Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Hotel Luna : Hotel and Museum in One

Hotel Luna was built on a solid two-storey structure built in 1882 by Don Jose Florentino. A four-star hotel located at the heart of Vigan.  It is just a two-minute walk from the famous Calle Crisologo.
 

Hotel Luna is located in a World Heritage Site in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, where a well-preserved 16th century Hispanic town is located.  Characterized by an old charm, with a fusion of Oriental and European architecture.  An ideal romantic destination and perfect place for pilgrims and group getaways.  Hotel Luna is the first and only museum and hotel in the Philippines, named after the great Filipino painter, Juan Luna.

the lobby



There are 54 well-appointed rooms and suites designed to meet the delicate needs of every guest, combining classic details and modern amenities to make each room an artwork by itself.

Each room is equipped with Orthopedic Beds, IR Electronic Lockset System, Flat Screen Led TV, Cable TV, NDD/IDD Telephone units, Safety Deposit Box, Mini Ref.





toilet seats with washer and heater




all you have to do is sit and click right after ..... hehe =)
The rooms are modern with a touch of history.  Hotel Luna retains its cultural heritage despite remodeling the hotel.  If you want to experience the heritage site in Vigan, this is the best place to stay!

For more room views, click here

their cute pool, great for kids =)



great work of art at the receiving area of Hotel Luna







buffet breakfast with officemates
Breakfast is great! A must try is Vigan's longanisa. There are a varieties of food and drinks that you will wish, you can eat everything.  It is very good in quality and tastes superb!
bathtub... the old style
Located at the second floor of the hotel is the collection of paintings and sculptures from various National Artists : Juan Luna, Amorsolo, Manansala, Malang, Olazo, Alcuaz, Abueva, Robles, Imao, Orlina and many more.




kuya Richard is the one who will assist  you  at the  museum...very accommodating,    he was the one who took photos of me, hehe =)



a bedroom located at the second floor of the hotel where paintings are placed
All rooms feature intricately designed border and ceiling details, reminiscent of Spanish era mansions.



The other hotels in Vigan where my other officemates were booked were a little spooky and looks and feels so haunted.  Since it is newly refurbished, you will never feel creepy or experience a ghost encounter.

Facilities and Services of Hotel Luna :
Elegant Lobby
Front Desk and Concierge Desk
Swimming Pool
Pool Bar
Foreign Exchange
Tour Desk Services
Bell Service
Laundry Services
Transportation Services
Hotel Luna Museum 

 For reservations:
Call : (02) 373 3333



Email address : sales.hotelluna@ahmgi.com
                        rsvn.hotelluna@ahmgi.com
Visit their official website at http://hotelluna.ph/
I'm sorry for the poor resolution of my photos.  I only brought my small camera and not my SLR for our tree planting activities.  I didn't expect to be amazed and awed that I'll be accommodated in this amazing and fantastic hotel. 

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Bohol : Revisited

It was in 2006 when we first came to Bohol.  We came back because of the request the two boys that when we travel again, they wanted to see Chocolate Hills.  I know how much it will costs us just to go back and forth to Bohol from Cebu but still we proceeded to grant their request. 



We crossed Bohol by a ferry ride.  Coming from Cebu City, make a way going to Pier 1.  The regular fare going to Tagbilaran is Php600 one way but there are a lot of promo fares when you get to Pier.  Ocean Jet has a regular trip going to Tagbilaran and vice versa.  It is just sad that my baby James has an adult fare already, huhu! We paid Php800 each for our roundtrip fare to Tagbilaran. The cheapest I've seen was the Weesam Fare at Php650 roundtrip but they have fewer trips.


promo fare rate as of November 2014, regular fare is Php600 one way
Before coming to Bohol, whether you'll be on a City Tour or Beach Tour or anywhere in Bohol, you must already have a contact person who will tour you around the province.  Contact Chito Gucela at 0920-4223990/ 0915-1902205 or KJ Remoreras at 0912-8926963/ 0936-6831556.  Our driver Chito was very accommodating and very makwento...highly recommended.

It was in October 15, 2013 when Bohol was strucked by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. The province is recovering and you can see that in my photos.  Though reconstruction will take some time most especially for the old churches, but still Bohol is a very beautiful place.  Explore their beaches especially Balicasag and Pamilacan Islands.... super perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving.

Our first stop was Loboc River.  Loboc River is one of the major tourist destinations in Bohol.  When we got here the first time buffet cruise was only Php250.



Before entering the Loboc River Cruise, there's an entrance fee of Php50 per adult, kids are free






my favorite dish during the cruise

kids 3 below are free, kaya kain ng marami baby James

Local people perform native music on the floating restaurant

the high-end cruise


a stop at the Amazon jungle



the tribe on fire








daddy's girl in Loboc
Our next stop, Chocolate Hills...





The Chocolate Hills are a geological formation in Bohol Province, Philippines.  There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers (20 square miles).  They are covered in green grass that turns brown (like chocolate) during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills are famous tourist attraction of Bohol.  They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province.  They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines, they have been declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.






A year after the earthquake, the viewing deck is still ruined.  The view is great but the municipal government must do something about the damaged deck.  Part of the collection for entrance fees must be used to rehabilitate it.  The view deck has no shady areas so if you arrive when the sun is up, what you will do is to take photos quickly.

family picture



ice drops after viewing
 Third stop... Man Made Forest in Bilar

Once you entered the forest it will suddenly turn dark and cool... outside it is sunny and hot.  When you enter here especially during summer, you will feel the abrupt change in temperature.

Bohol Forest is a Man-Made Forest with a two-kilometer stretch of Mahogany planted trees located between borders of Loboc and Bilar.  It is 20 kilometers away from Tagbilaran City.  




Our fourth stop... Tarsier Conservation in Loboc

please take note of the rules!!!

There's an entrance fee at the center at Php60 adults and Php50 for students.  There's a free postcard in exchange of the entrance fee =)
nakasalubong si Robert Seña






my precious, hahaha =)
The Philippine tarsier measures only about 85 to 160 mm (3.35 to 6.30 in) in height, making it one of the smallest primates. The small size makes it difficult to spot. The mass for males is between 80–160 g (2.8–5.6 oz), usually lighter for females, somewhat heavier than other tarsiers such as the pygmy tarsier. The average adult is about the size of a human fist.

Like all tarsiers, the Philippine tarsier's eyes are fixed in its skull; they cannot turn in their sockets. Instead, a special adaptation in the neck allows its round head to be rotated 180 degrees. The eyes are disproportionately large, having the largest eye-to-body size ratio of all mammals. These huge eyes provide this nocturnal animal with excellent night vision. In bright light the tarsier's eyes can constrict until the pupil appears to be only a thin line. In darkness the pupil can dilate and fill up almost the entire eye.The large membranous ears are mobile appearing to be almost constantly moving, allowing the tarsier to hear any movement.
those big eyes


Almost end of the City Tour... the old churches of Bohol

Loboc Church as of November 2014 

The limestone Loboc Church was originally built in 1602 but was totally destroyed by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake last October 15, 2013. There are a lot of fund raising activities and mass donations made for the restoration of the churches in Bohol.

Baclayon Church 

The last part of the City Tour

Blood compact

Blood compact was an ancient ritual in the Philippines intended to seal a friendship or treaty, or to validate an agreement. The contracting parties would cut their wrists and pour their blood into a cup filled with liquid, such as wine, and drink the mixture.

A famous example of the blood compact was the 1565 Sandugo between Spanish explorer Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol. Another blood compact was contracted between Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan and Rajah Humabon of Cebu.


If you have two to three days stay in Bohol, it is recommendable to visit Dauis and the beaches of Bohol in Panglao.  We visited the beaches on our first trip here in 2006... Visiting their beaches is a must!!!
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