Serena St. Bgy Buena Suerte, El Nido, Philippines | (937) 315-4602
Located a few minutes' walk from El Nido’s ferry dock and beach
Surrounded by restaurants, bars, and ATMs
Stunning views of the bay from the hotel restaurant and Penthouse
Rooms have flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, and kettles
Family Rooms with bunk beds available
Free simple breakfast
Many rooms do not have windows
Wear and tear, plus maintenance issues
Swimming in the nearby is not recommended
Complaints of unpleasant smells
El Nido often experiences brownouts (electrical outages)
No gym or pool on-site
Free Wi-Fi is spotty
The 10-room A Place To Remember is a value hotel in the laid-back town of El Nido, set a couple minutes' walk from the wharf. It offers the basics: A place to sleep and eat, and a base for exploring the fantastical scenery visible from the hotel’s restaurant terrace. Although the beach area is not suitable for swimming due to boats and debris, better stretches of sand can be found within a 10-minute drive. Rooms are small, many lack windows, and there's lots of wear and tear; however, they come with modern-looking bathrooms and flat-screen TVs. Guests have reported weak Wi-Fi and unpleasant smells. It's worth paying more at El Nido Cove Resort, which has a pool, quiet atmosphere, and free water sports.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Tiny budget hotel with stunning views of El Nido’s bay but lots of maintenance issues
Located in the tiny town of El Nido, A Place To Remember attracts a crowd of adventurous travelers who don’t mind forgoing home comforts in favor of cheap rates and close access to stunning scenery. The hotel is small and suffers from lots of wear and maintenance issues, plus electrical outages often occur throughout the city. Past guests have also reported unpleasant smells. The lobby is a dark wooden desk in the building’s corridor, but it does the job. The breakfast terrace is a more attractive space, with white plastic chairs and stunning views of boats bobbing in El Nido’s bay, the lushly green and wildly craggy karst landscape, and Cadlao Island in the distance. Guests are typically English-speaking couples, plus some groups of friends and families.
Location
A couple minutes' walk from El Nido’s beach, and the town’s main drag
Set a couple minutes’ walk from El Nido’s golden-sand beach, and on the town’s main drag, A Place To Remember is ideally located for those looking to lounge on the beach and explore the surrounding restaurants and bars. Swimming in the seas off El Nido’s beach isn’t recommended, however inviting the seas may look from a distance; boats fill the immediate area because of a ferry dock, and a large pipe discharges waste direct into the sea. Those looking to swim or snorkel can take a tricycle or cab to one of the island's many famous beaches, some of which can be found within a 10- to 20-minute drive of the hotel. Expect a 15-minute journey to El Nido Airport.
Rooms
Basic rooms with wear and tear; many without windows
Much like the rest of the hotel, the rooms at A Place To Remember are showing wear and have occasional maintenance issues such as insufficient cooling and cold showers. They're also on the small side and many lack windows. From a distance, however, they're attractively decorated with parquet wood flooring, dark-wood furniture, and pops of cheerful colors in throw pillows, satin throws, and artwork. Family Rooms squeeze a double bed, bunk bed, and a single, meaning they can be cramped. All rooms are equipped with a kettle, mini-fridge, flat-screen TV, a wardrobe, and safe. Bathrooms are clean and modern, with a wet room-style shower. Guests have noted that water pressure in the bathrooms can be low, but this is a problem throughout the island. The Penthouse is similarly equipped, but with the addition of a private terrace offering stunning views of the bay. All rooms have Wi-Fi, but coverage can be spotty, as is typical for the area.
Features
Light on amenities, but free breakfast and Wi-Fi
As a budget option, A Place To Remember is decidedly light on amenities, lacking both a pool and gym. The hotel does provide a free traditional Filipino breakfast, served out on a terrace with stunning views of the boats bobbing up and down in El Nido’s bay and the wild, karst scenery beyond. Wi-Fi is free, but spotty, throughout, as is the case for much of the island.
