Islandia Alaminos Hotel

We nearly got caught up in a booking scam, but luckily we had printed the booking details and could insist on what had been agreed with the hotel representative. The “family villa” described on the booking site apparently wasn’t available, so we ended up in four separate rooms. The old shower still worked and heated, though some drains were clogged. The food was good, especially the longanisa and daing. I liked them enough to buy the same things at the local supermarket.

We paid 1,500 PHP for a room for two, but several things didn’t work: the TV, the broken bolt on the door, and the toilet flush, which I had to fix myself. The shower had barely any pressure, and the only outlets were under the table beside the TV, across the room from the bed. There was no room safe, even though the check-in waiver says they aren’t responsible for losses unless items are stored in one. Service was okay, but it didn’t make up for the problems. With so many places in town, I’d book here only as a last resort. A tent on one of the Hundred Islands costs 200 PHP a night and might offer better value.

We arrived at 5 pm, but our rooms weren’t ready. You have to ask for shampoo, soap, and towels, and the service wasn’t good. Lunch wasn’t included, and breakfast had few choices. We booked through a referral from Filipino tourism and paid a 50% reservation fee, but the advertisements didn’t match what we found. I’d give no stars if the system allowed it.

The staff did bring the things I asked for, which is why I gave two stars, but getting them meant repeatedly walking to the front desk. There are no phones in the rooms, and mine was on the third floor. The room looked clean outside but was messy and dirty inside. The bed and room were just okay, but the bathroom seemed like it hadn’t been cleaned for ages. The floor and mat were wet, the toilet barely flushed, the paper roll was nearly empty, and there were no towels. I rarely leave low ratings, but I wouldn’t recommend staying here. I started with low expectations: a clean bed, pillows, room, and especially bathroom. The bathroom was the worst part. The room also had no usable Wi-Fi access. I could detect a network, but when I asked, they gave me a different network and password. The heater worked but had been left unplugged, and the weak shower pressure made it practically useless. The air conditioner was noisy, and the CRT TV had only two or three local channels. There’s a pool, but its water and walls looked dirty. I was in room 209, and I’d avoid that room and this hotel. Check the photos.