Whitewashed walls, chess-tiled bathroom floor, wooden furniture all over – These are but some of the details that give Tower Inn Davao a homey and country feel. The place reminded me of my school's dormitories: it was a bit tired looking, but familiar and welcoming.
ROOM. My colleagues and I stayed at this hotel for a conference. Room 411, where my roommate and I were assigned, had 2 twin beds, an air conditioning unit and a very tiny CRT television. Bath towels, soap and shampoo were provided for on our first day of stay.
Room 411 looked as if it was designed for heavy shoppers, as the room had a very huge closet where we could stuff a lot of things. We felt the space could use additional scrubbing or insecticide spraying though. My roommate and I ended up sleeping together on just one bed after an uncomfy encounter with bed bugs.
The bathroom was stylishly appointed. It reminded us of the program “Shabby Chic.” Our only complaint was that we had to take a literally cold shower from 7 a.m. onwards. For some reason, the heater just stopped working.
SERVICE. The service was generally efficient and quite fit for business travelers and backpackers on the go. Checking in and out was quick; the security guards polite; the restaurant staff attentive. Cleaning appeared to be on special request as our room was virtually untouched on the entire leg of our stay from December 10 to 12.
Tower Inn Davao offers room service. However, meals (priced between P115 and P220 a set) can also be served and eaten at the restaurant. We found the choices varied, healthy and sumptuous. All breakfast sets came with hot coffee and fresh fruits.
AMENITIES. Apart from housing a very good in-house restaurant called “Ate Loleng’s,” Tower Inn Davao is a WIFI hotspot. Guests who bring their own laptops can connect to the Internet for free. The lobby is a clean, nicely maintained area for socializing and picture taking.
LOCATION. We were quite pleased with Tower Inn Davao’s prime location. Hailing taxicabs no matter what time of the day (or night) was a cinch. To and from the airport, the hotel is less than P100 by metered taxi.
For shopping enthusiasts, the hotel is a good place to be. According to the lady guard, there are 2 Gaisano malls close to Tower Inn Davao. The nearest of the duo is just a block away. To get there, you simply have to cross the street and pass through the opposite block. There are a couple of restaurants and eateries within the vicinity as well: the Dimsum Diner, a 24-hour take-away food shop, and – on the blocks across the hotel – McDonald’s and Times Square food court.
Minus the bed bugs, we had a comfortable stay at Tower Inn Davao. If the hotel continues to offer a 25 percent discount for new-wing rooms and a 50 percent discount for old-wing rooms, we’ve got this to say to the hotel staff: "See you next time."