Manila Hotel Review: Is Sulit Dormitel really worth it?

My Experience with Sulit Dormitel (translated "worth it") which got high Agoda reviews and only costs $11-22 a day

I was intrigued. Why did almost 3,000 reviewers give Sulit Dormitel high ratings in Agoda.com? I know the area. It is a few blocks away from the Light Rail Transit (LRT) station and hidden within narrow, residential streets. Nevertheless, I stayed there for a few days to find out if it is truly “sulit” which means “worth it.”

Affordable but…

Agoda gave me a big discount and I ended up paying only $52 or $13 per day for a 4-night stay. When I arrived, I discovered that I paid for a super saver room which was located in their top floor. It was fine the first day, but going up and down the 4th (or maybe 5th) floor was exhausting without any elevator. I asked the receptionists for a room below but they informed me that “super saver” rates meant top floor. Determined, I inquired how much I need to pay to get a better room. Well, for only 300 pesos ($5.36) I was transferred to a mezzanine floor room that has a hot shower, a better WiFi signal and bigger bed.

Service with a Smile

You can order breakfast at Sulit Dormitel and eat in your room or downstairs. There is always a receptionist downstairs who is very receptive to your needs. When I was too sleepy to wait for a document delivery, they facilitated it for me. When I was looking for a laundry service, they told me where to find it. Like most Filipinos, they give excellent service with a smile. I met a few foreigners there and they seemed satisfied with their stay too. An American with a Filipina wife told me they stayed there before and will do so again. They find Sulit Dormitel truly worth it and I agree.

Food and Accessibility

Sulit Dormitel is near SM Centerpoint and V. Mapa LRT Station. You can buy groceries or eat at restaurants inside SM. If you are adventurous, you can try the stalls on the side street where almost all Sulit Dormtel’s neighbors sell something: snacks, lunch, something to drink or Philippine delicacies like puto (rice cake). If you need to go anywhere else in Metro Manila, the LRT station is a short walk away.

Common Misconception

Sulit Dormitel is different from Dormtel. You might see both names when you google it and might get confused. See the map above, Dormtel is a few blocks away from it and nearer SM Centerpoint. Moreover, Sulit Dormitel is a hotel and Dormtel is a dormitory. I also stayed at Dormtel and will share in my next post the advantages and disadvantages of staying in a dormitory instead of a hotel.