Great hotel and staff,
comfortable place .. !!
By Jim Logronio from Marakina City, Philippines
Nov/12/2010
Overall 
Sabin Resort Hotel - a very nice, comfortable place to stay if you are in Ormoc even if its for pleasure or business purposes.
The Pool Area at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
Reasonable cost @ 1850 per day. Clean rooms, beddings, comfort room. There is a restaurant that serves acceptable food at a good price.
Hotel Lobby at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
Clean swimming pool even the pool area itself. At night its very cozy, romantic. "Would stay there again without hesitation. I highly recommend Sabin Resort Hotel.
Date of Stay: October 2010
Liked: Clean rooms and beddings, clean swimming pool, very cozy and romantic at night ..
Disliked: ...
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? Yes.
Beautiful location,
service could be better.. !!
By Greg B. from Canberra, Australia
Jul/30/2010
Overall 
This hotel has one of the best locations I have every seen. The views from the pool and the restaurant are unbelievable.
The poolside room was comfortable, but the aircon was noisy at night.
The staff at reception were not very helpful when asked for tour information for Ormoc city, and the waitresses in the restaurant were not very attentive.
Breakfast is not included in the room tarif, and is just ok, no more than that.
Fast free wifi is available in the hotel lobby.
The swimming pool is fantastic, and overall, this hotel is good value!!
Date of Stay: July 2010
Liked: very nice location, fast free wifi at the hotel lobby, fantastic swimming pool
Disliked: front desk staff not very helpful, waitresses in the restaurant not very attentive
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? yes
Nice ambiance,
TERRIBLE service .. !!
By Abtik from Cebu City, Philippines
Apr/10/2010
Overall 
The reason I chose Sabin Hotel to hold our seminar was obviously for its unequaled ambiance in Ormoc city (for now). But much to its regal environment was undoubtedly the worst service I availed in the whole of my summer excapades (April-May 2010) including business trips.
First, the front desk clerks don't care to wear a smile to greet exhausted travelers and guests. They don't seem to be happy catering to simple and doable requests.
Here's a concrete example. I suggested to one of the waiters to please put a "Pls use the other door." sign in the damaged door in the function room we rented. He unabashedly replied, "Aw, bayad ug maguba.". Total idiot and ill-mannered, just like the front desk girls. I prefer to call them girls instead of ladies for the lack of right attitude.
The hotel owners might need a look into this. Their own staff needs to undergo a training on customer service. Or better yet, revamp them. There are a lot of BS HRM gradautes who are more willing to work with dignity and pride. People who value clients. People who are service-oriented.
Date of Stay: April 2010
Liked: nice ambiance
Disliked: undoubtedly the worst service ever, front desk clerk no smile or greeting, no customer sevice at all an NOT service-oriented
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no
Nice hotel but rooms need upgrading .. !!
By Emanon from Bangkok, Thailand
Apr/04/2010
Overall 
To Sabin Management & Staff:
Good hotel specially the pool but you need to do something about all your rooms as i noticed that they all need some upgrading.
We stayed at 1 of your cottages opposite the pool ... boring room ambience, no picture frame or some wall decorations, dull color of painting, bathroom was dark some other light bulbs not working, a lot of ants specially outside the front door.
Roof was leaking when there's rain. No complimentary drinking water at least. Linens are old & been ripped.
If u could pls do something quickly about these all so then it will be a good recommendation to others. Many thanks!
• Restaurant food was good
• Entertainment was good
• Staff service needs to improve as too slow
• Front desk staff needs to be more friendly & appealing
• Upgrade your front desk ambience & the lobby area
Date of Stay: January 2010
Liked: nice pool, good food at restaurant
Disliked: rooms need updating, bathroom too dark, some light bulbs not working, many ants outside, roof was leaking, linens old & ripped, staff service too slow, front desk staff unfriendly
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? yes
Good food, good pool ...
but hotel itself needs an overhaul
By FlipCanuckBrit from Ludvika, Sweden
Nov/11/2009
Overall
Hotel Lobby at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
This is a hard one. Can I honestly recommend the hotel? The grounds are very nice. The pool is nice and they are working on extending the beach area. Also, the food in the restaurant was good. They had a good halo-halo. Admittedly, that is the most that I can recommend.
Dampy ceiling at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
The room was terrible. We had adjoining "deluxe" rooms with my parents and the rooms were dark, the bathroom shower did not seem particularly clean and there were ants all around the air conditioner.
Ants in Room at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
When we checked in, I noticed as the bellboy was opening our door that there were ants at the threshold. Upon opening the door, it was because there was a dead lizzard that was being fed upon. I asked him to get rid of it. He kicked it unceremoniously to the side. Now whilst yes, he did do what I had asked, it was his manner that I didn't care for.
Not so clean shower at Sabin Resort Hotel ..
My mother almost hurt herself due to a dripping drain tap in a dimly lit bathroom and she slipped. She had asked housekeeping to fix the lightining the night before and they had not done so properly.
Ormoc does not have many options in the way of hotels. We were really looking forward to staying at Sabins but I must say that I was very disappointed. We had dinner at Ormoc Villa on one of the evenings and I must say that I think we would have enjoyed our stay better there despite the lack of scenery.
They had a small internet cafe which allows you to check your e-mail. I believe it was 50 php an hour for usage which isn't horribly expensive.
If you are in Ormoc and want to swim then by all means, stay here, otherwise, be warned.
Date of Stay: October 2009
Liked: nice location, nice pool, good food in the restaurant (halo-halo)
Disliked: dark rooms, bathroom shower not clean, ants around the air conditioner, staff has bad manners
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no
Very disappointed with the front desk staff!!
By Angel from Norway
Nov/09/2009
Overall
The new rooms are pretty good but yes, the front desk staff is very disappointing!
I've been in different hotels in Cebu .. I was so happy by the way they treat their guests there, how they approach you with a very friendly and pleasant smile, take good care of you and respond you as soon as possible as they could ..
Because of course they want their customers to come back and they want them to have a very nice and unforgettable stay.
If the guests were happy with their stay then they are more likely to recommend your hotel to their friends who are planning to visit your place!
But at the Sabin Resort Hotel at 3 mornings we had to request for a room service for 4 times for them to clean the room ..
We started to call the front desk at early in the morning, next was during lunch time, then again at 3pm. Then before dinner my wife had to go to their room service office until they did something .. !!
The location is nice the price is OK but the management should try to educate the staff to be more service minded because they are dealing with customers and tourists as well and one might think that they would like their customers to come back some day.
Also the staff should know that their guests should stay privately even if they are no longer staying at the hotel! It is not their right to talk about their guests or share it to anyone, e.g. about who and what had happened inside the establishment!
One morning when we were at the lobby we heard the front desk ladies talking about their guests! I think the management should try to change or improve the people who are working there right now!
Date of Stay: July 2009
Liked: the location is nice, the price is ok, nice rooms
Disliked: very disappointing front desk staff, very slow room service, staff is not service minded at all
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no
Adams Family Values
By Nevroyan from Northampton, England
Sep/18/2009
Overall
How is it that Starbucks and McDonalds can train up their youthful employees to SMILE and engage the customer in some friendly banter whilst others involved in the hospitality sector fail miserably to deliver what is not exactly rocket science?
After a rough crossing from Cebu in the Supercat ferry even a plastic smile would have been nice. But the hatchet faced lady behind the desk looked like she was auditioning for an Adams Family movie.
Like so many other reviewers we were given a frosty reception and a disapproving glance at my partner's admittedly short skirt. In fact the lady appeared to be supervising a new trainee and seemed oblivious to a rapidly growing queue as observation replaced participation as the priority of the day.
Yes, you have guessed it ... our experience mirrored that of other writers here. The pool setting and the lobby area were simply beautiful and so atmospheric at night but the overall experience was flawed by the incompetence of the front desk and the failure of anyone to answer the room service extension for a whole morning.
Full marks though to the quality and choice of food and to the waiter who manfully wielded a gigantic fan as he made futile attempts to fend off a plague of flies at breakfast.
Would we go again? Bizzarely yes, because despite the faults it is a lovely place to stay, especially in one of the poolside villas that boast a bath tub. If only someone could introduce a unit on "giving the customer a good experience" into the company training manual.
Date of Stay: September 2009
Liked: loved the poolside villa with bath tub, good food
Disliked: very unfriendly and incompetent front desk staff
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? yes
Does the guest have to ask for a simple 'hello' and a smile .. !?
By Kanojoe from VIC, Australia
Jul/30/2009
Overall
I stayed with my friend there for 3 nights. As I read so many other reviews about the hotel, all I can say I agree.
I mean the place is good, got a good layout, it's a bit hidden but safe thanks to the armed guards in the front of the entrance.
To get there is easy by tricycle, but you have to be careful especially with the fares at night, they may rip you off. If you have no native helper they take it from you. One day you pay 20 Peso next time you pay triple.
Anyway arriving at the front desk to check in, we were NOT really greeted with a nice "hello good afternoon, how can I help you?" That made me feel like if i have to ask for permission to speak to the Lady behind the desk there.
I understand it's not Europe or Australia or America where you get that service but for me the first impression at any hotel I ever stayed marks the quality of service. Does the guest have to ask for a simple hello and a smile.
Maybe a foreigner should be the manager or a trainer for the reception. All other staff there was OK but not really that what you expect, in some areas too many staff i don't really know what they were doing.
Over all it's not really my responsibility to tell them how to run this place but i hope they'll read it and turn things around to make this place the best in Ormoc. I only would recommend this place if they do some changes there.
One more thing: If they want a cash tip there they really should start fixing their manners up and look after the guest like a king.
Date of Stay: July 2009
Liked: good & safe place, good layout
Disliked: very unfriendly front desk staff, does the guest have to ask for a simple hello and a smile?
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? yes
The consistent unfriendliness
of the front desk and housekeeping staff disappointed us
By J. Adams from Seattle, USA
Jun/01/2009
Overall
Reading the other reviews of the Sabin I at least feel like it wasn't myself and my family that had issues with the staff. I don't know why they had to be mean.
The hotel, grounds, pool and setting are beautiful. The food is perfectly acceptable if not outstanding. The rooms were good enough although we did have a bit of an ant invasion.
Really the only part of our stay that disappointed was the consistent unfriendliness of the front desk and housekeeping staff.
This was our first visit to the Philippines and the Sabin's staff was the only group out of three hotels that did not treat us in a warm and friendly way.
The food service staff was nicer although they did have more language issues with English. Still US residents are so spoiled about speaking English I figure that's not their problem it's mine. I don't expect to speak English in France!
There are not that many places to stay in the Ormoc area so I might stay there again. I'll just know not to expect to find pleasant people on the staff.
Date of Stay: May 2009
Liked: beautiful grounds, nice pool and settings, very good food
Disliked: consistent unfriendliness of the front desk and housekeeping staff
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? probably not
Not impressed!!
By Jocelyn from Davao City, Philippines
Apr/28/2009
Overall
The hotel is beautiful, very spacious and very ideal for a family vacation. It has the nicest view, big pool, fancy resto, big lobby ...
But as you enter you are met with frowning, very unfriendly front desk staff. You are made to wait forever in the resto. The rooms are big but very dark. No hot or cold water to drink.
When we arrived, the balcony had dirty dishes. Those weren't even retrieved until the third day of our stay despite calling housekeeping several times.
I don't know if they are understaffed or undertrained. They should improve their services to match their rates and the beauty of the hotel.
Date of Stay: April 2009
Liked: beautiful hotel, very spacious, nice views
Disliked: frowning, very unfriendly front desk staff, bad services
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? no
Nice, but ...
By Mr. Hiltons from Ormoc, Philippines
Apr/24/2009
Overall
We stayed there 3 times and you still can't eat in the outside restaurant ...
Too many flies, and the employees come over and fan these disgusting fans over your food while you are trying to eat ...
Just get some food covers that you can place over the plates of food and hang fly strips ...
The employees with the fans are more annoying!!
Date of Stay: September 2008
Liked: ...
Disliked: too many flies in the outside restaurant
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? yes
No value for money
By Smiley23 from Vancouver, Canada
Nov/26/2008
Overall
Had wedding reception there, for 100 guests but food not enough for 70, good that wife family bring an extra lechon.
Hotel charged for children wading in pool,as not registered guests (really cheap).
Room leaked when it rained and shared balcony with another room. No drinking water in room, had to search for water in evening.
Views were good but service in restaurent was slow and overpriced compared to other locations in Ormoc. I was not impressed.
Date of Stay: November 2008
Liked: great views
Disliked: too far from town, no other eating places nearby
Nice stay but quite unimpressive services
By Leonardo Han from Lapu-Lapu City, PH
Jul/01/2008
Overall
Last year, I arrived in one of the places in Leyte, and because of the very nice people I visited with, I want to treat the family a nice weekend. I checked a lot of places and Sabin Resort catched my eyes. So, I get my phone and had a revervation.
I got a presidential suite located at second floor just above the front desk. It was nice and good. After all, we had a beautiful day, spending time at swimming pool, eating much at restaurant. Food is good and nice, though we too much waiting.
We got lots of pictures and sovenirs for me to show my friends and I guess it would not only be my visit, even though one of the front desk officer did not give me nice and warm friendly conversation.
Then, this year I'm back again together with my wife, and just last month we went back at the resort hoping to be relaxed. The worst thing happened was front desk officer was very strict and no friendly greeting.
Even so we still went on, we were hungry so we have to go first at the restaurant, we ordered lots of food and drinks but it takes too much time to wait. Still we kept our patient.
When the pineapple juice came we immediately gulp to it to relieve our thirst. But unfortunately my wife found something strange in the juice .... OH IT'S A DEAD MOSQUITO!!!! What a shock ....
I guess, we have to check first the food before we eat .... that's important ..
Liked: Swimming pool
Disliked: Unfriendly Front Desk Officer, Juice with dead mosquito
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? No way!
Date of Stay: June 2008
It could be worst, but it also could be much better
By Jorges from Germany
Feb/21/2008
Overall
At first glance, the place looks impressive. The built structure is nice, and the location right at the water, with a good view of Ormoc bay, is beautiful.
My apartment was big, as was its bathroom. The bed was comfortable. The hotel offers Internet access through computers in the business center and a wifi system that is, however, only accessible from the lobby and a few apartments. It was effectively available about 75% of the time.
The hotel has a number of problems. Service at the restaurant is slow and not very competent, to some extent due to the limited understanding of English by the waiters, but also because they are simply not very attentive.
Breakfast is a-la-carte only, and it took ages to arrive. The only fresh juice I got was pineapple, and the only fresh fruit was also pineapple. Quality of cooked meals was acceptable.
The resort does not offer a laundry service. My room was made up in the afternoon only, sometimes not at all, and the service was also otherwise inconsistent, sometimes putting enough towels into the bathroom, sometimes not. The fridge in the room was empty. There was no kettle in the room.
The room, and in particular the bathroom, was quite dark; the effort to install energy saving lights was taken to an extreme level. The air con was blowing directly onto the bed.
There were some comfortable wooden/rattan easy chairs in the lobby area, but neither in the room (not even on its balcony) or around the pool. There was not really anywhere to sit comfortably in the room in order to read, listen or watch.
Next to the hotel is a karaoke bar, and the wailing sounds that drift across are not always pleasant.
Liked: Overall setting and appearance
Disliked: Service
Would I recommend this hotel to my best friend? most likely
Date of Stay: February 2008
*This reviews are the subjective opinions of Tacloban Hotel Travellers and not of TaclobanHotels.com.
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