The past few years, Iloilo City has experienced rapid economic growth. A few townships have been established in the city and in turn, hotels have sprouted like mushrooms everywhere, even downtown. A few months ago (yes, this is yet another long overdue post), my best friend Mark decided to go hotel hopping in Iloilo City, the city he “used to love” as he calls it. LOL. He stayed overnight in three hotels in one weekend – Injap Tower Hotel, Richmonde Hotel Iloilo, and Seda Hotel Iloilo. Of course, I didn’t hesitate to “accompany” him in one of the hotels. Oh, and it’s his idea that I should blog this, btw. *clap, clap*
Injap Tower Hotel (Friday)
On his first day in Iloilo, Mark stayed at Injap Tower Hotel’s Happy Room. It’s a 21 square-meter room with 2 beds, 1 queen size and 1 standard bed. Although small, it is complete with the standard hotel features. It has a good airconditioning system, fast Wi-Fi, telephone, 48” LED cable TV, and a mini bar. Its kitchenette with a sink, microwave, and coffee/tea facilities also allow you to prepare instant meals. Without breakfast, this Happy Room costs Php2,100 a night. Just across SM City Iloilo, its location is very convenient. Hailing a cab wouldn’t be a hassle too. Our only complaint is that the Reception Area didn’t have airconditioning. Mark waited for at least 45 minutes to be accommodated because there was only 1 staff. He was already drenched in sweat by the time they escorted him to his room.
Injap Tower Hotel is pretty decent for its price, but I wouldn’t really recommend it for those who are staying in Iloilo City for the first time. You know, to avoid getting irritated with the reception and the elevator queues. However, it’s fairly convenient for small families and for short solo business trips.
Richmonde Hotel Iloilo (Saturday)
Mark transferred to Richmonde Hotel Iloilo on his second day. Located in the heart of the biggest township in the city, Richmonde Hotel is a new favorite because of its luxurious amenities and location. Mark stayed in a Deluxe Room with a King-sized bed priced at Php3,900/night. It is equipped with a 40” flat screen TV with USB and HDMI ports, mini bar, coffee/tea making facilities, telephones, in-rooom safety deposit box, and a key card system. The room is very spacious and the bed, I must say, very cozy with its soft duvets and duck-feather pillows. The centralized air conditioning system also has an individual temperature control. Although, I had trouble figuring out how to control it. What I really love about the room is that it has everything that I personally look for whenever I stay in a hotel – rainforest shower heads, bathrobes, iron and ironing board, and a hairdryer. Lol, I’m a girl!
Mark and I went out to lounge at the pool to watch the sunset. However, an event was going to take place at around 6pm. Although they have included a note upon check-in, I felt sad for those who will only be experiencing Richmonde Hotel for a night and won’t be able to enjoy night swimming because of it. I have also heard from other friends that the pool area is often closed because of events. Nevertheless, we took advantage of the one hour that we have before the pool area closed. We ordered nachos and drinks that were served 15 minutes before 6pm. Uhhh, yep, what took them so long? I was just a bit disappointed that the staff weren’t attentive and apologetic as I expected.
Richmonde is still a top pick among the hotels in Iloilo though. It is just next to the Iloilo Convention Center and just across Festive Walk Mall and the Festive Walk Parade. It’s location is definitely ideal as there are lots of restaurants, bars, and happenings around the Iloilo Business Park that you can recommend to tourists and even balikbayans to enjoy.
Seda Hotel Iloilo (Sunday)
I joined Mark on his third day because I start work late on Mondays. His last stop was at Seda Hotel Iloilo. We stayed in a Deluxe Room with two twin beds which cost Php3600/night. The room features a media panel, iPod docks and FM Stereo Features, 40-inch LED TV with HDMI, speaker phone, hair dryer, WiFi, mini bar, an IDD phone, and an in-room safe, alarm clock, and coffee and tea-making facilities. I love the hot/cold shower. I didn’t have a hard time adjusting it to the temperature that I want. However, the toilet didn’t have a bidet. I guess not all Deluxe Room toilets have this? Because a friend told me that they also stayed in one and it had a bidet. For two adult guests, it doesn’t have a lot of space to put your belongings. The executive desk was small and there was only one center table. Also, sound insulation is terrible. You can hear the other guests showering or the guests and staff walking and laughing at the corridors. I had a goodnight’s sleep though, thanks to the soft bed (which was too soft, I guess?) and the plush pillows. The blackout curtains also helped. The hotel’s ceiling are also low, so it sometimes feels claustrophobic.
After work, Mark and I spent the whole afternoon watching Filipino romantic movies showing in Cinema One. We went out for dinner and short hang out with another friend before going back to the hotel for our beauty rest session. With our robes and face masks on, we continued watching those cheesy Tagalog movies. Lol.
Seda Hotel is highly recommended for those who want to be near the city proper. It’s a stone’s throw away from Atria Park District, a short drive from SM City and Smallville, and provides easy access to major tourist and heritage attractions in the city. Their Misto Restaurant is also an ideal place for meetings all day. They have an eat-all-you-can dessert plus coffee in the afternoon.
Having a lot of hotel choices in Iloilo City makes one so proud. It’s an indication that the progress of the province is unstoppable. All the hotels are fully booked during the Dinagyang month even with several hotel openings in the last few years. With this, there’s no doubt that Iloilo welcomes everyone with arms wide open, with utmost hospitality and the drive to provide better accommodation in the city.
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One more thing. It’s my opinion that there are quite a few travel insurance web pages of dependable companies that permit you to enter your journey details and acquire you the rates. You can also purchase your international travel cover policy on the web by using your own credit card. Everything you should do is usually to enter the travel details and you can begin to see the plans side-by-side. Simply find the plan that suits your capacity to pay and needs and then use your credit card to buy them. Travel insurance on the internet is a good way to do investigation for a dependable company regarding international holiday insurance. Thanks for revealing your ideas.