Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information
The helpful tourist office (Mon-
Fri 8am-5pm;
T
033 337 541) is in the grounds of the
Capitol Building on Bonifacio Drive, one block north of
J.M. Basa St and next to the Museo Iloilo.
Tours
The tourist of
ce has a list of accredited travel
agencies, guides and drivers and can help you arrange trips
in the surrounding region including to Guimaras, Bulabog
Puti-An National Park and the churches of the south coast.
More adventurous day-trips can be most easily arranged
through Panay Adventures Travel & Tours (
T
033 856
0558). They offer excursions in Bulabog Puti-An National
Park (see opposite), biking trips to Guimaras (US$55/
person), and tribal tours (US$65/person), which afford the
opportunity to see the Ati weave, farm and hunt. All
Seasons Travel & Tours, at the
Sarabia Manor Hotel
(see
below; daily 8am-5pm;
T
033 336 7182), offer tours as
well as ticketing, city tours and vehicle rental.
6
ACCOMMODATION
Century 21
Quezon St
T
033 335 8821,
W
ann2.net
/hotels.
Mid-sized, glass-fronted building offering basic,
affordable rooms with a/c and cable TV. Singles are among the
cheapest in town for this sort of quality, and family r
ooms fo
r
four are good value at P1825. Free wi-fi in the lobby.
P1225
Highway 21 Pension House
General Luna St
T
033
335 1220,
W
ann2.net/hotels.
Excellent budget choice
close to the
Sarabia Manor Hotel
with modern rooms and
staff who are on the ball. All rooms have a/c, cable TV and
hot water, but some are windowless. Good l
location
with
lots of restaurants on the doorstep. Free wi-fi.
P1500
★
Sarabia Charter Pension House
General Luna St
T
033 508 1853.
Arguably the best budget option in
town, the
Sarabia Charter
is in the same quiet complex as
the
Sarabia Manor Hotel
. The small, simple rooms are set
around a small garden, and guest
s are e
ntiltled to use the
swimming pool at
Sarabia Manor
.
P720
Sarabia Manor Hotel
General Luna St
T
033 335 1021,
W
sarabiamanorhotel.com.
Iloilo's biggest hotel has seen
better days, but is still worth considering for its vast array of
rooms, pool and other facilities. The cheapest “Budget” rooms
are small and very dated, but the “Economy” (P1100) and
“Travellers'” rooms (P1485) are good value. The “Corporate”
rooms (P1999-2999) are a considerable upgrade and also
include breakfast. All rooms come with a/c and have cable TV.
There's free wi-fi in the lobby or you can pay to use it in the
room. The above pri
ces a
re promo rates usually available in
all room categories.
P825
Smallville 21
Smallville Commercial Complex,
Diversion Rd
T
033 501 6821,
W
ann2.net/hotels.
This
new addition to the homegrown
21
chain is perfect for
those who want to have some of the city's best nightlife
and restaurants on their doorstep, but otherwise a bit of a
ride from the heart of town. Rooms ar
e well k
ept, modern
and fitted with dark wood furnishings.
P1800
Hotel del Rio
M.H. Del Pilar St, Molo
T
033 335 1171,
W
hoteldelrio.com.ph.
Stylish and very professional hotel
in a pleasant location on the river. Standard rooms have
a/c, fridge, cable TV, king-size bed and river views.
Superior (P3400) and deluxe rooms (P4200) are newer and
more tastefully styled, but don't overlook the river.
There's
also a popular coffee shop, a good pool and free wi-fi.
P2800
Iloilo City Inn
113 Seminario St, Jaro
T
033 320 2186.
This friendly place enjoys a quiet location close to the sights
in Jaro and has clean, comfortable a/c rooms at affordable
prices. Downstairs,
Bavaria
serves good German food and
beer and
has wi-fi.
-fi. The roof deck has views of the nearby
cathedral.
P850
EATING AND DRINKING
Smallville Commercial Complex
, across the river from the city centre, has everything from coffee shops and
restaurants to bars featuring live bands, and full-blown clubs like
Aura
,
Ice
and
MO2
.
Coffeebreak
is a citywide chain which
does good coffee and cakes.
Afrique's
100 Castilla St, Jaro
T
033 320 0554; 3 Valeria
St
T
033 509 6092; Red Square Building, Smallville
T
033 509 4900;
W
afriquespizza.com.
Atmospheric
restaurant in a lovely old colonial house
right behind Jaro
cathedral. The menu is largely Italian and includes a huge
range of pizzas along with specialities such as osso bucco
pasta (P289). They also have more modern branches on
Valeria St and at Smallville.
Daily 10am-10pm.
ILOILO SPECIALITIES
Iloilo City is one of the best places in the country to try
seafood
and it's also known for a
number of unique regional Illonggo delicacies, including
pancit Molo soup
, a garlicky
noodle soup containing pork dumplings, which is named after the Molo area of the city and
sold at numerous street stalls.
Batchoy
, an artery-hardening combination of liver, pork and
beef with thin noodles, is also widely available.
