How to Find the Best Hotel: Prequel to Siquijor Vacation

I’m right now in the middle of an online search for hotel and resort rooms for our upcoming Siquijor vacation. Yep, I’ll be traveling again with my favorite trio – my siblings Kenneth and Nicko and boyfriend Titus. If I was alone or with my travel blogger chums, I’d probably be on the backpacking trail slinging a tent on my shoulder, but because I am with my siblings, that is not possible. Sister and brother can’t survive as backpackers; they’d choke if thrown in cramp lodging.

Earlier this afternoon, my sister has already posted on her FB “soon to be on the road again… this better be epic”. Pressure ang ate hehe. 

2007 Finding our Way to Blue Lagoon, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

So now I am on a hunt trying to find the best hotel room for our Siquijor vacation, one that my wallet can afford and one that my siblings won’t complain of.

Booking a hotel room in advance is advisable especially when you travel for rest and relaxation. Contacting different hotels weeks before your trip can help you in more ways than one.

For one, you can canvass who offers the best rates. You can also avail of early bird discounts if you book your rooms ahead. Advanced booking or reservations also offer some peace of mind, for you’ll never be afraid of running out of rooms especially if your vacation falls on the peak season or if you’ll be arriving to your destination in the middle of the night.

Aside from the hotel room rates, there are other things that I look for such as location, amenities and others. You might want to look at these things too when you are planning your vacation or about to book a hotel room for your out-of-town trip just like us.

• Wi-fi connection

Wi-fi connection is now a must have for hotels and resorts. Having a wireless internet connection will allow guests to check their email, update their Facebook status and even upload travel pictures in the middle of vacations.

This is among the top requirements of my sister. But for this Siquijor trip, I might skip this since finding a place with wifi connectivity might be hard considering that Siquijor is still one of the secret destinations in the Philippines. Well, not really secret or hidden but just not mainstream as a popular go to island destination in the country. Blame the island’s reputation as the central place of witch craft and sorcery in the P.I.  😎

For those not familiar, Siquijor is called the “Island of Fire” or “Isla del Fuego”. Yep, it’s the Spanish Conquistadores who tagged the island as such.  Why? I’ll share on succeeding Siquijor post. Hehehe

The mysteriousness of the island is actually one of the reasons why I am so excited about this trip. 🙂 I am not sure yet if I will be hunting for amulets or love potions to bring as pasalubong to friends hahahha.

• Good location

It is nice to stay in a hotel located near stores, restaurants, bus stops and other establishments.

It is common knowledge that hotels generally serve expensive food, and for a budget traveler like me, I could save a lot of money if I could grab my meals at a nearby carenderia or a local restaurant.

You can also save on your travel budget if you can reach your hotel by riding a jeep or tricycle instead of hiring a taxi cab.

Also being near various tourist spots would be terrific!  It would be nice to stay on a beach side resort or a hotel that is just walking distance to different attractions. But this may be a tall order for Siquijor since its top attractions and tourist spots are scattered within the island.

• Security

Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you should forget about your safety. You can be as carefree as you want frolicking on the beach and all but when it comes to the place you’re staying in, having good security is recommended.

Before you deposit your reservation fee, ask the hotel about the presence of security guards and CCTV cameras. Yep big resorts have these now even in far-flung provinces like Siquijor.  When you get to the hotel, check right away if your room has good quality doorknobs and locks, double locks preferred. If there is something wrong with the locks, ask for another room.

• Peace and quite

Most of us who travels out of town do so to escape the routines and noise of our every day, right? What we want is to sit back, relax, recharge and to enjoy as much as we can. This is the reason I tend to avoid resorts that are a bit crowded and noisy. Having a videoke on the premises is a bit of a downside for me.

• Room Interior

A minimalist type of room is best for my needs. All I want for a hotel room is for it to have a comfortable bed and a clean bathroom. TV is optional, I can watch as much tv as I want when I am at home anyways. Aircon would be good but if the room or cottage is near the beach, fan will do.

• Free breakfast

Free breakfast is one thing I also check, especially if the resort is out-of-the-way or far from commercial establishments. Availing of room accommodation with free breakfast can translate to savings.

You may have different set of preferences compared to mine or may be looking for other hotel amenities like gyms, swimming pool, spa center, gift shop etc. No matter what your requirements are, hope you’ll find one that suits you best!

Travel buddies + 1 on 2011 Bohol Trip

*Titus’ brother TanTan is with us  for this Bohol vacation.

Will I be able to come across and book a room at a Siquijor hotel or beach resort that meets most of what I have detailed above and more importantly, at an affordable rate? Hope so. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I’m looking forward to our next group pic. 🙂

Blue waters, pristine beach, white sand, magic and mysteries …. Siquijor Here We Come! 

Related post —>  WE MADE IT TO SIQUIJOR!!!!  To check out our Siquijor Adventure, please CLICK THIS LINK.