Resort Review: Elysia Beach Resort (Donsol, Sorsogon)

Date of Stay: March 28-29, 2023

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: ********

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: *******

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: *******

Food and Beverage: *******

Other Amenities: ******

Value for Money: ******

 

Elysia Resort Hotel

After our lunch at Casa Almei Beach Resort and visit to Panumbagan Sandbar, we returned to Pilar Port and, upon arrival, boarded our coaster for the 15-km. (25-min.) drive to the neighboring town of Donsol where we were to check in at the beachfront, charming and peaceful, 3-star Elysia Beach Resort, located near (610 m.) the Whale Shark Interaction Center. (a 1-min. drive). 

Check out "Panumbagan Sandbar” and “Casa Almei Beach Resort”

 

Room 14

Room balcony

We checked in at some of their 15 comfortable, beachfront, airconditioned and non-smoking rooms (Deluxe, Super Deluxe) which were designed with a mix of tropical theme and contemporary style.rooms.  Each has a 24” LED flat screen cable TV, bar-refrigerator, ceiling fan, mosquito net, bamboo furniture, a balcony/terrace and private, moderate size  ensuite bathroom with hot and cold shower and hair dryer.  All rooms have direct access to the centrally located garden and the lovely and well-maintained outdoor rectangular swimming pool (open from 7 AM to 9 PM).

 

The centrally located swimming pool

The 25 sq. m., Deluxe Room (Php3,150) has a double bed and sleeps 2 while the 25 sq. m. Super Deluxe Room (Php3,550) has a double bed and a single bed and sleeps 3.  There is no internet in the rooms but it is available in the restaurant and some public areas (very slow though).  They don’t accept credit cards but there is an ATM nearby (they don’t always work though, so always bring cash).

 

Front Desk

It also has a limited hour (6 AM – 9 PM) Front Desk (with safe deposit boxes), a restaurant, cafeteria, bar/lounge (with a good selection of drinks on offer) and a gift shop.  The adjacent private beach was not spectacular (don’t expect white sand) but there are plenty of nice lounge chairs, cabanas and comfortable hammocks to chill in plus there are great sunsets.

 

Beachfront cabana

Sun loungers

They offer room service, currency exchange, concierge, luggage storage, tour assistance, airport transfers on request (additional fee, 6 AM – 9 PM) and valet parking.  They also organize diving trips, firefly watching tours and whale shark encounters. The resort was the brainchild of Korean couple Eric and Viki Sy Eun.  Currently, Eric is a WWF ((World Wildlife Fund) volunteer and part of a research team for whale shark photo ID project. 

Check out “Donsol Firefly Watching Tour” “Whale Shark Interaction”

 

Restaurant

The customer service was good and the well-trained staff was genuinely pleasant, very helpful and friendly.  The hotel was also very clean and the breakfast (a good selection of Continental and Filipino) at the restaurant was tasty, with generous servings.  However, breakfast (6 – 9 AM) is not included in the room rate and a surcharge is applied (Php195-200/pax).  The resort was not high end luxury but it does have the potential to be one of the best if not the best in Donsol.  Power was said to go off from time to time in the town, but the resort does have a generator.

 

The author (second from right) at the restaurant

The resort is located 3.8 kms. (2.3 mi.) from Peralta Park, 3.05 kms. from the Astillero of Donsol, 5.6 kms. from Dancalan Beach and 30.25 kms. from Legaspi Airport.

A hammock by the beach

Elysia Resort Hotel: Aplaya Rd., Brgy. Pangpang, Donsol, 4715 Sorsogon. Mobile number: (0917) 547-4466.  E-mail: elysis@live.co.kr. Website: www.elysia-donsol.com. 

How to Get There: Donsol is located 489.7 kms. (an 11.5–hr. drive), via the Pan-Philippine Highway/AH26, from Manila and 78.3 kms. (a 1.75–hr. drive), via the Pan-Philippine Highway/AH26 and the Putiao-Pilar-Donsol Rd., from Sorsogon City. From Donsol town proper, the resort is an 8.2-km./15-min. drive. 

Sorsogon Provincial Tourism, Culture and Arts Office: Ground Floor, Capitol Building, 4700 Sorsogon City. Mobile number: (0968) 624-6279. E-mail: tourism@sorsogon.gov.ph.  Facebook: www.facebook.com/sorsogonprovincialtourismoffice. 

Donsol Tourism Office: Visitor’s Center, Brgy. Dancalan, Donsol 4715, Sorsogon. Mobile number: (0917) 137-5134. E-mail: donsoltourismoffice@gmail.com. Facebook: https: www.facebook.com/DonsolTourism/

Hotel and Inn Review: Quincentennial Hotel Cebu (Cebu City, Cebu)

Date of Stay: February 25-26, 2023

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: ********

Rooms: *******

Condition and Cleanliness: ********

Staff Performance: *******

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: ********

Other Amenities: *********

Value for Money: ********

 

Quincentennial Hotel Cebu

Cebu’s first ever hotel with a faith theme, the 4-storey Quincentennial Hotel Cebu, located right next to Landers Superstore, was opened on June 20, 2022.  Commemorating 500 Years of Christianity in the Philippines (1521-2021), its hotel lobby features paintings of circumnavigation maps and a tableau, done by Cebuano artist Henry Montebon, of the First Baptism, into the Catholic faith, of Rajah Humabon, his wife Juana, and their followers; and other Quincentennial highlights.

 

The hotel lobby

The hotel's story

The hotel is one of three hotel properties of Duros Hotels, Inc., founded by successful entrepreneurial Cebuano couple Rafaelito “Lito” A. Barino (Founder and Chairman of the Board) and Fe Mantuhac-Barino (President),  the others being the 102-room, 4-star One Tectona Hotel in Liloan and the 26-storey The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites in Cebu City.  The company is also planning to build the 100-room Airport Hotel in Panglao, Bohol.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: One Tectona Hotel” and “Hotel and Inn Review: The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites”

 

 The First Baptism, into the Catholic faith, of Rajah Humabon,
his wife Juana, and their followers

Jubilee Cross

The hotel’s 42 airconditioned, non-smoking rooms also have elements of the Quincentennial celebration including a Jubilee Cross, photographs of the different events and jubilee celebrations (all taken by Fr. Bonnin Olivar), hand-painted excerpts of a poem written by renowned Cebuano poet, Simeon P. Dumdum, Jr. and a Cebuano edition of the Holy Bible (Bag-ong Kasabotan, San Pedro Calungsod Edisyon Bible) which is a product of research by Roman Catholic Bible scholars for 25 years.

24-hour Front Desk

All rooms are furnished with 43” UHD flat screen Smart TV (with Netflix), NDD/IDD phone, electronic door locks, in-room safe deposit box, hair dryer, electric kettle, and minibar.  Its ensuite bathroom has a vanity basin & mirror, bidet and free toiletries. 

De Luxe Room

Rooms come in three categories. The 22.02 sq. m. to 24.23 sq. m. De Luxe Room (₱2,800) has one queen bed, the 22.02 sq. m. De Luxe Twin Room (₱2,800) has 2 single beds and the 27.84 sq. m. De Luxe Queen Corner (₱3,300) has one queen bed.

 

Hallway lined with photos of old Cebu churches

Map of Circumnavigation of the Globe

The hallways are adorned with rows of photographs featuring, among others, Cebu’s oldest churches and the various charitable work conducted by the Catholic Church in Cebu and the Duros hotel group.

 

Restaurante Trinidad

Restaurante Trinidad, the fine dining restaurant opened last February 25, 2023, serves appetizers (Tortilla de Patata, Calamares, Gambas al Ajillo, Croqueta Jamon, Croqueta Chorizo, etc.), Spanish (Chicken Adobo Paella, Paella Negra, Jamon Serrano and Parmesan Cheese, Rabo al Vino Tinto, etc.) and Filipino (Lechon Kawali, Puchero Filipino, etc.) cuisine and desserts (Churros con Chocolate, Burnt Basque Cheesecake, Maja Crepe, etc.).  

A buffet of Spanish and Filipino cuisine

The galleon-inspired coffee shop (Cafe de Fe), with portraits of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and other explorers, where breakfast (Corned Beef Hash and Egg con Sofrito, Crispylog, Huevos Rotos con Picadillo o Zarza, Torrijas Sweet with Banana and Bacon, Pesto Omelette, Ham and Toast Bread, and Pork Tocino) as well as lunch and dinner (Boneless Pata Hamonado, Pollo Alforno con Potate, Lengua Estofado, Callos, Herbed Fish Stew and Beef Salpicao) is served.  

Cafe de Fe

The hotel also has a 24-hour Front Desk and conference hall (El Baptisterio). Free WiFi is available throughout the property. They offer airport shuttle, luggage storage, room service and free parking.

 

Portraits of Ferdinand Magellan (left) and other explorers

The hotel is an 18-min. walk to SM City Cebu and is located 1 km. (a 10-min. walk) from Ayala Center Cebu, 3.3 kms. from Fuente Osmena Circle, 4 kms. from Colon Street, 4.5 kms. from Magellan's Cross, 10 kms. from the Temple of Leah, 12 kms. from Mactan-Cebu International Airport and 14 kms. from Fort San Pedro.

 

El Baptisterio Conference Hall

Quincentennial Hotel Cebu: 23 Minore Park, Cardinal Rosales Ave. cor Pope John Paul II Ave. (formerly, Juan Luna Ave.), Brgy. Luz, 6000 Cebu City, Cebu. Tel: (032) 520-4488. E-mail: reservations@cebuquincentennialhotel.com. Website: www.cebuquincentennialhotel.com. 

How to Get There: Cebu Pacific currently flies 13x daily from Manila to Cebu. Apart from this, the airline operates direct flights to Cebu from 21 other domestic destination such as Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, General Santos, and Iloilo, among others and 2 international destination. CEB is set to restore 100% of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March 2023. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to bring back all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year. Website: www.cebupacificair.com.

Hotel and Inn Review: One Tectona Hotel (Liloan, Cebu)

Date of Stay: February 24-25, 2023

 

RATING (Scale of 1 to 10)

Location: *******

Rooms: *********

Condition and Cleanliness: *********

Staff Performance: ********

Room Comfort: ********

Food and Beverage: *********

Other Amenities: *********

Value for Money: *********

 

One Tectona Hotel

The exquisite, four-star One Tectona Hotel, the first premium hotel in the fast growing town of Liloan (now on the verge of becoming a city) in northern Metro Cebu, is a development of Liloan-based Duros Land Properties, Inc. (DLPI, now on its 11th year), founded by successful entrepreneurial Cebuano couple Rafaelito “Lito” A. Barino and (Founder and Chairman of the Board) and Fe Mantuhac-Barino (President).

 

In operation since December 7, 2022 and nestled on a hillside, the 14-storey hotel (the tallest building in northern Metro Cebu), with its beautiful view of the faraway blue sea, dense vegetation and sweeping forested pocket hills that will take your breath away, offers a perfect marriage of home, business, and recreation in one idyllic location.  It was named after the endemic teak tree (Tectona philippinensis) that locals call yati. 

The hotel is one of three hotel properties of Duros Hotels, Inc., the others being the 42-room Cebu Quincentennial Hotel and the 26-storey The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites, both in Cebu City.  The company is also planning to build the 100-room Airport Hotel in Panglao, Bohol.

Check out “Hotel and Inn Review: Cebu Quincentennial Hotel” and “Hotel and Inn Review: The Padgett Place Deluxe Suites”

 

De Luxe Room (613)

Its 102 luxuriously furnished, elegantly designed, Zen-inspired rooms (87 De Luxe Rooms and 14 One-Bedroom Suites) are all airconditioned, with private ensuite bathrooms (with bidet, rainshower head and complimentary toiletries), private balcony, area carpet, blackout curtains, work desk, coffee and tea making facility, bath robes and complimentary slippers.

Work desk and closet

The private ensuite bathroom

It also offers all the modern conveniences such as 43” UHD flat screen Smart cable TV, electronic door lock, hair dryer, mini fridge and complimentary wi-fi.  Highlighted with masterfully crafted wooden panels and accents, all rooms are and are furnished with modern yet contemporary furniture. 

View from room.  In the foreground is the clubhouse

The hotel's garden

Nestled in stunning scenery, surrounded by natural scenic foliage and cozily tucked in the mountains of Yati, One Tectona was designed to cater to active living and wellness, providing everyday inspiration with a wide variety of outdoor activities. It seamlessly delivers style and comfort to residents who seek a break from the hustle and bustle of the city while providing easy access to it. 

Teak Modern Cuisine

The hotel's two swimming pools

The hotel also has an international restaurant (Teak Modern Cuisine), coffee shop, two swimming pools, function hall, conference rooms, commercial area (with 4 units), events center, sports bar, outdoor gym, game room,  meditation garden, lounge lobby clinic, jogging and walking trails, spa (Spa in the Woods), meditation and yoga area (under scenic foliage) and al fresco dining. Its business center, with office spaces for small-to-medium size enterprises, has its own private entrance, lobby and elevators.

Front Desk

Reception Area with its golf-themed painting

Function hall

As sixty percent of the market of One Tectoba Hotel is for golf tourism (it is popular among Japanese and Koreans), the hotel, inevitably, has a golf theme.  These are seen from the paintings of golfers seen in the suites and the rest of the hotel and the tableau of the golf course once you get out of the elevator on the ground floor, all done by Cebu-based artist Henry Montebon.  Even the coffee cups in the restaurant are golf ball-inspired.

 

The 18-hole, par 72, 65 hectare golf course

The hotel also offers golf packages to the exceptional, international 18-hole, par 72, 65-hectare golf course in Brgy. San Roque (a 5-km. drive) in Liloan Golf and Leisure Estates which is surrounded by Duros’ residential development Woodlands Resort Communities and other future developments.  

The Woodlands Golf Academy

The driving range

Its well-appointed clubhouse, with jacuzzi, sauna, spa and infinity swimming pool, offers sumptuous meals to go with the relaxed dining ambiance.  Woodlands Golf Academy, the first golf school in Cebu, offers different lessons to newbies as well as those upgrading their skills in the sport.  The course also has a golf putting green.  The golf course focuses on bringing tourism to the fresh, mountainous areas of Liloan. All residents of One Tectona Condominium enjoy golf playing privilege at the golf course. 

The private clubhouse

By private car, the hotel is located 15.7 kms. (a 40-60 min. drive) from Cebu City, 14.3 kms. (a 38-50 min. drive) from Mactan Cebu International Airport, 4.2 kms. from SM Consolacion, 3 kms. from Gaisano Grand Mall Liloan, 2 kms. from Mendero Medical Hospital and1 km, from Divine Life Institute of Cebu.

 

The infinity pool with the hotel in the background 

One Tectona Hotel: Brgy. Yati, Liloan, Cebu. Tel: (032) 424-6363.  Mobile number: (0998) 869-8593. E-mail: info@durosland.com. Website: www.durosland.com. Facebook: /duroslandph. Instagram: @duroslandph. 

How to Get There: Liloan is located 21.9 kms. (a 1-hour drive) from Cebu City via the Cebu-North Coastal Rd./Consolacion-Tayud-Liloan Rd. and Central Nautical Highway.

Cebu Pacific currently flies 13x daily from Manila to Cebu. Apart from this, the airline operates direct flights to Cebu from 21 other domestic destination such as Cagayan de Oro, Clark, Davao, General Santos, and Iloilo, among others and 2 international destination. CEB is set to restore 100% of its pre-COVID network and capacity in March 2023. It now flies to 34 domestic destinations and is set to bring back all its 25 international destinations in the first quarter of the year. Website: www.cebupacificair.com.

Restaurant Review: Otep's Tinuno (Cauayan City, Isabela)

 

Otep's Tinuno

After our morning visit to the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar, we were to have our lunch at Otep’s Tinuno, a hidden gem of Cauayan City.  At this local version of Gerry’s Grill in Cauayan City, this one-storey, native-style family restaurant serves comfort Filipino food in an al fresco but relaxing tropical ambiance.  The word tinuno is an Ilocano term for “grilled.” 

Check out “Church of Our Lady of the Pillar”

 

Cauayan's hidden gem

From the entrance, it was a short walk, through a pasalubong counter, an open court (with synthetic grass), a gravel and flagstone walkway and nipa and bamboo picnic sheds, to our reserved spot.  Since we were a large group, we occupied a dining area that could accommodate 20 people.  Though alfresco, it had ceiling fans, a synthetic grass floor and a chain link fence hung with potted plants.  Our fare consisted of two orders of their bestseller Boodle 3: Fiesta (Php1,915.00) served on banana leaves.   

 

Entrance foyer

The sumptuous fare consisted of Crispy Pata and Fried Chicken plus the best freshly grilled Filipino eats such as Inihaw na Tilapia, Inihaw na Liempo and Inihaw na Tanigue, all served with Ensaladang Kamatis, Sili, Talong, Steamed Rice and Otep’s Pancit. It was a great boodle fight experience!  The food was tasty and the meat tender. Though without airconditioning, the ambiance was still cozy and comfortable.  The menu was reasonably priced and the customer service was good as well.

 

Pasalubong counter

Their two other boodle sets (Php1,195) feature, aside from  Inihaw na Hito (or Tilapia) and Stuffed Baby Squid, Tortang Talong, Crispy Pork Bangoongan, Chicken Barbecue and Laing ni Lola for the  Boodle 1: Klasik and Daing na Banus, Lechon Kawali, Inihaw na Liempo and Ensaladang Talong for Boodle 2: Isla.

 

Our media group.  The author is on the right

 For appetizers (good for 2 to 3 people, Php85-295), they offer Chicharon Bulaklak, Salmon Sashimi, Kalabasa Soup, Calamares & Onion Rings, Potato Fries and Kilawing Tanigue/Tuna. Favorites include Sizzling Pork Sisig, Beef Bulalo, Binagoongan Crispy Pork, Kare-Kareng Pata, Pinakbet and Tortang Talong. 

 

Boodle 2: Fiesta

For their Pinoy-style tinuno (Php105-365), they serve chicken (thigh, breast, wing and leg), pork (barbecue and liempo), fish (tanigue, tuna, hito, bangus and tilapia) and squid.  Their specials, good for 2 to 3 people (Php205-420), include Broccoli with Beef, Chopsuey, Buttered Fried Chicken, Sinigang na Bangus, Salted Egg Yolk Fried Chicken, Kare-Kareng Crispy Liempo and Fried Pampano.    

 

Open court

The restaurant has sufficient parking space and, come evening, they have an acoustic performance. As they want to preserve a family-friendly atmosphere, light beer is only served from 8 – 10 PM.

 

Another dining area

Otep’s Tinuno: Don Lucas Banigan St., Brgy. San Fermin, Cauayan City, 3305 Isabela. Tel: (078) 652-3721 and 652-5128.  Mobile number: (0956) 980-8847, (0927)418-0849 and (0975) 321-3988.  E-mail: otepstinuno@gmail.com.  Website: www.otepstinuno.business.site. Open daily, 10 AM - 9 PM.

How to Get There: Cauayan City is located 390.1 kms. (a 7.5-hr. drive), via Pan-Philippine Highway/AH26, from Manila and 35.5 kms. (a 50-min. drive) from the City of Ilagan.