Mardale Hotel and Convention Center — Hotel in Mindanao

Stayed 2 nights June 6 to June 8, 2023.

I searched for best hotel in Pagadian city in YouTube and this hotel is the number 1 recommendation so I had high expectation on this hotel. I didn't want to leave review but I just want to balance the high rating of this hotel to give feedback so that they can improve on their services. The check in process was very smooth. The guy showed us our room and we both saw a small cockroach on the floor just outside the toilet (I just pretended I didn't see it). He just stepped on it and didn't bother to remove it. Previous reviews also mentioned about small insects. Our room was located on 6th floor. The Zumba place and in house spa are located on 7th floor. At 4pm of June 7, we were taking a nap then suddenly we were disturbed by loud noises created by female staff so we called reception then she said okay- no acknowledgement of the issue. No empathy and apology. So be mindful if your room is located on 6th floor- be prepared on the noise issue.

Most of the staff are not confident conversing in Tagalog. If you talk to them in Tagalog they will reply in Bisaya. This should be included on their on boarding program for the new staff because conversing in Tagalog is part and parcel of this business.

Check out process was smooth.

WiFi-I didn't use it because I have decent unlimited mobile data but receptionist commented that WiFi is slow.

Bed- very comfortable. Blanket- thin. Pillows- decent. Aircon- cold as Antartica. TV- I didn't use it. Has table and 2 chairs. View- Pagadian sea

For a price of 2,000 per night this is worth it but remember excellent customer service is the name of the game. 3rd world country does not equate to 3rd world customer service.

Would I book this hotel again?...

This is probably one of the worst hotels I've ever been to. Its bedrooms, toilets, its generic hotel decorations and overall aesthetics, facilities and amenities, and even location are just fine. Not superior, just fine. It's the people who are running this place that is incredibly problematic; it's as if they have no knowledge of customer service standards and don't know how to approach their hotel guests. Even on the telephone, the front desk staff either don't know how to greet you or simply uninterested to assist you.

And there's the dining area and the kitchen. People in these departments need to be entirely replaced. Most of the food that are listed on the menu are unavailable, the staff receiving the orders are rude and unresponsive, and the people in the kitchen are undisciplined and chaotic.

We were the first persons to arrive and order in the dining area and yet the food that we ordered reached to us only after the other groups of people from the OTHER TWO TABLES, who arrived much later than us, were served. I didn't get it. Why were they served first? Worst of all is that everything is so slow. Overwhelmingly slow.

Our pancake and omellete order took MORE THAN AN HOUR to be cooked. We even had to repeat to the staff that we were running late for our flights, pleaded to them again and again to double-time and pack them as take-outs so that we could at least eat our breakfast on the road. Still, everybody in the kitchen acted like there was no pressure, as if our concerns never existed.

What a stressful experience. If I could give a review that has no stars, that would be the one I'd be giving...

I have stayed in this hotel on a regular basis for over 5 years now. All through those years, I have seen how much has changed with the quality of this hotel. There are a number of available accommodations ranging from less than a thousand to the more expensive one. Room sizes, linen quality, and bathroom vary by accommodation. ||||While the room is well-cleaned, I have seen small cockroaches in several instances indicating the need for a pest control. Also, having the quality of dining services has deteriorated over the years. When I first stayed at this hotel, I was impressed with how accommodating the dining staff were. They even asked me to describe a food which I have been wanting to eat and they attempted to prepare it for me. I have also asked them to cook the fresh catch which I have bought from the local market (for a minimal fee).||||What used to be a choice of Filipino Breakfast and American Breakfast is now a choice between chicken hotdog and a corned beef. Filipino Breakfast and American Breakfast may still be ordered, although I have been declined many times by the new Dining Staff. The former friendly staff have either resigned or have been reassigned to the business of the hotel owner.The accommodating nature of the Dining Staff has likewise changed. What used to be a smiling and friendly Dining Staff is replaced with a non-smiling staff who is more inclined to decline the request of the hotel guests. ||||Lastly, the new Dining Staff are no more than apprentices who, it seemed to me, still has a lot to learn about Hotel...