1/5 Thierry B. 9 months ago on Google
Mixed
Experience
-
Cautionary
Tale
and
Room
for
Improvement
During
a
recent
trip
to
Cebu,
I
had
the
opportunity
to
stay
at
this
hotel,
an
experience
that
provided
both
lessons
and
insights
about
travel
safety
and
accommodations.
With
a
travel
history
spanning
over
1,300,000
kilometres
and
more
than
1,300
nights
away
from
home
since
2011,
my
journeys
have
generally
been
smooth.
However,
an
unexpected
incident
during
this
stay
underscored
the
importance
of
remaining
vigilant.
Upon
checking
in
on
a
Sunday
morning,
an
interesting
challenge
emerged
at
the
breakfast
cashier.
Navigating
between
old
and
new
Filipino
currency
to
settle
my
bill,
I
found
myself
grappling
with
the
different
notes.
The
cashier
and
I
sorted
through
my
wallet,
working
to
identify
the
valid
ones.
Little
did
I
anticipate
that
this
routine
task,
amidst
the
bustling
staff,
would
lead
to
consequences.
Later
that
day,
I
secured
some
of
my
belongings,
including
older
currency
notes,
in
the
safety
of
my
room's
lockbox.
Following
a
nap,
local
explorations,
and
sampling
native
delicacies,
I
was
taken
aback
the
next
day
to
discover
a
significant
portion
of
my
older
cash
missing
when
I
opened
the
lockbox.
Growing
increasingly
concerned,
I
engaged
with
the
hotel's
management
to
address
the
issue.
Despite
multiple
conversations,
the
mystery
of
the
missing
money
remained
unsolved.
Investigations
revealed
that
only
my
room
attendants
had
accessed
the
room.
Unfortunately,
system
limitations
prevented
access
to
the
lockbox
and
door
logs.
This
experience
prompted
a
reevaluation
of
my
travel
practices,
emphasising
the
need
for
personal
security.
I've
resolved
not
to
rely
solely
on
hotel
lockboxes
for
storing
money,
having
learned
about
their
susceptibility
to
code
overrides
through
online
research.
My
approach
to
carrying
cash
now
leans
towards
minimalism,
ensuring
greater
peace
of
mind.
Regarding
the
hotel
itself,
it
appears
to
have
seen
better
days.
The
room
could
benefit
from
updates,
and
the
"gym"
is
showing
signs
of
age.
Regrettably,
the
restaurant's
food
left
much
to
be
desired.
The
chicken
wings
my
group
ordered
were
undercooked,
necessitating
a
second
round
of
frying,
and
my
pasta
was
disappointingly
dry.
While
this
experience
served
as
a
valuable
lesson,
it
hasn't
dissuaded
me
from
considering
future
visits
to
Cebu.
Nevertheless,
I'll
be
opting
for
a
different
hotel
on
my
next
stay.
I
recognise
that
the
incident
resulted
from
my
own
lapse
in
judgment
and
the
importance
of
being
cautious
when
handling
money.
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