A. Zaragosa Lodging House

The hosts were genuinely kind and moved us to a better bungalow without charging extra, but the cheaper rooms were in such poor shape that we would not recommend them. We found it hard to feel comfortable even getting into bed, and the bathroom toilet was barely ten centimetres off the floor. We were cooking dinner in our room when a large rat appeared from behind the pots. The hosts said it had come because we had food there, and they responded quickly by moving us. The gaps in the bungalow let in the outside, far beyond what we felt was acceptable, even allowing that this may be common in the Philippines. It looked nothing like the photos and reviews had led us to expect. Unless you book a more expensive bungalow for 1,200-1,500 PHP and are comfortable with the chance of rats, we would not stay here. There is only one Filipino restaurant nearby and little other activity or places to go. We would suggest Poblacion instead, where there are more sights and restaurant choices.

The owners at Zaragosa lodging house were the best. They even invited us to their birthday dinner on the night we arrived. It’s a simple but really nice place, very close to the amazing Long Beach. There isn’t much else nearby, though, so it suits a few quiet days.

The owner was genuinely lovely, and at this low price I could easily imagine having written a much more positive review on another day. But we only stayed one night and barely slept. We were warned after arriving that there was a wedding or party nearby, and guests came back early in the morning and seemed to keep celebrating here. There was noise from music, people partying, crying babies, dogs barking, a pig being killed, and the bathroom. People staying longer might have been more forgiving than we were.

The owner is nice, and the price is low, but I didn’t sleep much. The AC and fan were loud, and I could hear the people next door so clearly it felt like they were in my room. Outside noise came through too, with people being loud and roosters going all night. For me, the cheap rate was the only real plus.