General Santos is the gateway to South-Central Mindanao. We passed through the city going to Lake Sebu and also Sarangani. Our companions from Backpack Photography took off a day earlier than us so we had to find a place to stay for the night. Tierra Verde, was my choice from Jen’s Peter’s Philippines Travel Guide. Bidding farewell to our friends at KCC Mall, we took a cab going to National Highway and was pleasantly to find the said mentioned hotel is under a new management and no goes by the name, Tierra Montana Hotel.
A Good Quiet Spot
Location was one of the reasons why I chose this place. It’s just along the National highway and a short walking distance to the Yellow Bus Station. There are also good eateries nearby. Tricycles, the city’s main form of transportation is also easy to hail just outside the hotel.
A New Hotel
It was late last year 2009 when the place opened under a new management. I heard some unsettling things from its former drive-in dingy hotel it was known but now it seems there’s no trace of dust from its past. The single story hotel looks neat and orderly. There’s a restaurant and bar and function hall for occasions, a small but good looking pool for that refreshing dip. The place also provides free WIFI on most areas.
Handsome Rooms
Even if the hotel is along the National Highway, the rooms are tucked in at the back so traffic noise is non-existent. We got there during a promo period where they were offering a P1500 room for only P999. And good thing some folks just canceled their booking so we got a twin bed room.
I thought the room was really spacious, lots of electronic outlets for charging and plugging in the gadgets, cable TV and cool airconditioning. The bathroom is a little cramped but decent. Overall, the design and tone had a masculine feel with dark and brown colors with white lines. It was a bit dim though even with all the lamps on. They could adjust the lighting to be a bit brighter.
Decent Hotel
We weren’t able to try their food since the promo price doesn’t include breakfast, but we looked at the pricelist and they were okay. There are cheaper hotels in General Santos but I thought Tierra Montana is real decent for its price when you add up the location, service and facilities. I wouldn’t hesitate to lodge here again.
Tierra Montana Hotel
www.tierramontanahotel.com
National Highway (Besides DHL), General Santos City, Philippines. (9500)
Telephone Number : +63 (083) 554-7733
Check here for Tierra Montana Hotel rates and online bookings.
Ferdz Decena is an award-winning travel photographer, writer and blogger. His works has found print in publications such as Singapore Airlines’s Silver Kris, Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay, Cebu Pacific’s Smile and Seair InFlight. He has also lent his expertise to various organizations like the Oceana Philippines, Lopez Group Foundation, Save the Children and World Vision, contributing quality images for their marketing materials.
