Tropicana Castle Dive Resort

The best thing about this hotel is its location, right by the boardwalk and plenty of restaurants. The staff were polite and friendly, and the pool, pool table, and gym were there, though sometimes busy or unavailable. Parking was awkward and really only suited to motorcycles. Our family of six paid around $100 a night. We spent most of the day out, so the soft beds and pillows were welcome. The website said the room slept six, but there were only two queen beds and one double. They brought a 4-inch mat, which our 14-year-old said was fine. Room cleaning happened daily, but only after we asked. We got plenty of fresh towels and amenity kits, plus enough toothbrushes for an elementary school. There was a bottle of water per person each day, a bag of 3-in-1 coffee, two water heaters for drinking water, and a fridge that worked well. The room felt dusty and worn, and the painted floor tiles were flaking onto our feet. Wi-Fi was unreliable. Hot water took about seven minutes to come through, and the small old wall-mounted AC needed the first 1-2 hours to cool the room, then still never quite managed overnight, even in December. The power went off 1-3 times each night, though it usually came back within a minute or two. One ceiling fan creaked constantly. Worst of all, the door could only be padlocked from outside, so we slept with it unlocked. A large roach appeared on the bed frame the first night. We asked the front desk for bug spray, but lost sight of it. It turned up again in the bathroom the next day, not great with one of us sleeping on the floor mat. The memories we made riding motorcycles, scuba diving, eating at the island's best restaurants, and playing cards together mattered most, so the hotel was just a means to that. It may suit budget travelers if expectations are low, but it could have been just our room and bugs are somewhat inevitable. I couldn't recommend it or give it another try.

The room smelled odd and felt old, the bathroom was moldy, the heater didn't work, and the toilet wouldn't flush. We waited over an hour to get our room, with no apology, and had to climb five flights of stairs to reach it. The receptionist wasn't accommodating and tried to scam me. There was no phone signal or Wi-Fi either. Take my advice and save your money, there are better and cheaper places.

For a longer stay, the huge room, smart TV with Netflix, safe, and very comfortable four-poster bed made this surprisingly good value. We loved the castle's decor and its historic feel, and it was easy to just hang out there. The valley views are superb. The pool area was clean, though it could get crowded. The gym has seen better days but still works. There's a bar inside the castle that's easy to miss; it wasn't always open, but was nice for a drink and a game of pool. The restaurant downstairs served awful food, though there are plenty of good places to eat nearby. We were really impressed with what we got for the price.

You don't come across a castle in the Philippines every day, so it feels like you have to stay. It's huge and fun, with a nice pool, a functional gym, and a great location. The rooms are spacious, and the bathrooms are enormous with great showers. It's a bit rundown and the brown furniture and four-poster beds may not be everyone's taste, but I loved it.