Novie's Tourist Inn

The location is a real plus: it’s outside the busy center, with beach access across the road, about 500m along the beach to Corong Corong beach, and another 1.3km to el-nido beach/port. There’s space to dry clothes, receptionists were great, and the property has a nice restaurant and a good value store. But the room facilities fall short. There’s no electric kettle, no hot water in the bathrooms, no towel hangers, and no drinking water in the rooms or lobby. The advertised private balconies are just corridor balconies. Water pressure is awful, and the pump isn’t set up properly, so we had to ask reception to turn it on manually. At the price, those are basic expectations. This was overadvertised as a good choice on agoda/booking.

Dell and Joy gave us excellent service, helping whenever we needed changes, add-ons, or anything else during our stay. The rooms were clean and had a nice sea view, and we had a great time. Just a couple of suggestions: add an exhaust fan in the bathroom and hot water. We’ll definitely come back. Thank you!

Getting around is very convenient here. The Beach Bus stop is right outside, and there’s a nearby paid parking area that isn’t affiliated with the hotel, which was a big help with a rental motorbike or car. There’s also a restaurant and bar on the ground floor for breakfast before a tour or a drink afterward. It’s a budget friendly base in El Nido if convenience matters more than luxury. A couple of practical issues: our room had just one electrical outlet, so bring an extension cord or multi-port charger if you have several devices. The water flow was very weak on our first day when we tried to rinse off sand, though it might vary by room or time of day. Parking in El Nido can be a headache, so the location and nearby parking make this a strategic place to stay.

At first the rooms and bathrooms looked decent, but our room had a horrible smell, like a dead mouse rotting. The AC wasn’t good at first, and bugs kept getting in: cockroaches, ants, mosquitoes, and lizards. They were on the bed and clothes, and in the bathroom too. I ended up with itchy bites on my skin and arms. The sheets irritated my shoulder and made it hard to lie comfortably during the day. Wi-Fi was weak, and I had trouble connecting.