After a ten hour overnight bus from Manila to Banaue, all we wanted was a clean and welcoming place to rest our head and relax. As I stepped off the bus, I couldn’t have been happier to see my name written on a piece of paper, held by one of the homestay staff. I didn’t even expect a transfer to the hostel, so this was such a relief and nice surprise. Us and some other guests hopped on the jeepney to where we’d call home for the next two nights and three days, Banaue Homestay.
Room
Since we arrived at around 8am, we couldn’t check in yet, but when we eventually had our room (room 201) we were pleasantly surprised. We had a two-bed room which was small but had a closet, beds with clean and cozy linens (you didn’t just only get a sheet like some hostels), a night stand and a window. We were even left a roll of toilet paper, little bar of soap and a towel each. The beds and pillows were some of the comfiest we had the whole trip!
Rooms are around $14 USD a night.
Bathroom
The bathroom was shared and was located at the end of the hall and also there was an extra toilet off the main floor. The bathroom consisted of two rooms which both had a shower, flushable toilets and sink. There was also a sink in the hall between the two shower/toilet rooms too.
They were both clean, and if anything, just wet from people showering. The shower on your left has a water heater which means warm showers! Yay!
Common Areas
The common area is the main entrance of the hostel and has a little TV, some furniture to sit at, tables for eating or relaxing and a couple tables on the balcony which has a fabulous view of the rice terraces. Every morning, Shania Twain seemed to be the staffs favourite to have on the radio, and given I grew up with Shania’s music, I wasn’t complaining.
You could order food at their restaurant from early in the morning until 8pm and the meals were really good. While staying there I had:
– Pancakes
– Ham & egg sandwich
– Chicken curry with rice
– Ginger tea (this was my fav!)
All the food I had was, relatively inexpensive and hit the spot. You can also get water and snacks here. I even asked for some bananas for my bag the one day I was going on a trek. Anything you order at the restaurant will go on your bill to pay at the end.
Information & Staff
When we arrived we were greeted by Beatrice. Beatrice is the owner and was such a wonderful, helpful and friendly lady. She felt like the mother hen of the house. Beatrice immediately helped recommend to us what we should do with our three days and already had a guide lined up for us within an hour for our day one trek. The hostel will help organize guides, transportation, etc. for your tours which was incredibly convenient. Our guide she picked was fantastic and was with us for all three days of trekking!
My stay at Banaue Homestay was truly like staying at home. It was incredibly comfortable and was the perfect place to come back to after being exhausted from our treks. When we left my heart actually ached because I knew I’d miss all the friendly and welcoming faces here. However, it is pretty basic and if you come here looking for something fancy, this isn’t the right place for you.
Disclaimer: This was not a sponsored stay, and I didn’t receive any compensation to write about this establishment. This is simply my honest opinion and review of a place I stayed on my travels.
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