Got to finally see what the hype was about Vitalis. It was very quiet. Not a lot of people. There…read morewere some parts that looked like it was abandoned. The one amazing part of the Vitals is the little church that is part of the property. It is simply beautiful! The artwork and statues were so well done. The bougainvillea trellises that made a tunnel were beautiful as well.

Staff are nice but the place is so poorly maintained for the $120 per night I paid for two queen…read morebeds, it is not worth it. Porch needs repair and paint. Trash view in back window. Toilet seat is moldy. Things can be old and well maintained but this place is old and very badly maintained.

Hotel Luna, Vigan - A Beautiful Heritage Stay With Real Comfort…read more Hotel Luna is one of the nicest places to stay in Vigan. It's a four-star hotel, but what struck me more was how well kept everything is. The whole place blends Filipino Spanish and Chinese influences, so when you walk in, you get that instant nostalgia you expect from Vigan, but without losing any of the modern comforts. The rooms are spacious and thoughtfully done. The air-conditioning is strong, everything is well equipped, and the Japanese-style toilet is a nice surprise. The courtyard pool sits right in the center of the property, and all the hallways and rooms look down into it, which gives the place a quiet, old-world charm. One of the best parts of staying here is the museum on the second floor. It has pieces from well-known Filipino artists, including BenCab and Arturo Luz. It's not a token display. It's a proper gallery that adds character to the hotel. They also have Chula Bar, which serves drinks and Spanish-style dishes and tapas. It's a good spot before heading out or winding down after dinner. The main dining area handles the buffet services. Breakfast is good, and on weekends they sometimes run dinner buffets. Last night, they had a Japanese buffet, and the price was surprisingly reasonable. Another big plus is the location. The hotel is just off Calle Crisologo, the iconic street where no cars are allowed. Shops, cafés, and restaurants surround the area, so you can walk everywhere. Overall, Hotel Luna is beautiful, comfortable, and full of charm. If you're planning a Vigan trip, this is the place I'd recommend. For anyone coming from Manila: Driving takes around seven hours, depending on traffic. If you prefer to fly, the trip from Manila to Laoag Airport is about an hour, and the land transfer from Laoag to Hotel Luna takes roughly one hour and forty minutes.

Beautiful hotel! Great service from staff too! Merong Bar pa as taas and Ang cheap! Merong gym pero…read moreMaliit at Walang wifi o service. May mag cockroach pa sa room pero walang big deal. Ang Ganda ng banyo, super fancy. Stayed here in January & if and when I do go back to the Philippines, I wouldn't mind trying this place out again. Meron pa yung breakfast buffet, pero Merong masarap, Merong Hindi; okay lang. very close sa lahat na attractions sa ilocos; hopefully they take care of the cockroach situation & the gym, and maybe they would become 5 stars, in my opinion!

My favorite resort in all of La Union! Been going here almost annually since 2018! Their service is…read moretop notch! Everyone is very friendly, from the reception desk, to the restaurant staff and even the housekeepers! The massage offerings are also very nice! Food is as great as you may expect and the fact that it's literally walking distance to the beach! I will always choose Kahuna! Also a huge shoutout to our driver to Vigan, Kuya Edgar! Could not have asked for a better driver to take us around!

Got a massage at Spa Luana (check out my review) and ended up staying for lunch, which was a happy…read moresurprise. They have an extensive American and Filipino menu, and I was craving a burger. The service was pretty good overall! Though there were some small ups and downs like missing condiments or my cousin's Hawaiian burger missing pineapple but, the fries were definitely a highlight, hot and crispy. Prices are pretty affordable for tourists, and the view is absolutely stunning! Overall, it's a really cute resort with beautiful beach views. The prices are decent. If you're planning a big family trip, I'd probably recommend an Airbnb, but if it's just a few people, this could be the perfect spot. A lot of surfers come here, and for around $150 a night, you can get a family suite with 2 queen beds, pretty reasonable. Want something bigger? A 2-bedroom for 8 people with 4 queen beds runs about $330, which breaks down to roughly $45 per person per night if all 8 adults split it. Not bad at all for a fun beach getaway!

Its been more than 20 years since I left this place to study in the US as a young man. This was…read morejust dirt and sea at the time, nothing was here except old huts and fishing villages! Now, its a thriving resort community with a hotel, surfing school, restaurants and a view to a kill from the too of the hotel. San Juan Surf was my home for 4 days, coming back to serve as a commencement speaker and to train their educators and leaders as part of giving back to the old country I grew up in. The hotel offers a variety of rooms according to your preferneces, three floors of rooms that or perfect for vacationers or just stopping by to see the beach and enjoy a stride or better yet, a sunset or perhaps a surfing lesson. The rooms are not too classy, just enough for one or a couple but will offer an extra bed here and there, if you need to. The rooms might need upgrading, its a little old now and kinky but comfortable and cool. Step out into the restaurant and they serve food from 7-9:00 P.M. From Vigan Longaniza (sausages) to milfish and eggs with coffee or chocolate. Prices are very reasonable and the staff are wonderful and nice. If you want to explore and get out of your room at 5 A.M, their gates to the sea opens up life the seemingly metaphorical gateway to paradise, fine sa D, clean landscape with umbrellas and a horde of surf instructors waiting to take you under their wings for about 600 pesos per hour. There's also some of these folks trying to sell you souvenirs and other stuff but what's cool are photographers who'll take your live photos and transfer it on your phone for a couple of hundred pesos! What a deal for a hundred-thousand likes for social media enthusiasts? LOL Drive out to San Fernando and see along lists of food haven from large chains to simple pleasures manner by Mom and Pops serving local delicacies and culinary delights of the north. Don't worry about the menu, many offer fresh fish grilled to perfection and dishes that are not often seen in larger cities of even Los Angeles where I live and work. Drive farther to Pagudpud and you won't ignore the excellent local foods by the sea, too ...from their dinengdeng (vegetables) to dinakdakan (grilled pork with mayonnaise) or a seafood combo with all sorts of clams and shelled galore. I can go on and on but if you happen to go to this wonderful country and travel north, drop by San Juan Surf Resort and experience a little about the sun, sea, surf and wonderful hospitality of the Ilocanos.

3.5 stars! Fun surf resort right on the beach, in front of Ubiztondo break. Nice spot for a simple…read moresurf vacation. We got the deluxe rooms, which are small and basic but clean. We tried to pay with credit card when we checked in but they said only cash was accepted. A day later we saw a sign that said VISA was accepted here, so not sure what the actual deal is. The San Juan surf school is right in front of the resort on the beach and you can take a beginner lesson for 600php per hour or an intermediate/advanced for 700php. Breakfast every day is not included since the restaurant Coast Call Kitchen and Bar is separate from the hotel. The food at the restaurant is pretty good! Overall, it's a nice experience but I wouldn't come here expecting a 5-star hotel experience.

Very hospitable staff. Breakfast included with your room, they also bring your food to your room…read moreand can request earlier breakfast (normally 7-10am)They have a variety of bed set up: queen, single and even a crib. It is two blocks away from Calle Crisologo and very convenient to the square. They even have a free electric scooter like shuttle that can take as many as 10 people. Rooms are clean.

We had a normal fusion of American/Filipino breakfast here. I enjoyed the hash browns and the food…read morewas very tasty. We just had the misfortune of getting food poisoning later on during the day. I don't know if it's due to this place but I can't rule it out. The view during brunch was beautiful though. It looked right over some rice terraces.

I just love that this place is right in the middle of town, and it is so accessible you just have…read moreto walk a few paces from the plaza, the grocery stores, the market, the ATM and the bus station. This is the place to be if you want a low-key accommodation, and if you also want the ease and convenience of being near all the important amenities of Banaue. They have a great cafe that serves good-sized portions. I kept coming back for the chop suey that was so fresh, it was a delight every time. The owners are also very nice because they let me use the upstairs conference room when I told them I need a quiet place with WiFi to work on my tasks (because who carries their work laptop with them when they go on vacation, right?). Anyway, if all that nice stuff isn't enough to convince you, know that their deck has a really nice view of the rice terraces. You don't even need an observation deck for a sweeping panorama view of the main attraction that Banaue has to offer: you just look outside of their cafe deck. One note about the rooms: don't expect too much out of your P250. Their for-sharing rooms are decent enough.

After a rather easy check-in, staff brought my luggage to my room. I stayed in a warm, but…read moremodern-looking Junior Suite that ran about $130 USD with dark, polished wood floors and clean-lined furniture. It had a comfy king-sized bed, a huge wardrobe wall closet, HD cable TV, air conditioning, and a coffee maker. The room felt pretty spacious but cozy. The bathroom was finished in smooth stone and had plenty of counter space while the shower had rain and handheld spray options. I really liked the free and strong Wi-Fi. Their restaurant/bar that had indoor and outdoor dining options offered a daily free and satisfying breakfast of several choices like a "Filipino Breakfast" of either longanisa (sausage), daing (marinated milk fish), or corned beef hash with an egg, white rice, and juice, or pancakes or cereal, toast, fresh fruit and juice. For non-guests, this would come to less than $4 USD per entree. They also offered very affordable dishes that were pretty good like burgers and fries, paninis, and pasta. Service was excellent. The doorman who seemed to have multiple roles as needed was extremely helpful in telling me where to find high-quality native pastries and food. The hotel's very walkable to historic cobblestone streets which only allow foot traffic and kalesas (horse-drawn carriages) and are lined with lots of eatery choices and little shops. I was very satisfied with everything except I wish that there was a pool.

We had booked 3 night here. We arrived in town via bus and rode a tricycle over. The hotel is…read morebeautiful on the outside with statues, fountains, and great details. Check-in was not smooth. The girl (the baggage guy told us her name was Debbie) that checked us in could not find our reservation - - she was looking under the wrong name. We got to our room walked and walked in. Wait, this ain't the room we reserved on Agoda. It looked nothing like the photos of the room on the website. Another thing is that the room was dark & smelled musky - - just damp. We were too hungry from over an 8 hour bus ride, so we ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. After dinner, my wife explained to Debbie that the room was not the one that we saw on the website and that the musky/moldy smell irritated her and that it would be an uncomfortable stay. Debbie looked up without even thinking telling us that there are no more rooms - - basically telling us "to live with it". That night, neither one of us slept well. The next morning we did our sightseeing and went out looking for a new place to stay. We found one. We already prepaid for two more nights, but we just couldn't stay there & knew we would have to eat the costs of the other two nights. When we checked out & returned the key, we explained what happened to the manager and he was sympathetic; he even offered us another room. Sorry, but Debbie made it impossible for us to stay there. Location is good. It's one block from the famous Calle Crisologo. It does have an elevator if you don't want to climb stairs. One thing of note, they don't have bottled water in the room - - they have a water jug in the hallway that you can get water from. Is this water spring, filtered, or whatever - - who knows. Finally, when we were riding the bus to Vigan, we called the hotel to ask how to get there and were told to take a tricycle to the hotel. As we turning into the bus terminal we happened to see a Ciudad Fernandina Hotel van drive by our bus. Why wouldn't the hotel let us know they had a van to use - - we would have paid to get picked up. My wife believes that it was Debbie that she spoke to. We really wanted to like the place, but the way you treat people & the way you do business counts. Enjoy.

We used this resort as our home ground during our recent medical mission project. If you are…read more looking for a small town escape around this area, this beach resort may suit your needs. It may not be the five start resort you are longing for, but what is most interesting on this place is the people behind to this establishment. The staff's hospitality and service is a five star. It's location is half hour from the main city, Laoag. Bus stop terminal is just one ride away. Transportation is easy to arranged with the management. The resort has a beach (salt water) few feet away from the hotel building. If you are not staying in any of the hotel rooms, admission to the beach area is PHP10 only. Cottages are available for rental, The room in the resort is a standard room size for 4 people. It will costs you only PHP500 per day and it includes their daily native home made breakfast which I may say is the best Ilocano food I have tasted during the stay in the North. Additional fee is required for any other dining option. Catering can be arranged to have it set up into the cottages. The resort is secured, 2-3 men are watching the ground.The resort actually is owned by the barangay and under the management of the barangay captain. It has a chapel, a barangay hall, multi-function hall, a liquor store and small merchandise store that you could have access during your stay. People in the surrounding area is trust worthy. They will treat you like a family and they will welcome you like you are one of their people. Have I mention that the fresh breeze in the resort is free? That the calmness of the blue water is inviting? That the shallow beach will make your day "a day" ? And that the sound of the night's insects will make you soundly asleep? Come by. Relax.

When I saw the name of this place painted on the side of their building as their only sign, then…read morestatues of wonky versions of DC superheroes and Disney and anime characters on the grounds, I should have left. However, my cousin drove over 8 hours from where we were originally staying to get here, so we had to stay at least one night. When we arrived, it was hard to distinguish staff since they were dressed very, very, casually. Nonetheless, staff was kinda friendly, but rooms were another story. Our door had a huge gap to the jamb so people could possibly peer in while all of our walls had peeling paint from some previous water damage. Then the bathroom seemed quite unhygienic with a muddy shoe print on the floor, then a dirty wet rag hanging from the shower rod, and the absence of a shower curtain. The shower temperature adjustment was located way too high for me (I'm not that short), and had to be adjusted by my hubby who is quite a bit taller. Because of how filthy it seemed, I suggest wearing flip-flops for walking around the room including the shower. In the main room area, there was a small TV on a sort of open dresser with shelves. The beds' headboards were rather dusty while mattresses were really thin and questionable. Towels were colorful, worn beach towels that appeared iffy in terms of cleanliness. There was a really small kitchenette that had a sink with a damaged faucet and super shabby cabinets and small counter top. No appliances. The drain to the sink was broken and actually drained to a bucket within the room. My parents' room had similar issues. The included breakfast of rice, egg, and longanisa (sweet pork sausage) was good and satisfying and served at a common area on the 3rd floor with a nice view of the beach which is quite close but full of glass and seashells. The claim of free wi-fi was only limited to the area close to the front desk. We were supposed to stay for 3 nights but fled after 1 night. The owner didn't ask why nor offer a partial refund on the whole bill of 3 nights. This "hotel" is really just a place to sleep even though I wasn't comfortable doing so. I don't mind simple, as long as it's clean and functional. This was neither.