Ascott Bonifacio Global City Manila — Hotel in Taguig

CHECK - IN/LOBBY: Seamless check-in , smells ritzy. Coming from a 31 hour flight with kids. I totally understand that they only guarantee it for platinum members or similar. We arrived at 1030 am , waited for 3 hours until we finally got checked in at 130 pm. Extremely exhausted. RECEPTION : Helpful staff. I just wish that the management will provide a spare room for those who had early flight arrivals and allow them to do a quick shower/change (1 hr use) while waiting for the actual check in time which is usually around 2 or 3 pm (This has been a nice gesture from the hotels that we've been to in Hawaii, Singapore , Switzerland). BAGGAGE CONCIERGE - yes, you can leave your baggage but be aware that they don't have a proper storage. All luggages are just placed behind the concierge desk which is visibly seen by everyone in the lobby. HOUSE KEEPING- they were responsive and helpful. ROOMS - given the age of the hotel, it has been consistently well- kept/ cleaned and managed. Massive space. Nice, clean linens. BREAKFAST - the complimentary breakfast was a stand out for us. They don't offer a massive buffet like the other hotels near MOA but we like it that they curated it and only offered the best tasting/quality food. Their cheese rolls are a lot better than Mary Grace. Everything tastes exceptional. Their coffee is legit. The staff were attentive, polite and quick to clear our dirty plates from our table. We like it that they maintain professionalism by maintaining the atmosphere quiet and no one is chatty or laughing out loud among themselves. PARKING - a little bit of a hassle that you have to keep/show your receipts. They can do better than this (e.g. refer to the license plate and model of the car or issue a cartag). This should've been paperless. ELEVATORS - multiple clean and fast elevators are always available. LOCATION - loved that it's tucked in the quieter side of BGC but offers an easy access to shopping. BILLING - this is the only problem that we have encountered. We booked as an Ascott rewards member, given that we got the room on a special rate, they did not follow the rate that was given to us when we booked. We were overcharged by about $300. We didn't check our bill until we got to the US . We quickly emailed them and they acknowledged the mistake and promised to issue a refund. I just hope that there will be someone in their billing department to do a counterchecking of the actual billed charges. I'm sure it was an honest mistake but what about those guests who doesn't check their bills and were overcharged. A great customer service should also be protecting the guest's interest in order to maintain trust and reliability. GOING ABOVE and BEYOND - this is just a suggestion that Ascott BGC can add as a sweet touch- offer a welcome cookie/drink (this has been a standard for all the 3- 4 star hotels that we've been overseas, also since it's always raining in Manila, it'll be nice to offer an umbrella that guests can use while walking around BGC with the Ascott name on it to promote the brand as well and in the event that the guest loses it, it will just be deducted from...

We are a family of three and stayed here for 24 nights over the Christmas period for business and pleasure and overall we were very satisfied. The location is absolutely exceptional (everything important in BGC is within walking distance and with a 10 minutes grab ride you are in Makati; there are also plenty of restaurants just downstairs). The rooms are well equipped also for longer stays, they are quiet (no noise from the road and you don't hear anything from the neighbouring rooms), and well laid out. The bathroom is big and in very good conditions, with a double sink and a tub. Beds and lining are good and also there are plenty of towels. The facilities are also very good, in particular the gym. The pool is a bit small and a bit cold since it doesn't get much sun, but overall it is a nice addition to the facilities. Staff are all very accommodating and very personable. So why not an excellent rating? Because there are essentially 3 issues: Breakfast is a let down. The choice is limited, there is little variety, the food caters mainly for local tastes and is overall of poor quality. To remedy this, I was forced to buy smoked salmon in the nearby supermarket and bring it to breakfast to make myself a sandwich as otherwise I would not have been able to eat anything. Also the cooked breakfast on offer (eggs etc) is very basic: they are unable to cook even a soft boiled egg and, what's worse, they don't even have an egg stand to allow you to eat it. The fruit on offer is also of poor quality (only pale watermelon and acidic pineapple). Cold cuts are inedible. The only saving grace is the coffee (the espresso is actually not too bad) and the chia seeds pudding. Air conditioning and air quality inside the room is a bit of a problem. First of all there is no possibility of opening the windows as there are no windows: all the glass is sealed. Since the range hood of the kitchenette is not strong enough to eliminate the smell of cooking and since sometimes even the smell of food from the building pipes seeps into the room, there would be a need to change the air but this is not possible as there are no windows. The aircon is a bit noisy (and so is the fridge). Besides, no matter how you set the fan speed, it will always run at the same speed (i.e. quite high) and it is impossible to set the temperature well: if you set it at 24 it gets too cold, at 25 it becomes stuffy so one is constantly shuffling with the temperature setting. Some long term guests tend to consider the place as their own and it can get too noisy with children shouting, diving and playing ball games around the pool area. There are no rules such as 'no ball games' in the pool and the existing rules (such as 'no diving') are not enforced. So at times the pool area may become too rowdy and the guests who want to relax are forced to either leave or put up with the hubbub.

Apart from these three problems, the place stands out in BGC in terms of overall quality and we would...

I'd like to personally recommend Ascott and its crew for the superb service! I was really in for a surprise. The valet service is very convenient. If you will take notice of my googles reviews, I give heavy reviews on valet service of establishments that I had went to and apparently, Ascott offers a very convenient valet service. And if you did check in at Ascott, the valet is free but please do make sure upon check out, the front office person validates your ticket.

One of the things I would like to give commendation on is the check in process. My check-in time was early (2 hours early) and the front office person understood the urgency. The person was able to provide a room right away. We were then given 2 key cards.

I booked for a 1 bedroom Executive room and the room is absolutely majestic. (Please see photos)

Our luggages were then brought by Mr. R. Mr. R politely introduced himself. He walked us through all the amenities in the room.

I went straight to the bathroom and found "L'occitane bath amenities." You will find in my uploaded photos their very sleek designed bathroom.

I personally think Ascott is a wonderful place to consider when planning on a staycation for a day or two. Honestly, there are so many things to do here... Get a massage by the pool or in your own room, relax at the sauna, get your fitness together at their fully equipped gym center, dip into their hot tub, or just experience the infinity pool, which is absolutely perfect for sunset or night swimming.

Here are some of their superb services and ultimate conveniences: Laundromat (yeap inside your own room) Laundry service concierge luggage storage dry cleaning safety deposit box

If you are the active parent and would like to brings your lil kiddos, Ascott is definitely kid-friendly as this place also offers a playground, kids swimming pool, kids club, and babysitting service (yup perfect for dads and moms out there who would like to have few drinks by Ascott's poolside bar. I did hangout by the pool but I was so consumed by the information being provided to me by the pool guy who shared delightful stories!

Seriously, GREAT STAFF! I enjoyed everyone.. really. I highly...