Inquiries:

Breeze & Waves Cottages did not have a website at the time of writing, but you can visit Hotels.com for the best deals on accommodations in the Paniman, Caramoan Peninsula, Philippines area.

Location:

The location of Breeze & Waves Cottages in Paniman is actually really good. It's right on the beach, near the center of this tiny town. The town is really small so there really aren't any bad locations, but since all the rooms in the new building at Breeze and Waves Cottages face the ocean it makes them ideal for this area. On the other hand, getting to Paniman, Caramoan Peninsula is somewhat of an adventure and it's probably the remoteness of this location that makes this an ideal spot for the filming of the hit TV show, "Survivor".

The easiest way to get to Paniman in the Caramoan Province from Donsol is to first take a van to Legaspi. From the main van/jeepney terminal in Legaspi, take the van bound for Naga, but tell the driver that you are going to Sabang so that they can drop you off in Pili at the Sabang Road junction. This journey from Legaspi to Pili takes about 2 hours. From the junction, take a bus to Goa which takes approximately 30 minutes. The bus will stop at the jeepney/bus terminal in Goa where you will take a 20 to 30 minute jeepney ride to Sabang. In Sabang, look for the Harry or Scandinavia offices or boats that go to Guijalo Port on Caramoan Peninsula. The boat takes about 2 hours to reach Guijalo Port, just be aware that the last boat leaves at about 2PM.  Also, there is no dock in Sabang so be prepared to walk in the ocean to board the boat or, if you are willing, let one of the porters carry you on their shoulders to the boat for a small fee (of about Php. 10). The porters will also carry your bags to the boat for the same price. When you finally arrive at Guijalo Port, you will need to take a 45-minute tricycle ride reach Paniman. Please note that there is only one ATM/bank machine on Caramoan Peninsula and it's located in the center of Caramoan on the way to Paniman. If you need money, get it before you reach Paniman or Caramoan Peninsula as the ATM machine in Caramoan isn't reliable. As difficult as it may sound to get to Paniman, it's really not. It is time consuming and an adventure, but well worth it. It's easier to get back as you can often take a van from Sabang directly to Naga, where you can catch an overnight bus back to Manila.

The alternative (and more scenic) way to reach Sabang from Legaspi is to take a van from the Legaspi jeepney/van terminal to Tiwi via the scenic coastal road. Unfortunately we can't recommend taking this route because many people end up getting stuck in Tiwi waiting for a van or bus to Sabang that isn't always available. You may have to hire an uncomfortable tricycle from Tiwi to Sabang which can run you about Php.500 and take several hours.

Room Comfort:

At the time of our visit, the new building of this family owned establishment wasn't officially open for business as they were still in the process of finishing construction and decorating the rooms. Despite not being finished, they started renting rooms in February of 2010 and they rented us the last 2 (of the 8 built) available rooms. The 2 cottages that they also own and rent were occupied, so were lucky that they had any rooms available as there is only one other establishment that rents cottages/rooms in in Paniman and it isn't as nice.

Our spacious room had a single and double bed. At the time of our stay there were no mirrors or a television set in our room, but we learned that they were already on order. The room did have an in-wall air conditioning unit that we rarely used. There was no hot water, nor where there plans to add hot water heaters in the near future. The owners do plan on adding tables and chairs on the shared veranda to each of the rooms, but at the time of our stay, only plastic chairs were available to use.  As we mentioned, the rooms weren't fully furnished at the time of our stay, but nevertheless they were functional enough for us to be comfortable and enjoy our multi-night stay at this establishment. Once the rooms are fully furnished, this will be a great place to stay.

Finally, the new building didn't have an electric generator back-up, but we didn't experience any brown or black outs during our stay. Similar to the cottages, the owners do plan on having a power generator back-up for the new building in the near future.

Cleanliness:

The rooms were new and clean. The restaurant was also clean.

Service:

The owners were kind, honest and friendly. Myrma, who was the part owner of this establishment, was always available and accommodating. We can't say enough good things about the owners of this establishment. She can arrange island hopping tours, transportation and anything else you might need in the area. She is also big on supporting the local community which we appreciate as well. Any establishment that isn't corrupted by greed and profits and supports the local community by giving back and employing local people has earned our respect.

Food:

There is an onsite restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. We ate fish and rice for dinner and although the dishes were simple, they were a good value. The breakfasts weren't consistent in terms of how many toasts, eggs, and so on you get, but if you are specific about what you want, you will always get it (provided that they have it).

Overall Value:

The rooms area a good value for Paniman, Caramoan. This area is still pristine and even with the increase in tourists to the area, it is still off the beaten track. We highly recommend a trip to this area. 

Other Notes:

• This area plays host to the Survivor TV show and depending on what and where they are filming, they might restrict access to some islands and areas to locals and tourists. At the time of our stay in Paniman, they had several sets set-up with the Survivor challenges that we were able to enjoy while they were not using them.
• Waves and Breezes Cottages has several items from the Survivor TV show at their restaurant, including the chairs that were used at tribal council.  
• Although you can enjoy the beach in Paninam, the sand is dark and filled with boats. The beaches on the many nearby islands are more ideal for sunbathing as they are white, beautiful and deserted. The boat tours are more expensive in this area than in El Nido, Palawan, especially if you can't find anyone to share the boat and costs with.

Photos:

Inquiries:

Taraw Cottages did not have a website at the time of writing, but you can visit Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in Sabang, Palawan, Philippines.

Location:

The Taraw cottages are located several meters behind the beach in Sabang, Palawan. We had trouble finding the cottages because their sign reads "Vista Cottages". There is another sign hanging above that sign and spells "Taraw" but the font is in a different font colour that isn't as visible and is easily missed. Nevertheless, the cottages are located about half way down the beach from the main road on the beach in Sabang. As long as you know to look for the "Vista Cottages" sign, it's easy to find.

Room Comfort:

The cottages are small and run down. Our cottage had 2 single beds and one double bed. The mattress on the double bed was really old and bend out of shape. The small en-suite bathroom had a cold-shower and a toilet without the seat (but this is pretty common in this area).  The only positive aspect of the cottages is the view of the ocean from their small windows, assuming you can secure a higher-priced cottage with a view.

Cleanliness:

It was hard to tell whether the cottage was clean or not because it was really run down. Even with our experience we didn't stay here long enough to be able to distinguish between the cottages' cleanliness or its poor upkeep.

Service:

The staff was not friendly. At one point we asked for an extra towel and they questioned why we needed a third towel instead of providing one. It was the lack of proper customer service that made us leave prematurely from this establishment.

Food:

Their restaurant serves lunch to the tour groups visiting the Underground River from Puerto Princesa. This is the last place you want to be at lunch while the tour groups have invaded their property. We didn't eat at this establishment so we can't comment on the food.

Overall Value:

We checked out about an hour after we checked in. We didn't like the way we were treated at this place so we felt that they didn't deserve our business. We were here long enough to be able to write this review with enough confidence to put our name behind it. Since a lot of accommodations in Sabang are similar in cost and look, it came down to how we were treated at this place for us to decide that we'd rather spend our money elsewhere. Sorry, but we can't recommend this establishment.

Other Notes:

• Sabang has a beautiful beach that is rarely visited by tourist. In fact, we spent a couple of days on the beach here and were one of only a handful of people on it. Sabang is mainly visited as a day trip from Puerto Princesa for the Underground River tour, which is a shame because it's a nice area to explore for a few days.
• Sabang has a locally run mangrove tour that's worth going to. The local tour guides are quite informative. It's a nice and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours learning about the importance and significance of mangroves in the area and the Philippines, as well as see local wildlife, especially snakes, lizards and birds.

Photos:

Inquiries:

Green Verde Cottages did not have a website at the time of writing, but you can visit Hotels.com for the best deals on accommodations in Sabang, Palawan, Philippines.

Location:

The cottages are located several meters behind the beach in Sabang, Palawan. The cottages are located about half way down the beach from the main road on the beach in Sabang, next to Taraw Cottages. At the back of the cottages is a path that will lead you to the main road through some local farmlands. The path ends at the main road, about a kilometre or two from the pier. We thought the location was good.

Room Comfort:

Since we arrived later in the day, they only had one room available that had it's own private bathroom, but not in the room, but rather adjacent to our room. In order to use our bathroom we had to exit our room. Although this bothered us, we decided to give this place a try since we just left Taraw Vista and the person helping us, who was a friend of the family that owned the place, seemed really nice. The room was small but had a double bed. There was no mosquito net over the bed, but when we asked for one they were able to bring one for us that we put up ourselves. The bathroom was big enough, but didn't have a lock on the door which made us feel very uncomfortable. There was no toilet seat on the toilet, a common theme among the accommodations in Sabang, and no hot water. All rooms had a porch with a table and chairs. We were really bothered at night as it sounded like someone kept going in and out of our bathroom during the night. These individuals were drunk, loud and disrespectful to the other people staying at the cottages at this place. Since anyone could access our bathroom from the outside, it proved to be a nice alternative to the shared bathrooms available at this establishment for those drunk tourists.

Cleanliness:

This establishment opened in 2008 so it's relative new. Our room was relatively clean and the mosquito net that they provided us with was also clean. There were lot's of small ants in our cottage but since this isn't a solidly built place, it's not surprising.

Service:

We were very pleased with the service we received when we checked in, but our initial impression turned sour the following morning. (This is the kind of stuff most hotel reviewers won't discover since they don't stay at the places they review.) When several people checked out of their cottages, we requested to be switched to one that has an en-suite bathroom. After some discussion, the staff told us that they are all full which we knew wasn't true. After about 30 minutes of discussing the matter, they decided they would not give us any other cottage so we decided to check-out. We truly believe the staff didn't want to give us a vacant room because they knew they would have to clean our room in case someone else showed up to claim it. (The other rooms were already cleaned and a daily cleaning service isn't customary at this, or most other places in Sabang.) They told us that the other room was reserved for someone who already had a look at it earlier that morning. Since I was up before anyone else, including the staff, this was highly unlikely. (We later confirmed that the room was vacant that day and night, so if they were telling the truth that person didn't show.) When we left the establishment, the owner followed us to our new place which was about a 20 minute walk from theirs. They waited until we checked into our new cottage and then accused us in front of the owners of the new establishment that we didn't pay for our night there. We were really upset by the way this was done and about the accusation since we had already paid. They could have asked if we paid in the 45-60 minutes that I was waiting until my partner found a new place to stay rather than following us to our new place and then accusing us of not paying. It turned out that the friend of the owner that checked us in, didn't tell the owners that we paid. We ran into the owner later that day and he confirmed that he spoke to the woman and she confirmed we paid.

Food:

We had dinner at their restaurant and it wasn't anything special. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. The food in this area is limited, so we didn't expect much to begin with.

Overall Value:

This place has a lot of potential. The location is good and most of their accommodations, other than the one we stayed in, were good value. Our experience started off good, but quickly turned negative. Despite our experience here, it's not a bad option in Sabang, as long as you avoid the room with the washroom on the outside.  

Other Notes:

• Sabang has a beautiful beach that is rarely visited by tourist. In fact, we spent a couple of days on the beach here and were one of only a handful of people on it. Sabang is mainly visited as a day trip from Puerto Princesa for the Underground River tour, which is a shame because it's a nice area to explore for a few days.
• Sabang has a locally run mangrove tour that's worth going to. The local tour guides are quite informative. It's a nice and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours learning about the importance and significance of mangroves in the area and the Philippines, as well as see local wildlife, especially snakes, lizards and birds.

Photos:

Inquiries:

Sunbird Cottages did not have a website at the time of writing, but you should visit Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in Sabang, Palawan, Philippines.

Location:

The cottages are located on the left side of the Tourist Information & Assistance Center at the pier; or, in other words, on the side of the pier where there is no beach. Specifically, the cottages are located a few minutes walk down a rocky path away from the Tourist Information & Assistance Center. We had mixed feelings about the location because we didn't like that the cottages were relatively far from the main road, the jeepney terminal and most food places in Sabang, but liked that it was much quieter here than at the places located at the beach. The establishments is still located near the water, probably closer to it than the establishments on the beach, but the only problem here is that the seashore is rocky and too dangerous for swimming. At the time of our stay, the accommodations located on this side of the pier did not receive electricity from the town's generator so they had to have their own generator in order to have electricity.

Room Comfort:

We stayed in the bungalow located at the front of the resort. Although this was the more expensive cottages the resort offered, it was worth the additional costs as it was very nice. The bungalow was very spacious and had 2 large double beds, a large porch with a hammock and very nice local decorations. The en-suite bathroom was also very nice and spacious but did not have much water pressure or any hot water. We stayed at three different cottages in Sabang and looked at most of the ones in the area and can testify that this one was the best from the available choices in its price range. This establishment has smaller, cheaper and more basic bungalows at the back of its property, if you don't want to spend the few hundred extra Pesos on this bungalow.

Cleanliness:

The bungalows were clean. The mosquito nets over the bed were a bit dusty and worn, but overall the bungalow and restaurant were clean.

Service:

The owners were friendly and nice. In fact, the owner helped carry one of our backpacks from another cottage located across town. It was really nice of him to help us as it was a good 20-25 minute walk and the bag wasn't light. We didn't particularly like that the owners neglected to tell us that their generator was broken and they didn't have electricity at the time of our stay, but we we didn't really require it anyway. Other than that, they were friendly and honest.

Food:

We tried eating at their restaurant but unfortunately they were out of stock on most items so we opted to eat elsewhere.

Overall Value:

As mentioned, this is one of the better options in Sabang. We really liked the bungalow we stayed in. It was well maintained, beautifully decorated, spacious and clean. Most places in Sabang are small, rundown and questionably clean. Although it was slightly more expensive than other places in Sabang, it was still cheap and a good value. It would have been better if this place was located closer to the beach, but it's not that far so it's more of an inconvenience than anything else. A 10-minute walk gets you to the beach.

Other Notes:

• Sabang has a beautiful beach that is rarely visited by tourist. In fact, we spent a couple of days on the beach here and were one of only a handful of people on it. Sabang is mainly visited as a day trip from Puerto Princesa for the Underground River tour, which is a shame because it's a nice area to explore for a few days.
• Sabang has a locally run mangrove tour that's worth going to. The local tour guides are quite informative. It's a nice and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours learning about the importance and significance of mangroves in the area and the Philippines, as well as see local wildlife, especially snakes, lizards and birds.

Photos:

Inquiries:

This resort did not have a website at time of writing, but you can search Hotels.com for the best deals on accommodations in Donsol, Philippines.

Location:

This budget accommodation is situated on a large property, within a 5-minute walk from the visitor center, where you arrange for the whale shark (locally known as "Butanding") watching tours. The resort is also located closer to town than Vitton Beach Resort, Woodlands Beach Resort and the more upscale Elysia Beach Resort. The walk to town takes about 20 minutes. We also walked to and from the departure or meeting point for the Firefly watching tours, which is located at the base of the bridge by Lola Erna’s Guesthouse on the way to town. Although this resort is on a beach, the beach in this area isn't ideal for swimming or sunbathing, so don't expect to spend anytime on the beach in this area. 

Room Comfort:

The local family taking care of the resort owns three rooms and leases the rest on the behalf of the landowners. We stayed in a room that is owned by the family. The room had a spacious private CR ("comfort room" or bathroom), hot water, A/C and electricity. The room was basic, the A/C was loud and the green wall colour wasn't that appealing, but the room was sufficient for a couple of nights rest. Our room had 2 double beds, one that we used for our luggage and the other for sleeping. All rooms had a nice porch with a couple of bamboo chairs and table. There was a handy clothes line on the porch where we hung our wet clothes to dry. For a budget accommodation, the room was more than sufficient for the price.

Cleanliness:

The room was clean. We did have small ants get into our room near the door, but they didn't bother us. We just had to make sure that our food and snacks were securely packed in plastic sealer bags.

Service:

The owner of the rooms was really friendly and nice. She was the kind of women who went out of her way to make our stay enjoyable. It's a not a 5-star resort, so don't expect the "royal" treatment, but for a budget accommodation she did make a good effort to provide the best service she could. When we first checked in we had trouble with our water heater, but as soon as we made her aware of it, she sent someone, who was able to fix it quickly, to have a look at it.

Food:

There is a restaurant on site. We had a mango shake which was good but small. Although there is a variety of food on the menu, not everything is available at all times. We didn't eat anything else at the restaurant, so we really can't comment further on the food.

Overall Value:

This is a good budget accommodation in Donsol, conveniently located near the departure point to the whale shark tours. Although the rooms are basic, they are more than sufficient. In terms of budget accommodations in Donsol, this is a good option. If you want to spend more than two or three times the cost of this place and stay at a more luxurious place, stay at Elysia Beach Resort down the road from this place. 

Other Notes:

• There is a nice view point of the beach adjacent to this one. Walk towards and past Elysia Beach Resort. A few minutes past the resort, you will reach a point where the road forks into two directions. There is a dirt path on the left at the fork that you will take. It's a few steps up a hill on the dirt path. If you take the fork on the left, you will reach the adjacent beach below. If you take the path on the right, you will be walking through some beautiful country hills.
• There is also a nice view point of Mount Mayon in the distance. It's located about a 20-minute jog (or 40-minute walk) on the path that forks to the right. Mount Mayon is located on the left side after about a 20-minute jog or 40-miute walk.

Photos:

Inquiries:

The hotel did not have a website at time of writing, but you can visit Expedia.ca (Canada) or Expedia.com (USA) for the best deals on accommodations in Legaspi, Philippines.

Location:

The hotel is centrally located in Lagazpi city, across the street from LCC Mall (which has a nice, big supermarket) and within walking distance to the waterfront area of Embarcadero. The hotel is physically located on the 3rd floor of the V & O Building, (an older office or commercial building) and the rooms have that institutional feel to them.

Room Comfort:

The rooms are nothing special, but from Php 700 per night for a fan room, we really can't complain that much. The room did have a private "CR" (comfort room), a.k.a. bathroom, but once again it was nothing special and it didn't even have hot water. There were lot's of mirrors and electric plugs which can be rare at budget accommodations in the Philippines. We stayed in a room with 2 single beds and the sponge mattresses were somewhat comfortable. We should mention that the room was really hot in February. The fan wasn't strong enough to cool the room and opening the windows didn't help either. Too bad the rooms with A/C were fully booked.  The room was small, dull and depressing, but good enough for a quick one-night stay. We looked at almost all of the budget accommodations in Legazpi and believe it or not, this was one of the best ones.

Cleanliness:

The rooms and bathroom weren't clean. The towels were stained, there was dust behind the mattresses, mould in the bathroom, but overall not horribly bad for the price of the room. After visiting the other accommodations in Legazpi, we were happy to spend the night at this one. We did see a cockroach in the bathroom at night which we obviously found disgusting, but at least we didn't see more than one. 

Service:

Check-in was simple and efficient. We enquired about Mount Mayon attractions and public transportation and the staff gave us good and accurate information. The hotel also has free wireless internet.

Food:

We didn't have any meals from their restaurant, so we can't comment on the food.

Overall Value:

Despite our negative review, we do recommend this place for the price. The other options in Legazpi under PhP1500/night are much worse. Given the lack of nice accommodations at cheap prices in Legazpi, this one is your best bet and really isn't that bad if you don't plan on spending that much time in the room.

Other Notes:

• Don't forget to visit the Church of Gagsaua when in Legazpi. It's actually located about 30-45 minutes outside of the city (by jeepney) but well worth the journey. The church was buried by Mount Mayon's lava in 1814 and you can still walk on the churches roof. It's a really nice, photogenic site with Mount Mayon in background.
• Another great place to visit, especially for a sunset meal, is the 7 Degrees Grill and Restaurant on Sta. Maria Street, San Roque, Daraga. This is a good restaurant at the edge of a large hill with a phenomenal view of Mount Mayon. If you made it to the Church of Gagsaua, this is an easy stop on the way back to Legazpi. Just ask the jeepney drivers if they can drop you off at Daraga Church as the restaurant is located right beside it. Just remember that the church and restaurant is about a 10 minute walk uphill. The meals are also relatively cheap and good.
• Please note that Legazpi is also spelled Legazpi.

Photos:

Inquiries:

The Inn did not have a website at the time of writing, but you can check out Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in the Sagada, Northern Luzon, Philippines area.

Location:

The hotel has two building. The original building is located steps away from the jeepney or bus stop in Sagada. In fact, Ganduyan Inn is the first building on your right after you get off the jeepney in Sagada. The second, or newer building, is located around the corner, a few minute walk up a hill from the original building. We stayed in the newer building and liked the location because it was quieter than staying on the main street. Since Sagada is a quiet, small town, there really isn't a location that's worse than another as long as it is in the center or near the center of town. All the restaurants and attractions are within walking distance. We wouldn't like to stay at the hotels located a few kilometers outside of town because the distance to the town and attractions is quite far.

Room Comfort:

The newer building opened at the beginning of 2010. The rooms are basic but clean and freshly painted. They also have their own private bathroom with hot water and a private balcony. The views from the room and balcony of Sagada town and the surrounding mountains are quite nice. The building had its own generator in case of brown-outs (or planned electric power cuts). This is one of the nicer budget accommodations in town and we were glad we stayed here as opposed to the establishments highlighted in the 2009 Philippines LonelyPlanet guide book.

Cleanliness:

The building and rooms were very clean and very well maintained. The towels and linens were also fresh and clean.

Service:

The Inn is owned by two local Philippine sisters who were very welcoming. They were very accommodating when we wanted something, including little items like hand soap, fresh towels, and so on. The owners were kind and caring and made sure that they did everything they could to make our stay enjoyable.

Food:

Although we didn't eat at this establishment, there is a small cafe / restaurant and small general store in the original building. The original building also has a small museum and souvenir shop.

Overall Value:

This establishment offers exceptional value for the area. We looked at many places in Sagada and for the money, this is the best in the area. Although this accommodation is basic and caters mainly to backpackers, we don't see any reason why other independent travelers wouldn't make this their first choice of accommodations in Sagada.

Other Notes:

• There is a great viewpoint near the town of Sagada that's rarely visited by tourist, especially at sunrise. The viewpoint is located about a 30-minute jog (or 60-minute walk) from the original Ganduyan Inn building. We had the pleasure of watching the sunrise over the rice terraces, clouds, mountains and towns in the valleys below from this viewpoint and think this is one of the best places to watch the sunrise on earth. We had the pleasure of watching the sunrise at many of the world's best places, but this one was one of the best that we saw. If you are in the area, don't miss this unique opportunity.

Photos:

Inquiries:

You can visit the hotel's website at: island-jewel.com or check out Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in Boracay, Philippines.

Location:

The hotel is located less than a minute walk from the beach. It is located on the south-end of the Boat Station #3 beach, off Angol Street. The beach at this location is quite good for sunbathing and swimming. We preferred it to areas north of this one as that end of the beach tends to be more crowded and busier. However, we found the location too far from the area around D'Mall where we found ourselves at least twice a day for their variety of food options, the local supermarket where the water was cheaper than everywhere else and where most of the action and excitement was concentrated along. The area around the hotel was quiet, so depending on what you are looking for you might find the location good or bad. We don't mind walking so we didn't mind the distance to D'Mall, but we certainly wished at times the hotel was closer.

Room Comfort:

We stayed in a standard room and liked it. The room was a good size and the clever shelving unit and handy night-tables made good use of space which allowed us to unpack and organize our belonging properly without being cluttered. The sliding glass door let in a lot of light making the room bright during the day. The sliding door opened to a shared porch where each standard room had a plastic patio table and some patio chairs. The room also had a very effective in-wall A/C unit, mini-fridge, safe, free limited but fast wireless internet, hot water and so on. The mini-fridge was fully stocked, so we temporarily moved some items out so we could keep our water cold. 

The bathroom was actually a wet room, meaning that the toilet and sink weren't separated from the shower. We thought this wet room was actually designed quite well and there was a curtain separating the shower from the sink and toilet, so the entire bathroom floor did not get wet while we showered. Most wet rooms in South-East Asia tend to leave the entire bathroom and bathroom floor completely wet.

What we didn't like about the hotel or rooms are the many rules set-out by the owner, although we understand why they are there. We are not sure if they enforce the rules, but it did bother us a little that they were posted. Examples of the rules that were in place at the time of our stay include:

• If you get Hema paint on the bed cover, you will have to pay PHP 2500.
• You can bring in guests but they have to leave their ID at the front desk.
• You are suppose to wash your feet before entering the hotel.

Also, we couldn't access any of the social networking sites (including Facebook, YouTube, Hi5, etc.) through their network because, according to the owner, they use too much bandwidth and it would slow down the network. The owner believes that the internet at the hotel should be used for business purposes only, (like checking email, booking flights, etc.) which we completely disagree with. We think that social networking sites are an important aspect of people lives, especially when they are on holidays. We wanted to access Facebook to stay connected with our friends, but couldn't. We hope that the owner will remove this limitation from his network.

Another thing that we didn't like was the need to provide a deposit for advanced booking. If your stay is 3 days or less, you are required to provide 100% of the costs in advance, and 50% if your booking is longer than 3 days. Once again, we understand why the owner has this in place but as customers and travelers, we don't agree with it. Most hotels in Europe and Asia do not require a deposit in advance and trust that the people that are making the reservation are honest enough to show up. If anything, we think the hotel should be able to ask for a credit card deposit that is only charged in case of  no-show or cancellations of less than 24-hours.

Cleanliness:

The hotel and rooms were very clean. There were little ants in our room but they really weren't a problem.

Service:

The service at this hotel was great. The owner and staff were friendly, honest and kind. We really liked that they didn't try selling us tours or meals through their hotel. They left us to ourselves but were there if we needed anything or had any questions. The cleaning staff were also were good and thorough and did a great job cleaning our room every day.

Before our arrival, the hotel offered to arrange transportation from Kalibo airport to the hotel, but it was significantly higher priced than if we arranged it ourselves.

Food:

We had breakfast at the hotel and it was really good. Breakfast is not included in the price of the room, but you can order anything on their menu which is actually a really good value for Boracay. The portions are good and the food is really tasty. We ate breakfast at many different places in Boracay but this was one of the best places that we ate at. If you are a guest at the hotel, you can get free coffee or tea from their restaurant before 8AM.

Overall Value:

We didn't find the high season rate such a good value compared to other parts of the Philippines, but considering it's Boracay it wasn't that bad. There are a lot of choices of accommodations in Boracay and you can usually find great deals, even in the peak season, once you are there. The advantage of looking for a place once you are in Boracay, is that you can find a hotel that's suitable for you. Some people value one thing while others value something else. With the wide range of accommodations in Boracay, it's hard to say whether this is the right place for you. The key deciding factor is location. This hotel is located in a quiet area, less than a minute walk from the beach. If you like that, this place is nice, affordable, friendly and clean. If you prefer to be more centered, than this isn't a good option for you. Although we rated this hotel quite high, we wouldn't necessarily stay here again because we would prefer to stay at a hotel that offers free beach chairs, has a swimming pool and is closer to the area around D'Mall. For the price that this hotel is charging, we don't think we'd be able to find that too easily unless we were looking for it once in Boracay.

Other Notes:

• The waters of White Beach in Boracay tend to have really soft seaweed when it's hot outside, usually during the summer months. The sea weed feels like thin, soft, green hair.
• To get to Boracay from Kalibo airport requires a 90-minute van ride, 15-minute boat ride, and a few minutes with a tricycle to reach your hotel. Although it sounds complicated, it's really simple. There are vans waiting to take passengers to the ferry terminal in Caticlan right outside the Kalibo airport terminal. The vans charge a flat rate, which includes the boat ticket, and leave once they are full, usually when they have 10-12 passengers. When you get to the ferry terminal, there are ferries leaving every few minutes. Just pay the required taxes and board the ferry to cross the small channel. When you get off, there is a tricycle stand where you will need to hire a tricycle to get you to your hotel or White Beach where you can find a hotel, once again for a set-fee. 

Photos:

Inquiries:

Visit remaripension.com or check out Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in the Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines area.

Location:

The Remari Pension is located at the corner of Rizal Avenue and the National Highway (Junction 1) in Puerto Princesa, a 5-minute tricycle ride from the airport. Although the area is noisy with traffic, we liked the location because it was good for exploring Puerto Princesa as it is located on the main road near the shops and restaurants, it's close to the airport, there is a good convenience store below the hotel and so on.

Room Comfort:

The pension opened at the beginning of the year 2010 and at the time of our stay, the 3rd floor of the motel-style hotel was still under construction. Once completed, the hotel will have 34 rooms, some facing the main street while others will face the back where there really isn't anything to look at other than some local houses. The rooms facing the road are noisier and hotter than the ones at the back because they receive direct sunshine for most of the day, from mid-morning to sunset. Although all rooms have A/C, you can chose to disable it (and get a fan instead) to receive a lower room-rate.

We chose to stay in one of the rooms facing the road and decided to have the A/C disabled to cut costs, so we got the fan instead. The room was very spacious and had a wooden table and chairs and an additional table and chairs on the shared veranda. It also had hot water and cable TV with many channels. At the time of our stay, the television sets were already being upgraded to flat screen TVs, which is a welcome addition. The room was spacious and comfortable but hot. Although the fan was good and strong, it wasn't successful in cooling the room as all it could do it blow hot air around. The rooms at the back, or paying for A/C, would have been sufficient to make this stay more than comfortable.

The pension is suppose to have free wireless internet service, which wasn't set-up at the time of our stay. The cafe in the strip mall below the hotel offers free wireless service to their customers so we used their wireless connection instead.

Cleanliness:

The pension and rooms were clean. The towels and linens were also fresh and clean.

Service:

The service at this pension was good. The staff was friendly and helpful.

We booked the Honda Bay tour through this hotel and didn't like the tour operator that they used, (see other notes below). Although the prices for the Honda Bay tours are the same everywhere, we would stay away from the tour operator they use.

Food:

The hotel does not offer meals, but there is a small cafe in the strip-mall below that offers decent breakfasts at good prices. There are many good restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.

Overall Value:

This pension is a great value for Puerto Princesa. We looked at many hotels in the area but were unable to find something better for less. The pension is clean, comfortable and has everything that you need for a great price. We would stay here again if we went to Puerto Princesa, but would probably get a room at the back or at the front with A/C. 

Other Notes:

• We booked the Honda Bay tour through the hotel's affiliate, Island Paradise Tours and Convention but were very disappointed with the company for many reasons. First, the tour was suppose to be from 9AM to 4PM but because some people were late for their pick-up time, we started behind schedule. This is out of the hands of the tour company so we don't really have a problem with it. However, the standard tour takes you to four islands but our guide told us that one of the islands is not accessible because "the island is under renovation" so we would only go to three islands. Although this didn't seem strange to the other seven people on the tour, we found it odd. When we questioned the guide (in private) about this, he explained that there is a hotel on the island that is being renovated and won't allow anyone to dock so it wasn't accessible. It still seemed a bit strange to us, but at least it was more believable. At 3PM the guide got everyone together and started heading back. Not only did our tour start late, it also ended early. When we got to shore, we asked the park guides whether one of the islands is closed and they confirmed that it was not. They told us that our the tour guide lied to us. When we told them who our tour guide was, they didn't seem surprised as they were already familiar with his tactics. We filed a complaint against the company so hopefully they will lose their license as tourists should not be lied to or taken advantage of. This area is beautiful and it deserves good guides to show you around. The guide did apologize after we filed the complaint but is was little consolation to what he did.
• The Honda Bay tour costs 1100PHP per person. If there is more than 1 person, it is more economical and perhaps more enjoyable to do the tour on your own.  The process for doing this tour on your own is very easy. Get yourself to the Honda Bay port (all taxi drivers will know where the boats leave from) and hire a boat. You can hire a small or large boat with a driver, depending on how many people there are, from the park office. They actually arrange the boat for you. Just pay the fee for the boat and the park entrance and you are off. Most tour operators show up at the terminal and hire the boat/driver in this fashion as well, just take all the profits.
• The town of Puerto Princesa has a nice boardwalk where you can enjoy a peaceful stroll and watch the sunset. A lot of local citizens spend their evenings in this nice area.

Photos:

Inquiries:

At time of writing, the hotel did not have a website, but you can check out Hotels.com for the best deals on other accommodations in the Kalibo, Philippines area.

Location:

The hotel is located approximately 3 kilometers from the Kalibo airport, but in the Kalibo town core. There is a shopping center with a large grocery story within a 5-minute walk of the hotel. This mall is for the locals, so the prices are considerably lower here than other places where tourists seem to frequent. We could not believe how much cheaper the water was from the grocery story here than the cheapest water we bought every where else while in the Philippines. There was also a really good bakery near the mall where we had the softest and tastiest chocolate cookies while in the Philippines at the best price. We liked the location because we were within walking distance to the local shops as opposed to the hotels right outside of the airport where there is nothing else around.

Room Comfort:

Since we had the first flight out Kalibo to Manila with CebuPacific, we decided to stay the night in Kalibo as opposed to traveling REALLY early in the morning from Boracay. This allowed us to travel in the evening the night before our flight and spend a couple of hours exploring Kalibo. The hotel options in Kalibo are limited as not many foreign tourist stay here, unless they need to. Having said that, the Kalibo Inn (formerly called Beachcomber Inn) was a good option for this purpose.

We booked a room over the phone and were worried about what to expect from the hotel since we were not able to find any information on the internet about the hotel. On arrival, we were pleasantly surprised by what we got for what we paid. The rooms were large and appeared to be freshly painted. The furniture and decor were older, but still functional. The room had a double bed, A/C, TV, coat hanger, hot water and free wireless internet. The bathroom was also fairly spacious and had nice tiles. They also provided Sunsilk brand one-time use shampoo and soap. For the price they were charging, it was more than enough for the night.

On the negative side, the hotel and room had many mosquitoes, so spraying ourselves with mosquito repellant was a must before going to bed.

Cleanliness:

The room and hotel were clean. The towels and linens were also fresh.

Service:

The staff was friendly and accommodating.

Food:

We didn't have any meals at the hotel, but it does have a restaurant on-site.

Overall Value:

This budget hotel is a good value for Kalibo. The options in this town are very limited so finding a cheap, clean, friendly place that offers A/C, wireless internet, hot water, amongst other things, isn't easy. This place was certainly worth the price we paid. We didn't expect much from a budget accommodation in the Philippines, but were pleased with what we got.

Other Notes:

• If you have an early morning flight out of Kalibo, you may want to arrange the tricycle to the airport the day before. Although you may get one that day, it might take some time as there aren't that many people out that early. Just make sure that you agree on the price before accepting the ride. The tricycle riders will try to get as much money out of you as possible before and after they drop you off.
• To get to Boracay from Kalibo airport requires a 90-minute van ride, 15-minute boat ride, and a few minutes with a tricycle to reach your hotel. Although it sounds complicated, it's really simple. There are vans waiting to take passengers to the ferry terminal in Caticlan right outside the Kalibo airport terminal. The vans charge a flat rate, which includes the boat ticket, and leave once they are full, usually when they have 10-12 passengers. When you get to the ferry terminal, there are ferries leaving every few minutes. Just pay the required taxes and board the ferry to cross the small channel. When you get off, there is a tricycle stand where you will need to hire a tricycle to get you to your hotel or White Beach where you can find a hotel, once again for a set-fee. 

Photos: