SULIT DORMITEL Mobile No. 0998 580 02 54 |
Hello, everyone! Sharing to you our latest staycation experience we had in Sulit Dormitel along Santa Mesa, Manila. And as its name suggests, sulit talaga! Let me run you through our whole trip:
Double Room for P789 (overnight), booked via the Traveloka mobile app
LOCATION & LOBBY AREA
Check the map above for the exact location. We rode the LRT2 and dropped off at Sta. Mesa station. From there, it’s a 3-minute walk from Aurora Blvd. to Baldovino St. and then finally, to Road 3 where the hotel can be found. The streets are packed with residents, boarders, stores and people of all ages either doing business or just hanging around- our typical Pinoy barangay environment.
If you’re not from the area and it’s your first time around, you might feel scared because anything can happen. But we’ve been here a couple of times already to tell that the streets are just too busy and crowded for anyone to do something illegal (and stupid). People would gang up on the bad guy right away.
There’s no security guard, but the entrance of the hotel has an automated lock controlled by the receptionist on duty. You can rest easy knowing not anyone can just waltz in the place. The lobby is spacious, and is combined with a sort of common-slash-dining area. Customers hang out here to use the Wi-Fi net with their laptops, eat food ordered from the hotel kitchen or just watch the TV. For a ‘cheap’ hotel, I’m surprised the receiving area is spick and span, knowing it’s usually where all the dirt from outside all gather. Another thing to note is that the staff are quite respectful and accommodating.
THE ROOM
My first reaction was “Really!?” because for less than a thousand pesos, we got this awesome room for ourselves- for a full 24 hours! This is a good deal because on average, a budget hotel would usually cost twice as much. The double room we got is more spacious than those of other hotels, and it’s very clean! Not sure if it’s because the hotel is relatively new, or they’re just that serious with cleaning and maintenance.
Two towels creatively folded to a swan will greet you as you enter your room. The queen-sized bed is of good quality, similar to Mango Hotel or Mariposa (if you’ve been to those places) but definitely not like the atrocious skinny beds of Sogo! You may want to bring a thick blankie though for a better fluffy experience. The wooden floor makes for a premium homey feel, and the bathroom is, you guessed it, sparkly clean as well! We have the typical sink, toilet with bidet and a shower without a heating component.
Toiletries are provided for free- the two soaps, toothbrushes, shampoo and toothpaste are all neatly tucked in a ZenRooms pouch (which you can take home for free). The LED TV is a 42-inch (I think?) Xenon, a brand I haven’t heard of before but I was quite impressed with its quality! The screen is sharp and the colors are dynamic enough for a good watch. I brought an HDMI cable and connected my laptop for our anime marathon. The aircon is a bit small so it took time to completely cool our room.
FOOD & SERVICE
What kind of staycation it would be if you can’t have breakfast, lunch or dinner in bed right? In Sulit Dormitel, you can order affordable Pinoy silog meals and have it served in your room! There’s Longganisa (Hamonado), Tocino, Pork Tapa, Beef Tapa, Ham and Corned Beef, served with rice, egg, atsara and your choice of coffee or orange juice- all for 75 PHP! There’s also Lucky Me Pancit Canton for 20 PHP!