Casa Yolanda

Madam Yoldanda runs Casa Yolanda as owner-manager, front desk officer, and housekeeper. She's considerate and very nice. Heavy rain from Typhoon Egay meant she let us check in two hours early. The place was neat, and drinking water and coffee were always available. A modest place to stay in the heart of El Nido.

The toilet and shower are on the small side, but for the price this is good value. It's a basic, inexpensive place, and also quiet. The bed was comfortable, the AC and fan worked well, and coffee was free.

We booked four days but left after the first night, since we couldn't find anywhere else at the last minute. I didn't feel welcome at check-in and got a bad vibe as soon as we arrived. Room #4, a twin with a fan, was incredibly small, and its private bathroom was even tighter, you could touch all four walls. The beds were thin and uncomfortable, and the pillows were very firm. The shower head sits right above the toilet, and the window is smaller than most laptop screens. The stairs from the gate down to the front desk are steep, and it's a bit far from town. At least it was clean.

The staff were friendly, and the place was fairly quiet and clean. Our basic room with a private bathroom was adequate, though rain brought a small leak through the bathroom ceiling. Ants woke me on most nights, crawling over the bed and pillow. We hadn't eaten in the room, so I'm not sure what drew them there. Free coffee and drinking water were available at reception, where the Wi-Fi worked too. Laundry cost 100 pesos per kilo, almost double the town service price. Power went out every day for 20 minutes to an hour, apparently common in El Nido. Definitely not the worst place to stay in town.