Where to stay in Coron?
You won’t find a list of hotels, inns, and guesthouses here. But you will read a first-hand account of R & R Bayview Inn and Coron Gateway Hotel and Suites.
Let me guess. You’re not fastidious about where you stay while on vacation. After all, you’re not going to spend the entire trip holed up in your temporary lodging. But of course, you still want something worth your hard-earned money.
If you’re like me, you like convenience. For the same reason, you’re likely to use tour companies because they promise to relieve us of having to choose where to stay, what to do, and which transport companies to use when in Coron.
So we did, and we learned a few things that you can benefit from.
I’m not going to name names. But I will tell you that you have the right to get full and accurate information from tour and travel agencies. If you don’t like asking about the tiniest details – you really should, for your own convenience.
Here are some questions you can ask before you pay for any Coron Tour Package with accommodation:
- Can I see a picture of the actual room that you will book for me?
- Can I change the room if it’s not up to my standards? (The bed doesn’t feel or look clean; the storage cabinet is made of plastic; the air in the room is musty; the furnishings are worn out; the door won’t lock, I could go on.)
- Can I cancel my room reservation and get a refund if the owner refuses to change it?
I’m sure you can come up with ways to get the full details about the room and gauge the true value of the tour package before you pay.
Unpleasant Surprise
Let’s take a trip down memory lane for a few seconds. Back in 2013, Neil and I visited El Nido, a dreamy memory I cherish to this day. It was a DIY trip – we picked a van that would transport us from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, booked our rooms, and chose an island-hopping tour only after we reached the town.
Neil reserved us a bamboo cabin for P800/night at El Nido Viewdeck Inn. Our temporary abode was perched on top of a hill with a breathtaking view of the bay and gorgeous islands dotting the sea. The wooden cottage was cheap yet it was clean, comfy, and oozing with character. You could say it was one of my favorite cheap places we’ve stayed at in Palawan.
So I was hoping we would get something similar or even better in R2R Bayview Inn during our recent trip to Coron.
With a more expensive rate per night (P1,200/night for a standard room for two with a new view and P1,600/night for a poolside room for two). The room rates are inclusive of breakfast. I hoped the room would look much better than our basic accommodation in El Nido. Well, it was anything but.
To be fair, they have a lot of new rooms in R & R Bayview Inn. But these rooms are apparently unavailable for guests booked by a tour company. How did I know?
Changing our room was a hassle – Jewel and I had to come up with strategies to convince the owner or caretaker to give us a better room. (We didn’t want to tell her frankly that the room she gave us was downright awful.)
September is a low travel season in Coron. The markets, restaurants, and tourist attractions are not too crowded. Do you think the inn was really fully booked? You get my drift.
They did transfer us to another room, but it was quite late because I had already decided to move out of their property for a memorable last night on the island.
Coron Gateway Hotel and Suites
Maybe we were too picky. But we have reasons and the means (thankfully) to be selective. We spent the afternoon of our first day in Coron looking around for a decent place to stay – because I wanted my Coron holiday to end on a happy note.
So we walked, looked around, and checked online, searching for a decent place to stay.
As we were headed to the bay side – something similar to boardwalks in most port towns – we spotted Coron Gateway Hotel and Suites. It stood proud and looked inviting.
RELATED POST: Coron Gateway Hotel and Suites Review
I googled it quickly and saw good reviews. So off we went to the reception area, inquired about the rates (P2,500 net/night for a standard room), and asked if we could go see the room. I also asked if we could check out late because we were planning to check in late anyway. Smiling, he said it was okay, and he let us stay until 3 pm with no extra charge.
My eyes glowed with delight as I gazed over the hotel room. Because it was the off season, we got such a great price that I could hardly contain my excitement. Neil didn’t have to ask me if I was happy, but he turned to me and asked:
So, happy ka na? (So, are you happy?)
The exquisite rooms, which included a huge bed, a wonderful shower, and a flat-screen TV, were more than enough to persuade us to spend our last night in Coron at the property. We imagined we were in paradise while we slept blissfully.
P.S. Because we paid in cash and on the spot, the staff was generous enough to give us a 10% discount.