If you could only pick one tourist spot to see in Negros Occidental, consider this place!…read more They call it The Ruins because well... it's ruined! But done so beautifully! I can only imagine how magnificent it must have been during its heydays! It's another story of a man's testament of love to his wife who died during child birth. Don Mariano Lacson built this beautiful structure in memory of his wife, Maria Braga Lacson who died while giving birth to their 8th child. According to our tour guide (and a bit of research) during WWII, Filipino guerrillas set the mansion ablaze to deter the Japanese forces from using it as some kind of headquarters. The house was blazing for three days because of the exceptional type of wood used in the structure. What's left of the house is the structure you see now. It's still currently maintained by Lacson's heirs. It is also available to rent for private events. Imagine the photographs! There is an entrance fee - it's affordable. There's also a restaurant on the grounds, so if you happen to need sustenance, it's available. It really is an architectural wonder! If at anytime you're in the area, make a stop! It'll be worth it!

My first attempt in visiting this place was it was closed for an event, however, they do have a…read morefacebook page where you can see those updates in any closures they might have - that i didnt know. Now i do! Anyways, so they have a parking lot for small and large vehicles. There also is an entrance fee for each person. It is a self-guided tour with notes on each artifact. There is a restaurant on site with both indoor and outdoor seating. There are stairs, but there is no second level - that was burned down during the War - all that is explained as well on one of the placards throughout the venue. Just the sheer size and how this was meticulously designed was the real marvel of this structure. Its really a sight to see. its not just a building - it was made out of love, and inspired by travel. This is a must-visit for both locals and foreigners.

I was apprehensive when we first booked this reservation for our Philippine trip. So we read…read morereviews & based our choice on our past visits at Marriott hotels. Iloilo my hometown in the Philippines was once a sleepy town that has developed into a tourist spot. Our 6 day stay was amazing. We purchased the buffet breakfast & we're glad we did. It was a complete with omelet station, native fruits both American & Filipino breakfast. They had Mangosteen, Lancôme's & Dragon Fruit, super delish! The service was top notch. Whenever we needed or requested anything the staff promptly responded. They were friendly & we're determined ti provide great service. The rooms were very nice & spacious with a nice view of the city. Nicely located in the call center districts. The Call Center industry is big business there. Lots of food choices, just 2 blocks away, in the nearby Festive Walk Mall & Korea town. The pool area was beautiful with a nice bar & different theme parties at night. We enjoyed the disco night. Since this city is growing they sometimes experience power outage (blackouts) but not at this hotel. This was my husband's first visit & he loved it. This will be our first choice on our next visit.

This is my go to hotel when in Iloilo. The staff are so friendly and accommodating. The hotel is…read morealways clean and well maintained. If I have any concerns with the room, they promptly take care of it. If I want to move rooms they do their best to give me the room (view) I want. Shout out to Alexa who remembers me every time I come which is almost every year. I have entertained guests at poolside and food (room service) was impressively presented and very good. The only thing that I wish they would change is the front entrance . If I want to be just dropped off curbside I have to walk all around the block unless I cut across some landscaping. Maybe have steps installed at least? If I want to go to the nearby mall, I have to walk down the driveway where I would encounter cars coming through for checkpoint which is really awkward, inconvenient and definitely hazardous.

This classy-looking hotel should be up there in any rating, as with the many other '21' hotels in…read moreIloilo: everything looks high-end with wide bright hallways and well-appointed spacious rooms. What got to us, however, was the internet. Like so many pinoy hotels, it sucks. Finally, late into the 2nd day they brought us a separate router so that we at least got a steady signal. But we'd needlessly expended too much time and effort trying to get online, and so we left. As well, the complimentary breakfast for the first morning was so lousy that eating it is a test to one's taste buds and nutritional needs. And on checking out, they almost argued with us on the 2nd morning when we had not asked for their 'breakfast' a second time. Now most filipinos would ask, 'what is your problem,' but what is not acceptable in a high-end hotel in any developed country should not be here either: for similar accommodations Singapore, HongKong, Tokyo, Soeul, Taipei and Shanghai would likely do much better... Want a decent buffet breakfast? Go to Richmond in nearby Megaworld... Difficult to rate this hotel higher, as the higher room rates with no provision for senior discounts = not a great place to stay given these drawbacks. We moved on to a better hotel that offered steady internet at a lower cost, but with all the other amenities intact. What a drag!

Fail... sorry but this is supposed to be the best hotel in Bacolod??? First of all, it is…read moreoutdated, smells musty & old, smells like cigarettes smoke, chaotic, carpet & elevator scary looking, (there was a toothpick sticking out of the keyhole). I am so disappointed. My husband is usually not very picky but his initial description? "Looks like a Motel 6". We reserved a suite and it was roomy but the furniture was old and the white couch looked so filthy that I would not even sit on it... Check in the was a painful process, although the front Desk person was really doing her Best to be helpful & hospitable. I would not recommend this place. Well, after I wrote the review above & complained to the Front Desk, the hotel did their best to fix the room smell. That was the only adjustment done but I do have to give them credit for doing their best to get rid of the old musty smell. The hotel & fixtures can still benefit with some upgrades. Customer service is excellent. I can't complain especially the staff at the Ripples restaurant. We were very well treated every day!!!

This was a comfortable, straight-forward place to stay in Bacolod...one of the more well-known…read morehotels, this place is centrally located and it's easy to access the other sights around Bacolod City. They have a very good breakfast buffet and they are very accommodating towards large parties. My room was comfortable, even though it could use some updating. For convenience, this a good spot to stay in since it's reliable, well located and offers decent pricing.

A beautiful and clean place to walk. I was able to rest and find a spot where there's shade in the…read moreafternoon. It's also a nice place to jog as well.

A great place to walk or jog, whether it be early in the morning (before the sun gets too hot) or…read moreevening (to work off your dinner). The path is well maintained on both sides of the river, clean and well lit at night. There are restrooms and a few coffee shops close by as well. There's even a place where you can take touristy pics in front of the Ilo Ilo sign. People gather in the morning to do exercises and yoga. There are also two hospitals next to the river walk, just in case you've had too much of a good thing. And yes, there are automatic sprinklers and people cleaning and watering daily, weekly, monthly and yearly (I'm borrowing from Ice Cube - name that song) so that everyone sees very clearly that this is a revitalization of a major river in a semi-large city. Darn, it's so nice the mayor's home is right next to the esplanade and so is a nice hotel and one particularly nice subdivision. Also, the river walk is an ongoing project all along the river - on both sides. To show people and politicians that it can be done if you choose to get things done for the betterment of all. This is similar to the river walk project here in Chicago. The mayor sees Singapore as the role model, well I've been to Singapore and I'd have to say that he's off to a great start.

Another large attractive-looking condo complex with two adjacent towers, One Spatial has a good…read morelocation on the Iloilo River, especially the side facing the distant mountains, and includes spacious common area walkways, resting spots, and an outdoor pool. Across the street is the Esplanade, a two kilometer riverside walkway that isn't used much, but that does add to the beauty of the setting. At night it transitions into a night scene with entertainment and eating venues. Within walking distance not far across the river is the Molo square and shopping area. But... 1. none of these small 1 or 2 bedroom units come with balconies; 2. units are without screen windows, even on lower floors where bugs and burglars can get in. Just added expense, it's difficult for tenants to obtain and fit after-market screens to size; 3. poorly designed like other newer condos in the country, the layout allows very little natural light to get into the living room, kitchen or bathroom: if bedroom doors are closed, interior rooms are in the dark; 4. even with a glut of condos available to own or rent in the city, high prices of 5-6 million pesos are not negotiable; 5. as all groundfloor parking spaces were taken, there's no parking for one's car: not only is parking an additional 1500p/month if it's available, most tenants have to park on the narrow street outside the complex altogether that also has only limited parking where, unprotected, anything can happen in this lawless land. 6. this property dumps out onto a road that pretends to be 4 lanes, but in reality is only two as it narrows down further to a small bumpy 2-lane bridge that acts as a bottleneck for traffic. Even the old now-pedestrian bridge is wider! 7. On top of these downsides, don't forget admin and maintenance fees at another 300+ pisos/month. Duh! The owners and architects clearly demonstrate their lack of smarts and care for prospective tenants. Agents are fast to point out the large common areas, the pool and 'gym' area, but who cares if one's actual unit kinda sucks? Overpromising and outright lying about the benefits of living there is standard procedure, but wears some potential buyers down before they can get serious about owning or renting a unit. As well, if you take over an owner's condo payment by renting from them, it's likely that they won't bother to fix things unless the structure itself is at risk by neglected repairs. This pattern of greed and minimal amenities is everywhere in Iloilo and in the Philippines. The fever over buying land in the larger cities has become rabid: it really is buyer beware! Better to buy a much cheaper lot out of the main centre of the city, and build one's own place so that millions can be saved and as owner one can oversee construction quality, and get what one wants in their home. Meanwhile, Futura, Avida, SM, Injap and all the others can shove off. Don't do new condos in this country, folks. Either the owners want high rent for next to nothing - even calling a studio apartment with the bed filling the room an executive suite! - or the developer wants big bucks - 4-6 million pesos - for a marginally-equipped unit. And one never knows what mysterious problems will pop up down the road. With greed and stingy (kuripot) values firmly in place, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of condos and homes not selling or even sub-renting in the city, why bother? Many older condo buildings are loaded with unsold and unrented units by the hundreds. Recommendation? Forget this place, and all the others like it!

Overall a good place to stay. Location is central to many Iloilo businesses & services. This was…read moreour wedding venue and we also stayed a few days after the ceremony. On premises restaurant serves good food, but order accuracy can be a problem even when they repeat your order back to you. Several times we decided on what we wanted based on the menus they place in every room, just to be told what we wanted was not available. ‍‍ So we start the "What do you want to eat?" conversation all over again. The food that we have gotten has been good though. Our rooms were clean and comfortable with only the AC lacking somewhat in being able to keep up with cooling our room. Overall a good choice for this area.

We were supposed to stay with family but their room was full of stuff so that was fine, because the…read moretwo (2) choices were either The Marriott Courtyard, Richmonde Hotel (Malaysian based), or Seda (which is close to SM mall). I think Seda is a three (3) star hotel and it was a bit farther from our family member's house, so it was between Marriott and Richmonde. (Both 4 star hotels). Although the Richmonde is about 10 years old now, the recent pics looked like things were being maintained and the rooms were generally bigger than The Courtyard's. Moreover, the Richmonde was closer to our relative's home and it was slightly less expensive per night. Plus, plus, the restaurant downstairs (Granary) has an awesome breakfast buffet, which you have to gladly pay for and that was no biggie. So the die was cast and we booked it for eight (8) nights. Wow, this better be good, I thought, because we had a ton of pasalubong (that's gifts) and I wasn't in the mood for changing rooms or hotel. We requested the usual - a higher floor, mini-fridge, extra pillows, extra towels, hair dryer, etc., check, check, check!! We were promptly greeted and the porter brought our stuff upstairs and check-in was relatively easy. On the eight (8) floor, we had a view of the external space and pool, which is on the 7th floor. Yes, there were social media influencers doing their thing by the pool, making video clips and exercising. I should have brought my swim trunks and shame on me for forgetting that because the archipelago is compromised of 7,000 islands - duh!! Anyway, I really, truly enjoyed the buffet breakfast which had all my childhood memory triggering favorites such as - Tocino, Tapa, Longanisa, champorado, omelettes, cereal, yogurt, fruits, an assortment of bread and jams, cakes, brownies (Ube!!), and mediocre coffee - but the hot chocolate was decent. Not quite Carette (Trocadero) or Angelina (Jardin de Tuileres) but it was acceptable. The hotel was packed and they're making good money, there is a bahr area and that served as the overflow room for breakfast. And this was nice because it was like the Business Class section. As for the room, it was very spacious and I got to watch CNN and Fox News practically everyday. The AC was super cold, the water pressure was super strong and the water was very hot. The bed was just right (I felt like Goldilocks) and it was very quiet as the walls are really thick. The staff was very kind with the hand over their heart as they would say, "good morning," "good evening," etc. My negatives are not too brutal but here they are: - it's a tropical country so they need to have the AC on in the halls and inside the elevators. This is something to think about as they remodel the hotel for a refresh. - the coffee, just go to Starbuck's which is 20 yards away. Looking back, I had come here about seven (7) years earlier and had drinks with family and that was cool too, please see my pics. Maraming Salamat Guid Richmonde! (Thank you very much!)

During my six-day stay at Richomonde Hotel, I was consistently impressed by the staff's commitment…read moreto guest comfort. Their warm, hospitable nature was evident in their signature greeting, a respectful hand on the chest accompanied by a cheerful "good morning, good afternoon, or good evening." My stay was in a deluxe room with two single beds, buffet breakfast, wireless internet, and complimentary gym use (24 hours) and pool (7 am-8 pm). The bathroom was spacious, and I was delighted by the fancy metal button that flushed the toilet. On days when we were weary, we enjoyed the excellent room service. The infinity pool was phenomenal and clean, with fresh water, no chlorine smell, and a stunning view. They have parties at the poolside. I was privileged to experience the venue during a celebration. After waking up, I would go to the 7th floor and work out in their gym while my son did his 3-mile run on the treadmill to prepare for his first cross-country run when we returned to Southern California. They had free weights, machine weights, and two stationary bikes ( one did not work). They also had a beautiful garden to look at while we worked out. After working out, we headed to brunch. The Granary is the hotel's all-day dining restaurant. It serves various salads, bread, protein, rice, and desserts. The food is delicious, and my favorites are chicken inasal and the huge original ensaymada. I would pass on the carrot cake, though. For laundry service, I used Quelinis Laundromat. They picked up my laundry, and I paid a reasonable 200 pesos for two loads of laundry(color and white) and detergent, for a total of 415.00 pesos Monday through Sunday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. I also had two massage bookings. One was on the 7th floor; unfortunately, I booked one when they had an event on a Saturday night. Instead of relaxing, I heard the dance music as the music vibrated in my mind. But the 2nd massage was in my room. They set a wooden table in my room, where I enjoyed my massage. My only gripe in the Philippines is that they need disinfection wipes in the gym and massage area because they are not wiped down adequately. My stay at Richomonde Hotel was truly delightful, and I'm already planning my return next year! This hotel has become my new favorite spot in Iloilo, and I can't wait to experience its hospitality again.

Booked through Hotels(dot)com and it was mentioned to call the hotel the day before arriving…read more Couldn't do that because we were on a flight. So was very glad when we showed up around 12pm (2pm is check in) they were able to confirm we were there for our stay along with holding any luggage we had so we could go around a bit. Around 1:30pm we were notified we could check into our room and that was great since we wanted to freshen up! Staff was very accommodating and was able to understand my terrible Tagalog and spoke English when needed. Room was very nice and clean, we didn't realize we needed to use our hotel room key to activate the lights and power so that was nice and interesting. The bathroom was stocked with dental hygiene utilities and we even had a spray for the toilet for easy cleaning. Bed was very comfortable to sleep on and our view was of the city from the 6th floor and it was just okay nothing that interesting. Issue we ran into was the TV remote wasn't changing the volume so I had to dig into setting to figure out how to adjust it. There's no Microwave so make sure to finish any food you have or don't refrigerate it so you can have it room temp. The included Breakfast Buffet was the HIGHLIGHT of the stay, I had thought the food would be the same as the first day, but surprisingly they switched it up with other food for variety. Loved that. Food included a mix of Filipino and American food and honestly is the only best breakfast buffet I've had in Bacolod. For dinner options they feature a Roof Top Bar which included indoor and outdoor seating (Indoor for AC) The menu was mostly Tapas and a few entree dishes but for the price you're paying def get the tapa items and share among your group to get a little taste of everything. Great experience and great price, would definitely stay again when I come back to Bacolod.

Relatively comfortable hotel. Good choices in the breakfast buffet. I found a couple of dead bugs…read morein my room, hence not the highest of ratings.