There is a great variety of types of accommodations available for a tour of the Philippines that can fit your budget and your comfort preferences. It has to be considered, though, that not all accommodation types are available in all destinations. Some areas would have limitations on the types of accommodation, thus, would need some adjustments and adaptations in some aspects.

 

What's you hotel preference?

Generally, we (Tropical Experience Travel Services) propose the following hotel levels (consider that available levels may also change depending on the chosen destinations)

• Basic Level: small guesthouse-type budget hotels or inns, with no frills but providing the basic comforts and services (private room, private toilet and bath, hot/cold shower, air-conditioning , cleaning service, breakfast, Wi-Fi at least in common areas).

• Comfort Level: pleasant and selected medium-level establishments with good level of services and typical/local atmosphere and personality. The hotels would be more spacious, cozy and comfortable than the basic level. This is generally the suggested solution for those preferring good small/medium-sized hotels.

• Superior Level: medium-high budget hotels with great level of services like television set with cable, maid services, sometimes swimming pools and private  beach area, restaurants, gyms and business centres. This would be ideal for travellers who want to be sure to have all the modern comforts and convenience but not necessarily extravagant.

• Luxury Level: also available for those who prefer a lavish holiday experience. For some, a vacation is not complete without a luxurious resort to spend your downtime splurging on great comfort and extravagance. The Philippines boasts some of the best remote and luxurious resorts you can find. Check a list of the Best Eco-Luxury Resorts of the Philippines here.

 

Other secondary options

Then, there would be some other options for tourists.

• Bed & Breakfasts options with apartments that are usually owned by private individuals with short term and long term rates

• Hostels for backpackers with dormitory type rooms housing multiple beds, shared facilities in a communal set up. Usually for travelling wanderers who need a place to stay on a very limited budget.

• Motels maintain a demographic target consisting of travellers on long distance journeys needing a place to stay along the way. In this sense, they are set up similar to a hotel but offer the bare minimum amenities and services.

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About the use of hotel "stars" in the Philippines

With the growing diversification of accommodation facilities, it has become increasingly complex to identify hotels/resorts/pensions/inns in a homogeneous way through the so-called stars, that traditionally classified any structure from 1 star (lower level) to 5 stars (best level). This assumption is applicable for the Philippines, yet this approach is spreading also to other countries: in fact, the criteria of classification are globally fragmented and differ from one country to another.

Thus, we advise not to strictly refer to "stars" when searching for the accommodation level you need for your trip to the Philippines. We observe 3-star (or even 2-star) resorts providing exceptional service, unique design and spacious accessorized rooms. At the same time, we see 4-star hotels lacking standards of cleanliness and personality. This becomes even more complicated when visiting remote and wild areas, where not all the services for star classifications can be provided.

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The same applies to room classifications: definitions like "premium", "deluxe", "premium deluxe", "premiere", "presidential", "suite" etc. can be very arbitrary. We could say that this is especially a phenomena spread in the Philippines: exaggerating room labels a bit to a point of misrepresentation. You could find a "Premier Deluxe Room" available in a tiny pension with shared bathrooms.

The room type could also change a lot within the same hotel: many establishments adjusted their offer to gather different types of travellers with very different ranges of budgets. Then, you could find significantly different room types within the same hotel: they could offer a tiny dark room with no windows, a small bed and a noisy air conditioning unit, then a beautiful spacious sea-view room, well decorated and with a king bed just upstairs.

 

In this view - together with other factors - it could be helpful to organize your trip with a trusted local operator that has an actual knowledge of the Philippines  and the services and standards available in different destinations.