These are almost exclusively hotels I have stayed in (one exception), don't want to talk out my ass about places I know nothing about. While I have never stayed at the new Swiss Chalet info was gathered from talking with a friend who stayed there a couple months past and from seeing his room. As you can see by the hotels listed, I prefer to to be right near Fields Ave., as I hate the idea of using trike drivers to get where I need to go. These are MY opinions, and while I think they're fairly objective, I'd certainly welcome input from others. For further info and/or for information on rates/booking the hotels, www.balibago.com is an excellent resource. Sorry I don’t have pics of ALL rooms, but most of you have probably stayed at the Orchid before anyway, and if not, there are tons of pics on the board.

ORCHID INN: As I've said many times before, the Orchid is the best mix of amenities and location in Angeles City for anyone with a stay focused around the Fields Avenue bars. It has a terrific reputation as a punter's hotel, and all things being equal, just about all of us would stay there. Like many of my favorite places in AC, there is often an air of excitement at the Orchid, with people playing pool in the front bar, or simply hanging around or entertaining some rather HOT guests at La Cantina in the back. The Orchid pool is nice and clean, and there can be lots of eye candy as OGBs (Other Guys' Barfines) take a dip and play around. The wait staff at both of Orchid's bars/restaurant are all full of smiles and friendly.

The big negative, however, is the price, as the deluxe rooms at the Orchid are nearly twice as much as those of the competition, and the older, cheaper rooms don't measure up to similarly priced rooms at other hotels.

As far as rooms go, there are two quite different tiers of rooms at the Orchid, and each will be discussed separately. The standard rooms are the older, smaller rooms, and as might imagine, the cheapest, costing $25 per night. For that cost you get a room that is pretty no frills, just a bed, wardrobe, dining table and chairs stuffed into a corner, refrigerator with stocked mini-bar items, TV w/ cable, very cramped bathroom, and a window unit air-con that can be a little noisy but generally puts out pretty cold air. The good news, though, is that you are staying at a hotel with a terrific location, nice pool, lounge areas/restaurant in the front with pool tables and in the back by the pool, in-room massage if you'd like, attentive maid service and front desk staff. An added convenience is the safety boxes available at the front desk and money exchange available at the front desk.

Negatives for standard rooms: No in room safe. Can be lots of noise outside room doors at all hours of the day and night. Bathrooms extremely small and showing some age, and with all available space taken up with sari sari store type items that guests can help themselves to which ends up padding your bill (though they can be removed on request). Rooms older and smaller than other hotels for the same price.

Strengths: Location. Orchid facilities including attentive front desk staff and excellent maid service, pool, ´vibe´ of staying at the Orchid.

Grade for Orchid Inn standard room: Room Quality: C+ Overall, including amenities: B Value: B

Deluxe rooms at the Orchid: These rooms are much newer and nicer and BIGGER than the standard rooms, and as such feel much more relaxing - some of the nicest rooms that you'll find in the immediate vicinity of Fields.

Strengths: Location. In room safe, large bathroom which can accommodate many guests showering simultaneously, Orchid facilities mentioned previously, internet access for laptops.

Negatives: Price. While the total package at the Orchid makes it the best overall hotel option, the rooms themselves do not justify being significantly more expensive than similar options at other hotels. Air-conditioning requires room key to be activated, room always HOT upon returning.

Grade for Orchid Inn deluxe room: Room quality: A- Overall, including amenities: A Value: B- (Value still not good even if given a 5% discount for length/frequency of stay that must be requested - it's not automatic)

Snafus: Cable TV-remote system not the easiest to figure out, batteries dead for remote, cable sometimes inexplicably 'out'.

Recommendation: I'd highly recommend the deluxe rooms at the Orchid if you're not price sensitive. An excellent vacation option.



KOKOMOZ (the MO-tel): Kokomoz Hotel is an excellent budget-friendly option for a hotel stay for the AC visitor who wants to be dead smack in the MIDDLE of the Fields bar action. While the rooms are decent, the lively atmosphere of Kokomoz restaurant/bar is also an attraction, as you are right in the middle of one of the liveliest places in AC as soon as you walk down the stairs, with friendly, smiling waitresses flitting about, people playing pool, punters dining with their rent a-dates, the odd freelancer lifting eyebrows in your direction - fun stuff. While the swimming pool action never seems to be as lively as at the Orchid (too many locals and kids during the daytime), the pool is decent-sized and clean. The prices for rooms at Kokomoz is pretty reasonable, but I'd say the better value would be the inside rooms at 1250 pesos rather than the slightly larger rooms above the pool for 1500.

The rooms at Kokomoz are not generally large, but quite a bit larger than the standard rooms at the Orchid. The size and furnishings of the rooms can vary, as there don't seem to be any rooms that are exactly alike. Some rooms will have actual sitting areas with a sofa and a coffee table, others you bump the corner of the fridge as you walk past the bed to the bathroom.

All MO-tel rooms have in-room safes, cable TV (with US Armed Forces Network feeds for LIVE American sporting events - completely unique in Angeles), an actual COMPUTER with fast internet connection, mini-fridge with the usual mini-bar items for sale. The bathrooms are average sized and could use more shelf space. Air conditioning is quiet, but is one of many things at the MO-tel with varying quality depending on the room that you're in.

Strengths: Location, location, location. In room safe, AFN American sports on TV, COMPUTER with internet access, Kokomoz restaurant/bar service downstairs, pool, friendly staff, good maid service. Value for the price you pay.

Weaknesses: Rooms can be hot, air-conditioning needs a turbo boost despite the fact that it can be left on 24x7. Can be significant noise coming from various directions depending on which room you have - not recommended for extremely light sleepers. No front desk/room phone/way to screen visitors, anyone can knock on your door at any time of day or night.

Snafus: Brownouts can wreak havoc with the rooms/air-con, and there was a SEVERE problem with water pressure in interior rooms in summer of '03 for many hours after a brownout. Don't ASSUME you're getting any free food included in the price of your room despite what you might read on various websites or what your experience has been on previous stays. Air-con has leaked in two separate rooms on two separate stays resulting in puddles on the floor. Tile floor gets grimy several hours after the maids clean. Mosquitoes seem to be more of a noticeable problem at the MO-tel than in other places in AC.

Grade for Kokomoz rooms: Room quality: B Overall including amenities: A- (unique amenities are AFN sports and computer) Value: 1250 peso rooms: A (would be A+ if they still had meal comp) 1500 peso rooms: B+ (Value presumes no Go2Phil discount, which can be significant for a long stay)

Recommendation: Kokomoz hotel is an excellent value option for those that want to be completely immersed in the Fields Avenue bar scene. There seem to be more 3rd world type problems than in other hotel options, but for the money, you do pretty well for yourself, especially if you're not toting a laptop with you and need to spend ANY sort of time each day on the internet.


APARTELLE ROYAL (on top of Camelot bar): The Apartelle Royal (AR) offers very attractive rooms at a bargain price, but as the place views itself as more of an apartment style establishment, usual hotel amenities are lacking. The deluxe rooms ($32) are VERY large and well appointed, while the standard rooms ($23) are an excellent value for the money. The AR offers a jacuzzi room as well ($40), but I've never checked it out and can't comment.

As I've only stayed in the deluxe rooms, I will limit my comments to them, other than to mention that for the price, the physical standard ROOM ITSELF is larger and newer and better appointed than any room in its price range. The deluxe rooms, however, are far superior to the deluxe rooms at the Orchid Inn and Central Park, actual suites with kitchen and a separate sitting and dining area. By comparison, the deluxe rooms are simply HUGE. Air con is brand new, quiet, powerful and can be left on all day. There is no pool or restaurant/lounge like all other hotels offer, and no atmosphere whatsoever to speak of. Your room is an island.

Strengths: BIG, NEW rooms. Air-con that WORKS and can be left on when you leave (though the maids turn it off after they leave). Deluxe rooms have kitchens and larger fridge than normal. In room safe. Location close to Margarita Station, Fields bars. Good maid service. Value for the money. Rooms with actual windows and natural light and an actual view of Angeles (lol, though some might say that's a negative!).

Weaknesses: You get NOTHING but a room, no pool, restaurant, room phone, etc. Must climb at least two flights of STEEP steps to get to the standard rooms, and a whole LOTTA steps to get to the deluxe rooms on the top floor - NOT fun on the average hot, sticky day in AC, and a no go for the morbidly obese punter who has been known to occasionally visit AC. Must walk a gauntlet of Camelot doorgirls to enter the hotel, and they can be extremely catty.

Snafus: Despite a security guard at the door, had a previous barfine pounding on my door while I was going at it with another girl. How's THAT happen? (Note: This was last summer before a front desk was put in on the 2nd floor). Blew out an electrical outlet, though that may have been due to my cheapass-Chinese cellphone charger. Air-con leaked on the bed, forcing bed to be moved.

Grades for Apartelle Royal: Room quality: A+ Overall, including amenities: A- Value: A

Recommendation: The deluxe rooms are GREAT rooms, and if you can live without a pool and restaurant and the fact that there is minimal staff to attend to your needs, especially at night, you should be quite happy with accomodations at the Apartelle Royal and the value you get for your money.



CENTRAL PARK HOTEL: The recently completely renovated Central Park (formerly Chicago Park or Park Chicago, I don't know) offers nice rooms at a very good price in a terrific location. Add in incredible customer service and super-friendly staff, and it's no wonder why this place is becoming VERY popular very quickly.

The hotel is limited a bit by things it doesn't have, namely a pool (the one in front is a JOKE, more like a BATHTUB, but it does seem rather clean), but the owners claim to be working on a rooftop pool which could make it a full-service resort-esque hotel to rival the Orchid for overall superiority among the Fields area hotels.

Another physical limitation is that the rather cramped lobby and restaurant bar areas are completely enclosed and without air conditioning. This can make it seem eerily quiet and hot and stuffy at the same time, which can be annoying rather than relaxing. The world's cheeriest staff does quite a bit to make up for these limitations, however, and they do an amazing job of making you feel like you're at HOME while a guest there.

The rooms at Central Park are nice, but not nearly as nice as the rooms at Apartelle Royal. They DO compare favorably to the considerably more expensive rooms at the Orchid Inn, however, thus creating the CP's market niche - comparable rooms to the Orchid's at a much lower price with superb customer service. There are two tiers of rooms, $25 standard and $30 deluxe, with the major differences being a slightly larger room and a noticeably larger bathroom, and a DVD player in the room.

Central Park rooms all include in room safes, remote control AC, TV with cable (obviously), fridge with mini-bar, ceiling fan, good maid service and attentive front desk and wait staff. Money changing service is available at the front desk.

Strengths: Location. Super friendly and helpful staff, from the maids to the security guard to the owners who will know your name within 2 days. In room safe. Good value (for AC) for the quality of the room. Hotel very quiet.

Weaknesses: No pool. Air-con requires room key for activation so you return to a hot room. Lounge area too quiet/stuffy with no air-con.

Snafus: Scumbags that sit on the corner and drink in the sun use the parking lot as a open air bathroom.

Grade for Central Park: Rooms: A- Overall, including amenities: A- Value: A

Recommendation: If you can live without a swimming pool and value customer service and reasonably priced accomodations, this is your place. The staff will do backflips in order to make sure you enjoy your stay.


Other Hotels:

HOTEL HANA: I stayed here one night in the cheapest room they had (750 piso at the time, I understand the rates have gone up), and was generally underwhelmed except for the fact that it was CHEAP! The room was of a decent size, but the bathroom was quite small. The room seemed quite worn-looking, and while the paint was fresh, the lime green paint looked like it was army surplus or something. The overall impression of the room from inside was one of institutional quality rather than a hotel.

The TV was new and worked, there was a fridge with mini-bar, air-con worked, the pool was quite nice, the staff pretty friendly, they have an internet terminal in the lobby. I canNOT complain about the value I got for my 750 pesos, but would easily rate the room as the worst of any hotels on this list. Combined with the fact that it's a trike/jeepney ride from the action on Fields, I will not be staying there again anytime soon unless I'm broke and hunkered down with a honey ko. Oh, and I also far prefer hotels with in-room safes, just to be extra careful about being able to lock up my cash on hand/wallet.

Strengths: Cheap. Nice pool. 24-hr restaurant, internet in lobby.

Weaknesses: Too far away. Room décor depressing.

Recommendation: If you don't mind being a bit far away from the bar action and don't mind a dreary looking room, Hotel Hana makes a good budget hotel option.


SWISS CHALET: A buddy stayed here in April, and the rooms are brand new and quite large and nice, and obviously the location is excellent if you're planning to do heavy barhopping on Fields. In the Apartelle Royal mode, though, they're more like serviced apartments, in that there are few amenities like a pool and the 'front desk' is inside Blackjack's Restaurant, which isn't 24 hours. One difference from Apartelle Royal, though, is that there are room phones and there is a restaurant downstairs with a very good reputation. The staff was quite friendly to me as a visitor, the room clean which indicated good maid service.

The furniture/decorations at Swiss Chalet may be the nicest of all the hotels on this list. All rooms have in-room safes and brand new quiet air-con, good-sized TV.The rooms are priced at 1250 and 1450 pesos, and unfortunately I don't know which priced room my friend had. Even at 1450 pesos, however, he got a VERY nice room for the money.

Recommendation: Like Apartelle Royal, if you can live without a pool and a ton of staff being at your beck and call, you can get an extremely nice room for your money, maybe the best value in AC.


So, after all that, what's the best hotel for ME? VERY tough call, as I'd be pretty happy staying in any of these places (well, I didn't really like Hotel Hana). But personally, I've chosen Central Park for my next trip. Bottom line is that the rooms are fairly nice for the price, the staff is SUPER nice, and Kokomoz is right around the corner if I want to hang out someplace more bustling. OH, and the mirror on the wall at the foot of the bed is VERY strategically placed!

As to where anyone ELSE would want to stay: "UP TO YOU!"

Despite the recent rave reviews about the Royal Amsterdam and my continuing happiness with the tremendous staff attitudes at Central Park, the place I'm looking forward to staying on my next trip is Apartelle Royal. The deluxe rooms are HUGE. Price still $32. If I had a laptop and needed internet access I might think differently.

Hotel links:

http://www.hotelroyalamsterdam.com/
http://www.oasishotel.com.ph/
http://www.orchid-inn.com/
http://www.centralpark-ac.com/
http://www.swisschaletph.com/
http://www.asianfields.com/Public/ (Blue Nile Exec Hotel)
http://www.angelescity.com/motel/ (Kokomos Hotel)
http://www.champagne-angeles.com/apartelle/
http://www.hotel-hana-ph.com/

Porker, great recs here. I stayed at both Orchid and Appartelle Royalle (AR) and agree with all your points. Only thing about AR is that they have a very limited number of rooms and I wasn't able to get it for either November or December this year. If you like the AR, I think you'll also like the Natalia Hotel (wrote a blurb about it) as it is very similar in many respects in setup and location, it's about a block from AR.

I too also place a high premium on location. I really can't see myself taking a trike to the hotels out in the perimeter area, especially with a girl and especially with so many nitwit trike drivers around. The trike fares could add up if you find yourself shuttling back and forth to Fields.

I also stayed at the standard room in Orchid and absolutely did not like the room as it was small, dark, and many things were not in working order.

I've also heard good things about the Swiss Chalet from one of the guys that I met this trip who stayed there for a month, but this place also seems to have a limited number of spaces.

I spent quite a bit of time at the Royal Amsterdam and the deluxe rooms are nice, but the standard rooms (which I saw) were too small. Great ambiance in this hotel.

I also used the Anchorage Hotel for a couple of short times encounters and it's truly a hole in the wall to be avoided and reminded me of some of the older, TJ hotels.

I love the Orchid Jasmine wing deluxe rooms-- I book on autopilot.

I'm looking forward to AC in March!

I hated the Anchorage with a PASSION after foolishly using it for a short time once. What a DUMP!

DM, everyone's different about what they look for in a hotel, but if you can live without the pool, the serviced apartments type places can provide significantly bigger/better rooms for less. Reflex booking at the Orchid is understandable because you're happy there, but as far as ROOMS are concerned, you can do better, and that's without considering the extra cost to stay at the Orchid.

I like it primarily cuz of the pool area, service, and internet service.

Hypothetical situation.

Guest staying at hotel with pool, out past 2 or 3 a.m. drinking, living the good life in AC. Meets a chica he likes, barfines her. Can they go back to hotel and take a late night swim, or do the pools have strict operating hours?

open 24/7. I've had pool parties complete with several dinner courses at 4AM.

Gregorio, even if you're not a guest, you can still take a swim at Orchard like I did this trip with 5 barfines :-) We also hung out and swam a bit at the Blue Nile Exec hotel after our late night snack and Molly Malones.

(Message edited by merlin on January 09, 2005)

>>Must climb at least two flights of STEEP steps to get to the standard rooms, and a whole LOTTA steps to get to the deluxe rooms on the top floor>>

Are you saying that this hotel has no elevator?

Porker,

You said the jacuzzi room at the AR was $40, but their site says $48. Which is right?

No elevator, no. The website is probably more accurate for current prices. I have heard that the jacuzzi room isn't worth the premium price, and if it's $48, probably even more true.

Wow...

Maybe I am just spoiled, but I am not paying $50 a night to walk up and down flights of stairs in hellish temperatures. Of course, making my barfine(s) walk in front of me up the steps WOULD be a nice prelude...

$32 a night for a deluxe room (no tub) is a lot easier to swallow, and the stairs lead to a HUGE and very nice room. I think it's pretty damned cool to have a kitchen too, though I can't even begin to imagine circumstances where I'd actually USE IT!

I had the jacuzzi room at the Blue Nile Hotel, and only one girl wanted to soak in it like they do in the movies. Plus, the hotel actually didn't have enough hot water a couple of times to fill the damned thing. I'll never get another jacuzzi room in AC.

I don't recall any elevators at any of the AC hotels I've stayed at, even at the newly opened Royal Amsterdam, where the deluxe rooms are on the fourth or fifth floors.

I did not know where the heck I was at or what I was in for when I first went down the road and only found out later that it was the world famous "Blow Road" Thanks Porker for the fine report.

It's paved now.

**sigh**

Progress

Yeah now you can get your knob polished without getting your shoes dusty.

Ain't life grand ?

Oh crap now they'll tax the bars to keep up blow road. OOPS! Now I guess its Blow Highway! Heres a pic of my favorite girl at Central Park Hotel. I hope shes still there.

Photo: CPH 1

Actually, she's not working at CPH anymore. Probably married...

E

Considering you're an excellent photographer, that's actually a bad picture of Ana whom I just refer to as maganda. She was engaged last I talked to her. Pretty much all of the girls that work their are top notch as it starts at the top with Roselle

I kinda take what the moment gives me and when its an upaid model then I go with the flow and in that dark lobby it was head on flash or nothing. I think they must have had a lot of guys take their photo and they all seem to like it so I got some outside stuff too heres one Ill dig up some more later. I got some of Roselle who has some great DSLs.

Photo: CPH 2

thanks for the info to all. it is really great stuff. I just did BKK and plan to post a report. But next I want to hit AC. Does anyone think it is worthwhile lining up ride from MNL to AC through Beeline or ask hotel? What about booking hotel direct or through Travel agent

I just want to add my 2 cents worth about the Royal Amsterdam Hotel. I stayed several days there in a standard room--very convenient on the 1st floor--and I thought it was plenty big, and very nice. The location is great--right on Fields Ave.--and it is a comfortable place. Granted, it has no pool, but those of us who don't look like the Governor of California, and lack suntans, may prefer that.

If you want to try it, though, make your reservation early. It seems to be getting pretty busy. I couldn't get a reservation the last time I tried.

I usually stay at Central Park when I go to AC, but occasionally they're booked or something and I need to get a room elsewhere. www.balibago.com is an excellent resource in that they have the contact info for each hotel as well as links to hotel websites all in the same place. But a problem I ran into last week when I needed a room at the last minute in AC when returning from Indonesia is that the price info they have there is quite outdated. When I actually called around to various hotels, I got a bit of sticker shock as prices are up a minimum of 200 pesos over prices listed there. I also tried Beeline travel's website, and their prices are even more outdated.

When hotels are fully booked, I understand price increases, but the rates these days just seem HIGH to me for what you're getting. Hotel Hana is an OK place to stay, but I paid p850 for a room there just 2 years ago, and last week I was told that the cheapest is now close to 1100 pesos. They also wanted p500 for an airport pickup at Clark, which is fucking OUTRAGEOUS, it's 5 minutes away! I ended up in a p1650 (not their cheapest) room at Clarkton, but it ended up being the same price as I would've paid at Hana when the free airport transfer was included.

The next day I was hoping to get a room SOMEWHERE for ~1000 pesos a night, but had very little luck when I finally just decided to head to Beeline Travel's office and let their fingers do the walking for me. My options appeared to be Ponderosa, Niagara, Southern Star, and all were in the p850 range when they used to be cheap charlie specials and places I never would have considered staying before, but it appears places like Premiere, Perimeter Hotel, Hana, and Sunset Gardens (the ones I found passable before) are now either all booked or more than 1100 per night.

Prices are up for EVERYTHING these days in AC. It's no longer debatable whether Pattaya is cheaper or not, as if one stays away from Walking St. go go girls, Pattaya is MUCH cheaper all things considered.

Prices at Central Park are now $29 a night for a standard room. At Apartelle Royale it's $29 for a standard room and $39 for a deluxe room. Kokomoz starts at p1400 a night, and p1650 for the bigger poolside rooms. Swiss Chalet is probably a bargain at ~p1400.

http://www.margarita-station.com/budget.html

Came upon this kewl link after reading the back issues of "Margarita Station Newsletter," as posted by Xenono on Asia Chat:

There are VERY few truly cheap hotels or good deals in Angeles City anymore. With the exchange rate about 45-1 and most hotels charging in pesos, it's becoming very hard to find a room for less than 30 bucks a night. It's funny that probably the BEST value in AC (Central Park) continues to charge in dollars, and has not budged from their $29 a night room rate even when they're almost always booked up.

The "budget" hotels out on Perimeter Rd. are almost all p1100 or more these days, and most are pretty dreary looking/smelling for the price, plus you're basing yourself in trike territory which is never going to be a pleasant vacation experience for me.