Philippines Hotel Reviews

I would recommend to go Greenbelt for meal, Lndmark and Glorietta for shopping and Sanry''s for money exchange.

Cebu City was a two day stop in our month long vacation to the Philippines. Since we have have spent a week in Boracay we thought two days would be enough to go shopping and visit some of the tourist spots. We went shopping at a couple of malls, Ayala Center and SM where the prices are really good compared to back home. The public market was of interest to us specially for the fruits, mangoes, mangosteen, etc and dried fish. We rented a van which was recommended by the hotel staff which took us to the Magellan''s Cross, St. Nino church, the fort and to the Otap factory where they also sell dried mangoes. We plan to visit the Philippines again and next time we will spent more time in Cebu, tow days we found out is not enough.

Cebu is very good for backpackers. You can visit "Carbon Market", a traditional philppine market, not far from Magellan Cross. Cebu people are very friendly. It''s very convenient to take jeepney around the city. Jeepney fare is about 6 to 8 pesos depending on distance.

Restaurant: Harbour View on the Pier!!!! Outstanding food - a different experience (and we went three times!!!!) Fed 9 people for the equivalent of $100.00 USD!!!!! And everyone was stuffed like a Christmas goose with everything from Female Crab (and I never knew that there was any ''significant'' difference (more meat on the female) to Steaks to Veggie favorites. It is not a fancy place and it is somewhat slow for service... But the price, the food and the experience - it can not be beat in Manila for family dining!!! Unless you are under 5 feet, stay away from the Jeepneys and the trikes...Metered taxis (or if you stay at the Copa, the associated taxi/limos) are the way to go. It is actually much nicer and not all that more expensive to take the taxi/limo from the Copa to your destination and HAVE THE DRIVER WAIT for you for other destinations or the return to the hotel. 9/10 times, picking up a cab at the location and trying to get back to the hotel can be hair-raising and expensive not to mention time consuming while the driver tries to find the hotel. ( You will see some interesting things though!!!) CAUTION: The best drug store in Manila is the chain Mercury... BUT - they require a prescription for EVERYTHING including what is an over-the-counter item anywhere else in the world. And - they sell by the tablet - not by the bottle or box. You can find some smaller drug stores that will sell w/o but they do not always have what your are looking for. BEST: BRING ENOUGH OF YOUR PRESCRIPTION and non-prescription items with you for your stay. It is best not to have to rely on the local outlets for your needs.

Moving around Manila by car was not a bad experience this time. The roads got better, less traffic jams, rental car was good idea, especially if you are traveling with family. But this is of course if you do not mind driving and you have driven in Philippines before.

Iloilo City is the hub of the island of Panay and is on the Nautical Highway route. The popular beach resort of Boracay is a few hours by land. There are interesting restaurants in the city and environs as well as historical attractions.

Metro Manila is quite and interesting place with and interesting mixture friendly people. People who are shopping oriented can find most of anything they need. People like myself who like to sample various ethnic foods, will find this city rewarding. I enjoyed my trips to Baguio,Cabanatuan and Tagaytay learning some of the cultural aspects. On my next visit, I promise myself a trip to Boracay.

In Makati at Glorietta--try the Cabalen restaurant--filipino buffet for only 260 pesos--good food. In Boracay, there''s Jona''s shake. And while in Boracay, stay at Escondido, though not a beachfront hotel, is one of the best kept secrets in the island...Find out for yourself why.

Dont miss honda bay tour, many islands with beautiful beaches, great snorkeling, and starfish. Kahlui restaurant has the best fresh seafood there, and has very inexpensive prices, try the lobster, it is awsome!

We visited Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. We stayed at the Vigan Plaza Hotel in Ilocos Sur. Very beautiful Hotel and great location. Highly recommend. We also visited Baguio. Be wary of people offering homes for rent. We were offered a 3 bedroom house for 5,000 pesos. We later found out it was an agent and the actual cost of the house was only 2,700 pesos! I would recommend staying at a hotel. Never will we do that again!

Bay Walk in Ermita was nice on a warm summer night. This was a "locals" destination so we got a good feel for the local nightlife instead of the touristy area.

If you are traveling to and from Baguio city, I recomend hiring a van from a recognized car rental agency. It is much easier, convenient and safer than bus travel especialy if traveling in a group or family. For around $100 US you will get a relatively new 9 Passenger van with AC and a driver. I recommend Avis in Baguio.

Tagaytay, a real tourist destination, is a delightful place to visit, I would thoroughly recommend the Italian Restaurant opposite the garage down the hill from the Taal Vista Lodge. Really good Italian food and inexpensive ( 85 pesos a glass) imported house wine.

If you take the boat tour to the "smallest volcano", be aware that once you arrive on the island, you''ll also need to hire a separate "guide" to accompany you to the top, and there are numerous touts trying to sell you dust masks. The little horses to carry you to the volcano are extra, of course, and if you are not in shape and accustomed to the heat, they may well be worth the cost.

I got hold on information of Ocean Adventure and Zoobic Safari from the suggestion of the travel agent. Then I checked out more information over the net. When we checked in the hotel, we were able to get hold a map of subic freeport sketched in a short sized bond paper and it was rather confusing. Not all streets had names on the map and further adding confusion, not all streets in Subic had clear and visible street names. There is a need to add more street signs within Subic Freeport. I think we had to make several u-turns when we got to some places. I think there is a need for the SBMA or even the department of tourism to make a better map available in all hotels in the area. The information of Ocean Adventure in their webpage is underdelivered. I think the park rate is quite expensive for the experience we had. The food is likewise expensive. The information of Zoobic Safari in their webpage was general but we had a better time there. The experience we had was worth it! Especially when I was able to ask my husband to hold the tiger cub and I took a picture of this one in a lifetime opportunity. When do we ordinary people get to hold a tiger cub? Not all could have the opportunity! Maybe next time they could allow even my kids to hold the tiger cub! Should you want to see the evidence please don''t hesitate to get in touch with me and I will upload the picture here.

Jeepney is most economical means of transportation. Negotiate taxi rates in advance,else you may be taken for a ride. I actually ate cooked food at corner stands without a problem. I liked it, even after I found out I was eating pig intestine.

We were fortunate enough to go to the rice fields at Banaue as well as Pagsanjan Falls which I would also recommend and last year took in Baguio City and Boracay. Only the best and strongest minded drivers should attempt to rent a car and drive in Manila but Makati is fair once you understand the filipino way of driving.

Lake Taal was an incredible place to visit. It is located in Cavite towards Laguna so accessiblity from Manila was easy. The scenery was breath taking. The climate was cool and pleasant because of the higher elevation. This volcano within a lake is a must see. The restaurants that overlook this panoramic view are all excellent as the serve traditional to modern cuisine. This was the culminating point of our trip. Every picture we took developed into a picture perfect postcard.

- Is very convinient in the airport upon arrival - Do not miss the local Market Opom in Lapu Lapu; very colorful, warm hospitality...) - Should try the local FRUIT and local specialty: BBQ Chicken and Willy''s Lechon (BBQ Pig) IT''S GREAT! Q: How to find the good place for take away? A: Follow the crow of local people and advise from the local people, then surely you will find the right place satisfying either your visual & your stomach need.

I took a half day tour through the hotel (cost about USD30) which took me to the American War Cemetery, through the wealthy suburbs of Makati and up to old Manila... what a contrast, and though the old Spanish settlement and Intramurous... it is worthwhile doing... other than that I got around using the hotel taxis or on foot... Makati is quite safe and the people in the area very friendly.