Where To Stay In Bicol: Ellis Ecotel

Our Bicol trip was supposed to be shelved so we were actually cramming when we finally decided to go with the original plan. We actually dared the boys, Jeff and Boyet to arrange everything for this particular trip. That includes researching and booking a hotel for our stay. But boys will be boys so Joie and I ended up doing these ourselves. We narrowed down our choices to two. But since we had a hard time choosing, we decided to book both!

We knew that our first day would be jam-packed so we opted to stay in Ellis Ecotel on our first night. Tutulugan lang naman, bakit mag-iinarte pa di ba?! Being the thrifty travelers that we are, we opted to spend the night in a budget hotel after splurging on a day tour at Misibis Bay. Ang bright namin dabah?! :p


We booked Ellis Ecotel online. They didn’t even require for a reservation fee. We just got a call from them while we were in Misibis Bay to check if we are pushing through with our reservation. Their double occupancy only costs a whooping (drum roll, please) PHP1,800 per night!


When I entered the room, I was immediately convinced that Ellis Ecotel undoubtedly owns the BEST IN SPACE MANAGEMENT AWARD! I’ve been to bigger hotels but the interiors looked cramped making it hard for me to move around especially when I’m in a hurry. But our very small room covered all the basic things that every traveler needs.

The air-conditioned room has a fresh-smelling bed that is spacious enough for two people. The pillows and linens helped us get a much needed rest after a very tiring day. Facing the bed is a wall-mounted TV which surprisingly has a lot of cable channels.

My former officemates also stayed in Ellis Ecotel when they went to Bicol. I specifically remembered what one of them said. Walang lock ang CR. Equipped with a sliding door, the bathroom is clean and definitely spacious. Do I really have to remind you again about our bathroom in Acuatico?! Anyway, if you’re traveling with friends, make sure you don’t share the room with someone who has HD (a.k.a. hidden desire) for you. And make sure you don’t share a room with your manyakis friend. :p


The sink is actually placed outside the bathroom. Aside from addressing the space constraints, this idea actually saves time. If your roommate is still taking a bath, then you can brush your teeth outside while waiting for your turn. I’m so smart! :p


We always bring our own toiletries on all our travels. I wasn’t really expecting that basic toiletries would be provided, but it was.


 I was even more amazed that they have managed to squeeze in a closet.


Knowing that this is a budget hotel, I came prepared with my cup noodles, bread, spreads and 3-in-1 coffee sachets for our breakfast the following morning. Sabi ko sa kanila, "Sagot ko na ang breakfast natin!" So to all those people who said that we’re rich just because we were able to go to Misibis Bay, now you know how we were able to do that. We work hard for our money, and we all know when and how to spend it wisely. :)

Anyway, we were all surprised when the receptionist told us that breakfast would be served starting at 6 AM. Though the buffet choices were only limited to fried rice, pansit, tocino and fried egg, along with a cup of coffee, these were more than enough to fuel us up for our next adventure.


I can probably go on for days raving about this budget hotel, but this post has to end. Let me emphasize three more things why we felt that we definitely got our money’s worth.

First, Ellis Ecotel is actually situated inside a mall (Embarcadero de Legazpi) so you don’t really feel detached from civilization. Aside from various restaurants and coffee shops, there’s Puregold and Mercury Drug near the hotel.

Second, it gives you an (almost) unobstructed view of Mayon Volcano. I took this while we were having breakfast.


And last but not the least, they have free wi-fi! Their internet connection is really fast! I’ve been to high-end hotels with internet connection that really sucks. Ansabeh ng budget hotels sa inyo?! :p

So if you’re looking for an affordable place to stay in Legazpi, then I highly recommend Ellis Ecotel. :)


Ellis Ecotel
Level 3 Embarcadero de Legazpi
Port Area, Legazpi City, Albay