Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin: Living Up to its Name

The pool and Bohol sea

Whenever I travel, I see to it that I don’t spend too much on accommodations to divert my funds on my actual itineraries. 300-500 pesos is my usual expense for an overnight stay in an inn, but I also stay in boutique hotels that cost me 600-800 a night (the other half of the rate is shouldered by my companion). Rarely do I stay in expensive hotels and resorts, unless the overnight stay comes with buffet meals and other complimentary activities. But whenever I travel with my Ate, I’m sure to spend beyond my limit. Haha. She is choosy and very particular when it comes to accommodations, and being a gentleman (ehem), I am the one who adjusts to her preferences.

So when our Camiguin escapade came, I had no choice but to give way to her choice of accommodation – Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin (BBC). And since it was her who actually took time to arrange the trip (which rarely happens. Haha. Thank you ate. lol), I just had to agree with the plans. The question now is, did I regret spending so much for our accommodation? Surprisingly, not at all. I was more than satisfied with my stay in BBC. Continue reading to know why.

Lobby

BBC is one of the most expensive resorts in the whole of Camiguin. The price may be cheap for some, but expensive according to my standards. A deluxe room costs around 4,500 pesos a night for two persons plus an additional 700 pesos for an extra person/bed. We were a group of nine and got 3 deluxe rooms, so each of us had to pay around 1,700 pesos. This amount is already good for a typical overnight trip, including entrance fees, accommodation and meals. But as I was saying, I had no regrets since I had a pleasant stay in the resort. 

Line up of deluxe rooms

Deluxe room outdoor seating

A short walk from the main road led us to a spacious native-themed reception hall. The reception was creatively decorated with wooden frames, coconut husks, and wooden furniture. We were warmly greeted by the resort staff who asked us to wait for a couple of minutes as our rooms were being prepared. A few moments later we were ushered to our rooms and were given welcome drinks (it was just powdered orange, though) and slices of fresh fruits. On the way to my room, I noticed that the resort was actually very small. There were only a few guest rooms surrounding a rectangular garden. On the other hand, the resort offers a pool, Jacuzzi, mini day spa, game room, souvenir shop, mini gym, and a restaurant, all within easy reach from the rooms.

Lobby bar. There's also an outdoor bar

Play billiards in the game room

Let me get back to the room that was given to us. The room looked very native outside because of the indigenous materials used to cover the concrete walls, but very modern inside. I loved the spacious interiors, the high ceiling, and the airy curtains. The room was really relaxing. They limit the number of persons in a room to 4, but it can actually conveniently accommodate up to six people.

Deluxe room beds

All the basic stuff I was looking for were available. There was an LCD TV (though the size was small), efficient air conditioning, coffee-making facilities, hot and cold shower, toiletries, adequate lighting fixtures, safety deposit box, and WiFi.  The bathroom was also spacious and very clean.

Spacious bath

Large windows

The prices of the food in the restaurant, the Oceanside Bar and Grill, matched the resort’s rates: expensive. Nevertheless, the dishes were satisfying, some even mouthwatering. I especially liked the bistek with fried potatoes and the prawn kebab. We had lunch in the outdoor dining area where we had an amazing view of the vast Bohol sea. Complimentary breakfast was okay, nothing really special about the limited line up.  

BBC also offers tour services and van rentals at reasonable prices. The driver assigned to us during our day tour was very courteous and friendly.

Tourist map-cum-placemat

The only problem we’ve encountered with BBC was the mistake they made in computing our bill. It was actually their loss because the computed amount was less than the actual bill. Ate was not so keen about checking the items in the bill because she was certain the computation was correct. As a result, the resort kept on contacting us, asking us to send the additional payment in their bank account. It was a bit of a hassle having to go to the bank to deposit the payment given our busy schedules.

Facade of deluxe room

Dramatic hanging lamp

My room!

All in all, BBC lives up to its name—it’s your perfect vacation home in Camiguin. The place spells luxury, elegance, serenity. It’s highly recommendable because despite its expensive rates, you’re guaranteed to get your money’s worth.  

Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin is located in Brgy. Balbagon, Mambajao, Camiguin Island. You may contact 088-387-0131, 088-387-1057, 0917-721-2798, or 0927-889-7042 for inquiries and reservation. Visit Bahay Bakasyunan’s website for more details.