The Baguio Hotels

The Philippines is known for its natural wealth and beauty. Being a tropical country, it is natural that locals in warmer weather would seek a cooler environment. Located in the mountain province of Benguet, Baguio has been the cool getaway. SInce it’s establishment by the Americans in 1900, it has become the center of business, commerce and education in Northern Luzon. The cool environment has made it a favorite for tourists and locals. Due to the influx of tourism, many cheap hotels as well as luxury hotels have been put up to cater to travellers. This quick travel guide about hotels in the Philippines, particularly Baguio, will suggest some of the best places to stay.

Eurotel Baguio is a great place to stay with a limited budget. It provides quality service and amenities for the prices they have per night. A studio room for 2 people will cost around 2,100 php. This includes wi-fi internet access, safety deposit box, hot and cold shower, cable television and air conditioning. Probably the most important feature is that this relatively cheap hotel is located in the commercial district of Baguio City. It is also a few minutes away from Burnham Park. This hotel chain has other branches located around the country at affordable prices making it one of the budget friendly hotels in the Philippines. 

Another decent hotel at an affordable price is Microtel Inn and Suites Baguio. It is located at Upper Session road, just beside the Victory Liner bus line. For visitors taking the bus to Baguio City, it is perfectly situated. No need to leave the hotel early at all. Wi-fi is accessible by purchasing a wi-fi card at the front desk. Free flowing coffee is available for all guests as well as a vending area for other kinds of drinks. Photocopy, fax and mailing services are offered for the convenience of hotel guests. They also provide parking spaces for travellers with cars. Microtel is near the Philippine Military Academy, Wright Park, Lourdes Grotto, Burnham Park, Baguio Cathedral and SM City Baguio.All rooms come with complimentary breakfast, cable television, air conditioning, telephone, hot and cold shower, baby cribs (upon request) and a radio clock. The single room is good for 2 people and costs around 3,000 php. Call it a luxury hotel or a cheap hotel, it is fairly cheap for the service and quality of the rooms.

Burnham Suites Baguio is one of the more affordable luxury hotels. It costs around 4,000 php for a standard studio room good for one person. This is perfect for travelling businessmen and the like. Rooms include daily newspaper, mini-bar, air conditioning , safety deposit box, cable television, dvd player, hair dryer, hot and cold shower and wireless internet access. It too is located near Burnham Park and Lourdes Grotto making it at the center of the commercial district. This makes it one of the more affordable luxury hotels in the Philippines and should be included in the lone traveller’s travel guide.

The Differences Between Philippine Budget Airlines

Now a day’s planning for a trip either domestically or abroad has become a very simple task for everyone to do. In addition to effortless planning and booking, either through the different Philippine travel agencies or through the many websites that offer travel packages, traveling has also become more affordable. Cheap accommodations in almost any destination as well as economical airfares have made it possible for many Filipinos to go on their desired adventures with their family and friends more frequently even when on a very tight budget. 

Before booking for hotels and planning the daily itineraries in one’s dream destination, transportation, may it be through land, sea or air is always the first thing to consider.  In the past few years, many local airlines have provided budget airfares for Filipinos. Online seat sales are available nearly every month in different budget airlines, that booking through the different Philippine travel agencies might not even be practiced anymore in the near future due to effortless online-ticket booking.  Cebu Pacific Air, Air Phil Express and Zest Air are a few of the popular budget airlines who are known for their regular seat-sales.

Cebu Pacific Air is probably the pioneer when it comes to budget flights in the Philippines promising to give “low fare, great value” to every Filipino with a popular tagline “It’s Time Everyone flies”. Cebu Pacific started out with offering just domestic flights but in 2001 the airline started to fly internationally. Cebu Pacific currently has a fleet size of 41 airplanes that flies to more than 52 destinations both locally and abroad. A few of their international destinations include Bangkok, Busan, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei. Cebu Pacific regularly has “piso-fare” promos which further marks down their already cheap flights to begin with. Cebu Pacific is also known for being the only domestic carrier that offers fun games during the flight.

Air Phil Express, another budget airline in the Philippines is a subsidiary of the oldest airline in the country, Philippine Airlines. Given this, Air Phil Express was first known as PAL Express before it was rebranded to its current name. Presently, Air Phil Express operates a fleet of 22 aircrafts traveling to 33 local and 3 international destinations namely; Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore. Besides, already having budget fares Air Phil Express also offers other promos for its customers such as a 20% student discount through selected ticket offices and other express sales.

Another well-known airline in the Philippines is Zest Air which was previously known as Asian Spirit. Zest Air claims to be “Asia’s Most Refreshing Airline”.  Zest Air’s really cheap year-round fares to 14 local destinations as well as to 4 international locations (Korea-Incheon, Shanghai, Jinjiang and Kuala Lumpur) are indeed refreshing to any traveler on a tight budget.

At present, Zest Air currently has a fleet size of 15 airplanes. 

Beach Hotels

Choosing the best beach hotels in the Philippines is a hard task if you have to consider how many beautiful beaches there are in the Philippines. With 7,107 islands, the plethora of choices for beach hotels to be built on can be almost infinite. The lucky hotel owners don’t even have to try so hard because the backdrops are so breathtaking that they can line-up four wood planks and throw a bunch of leaves for a roof, and many a traveler will be satisfied with that. So the best beach hotels in the Philippines aren’t about marble floors, and weatherproof dining areas, or even plush white towels or 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets, but more about the service you receive for the price point that you prefer. 

The best beach hotels don’t have to be the swankiest hotels. The White House Hotel Boracay is surrounded by the most expensive hotels in the island and yet has continued to be a favorite for Manila residents because of its more affordable rates in the best beachfront area (Station 1) in the popular island. Why? The affordable grub as well as the almost-all day happy hour, provides the perfect accompaniment to carefree and relaxed setting provided by their beachfront cabanas.

But if you still want to go to Boracay but not feel like you are in congested island-city Boracay at all, then spend your hard-earned dime at the Shangri-la Resort Hotel. Located well-away from the hustle and bustle of crowds and party music in the rowdy central area, this resort is all about the Spa, and the breathtaking views from either the beautiful beachfront or the mountainside area of the expansive resort. Stay in the private villas to be pampered by your own personal butler as well as the de riguer personal chef to cater to all your dietary restrictions and demands.

Batangas, not known for its pristine white sand but instead for its mere-2 hour drive from Metro Manila, has a beach called the Laiya in San Juan, Batangas if you are the kind of beach-goer that just has to have the white sand as a must for a beach trip. The Acuatico Beach Resort prides itself for its Balinese-inspired villas and guest accommodations, and an infinity pool that provides stunning views of the ocean whether day or night.

Palawan, said to be “The Last Ecological Frontier of the Philippines because of its scenic landscapes and high bio-diversity” is picture-perfect sight to behold with white sand, blue water, and green mountainous formations. El Nido, Palawan is a protected area and has been labeled by many international news agencies including CNNgo as one of the most beautiful beaches on earth. Stay at one of the island resorts of the El Nido Resorts which include the Miniloc, Lagen, Apulit, and Pangulasian Islands that cater to your every possible want and need while maintaining the integrity and splendor that the island has to offer.

Travel thoughts: What can 2000 Pesos Can Get You?

The cost of living in the Philippines is no longer cheap as the price of the goods and services shoot up as years go by.  The value of the basic commodities such as food, housing, clothing, and transportation are sky-rocketing each day and it’s beginning to take toll in every simple Juan.

            Back in the 1980’s, a hundred peso bill can get you a lot of stuff to buy. It can already provide decent meals to a family of 5 for the whole day.  One can watch a movie with his/her partner and still has spare cash to buy snacks for both.  100 pesos can take you to a lot of places by then.  Having a thousand however means more goods, more places to visit, and memories to cherish either alone, or with your family and loved ones.  On the other hand, having two thousand at-hands is already a fortune back then. Branded clothes and stuff are easily within reach with that budget.  It was more than enough to finance a get-away to a nearby tourist spot or destination.  Budget Travel isn’t somehow a necessity for almost everything back then is affordable and accessible to everyone.  

            Nonetheless, it was 3 decades ago.  A lot has changed by now. Nothing seems to fit the tight budget nowadays.  Your hundred peso bill is just enough to get an ordinary meal for yourself, much less a meal for a family of five! This amount can no longer take you to your favorite spot without throwing in some extra cash for the taxi ride’s cost is really ridiculous! But you can always take a public ride instead; this way you can also enjoy the sceneries.

            For a budget travel with only 2000 pesos on hand, this is just enough to give you a room for an overnight stay in a cheap but decent hotel.  If you are just resourceful and keen to look for hotels offering promos and packaging in your destination, then your 2000 can be stretched for another day or two. It all depends however where you want to go.  Don’t expect that your 2000 pesos can already take you to Palawan, or Cebu, much more Boracay! Instead, find a nearby tourist destination where you can take a relaxing vacation, not in the expense of your savings.  A road trip with couple of friends and visiting neighboring towns or places would be perfect if your budget is only 2000 pesos.      A trip to the beach with your family or friends is also a smart way to spend your 2000 pesos if you want to get away from the hustles and bustles of city life. Bringing home-cooked meals will save you some bucks instead of buying from the resorts.  Food costs in resorts tend to be unreasonable usually.

            If you are just prudent and wise enough on where to spend your 2000 pesos, then you can still have that get-away you really want. 

What the heck! 6 Star Hotels

Want to know about the famed "six star" ranking?  First of all, I spoke to a hotelier who told me there is no such thing.  These so called six star hotels are so because they proclaim themselves to be.  With no futher delay here are some of these unabashed brands.

The Burj Al Arab in Dubai has claimed the title of the world’s most luxurious hotel.  With reception desks on every floor, rain showers and Jacuzzis in every suite, a Rolls-Royce fleet, butlers on call around the clock, and a soaring height of 321 meters, this sets the standard for decadence in luxury hotels. Though it may be said that the Philippines can get 6 stars just based on the smiling faces of its vibrant and helpful hotel staff, let’s take a look at the actual contenders for luxury hotel living in the Philippines.

The Maxims Hotel at Resorts World Manila claims to be the only 6-star hotel in the Philippines. The all-suite luxury hotel by the Genting Group has all the trappings you would expect from a hotel like this including a signed welcome note from the general manager to accompany your welcome basket of fruits and the 24-hour butler service. But the biggest perk of staying in this hotel should be its proximity to Impressions, the exquisite restaurant run by famed French chef Cyril Soenen.

The Aman Resorts group maintains its standard of luxury and class through an exclusive island-resort in the Pamalican Island in Palawan. The resort has reportedly hosted Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Robert De Niro, although a resort of their stature would never validate claims like that to the press. The island, named after the sanscrit word for peace, aman, and the Tagalog word for island, is fringed by seven square kilometers of pristine coral reef in the tranquil Sulu Sea. This place doesn’t need any fancy bells and whistles to prove its exclusiveness, it just is.

The newly opened conjoined luxury hotels called the Raffles Hotel and Fairmont Hotels bring luxury hotels in the Philippines to another level by being right in the middle of all the action of the Central Business District of Makati in Metro Manila. The Fairmont will be targeting the corporate market while the Raffles will be targeting the luxury leisure travelers. The hotels have pools, gyms, and access to the best golf courses in the metro. It is also within walking distance from the swanky Greenbelt Malls complex and and the Ayala Museum. With floor to ceiling windows in the guestrooms, the first Willow Stream Spa in the Philippines (a Fairmont hallmark), as well as the first Long Bar outside of Singapore’s legendary Raffles Hotel, these hotels promise to boost Metro Manila’s tourism profile. Oh and it of course must be mentioned that they have 24/7 butler service, all highly-rated luxury hotels must have 24/7 butler services.