Lakad Pilipinas

There are three major factors why we always choose to stay at Hotel Veniz whenever we visit Baguio.

The first is its location; sitting strategically near the foot of Session Road, everything’s just walking distance from it.

Burnham Park is just a minute away for cheap morning, midday, and evening coffee and snacks. For something heavier, Session Road’s just a jump and a hop away. Ukay-ukay stores is practically just a skip from the lobby if you want to rummage for cheap second hand items; and for pasalubongs, Baguio Market’s just a street cross away. For far-off tourist spots, there’s always the inexpensive taxi’s right at the front of the hotel, and if you want something cheaper, the jeepneys are about five minutes from the hotel.

Second is the price; while not really backpacker cheap, it’s actually affordable if you consider the quality of the rooms.

We usually reserve their Junior Standard Room (Php 1,395.00 - good for two persons). It has two beds, cable TV and its own toilet and bath. No aircon though, but who needs aircon in Baguio right? What I miss though are windows, the only window it has is a small hole high up near the comfort room. Well, we get what we pay for.

The third reason is the best reason, free buffet breakfast. Yummy!  I always look forward to the first morning at Hotel Veniz for their buffet breakfast. Do check my separate post here for full details.

Note however that the free breakfast only applies to the first day of stay in the hotel, the succeeding ones are not free anymore, but they’re discounted nonetheless. There are times that they don’t serve breakfast buffet, and instead serve it piecemeal at the café if there are only a few guests in the hotel.

Now that all the good things have been said, let’s go to the other side of the coin, the inefficient and sometimes unfriendly front desk.

This should be the most pleasant area in a hotel as this actually decides if a guest would stay or leave the place. Unfortunately Hotel Veniz’s front desk is highly inconsistent in its service; sometimes gracious, other times indifferent or worst even unfriendly.

There have been a number of instances that we were asked to wait our turn and sit first at the lobby while they sort things for the current customer, only to see them attending to a newly arrived guest ahead of you. If they told us to wait, well they should also tell these new guys to wait too.

Another time, they asked us to wait (again) while they check on our reserved rooms. We waited and waited and when the waiting got too long, we approached the desk and it turned out they totally forgot about it; we did not get even one apology from the staff.

Good thing the support staff besides the ones at the front desk are very courteous and helpful and it somehow balances the negative vibes front desk peeps.

Despite this, I’d still recommend Hotel Veniz for those going to Baguio for a few days. We tried asking around the hotels around Burnham Park and Session Road and we still find Hotel Veniz to have the best value for money in the vicinity.

Hotel Veniz
One Abanao St., Baguio City
(074) 446-0700 to 03 | (0917) 506-0701
http://www.hotelveniz.com