You know you've checked into a great hotel when you want to stay there more than you want to explore the world outside. Haha.
I think it's a blessing in disguise that my friends and I failed to make a reservation at any hotel or inn before traveling to Ilocos. We spent a good two hours deciding on - more like arguing about - where to stay. Most of the inns there are fairly priced. Some are even cheap and backpacker-friendly. But, a lot of them are fully booked already.
While searching the net for hotels in Laoag, my friends came across Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel. At first, we thought it would be absurd to check into a hotel as luxurious as that, considering that we were on a "budget vacation". We allotted less than a thousand pesos for our hotel. But after a while, we realized that it's probably okay to splurge on our accommodation since we saved a little from our discounted bus fare. Besides, touring can be really exhausting and we deserve to relax after going around two provinces in one day! So it was settled. We placed the call and made reservations at Fort Ilocandia.
Almost two hours after leaving Vigan, we found ourselves in front of the "Welcome to Laoag" arch. We rode a tricycle - yes, a tricycle! - to Fort Ilocandia. We were actually hesitant to get off right in front of the lobby! Imagine a ritzy hotel with guests alighting from tricycles. Haha.
To be honest, there's actually one other reason why we chose to stay at Fort Ilocandia. Remember Thai actor Mario Maurer's movie Suddenly It's Magic? Well, some of the scenes there were shot in this hotel. And the die-hard fans in us wanted to see and experience where Mario had been. Pathetic, no? Haha. From then on, we started calling our tour the Suddenly It's Magic Tour or the Mario Maurer Tour.
It was a long - and I mean really long - walk from the hotel lobby to our room. Talk about a very sprawling hotel. I'd actually get lost if I try to take a walk all by myself.
The red brick facade and interiors gave the place a very homey atmosphere. It also gave the hotel a very vintage vibe.
The rooms are all neat and very cozy. They say all the rooms come with cable televisions, air-conditions, hot and cold showers, and individual balconies. The very cute balcony drove us all crazy! Haha. We were given a room with the perfect view of the pool and the rest of the grounds. Too bad we didn't have time to swim or even lounge in the pool.
The hotel also looked great at night. If you've seen the movie, you'll know this is where they shot the wedding scene. We were all shrieking with amazement at being in the same spot where Mario and Erich were. The hotel personnel were starting to give us their knowing looks. Haha. Apologies for being really big fans.
Our one-night stay at Fort Ilocandia was a once in a lifetime experience. It's actually one of the best hotels I've ever checked into. The next time I pay Laoag a visit, I'll try really hard to convince my parents to make us stay there. But next time, I'll make sure we bring our own car. Commuting from Fort Ilocandia to the city proper is next to impossible. And I don't plan on going back to this hotel by means of a tricyle again. Haha.
Visit Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel at
Barangay 37 Calayab, Laoag City,
Ilocos Norte, Philippines
www.fortilocandia.com.ph
No comments:
Post a Comment