Hotel101-Fort — Hotel in Taguig

Hotel 101 - Fort: A Disappointing Experience for a Balikbayan

If you're a foreigner, traveler, or a balikbayan like me, be cautious about booking at Hotel 101 - Fort. My recent stay was fraught with issues that made the experience frustrating and uncomfortable.

To start, the drainage in our shower was completely dysfunctional, causing a flood that extended beyond the bathroom into the room and even out into the hallway. This was not only inconvenient but also unsanitary. We were forced to relocate to another room late at night, which meant repacking five suitcases—a stressful ordeal. The new room offered an unpleasant view of the city, overlooking less appealing areas, unlike our initial room with its view of SM Aura Premier.

Both rooms we stayed in were in dire need of updates. There were visible signs of neglect such as chipping walls and peeling paint. The bathrooms were particularly disappointing in terms of cleanliness, with worn-out towels and empty shower amenities. Furthermore, basic amenities like a functioning power outlet for the blow dryer were lacking. The lighting options were also inadequate, offering no middle ground between complete darkness and harsh full lighting.

Breakfast was another low point. We were seated at a shared table where staff piled dirty dishes and trash right next to us—hardly conducive to a pleasant meal. The food itself seemed recycled from previous meals and lacked freshness or appeal. The dining area felt chaotic, resembling a flea market more than a hotel breakfast setting.

Adding to our discomfort were random loud noises in the hallways at night, making us feel unsafe and disrupting our rest.

Having recently stayed at Belmont Mactan in Cebu, which was a vastly superior experience, Hotel 101 - Fort was a stark contrast. Despite being Filipino myself, I cannot recommend this hotel to anyone seeking a clean, comfortable, and hassle-free stay. While the hotel may attract guests with its affordability, it falls short on quality standards expected by seasoned travelers.

On a positive note, the location is convenient for accessing nearby shopping areas such as SM, Market Market, and BGC/Highstreet. Additionally, most staff members were friendly and helpful despite the management issues evident throughout my stay.

In conclusion, if you value comfort and quality during your travels, it's best to look elsewhere for...

Check in is strictly 2pm. People starting to queue up 15-30mins in the checkin counter. Gave my son’s elementary ID and my license card which they did not bother to check the expiry. No cash deposits given! Asked why and counter said that becoz upon check out they need us to wait 5-10mins so that housekeeping can check the room if we need to pay something or not. There is 7/11 at the ground level. Its 5 mins walking distance to Market! Market! and SM Aura. First room we got has an issue with the aircon whereby it keeps turning off after an hour or so. So they assisted us to move to a different room together with their bell service staffs. We waited for the new room and move there in less than 20mins coz I already packed our bags beforehand. First room was facing the houses and can see airplanes flying and the 2nd one is facing BGC. Both rooms are clean and spacious. The toilet of the 2nd room is quite small compared to the 2nd one. The water pressure is not strong but not weak as well so pretty decent. They have a shower heater. They have safe deposit box, fridge, etc. But, one thing that I appreciated about the rooms are the sinks and the microwave. Such amenities are rare site and I definitely love it. Aircon is not centralize so each room has a window-type aircon. View is unobstructed. Drinking water, coffee and toiletries are provided.

Their staff’s response is quick. You call the reception for something and staffs bring or go to ur room in 5-10mins. They would greet you when you meet them anywhere.

Very easy to book a grab car to/fro.

We did not pay for a breakfast buffet coz there is a 24-hr Jollibee and other fast food in Market! Market!

Will I recommend and book with this hotel...

Nice place, brand new, very clean. Just two issues that may or may not affect you. I was in a room on the 12th floor facing the highway (SM Aura) and it was VERY noisy. Every horn honking, every fire truck siren, every police whistle…I had to use my earplugs to sleep. The windows are not noise resistant, just be aware if you are a light sleeper.

The other issue, while not major, is that there is no light by the mirror in the bathroom! There is one light on the ceiling, in the middle of the bathroom, so if you are trying to shave, or a lady trying to put on makeup, all you see is your dark face because the light is behind you!

This is a serious design flaw, and whoever designed this hotel should have known you need lights in front of you when looking at a mirror, not above and behind you! Interior Design 101, doesn’t apply to Hotel101.

The last thing, while not major, is how the will literally block you from leaving, actually holding you hostage, until they tell the security guard to release you and let you leave.

We checked out, and called Grab, and were waiting for it to arrive. When it arrived a few minutes later, we stood up to leave but the security guard refused to let us past! Evidently the front desk didn’t “clear the room” and give the guard permission.

As an American, I can tell you they don’t do this in the USA. No business can prevent you from leaving their business, unless you assaulted someone or commuted a crime. Hence, at Hotel101, they consider you a criminal until proven innocent. This pissed me off, but a lot of hotels in the PHL do this. I paid these guys a deposit, they have my credit card number, why do I need to be held hostage when I...