Hotel Lai Rico
Meetings & meet ups in Palo & Tacloban done, it was time for My Royal Highness to rest. Where? Hiyay! I forgot to reserve a hotel room anywhere, which happens often!
That would have been normal for me - I usually get a room when and where needed. Except that Tacloban's hotel room availability has not been normal after ST Yolanda.
I was the one who kept telling everyone there's a dearth of hotel rooms around here and voila, ako pa ang nakalimot mag-reserve. Gabi na, unwise to go Catbalogan. Ta!
My last meeting was at Hotel Alejandro, so I asked their front desk if there was any room available, none. The kind staff helped me contact other hotels, none as in zero!
Pause. Breathe-in, breathe-out. Calma lang. Even my ka-meeting was already trying to pull strings, wala talaga. Until the waiter, who heard our conversations with front desk staff, said: sir overnight manla ada, dida ha Lai Rico, bangin may bakante pa hira!
I instantly went there to ask (it's a building diagonally across Hotel Alejandro). Boom!
Without asking so many questions, but without looking all too excited, I got a room!
We did not know there was such a "hotel" in that building. Well, it's not something I'd like to come-back-to anytime soon, but in times like this, 'twas a hotel room enough!
The stairs (right edge if you were facing the building) is too narrow, dark and steep it's not easy negotiating if you had luggage. 'Front Desk' is a tiny corner at second floor.
First I was given a room 210. I didn't like it. I was transferred to Room 308. Ah, I just thought of it as there's no other choice at this time of day. No window, mala-bartolina.
That's the tiny desk beside my bed. Bags had to be on the floor and on the bed, that 'is' only as long as I am. I could not take a pic where I won't catch a part of my body!
See that little hand towel behind my cigarettes? Akin yan and I used that because...
I wasn't sure if that was blood or rust. I went to front desk and waited for a manang in-charge, only to hear her say: "waray na kami towel sir, waray pa umabot an laundry".
That room size (and dire condition) at P1,500 was/is too expensive, but I had to grab it - gabi na. Aw, a post-Yolanda reality. Businesses take advantage by jacking prices.
I'll charge it to experience - not attending to nitty-gritty little things when traveling. Na! As they say in Waray: hayukat - [buti nga sa iyo; maayo nimo; good for you; merese]!
Lesson learned:
Let's not be too busy with business that we forget our basic needs when traveling.
Now now... I find a reason to smile - wherever and in whatever situation I'm in. Eto!
On ground floor of this same building as Lai Rico (different owner), is a cozy jazz bar called Julio's. Great music, at times live. Maybe the only one of it's kind in Tacloban.
Oist nga pala.., that right side panel on my picture collage above, I think it's made by the government (tourism?). It says Thank You to all who helped in Yolanda recovery.
Let's talk more about Julio's next time I come - but I'm definitely not staying upstairs!
Meanwhile, as I sat at the outside table of Julio's this was my griping view hehehe!
Yup, part of the façade of Hotel Alejandro, sorry nalang hindi ako nagpa-reserve eh! Aw, trivia pala: even before Yolanda came Hotel Alejandro was already 'fully booked'.
Anyway, the rest is... history!
That would have been normal for me - I usually get a room when and where needed. Except that Tacloban's hotel room availability has not been normal after ST Yolanda.
I was the one who kept telling everyone there's a dearth of hotel rooms around here and voila, ako pa ang nakalimot mag-reserve. Gabi na, unwise to go Catbalogan. Ta!
My last meeting was at Hotel Alejandro, so I asked their front desk if there was any room available, none. The kind staff helped me contact other hotels, none as in zero!
Pause. Breathe-in, breathe-out. Calma lang. Even my ka-meeting was already trying to pull strings, wala talaga. Until the waiter, who heard our conversations with front desk staff, said: sir overnight manla ada, dida ha Lai Rico, bangin may bakante pa hira!
I instantly went there to ask (it's a building diagonally across Hotel Alejandro). Boom!
We did not know there was such a "hotel" in that building. Well, it's not something I'd like to come-back-to anytime soon, but in times like this, 'twas a hotel room enough!
The stairs (right edge if you were facing the building) is too narrow, dark and steep it's not easy negotiating if you had luggage. 'Front Desk' is a tiny corner at second floor.
First I was given a room 210. I didn't like it. I was transferred to Room 308. Ah, I just thought of it as there's no other choice at this time of day. No window, mala-bartolina.
See that little hand towel behind my cigarettes? Akin yan and I used that because...
That room size (and dire condition) at P1,500 was/is too expensive, but I had to grab it - gabi na. Aw, a post-Yolanda reality. Businesses take advantage by jacking prices.
I'll charge it to experience - not attending to nitty-gritty little things when traveling. Na! As they say in Waray: hayukat - [buti nga sa iyo; maayo nimo; good for you; merese]!
Lesson learned:
Now now... I find a reason to smile - wherever and in whatever situation I'm in. Eto!
Oist nga pala.., that right side panel on my picture collage above, I think it's made by the government (tourism?). It says Thank You to all who helped in Yolanda recovery.
Let's talk more about Julio's next time I come - but I'm definitely not staying upstairs!
Meanwhile, as I sat at the outside table of Julio's this was my griping view hehehe!
Anyway, the rest is... history!
#EasternVisayas #TravelPhilippines #Tacloban
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