The Island Explorer

Joaquin's Bed and Breakfast along the main road of Tagaytay has always intrigued me. I never got the chance to stay overnight there though, until recently, when we were trying to find a place to stay for the night. We were supposed to book in Taal Vista, but when we passed by Joaquin's, I immediately hit the brakes of my car. 

Located at the heart of the cosmopolitan district of Xinyi, the W Taipei is one of the trendiest hotels in the city. Aside from its central location, the W has also become a popular hot spot for the social set of Taipei, making it the most hip and happening hotel in Taiwan. 

Long Street is known in Cape Town as a bohemian hang out and a venue for arts and culture. With its Victorian buildings with wrought iron balconies, Long Street is charming and has a very diverse selection of restaurants, cafes, bookstores and shops. It's not a long street though, and one can easily walk it from end to end. It is located in the City Bowl area, hence it is in the city center. Some office buildings are located at the streets parallel to it. I admired the eclectic art that dressed up facades of buildings. They looked so vibrant and gives character to an otherwise normal Cape Town street. It was our last two nights in South Africa, so we decided to book an apartment style accommodation. Hence, we ended up at  Flat Rock Suites , just off Long Street. We have stayed at almost all types of accommodations in South Africa, from chalets, to country farm guesthouses, to a villa in a vineyard, a boutique hotel and now, an apartment.

As mentioned in my previous entry, we checked in our Agoda booked hotel at 6:30PM. There was still sun over Cape Town as we had an hour before sunset. We booked a hotel the night before, so we really didn't know where it was. Finally, after some navigating using GPS, we made it to our hotel. To our surprise, the hotel didn't allow children. They politely declined us, and even offered to help look for a replacement. I was quite pissed, because I was already tired. But since they were kind enough, we tried to look for a nearby hotel. That was how we ended up in Dys Art Boutique Hotel . That was a long intro, but I was happy that we got kicked out of our previous hotel (I don't even remember the name). We made it into Dys Art, and was met by the owner of the boutique hotel who personally led us to our room. We were pleasantly surprised again that we have been upgraded. It really pays to book at the last minute, and arrive late. We were led in the only room that ope

It was the first hotel that we saw when we entered the road leading to the Waterfront Lodge, and it looked exclusive and expensive. But since we had no other choice, we decided to jump in and book a room at almost $400 for a night. We hoped it would be worth it. Good thing it was. Welcome to S t. James of Knysna . As I've said, it Waterfront was a lodge, this was a mansion. St. James of Knysna is one of the best accommodations in Knysna , winning several awards over the past years . It restaurant also had received several citations. This was a top notch hotel. As soon as we entered, we were met by extremely polite attendants, who all spoke softly. Our room wasn't ready when we arrived, so we just left our luggage with them. We took the tour of Knysna and explored town (previous article). We got back at around 4PM and were quickly led to our room. Our jaws dropped at the sight of the bedroom. The room was a suite, with a foyer, a living area and a bathr

We arrived in Knysna at around 8PM and at this time, it was already late for someone to arrive at a lodge. So when we finally found our place for the night, it took awhile for someone to answer the door. Our selected accommodation was the Waterfront Lodge at Knysna . It was highly recommended online, so we decided to book the last room here. When we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised that the last room was the Master Suite . So again, we have been upgraded! Arriving late does have its perks. So the suite was in the 2nd floor, and had a living area, and two balconies - one facing the parking area and one facing the lagoon. It was dark though, so we didn't get to see the view of the lagoon when we arrived. The bathroom was also huge and had a jacuzzi! It looked quite old though, but the feel was still luxurious. The next morning, an opening of the shutters excited me with this view. The lagoon looked tranquil and very relaxing. I was in Knysna, and

Bacolod may not trigger as a choice destination for travelers, except say for its famous Maskara Festival and cuisine. I always pass up chances to go to Bacolod, since I always end up pounds heavier. There are several new hotels in Bacolod, but one of my original favorites is the Sugarland Hotel. 

I have been regularly visiting Cebu for the past 8 years both for work and leisure purposes. I have always struggled with value hotels in the past. Now, this doesn't seem to be a problem anymore for the Queen City of the South, with the opening of new hotels such as the Alpa Suites, Elizabeth Hotel, Harolds and now, Quest Hotel.

Located beside the bustling SM City Baguio, Casa Vallejo is one of the oldest hotels in Baguio City. This antique quality is its charm and selling point as well. Opened in 1909, Casa Vallejo is indeed a heritage hotel, that is reminiscent of the American era. In fact, it is already one of the 10 oldest institutions in the Baguio City.

We all know Forest House, that quaint and charming restaurant on the way to Camp John Hay. Forest House has been recognized as one of the best restaurants in Baguio for years now, and recently, I discovered that they offered more than just their great food.

Baguio City is an old tourist destination, which means, most budget hotels are also old. Recently, Baguio has undergone a transformation, with the opening of brand new boutique hotels and designer inns. Though still not at par with those in mountain retreats in Asia (Ubud, Chiang Mai, Cameroon), Baguio is slowly redefining itself as not just a summer capital, but a destination for the jet set.

I fell i love with Zamboanga slowly, though the first hotel I stayed in is still my favorite to date. It may not be the biggest, newest or most recently renovated (goes to Orchid Garden), but Lantaka by the Sea provides me with two things I look for in hotels: location and charm.