Iligan City | The Homestay Ilihan Experience and Review
Homestay Ilihan, the newest accommodation in Iligan City, can be best described as homey, warm, and very comfortable. We recently had an overnight stay here with a couple of freelancer friends to check the place out. Here's my Homestay Ilihan experience and review.
Location
This brand new apartment complex is situated at Waling-waling St cor. Anthurium St in New Frontier Court Subdivision, Iligan City.While it is easily accessible via private vehicle or taxi, the only other public transport available that gets inside the subdivision is the trisikad. It is a bicycle with an attached sidecar. Details on how to get there at the bottom of this post.
TIP #1: Homestay Ilihan is more commonly known as Macapagal Apartment to the trisikad drivers.
Rooms
The apartment complex is composed of three 2-storey buildings and the reception area. There are only 6 rooms available, with each room occupying an entire floor. The buildings are brand new, well-lit, and beautifully furnished.
Fun Fact: The rooms are named after the dominant color palette used in each room, i.e., blue, orange, gray, red, yellow, and green.
Dining / living area in the green room |
The studio-type rooms are air-conditioned and spacious, with approximately 30-35 sqm floor area. In terms of layout, the bathroom is in the near-center of the room, separating the kitchen / dining area from the bedroom area.
We stayed in the blue room, which is good for three persons. It has one single and one double-sized bed. Each room also has a cable TV and wardrobe with full-length mirrors in the bedroom area.
TIP #2: WiFi signal reaches the rooms, but for a stronger and better connection, ask for the room nearest the lobby / reception area.
The kitchen area in the room has ample storage areas and is equipped with basic appliances such as a refrigerator and electric water heater. Cooking is not allowed inside the rooms, but there is a common kitchen near the reception for guests who opt to make their own meals.
TIP #3: You may use the telephone at the lobby / reception area to order food for delivery. We called up Jollibee and Pizzarella for our dinner.
The bathroom is clean and spacious. Hot and cold shower is available. And yes, that's rainshower showerhead in there!
Fun Fact: There are many electric outlets in the room! We counted 22 in the room we stayed in. There's enough for everyone to charge their phones, cameras, and other gadgets.
Staff
The staff is courteous, well-trained, and responds quickly to customer's needs and requests.Breakfast
Homestay Ilihan serves free breakfast for all their guests, promptly delivered to the rooms at around 6:00 am.
Value for money
Room rates in Homestay Ilihan is at PhP 1,300 (~30 USD) per night. Considering the size and furniture in the rooms, it is quite a steal!Pros
- Rooms are new, clean, well-maintained and fully furnished with basic amenities.
- Service is awesome. The entire staff is courteous, warm, and friendly.
- Equipped with 24-hour security.
- Free WiFi
- Free breakfast
Cons
- Homestay Ilihan is away from the city proper, and public transport is via a trisikad.
- Because of its location, dining and shopping options and transportation access are limited.
The upside though is the staff is very accommodating and able to help guests find a ride. Visitors and tourists can also book and set up travel tours and/or vehicles for hire through them.
BOTTOM LINE and OVERALL RATING
Homestay Ilihan is a perfect choice for visitors who opt for comfort over accessibility. The rooms offer generous space, with kitchen, dining, toilet and bath, and veranda in addition to the comfortable sleeping area.Behind the Name
Just in case you are curious, Homestay Ilihan got its name from the Higaonon term "ilihan" or "iliyan" which translates to "fortress." History has it that long before Legaspi’s expedition reached the Philippines in 1565, the Tala-andigs and the Banwahons (peace-loving Higaonon tribes of Mindanao) had to build a fortress on the coastal plain to secure them from the frequent attacks of pirates and savage tribes. Thus, the city came to be called as Iligan.How to Get There:
Ride a trisikad(public transportation) from the corner near Montelibano Spa,Coffeeworks,Jerry's Grill and ask the driver to bring you to Homestay Ilihan (or Macapagal Apartment) in New Frontier Court Subdivision. It will take you about 4-5min to get here. For private vehicles,it will take you 2 mins.Contact Details
Homestay IlihanWaling St. cor. Anthorium St., New Frontier Court Subdivision
Iligan City, Philippines
Telephone: (063) 225-0545 / (063) 224-2408
Mobile: +63-917-636-3774
Facebook Fanpage: Homestay Ilihan in Iligan
Homestay Ilihan , the newest accommodation in Iligan City, can be best described as homey, warm, and very comfortable. We recently had an...