The last time we stayed at the Vigan Plaza Hotel, it was packed due to a convention of doctors. The only room left was a tiny one designed for just a single occupant and located in the deepest recesses of the hotel. This time around, there were no doctors in sight and the hotel had the room we wanted.
Table of Contents
Room
During our last stay, it was peak season and the hotel was packed due to a doctor’s convention. The only room available to us was a Standard Single Room that cost us a total of PhP 2,300.
Room
This time around, it wasn’t peak season and there was no convention packing the place. And this meant that we were able to score a Standard Double Room for PhP 2,380.
So how big was the room? Well, as the name implies, it was practically double in size. There was enough space to walk around both sides of the bed, without having to bump shins on the hard wood frame.
There was even enough space for a small coffee table and two chairs by the window, making it the perfect place to sip hot chocolate while watching the morning news on the flat screen television.
Cabinet
With more space, we had a bigger dressing table that held three mirrors, with the two on the sides being adjustable in angle. There was also a hair drier mounted on the wall to the right of the dresser.
When it came to the bed, this one was Queen-sized and was just about the right size for couples or individuals who want space. However, the frame isn’t the typical one found in furniture stores because it featured a rather intricate hand-carved wooden headboard.
Speaking of hand-carved wood, the legs of the dressing table, the dressing chair, and the television table all sported curved ones of old. They make today’s straight-legged furniture feel kind of, well, cheap.
Dresser
Finally, our room came with a massive wooden cabinet made of dark, heavy wood. Unlike the ornate cabinet I liked in the Vistamar Hotel and Country Club in Cebu, the one in our room looked more like the ones found in the Rizal Shrine in Laguna.
[The additional 80 bucks was more than worth it!]
Oh, and if you’re concerned about the heat, banish those worries. The split-type air conditioner had us exhaling frost the next morning because I failed to lower the temperature before sleeping. Thankfully, the blanket kept us nice and warm.
Bathroom
Since our room was bigger than the Standard Single Room be had back, the bathroom grew slightly in size as well.
The tiles on the walls started from the floor and reached all the way to the ceiling, with the bottom half decked out in a green in color.
Bathroom
Water was never a problem and the heater for the shower was located under the sink to save space. Those of you who enjoy their hot water to make adjustments before turning on the tap. Otherwise, you will need to tiptoe out to fine tune the temperature.
Compared to the room, the bathroom was a little bit on the modern side. This is probably a good thing because an old-style bathroom made of wood may pose a leakage problem in the long term. Unchecked, it could wreak havoc on the entire hotel.
For those who need a tabo, or dipper, you will need to pack one in your luggage as this bathroom does not come supplied with one.
Rates
Before ending up at Vigan Plaza Hotel, I actually checked out other hotels. My main reason for this is because I wanted to try out other places so you, our dear readers, could have a wider choice.
Corridor
Well, a couple of the hotels I had chosen were charging PhP 7,000 for their smallest rooms and didn’t offer any promos. Needless to say, I high tailed it out of there and went back to the Vigan Plaza Hotel where they offered PhP 2,380 for their Standard Double Room.
Considering the most expensive room at the Vigan Plaza Hotel was PhP 6,375 for the Governor Suite, it was kind of difficult to part with my hard earned cash by staying at another place.
[And this is especially since this hotel has so much character.]
The Vigan Plaza Hotel continues to take credit cards, so you can save your bills for the pasalubong you can buy around town. If you run out of bills, the banks nearby have Automated Teller Machines, or ATMs, to facilitate local and international withdrawals that are converted to Pesos.
Finally, the list of rates during our stay can be found at the bottom of this article. Please note that these rates were applied during our stay, which was during the off-peak season. Expect them to change over time.
Food
The Bigaa Resto, which was the in-house restaurant on the ground floor of the Vigan Plaza Hotel has gone to restaurant heaven. In its place was the Chinese-style Hap Chan Restaurant.
Dining Area
For those intent on sampling a native breakfast, the good news is that the morning buffet is Filipino-style. Guests provided with the complimentary breakfast still get to feast on Vigan Longganiza, Bangus, Fried Eggs, and Garlic Rice. While those with a lot of thirst to quench can do so with the bottomless Orange Juice.
The Sitio Bar, which was located at the other corner of the hotel, also seems to have gone to bar heaven. The space they used to occupy was undergoing renovation during our stay. Hopefully, the new place will be up and running soon.
Amenities
Each of the rooms come with a Wi-Fi connection. And unlike the slow ones I have encountered in other places abroad, the internet connection was rather quick. So sharing those large pictures won’t feel like it takes forever.
Common Area
If you found the 8-hour drive from Metropolitan Manila tiring, then you might want to get a massage. With a quick call to the front desk, you and your family can be treated to a relaxing massage in the privacy of your room.
If you flew in via Laoag Airport, renting a car to get around Vigan may be tempting. Instead of this, you might want to try riding a Calesa might be a better option. The hotel actually has its own four-wheeled Calesa, which is more stable than the two-wheeled variety you will see around the city.
[Then again, the two-wheeled ones are a must-try when visiting this city.]
Staff
Just like our first stay, the staff was very courteous and helpful. One of the things we really appreciated was that they allowed us to check out a little later than normal. This was to give us a little more leeway for our sightseeing via Calesa.
Common Area
Now before you put this down in stone and expect it to be a policy, hold on. This was merely a courtesy extended to us because there were enough rooms to handle arriving guests. If the place was fully booked, I would not expect them to extend this courtesy because the staff needs to consider that arriving guests will be extremely tired and in need of a room to rest.
[Again, this was a courtesy and not a policy.]
If you happen to be at Vigan Plaza Hotel when the place is fully booked, the staff may allow you to leave your bags in the lobby for a few hours, or until you can come back and collect them within the day
[This is what they offered us the last time we were here.]
Please note that this offer may depend on the number and frequency of guests going in and out of the hotel. If there are just too many going through, the offer may not be extended because your bags may be in danger of getting pilfered. In this case, it may be safer to leave them in your vehicle instead.
[Let’s be realistic; no one knows the type of guests coming through the door. Some may be kleptomaniacs with extremely fast hands.]
Parking
While I was able to park within the small area beside the hotel on our last visit, it was no longer available to guests this time around because it is now used as a staging area. Guests are instead requested to park on the street, in front of the hotel.
Room Chairs
[Other hotels have been doing this for the longest time and it looks like the Vigan Plaza Hotel just started.]
Those of you who are concerned about leaving their prized possessions on the street have nothing to worry about. Just like in Puerto Princesa, crime is taken very seriously in Vigan. Knowing that any incident, no matter how small, can affect tourism and the town’s image, everyone, from the mayor all the way to the Cuchero, takes a very active role against crime.
[This is one of the reasons why it is safe to park vehicles on the streets.]
Secondly, the Vigan Plaza Hotel employs full-time guards to help keep an eye on the vehicles of guests. For those staying at the hotel, you may be requested to transfer your vehicle to slots directly in front of the hotel so they can keep an eye on it at all times.
Final Thoughts
After spending the night at Fort Ilocandia then passing the historical Paoay Church along the way, we finally arrived back in Vigan for another night to celebrate my wife’s birthday. And while we enjoyed our first stay here years ago, it was much this second time around.
Offering very reasonable prices and an excellent location, the Vigan Plaza Hotel continues to be one of the best places to stay at when visiting the centuries’ old City of Vigan. Not only did we get a better room, we had much more time to savor the sights by riding a Calesa all around the city.
Well, time for me to checkout. I hope you can join me in succeeding articles as we visit a few places the locals recommend when in Vigan.
Must Do’s
- Check out the ornate carvings on the furniture.
- Try the Vigan Longganiza at the buffet.
- Try the Ilocos Vinegar at the buffet.
Must Don’ts
- Do not forget to adjust the air condition temperature before you sleep or you’ll turn to ice.
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