchenette, and separate bedroom. The entire building is obviously a bit old but if you're not a picky traveler, this hotel works just fine (I think it was meant to be a condominium based on the room plan). It also has a flat screen television and a small fridge which I very much appreciated considering the minimal amount that I paid. The staff were friendly. I requested for a hair dryer and someone delivered it to my room two minutes after I hung up the phone. I also tried their on-site restaurant which has a long list of options. The food was good! My only concern was the very small elevator which is not ideal for people with claustrophobia. I don't think it can accommodate more than two people at a time. Other than that, my stay was surprisingly pleasant. Artina Suites is now one of my favorite budget...