I was skeptical to write a blog post about our stay in Court View Inn last November 29, 2012 because there was nothing spectacular about it nor did we experience something terrible. Besides, we were only here just to literally sleep because we spent the whole day around the city and checked-out early the next day to catch the outrigger boat bound for Pearl Farm. I guess what prompted me to write this review is its 4.5 rating on TripAdvisor, a far cry from what I saw last year. In my honest opinion, this hotel is average at best.
When you're a newly opened hotel without any associations to the big names in the industry, good advertising (aside from excellent service!) is your best tool. Photos are a great way to market your hotel and the internet offers a strategic venue to lure customers. But photos on social networking sites can be deceiving. I chose to stay at Court View Inn because the hotel rooms looked clean and big in photos, the rates were affordable and it just opened three months before our travel dates. They are also one of the very few hotels that offer triple standard rooms.
Condominium Style
Court View Inn is more like a condominium rather than a hotel. It occupies the third and fourth levels of a commercial building located along Quimpo Blvd. Although there was a security guard who gave us directions when we arrived, I still think that it is of primary importance that the receptionist be the first one to welcome guests.
A quick look at the "hotel" and I could already tell that the materials used in building it are cheap. I am no professional architect or engineer though so my assumption is only based on my observation. I am not a big fan of plastic furniture because they give off a substandard vibe so Court View Inn's receiving area comes off as very cheapipay. I am sure they are trying to achieve something in here, like some sort of a minimalist style with a twist - they just chose the wrong material to go with it.
Very Basic Room
No matter how much I try to convince myself that accommodation is not that important because we're almost always outside anyway, I still find myself spending hours surfing the net for reviews every time I plan a trip. I think every traveler wants a clean room with soft beds, fresh linen, working AC and clean bathroom. Our room in Court View had everything I listed, except that it is too small for my liking, there is no source of natural light (window too small) and power outlets are scarce. We brought two cameras and three mobile phones and it was impossible to charge them all at once.
Food
Breakfast was hell - not because it was bad tasting or anything but because of the long waiting time. We waited for almost half an hour for a simple hotdog meal. Our coffee already lost its warmth when the food arrived. We needed to be at Pearl Farm's holding area at 8:00am but we couldn't skip breakfast because we were all very hungry. Ate Pong also had to pay a couple hundred bucks for the food because the triple standard room (that is good for 3!!) only comes with complimentary breakfast for 2. Huh.
It also irked me when I remembered Court View's promise of being the best alternative for businessmen staying in Davao. They should know that a lot of these people are always in a haste. Every single minute counts. Even a simple breakfast shouldn't be overlooked by the management.
Their Facebook page also boasts of a certain cafe that we weren't able to try because of our short stay in the hotel so I can't say anything about it. I would have loved to try their bestsellers if we had enough time so that my review of their service and food wouldn't be too limited.
It also irked me when I remembered Court View's promise of being the best alternative for businessmen staying in Davao. They should know that a lot of these people are always in a haste. Every single minute counts. Even a simple breakfast shouldn't be overlooked by the management.
Their Facebook page also boasts of a certain cafe that we weren't able to try because of our short stay in the hotel so I can't say anything about it. I would have loved to try their bestsellers if we had enough time so that my review of their service and food wouldn't be too limited.
Hotel Staff
The hotel manager was friendly and was checking on us every time she had a chance to, which I appreciate a lot. On the other hand, most of the staff were obviously new and didn't have enough experience. I think that Court View Inn should invest in their employees more because service almost always makes or breaks a company especially in this kind of industry.
Location
Court View Inn's location can either be good or bad depending on your itinerary and/or travel priorities. It is a bit far from downtown Davao but remember that no matter how big this city is, every place is actually very accessible either by taxi or jeepney so its location didn't really pose significant problems for us. But if you'd like to stroll a bit around People's Park at night or try food tripping without having to spend money on transportation, Court View Inn may not be your best option.
3.5 Stars for Court View Inn
I probably sound too critical for someone who paid P1,910 only for an overnight stay. Truth be told, Court View Inn offers a good alternative for travelers on the go who want a clean, private room that's still within budget; it's just that it's still not quite there and still has a lot of areas to improve on. Anyway, we stayed there almost a year ago so many changes may have already taken place since then. But one traveler isn't quite happy, based on his review here: http://goo.gl/QV5xPd. Ultimately, it is still the traveler's itinerary and travel needs that dictate where he or she should stay.