Now that summer is in full swing, guest from all over the world can be expected to visit popular tourist destinations like Boracay, Palawan, and Bohol. For those opting to choose Boracay, Casa Fiesta is one alternative to the budget conscious traveler who does not want to scrimp on a hotel’s features.
Table of Contents
Location
One of the best features of this hotel is its location as it is in Station 1. For those not familiar with the old Boracay, Station 1 used to be the place where the top hotels and resorts were.
Casa Fiesta Sign
And while the best ones have expanded to the other stations over the years, Station 1 is still considered one of the best because it is closer to the middle of the beach. This means that visitors don’t have to walk as far in either direction when exploring the island.
Exterior
Another thing that makes Casa Fiesta appealing is that is right beside an inexpensive sari-sari, or corner, store. Things like bottled water, sun block, and other items are a bit cheaper than the surrounding hotels.
For people who are hungry and prefer a restaurant that is nearby, Yellow Cab Pizza is just a hop skip and a jump away. Although you may want to bring some cash because this particular branch does not take credit cards.
Rooms
The building does not look very big from the outside, so it was a bit of a surprise that the rooms were bigger than what I expected.
Room
Being with my brother-in-law’s family, we rented rooms located on the second and third floors of what looked to be an extended wing of the hotel. Both were beachfront rooms and came with balconies for some privacy.
Thanks to the hotel being a beachfront property, the sun would still hit the balconies, despite a good number of coconut trees providing shade, the balconies were great places to hand our swimming suits and Aqua Shoes
Second Floor Balcony
Second Floor Balcony
Speaking of the coconut trees, while they provided shade, their height also tended to block the view of the beach from the third floor. The view from the second floor was much better because it was below the leaves.
Having trees block the view was no big deal on our part, though. All of us preferred to spend our days walking on the cool sands and swimming in the blue waters than being cooped up in our hotel anyway.
When the evenings arrived, I did spend a few minutes sitting on one of two lounge chairs on the terrace as I waited for my turn at the bathroom. It was interesting to just sit down and take in all the lights and sounds of neighboring restaurants and hotels.
[Even the nights are full of activity in Boracay.]
Bathroom
Bathroom
The bathroom is large enough so guest wouldn’t be banging their arms on the wall. It had a small window to vent out any, um, interesting smells after a long day of pigging out.
It came with a shower water heater that can be adjusted precisely and we never ran out of water, despite the hotel being fully booked during our stay. The shower head was also detachable, making it easier to wash away sand in unreachable areas like one’s back or stubborn areas like in one’s hair.
The shower drain wasn’t blocked, despite the presence of some sand from our feet when going in from the beach. This meant that the shower floor was free of any water pooling due to small mounds of sand.
Facilities
The hotel provides guests with free Wi-Fi that covers the ground and second floors effectively. And while we did get a signal on the third floor, it was a bit weak and slightly slower. Guests occupying the topmost floor may need to go down a floor or two for free access. They may also want to bring their own internet dongles, although I noticed that it isn’t as fast, probably because of the surrounding buildings made of cement.
Third Floor Lounge
Ground level strength is a different matter as the range of Casa Fiesta’s free Wi-Fi was quite good. In fact, we were eating at one of the tables at of Hawaiian Barbecue and had a good enough connection to use Facebook and check e-mail messages.
There is also a shower and faucet by the entrance for people who want to wash off any excess sand and rinse off salt water before going to their rooms.
[Some of the fine sand will always make its way into rooms though.]
Each room comes with an air conditioner and personal refrigerator. A flat screen television with multi-lingual channels was also standard.
Third Floor Lounge
The place does not provide free breakfasts or serve any food because there are so many other places to choose from in today’s Boracay. The good thing is that any food or drinks bought outside can be consumed here or store
The hall in the top floor is a combination of lounge area and kitchen. And the one striking thing about the area is the couch. Made of thick, dark wood, it is one of those things you don’t see any more.
[There is something about old wood furniture that can’t compare to modern ones.]
Staff
Even before we arrived, all our texts would be answered promptly. And while we may have had to clarify quite a few things about the room accommodations and prices, they usually got back to us quickly. However, I would like to stress that this was because we used phones from the Philippines. Guests from other countries may be better off communicating via e-mail or making voice calls.
Third Floor Balcony View
Once there, the staff does not hover over their guests like other hotels do. Understanding that most tourists prefer to be left alone, they usually keep to themselves in their ground floor office. And while we did encounter them cleaning the halls, they would greet us with a smile and not bug us with questions of how we are doing.
That’s not to say that they aren’t helpful. Any request made by guests, such those involving as new towels, replacement toilet paper, and room cleanups are handled promptly.
They were quite helpful that on our last stay, they assisted us in getting information for our flight. The staff allowed us to use the phone for free to call the airport to try and get more information for our cancelled flight.
Price
For a beachfront property, the prices of their rooms were very reasonable. Both our balcony rooms cost PhP 2,500 per night. And since my nephew was still young, they did not levy and extra person charges.
Final Thoughts
Third Floor Balcony
Casa Fiesta is one of the nicer places to stay while in Boracay. At just PhP 2,000 per night, it is quite a bargain for a beachfront room that includes a balcony.
And while the staff preferred to allow guests to stick to themselves, they were very helpful whenever we asked for their assistance.
Must Do’s
- Make sure to contact them directly for confirmation after booking.
- Although they are quiet, they are helpful, so all you need to do is ask nicely.
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