The Oriental Legazpi
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| The Oriental Legazpi, Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines |
Here's another travel post that was meant to go up about half a year ago and probably one of my favorite! Prior to our short visit to the Philippines, my sister & I planned staying at one of the most popular hotels in our hometown, The Oriental Legazpi. When I was younger, it used to be another popular hotel back in the day but a fire closed it down. They re-opened and was the talk of the town! Finally, my sister and I took a chance to actually stay a night and experience what they had to offer that time around.
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
This hotel is placed on a hilltop overlooking the city, getting there you need a cab or take a tricycle (cheaper option). We haven't been at the hotel since 2012 (the last time we visited the Philippines for vip pageant events & to inquire about the possible use of their venue for a party) and we already noticed that they don't have their signature flower adorned on their building. Once you get in the lobby, we noticed that the front desk is unoccupied. Instead, the front desk relocated at the side in the dark. When I asked why, the lady said because it was too hot at their original location. Indeed, it was hot even inside the building! Not only because of the intense natural light shining through the ceiling, but also because of the non-functioning air conditioning! We also noticed that where the sun did not hit, it was very dark. No lights and air conditioning at all! The good thing we noticed was the lobby was very big and there is a small cafe open. Plus, there was a couture fashion exhibit called "Pustura" which was made of our region's indigenous materials. It's a lovely exhibit and I enjoyed because of the culture in brought in. And the staff was nice. They served us drinks to probably make up for the inconveniences we noticed. Lastly, we kept using the stairs (good for our health anyways) because the elevator is always stalled somewhere else. But the times we do get on it, we end up stuck for a long while that it scared us from ever using it again!
I met a notable schoolmate on our way up by the elevator. Although we were not fully acquainted, my immediate response was to smile and greet him. It came to the part where he asked if we just arrived from the US, I answered no... and that we just felt like checking in. I got an impressed "Wow!" out of him. Well, the actual reason? I don't think people will understand... but the reason is... SO WE CAN SHOOT A DANCE COVER VIDEO! Wahahaha! Yeah, we were supposed to film an entry for the J-Pop Summit 2015 Festival Odottemita Dance Contest and our song choice was called "RIVER". I already knew that this hotel boasted an infinity pool and I wanted our video to be filmed there. In the end, we didn't get much of the actual pool, but we got a pretty good view of the amazing Mayon Volcano! It's an active volcano known for its almost perfect cone shape. I've been to quite a few places already and I can say that nothing beats this view... and I am so blessed to have live & able to keep coming back to a home that has this in the backyard. Anyways, watch our video down above!
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
The pool area is located in the next floors up the lobby. And most definitely, they have a super amazing view of the city and the Mayon Volcano. They have nice lounging area where groups of people can relax under the sun while enjoying the view. It's by the infinity pool, so you can leave your stuff there since there are barely any lounge chairs by the pool. It's where we filmed our video, as well. We did notice that the railings are rusting and some parts need to be swept. But on to the infinity pool, it is a glorious sight! Unfortunately, people seem to be building their house way to close to the hotel and it seems to be lessening the privacy of the hotel guests and the deducting from the beautiful scenery. Plus, they decided to keep the unsightly water pump in full view right beside the lounge chairs. And when you look up at the building, you see more rust happening. Nope, not very attractive. While there showers and towel are available, the pool seems have some infestation of algae in some parts. Yup, there's something slimy in the pool. Despite it all, the view is to die for!
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
As for a room, we reserved a basic one. No view of the Mayon, but someone is building a castle out there (see in vlog). The beds are only full sizes, but the room is quite spacious. There is a tv, two tables, a big enough closet and only one chair. The bathroom is small and dark. I read in reviews that people complained about the sink and how it looked like it has been patched up sloppily. And thank goodness, our bathroom wasn't as bad. The provided towels were pretty thin, too. Not the best bathroom, but it had potential to be better. Wifi in the room was great... but only at midnight and on wards early in the morning. Yup, wifi isn't great during the day.
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
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| The Oriental Legazpi |
If you've been following me on instagram, I love hanging out at the gym even when I'm travelling. And I actually like their gym because they have a big open room with a hard wood floor! It's perfect for dancing! My sister & I actually practiced a bit here before getting ready to film! I visited early the next day to get a workout in before breakfast (while everyone was swimming). You actually have to go out the front entrance/exit of the hotel to get here. And it is apparent that this place is always empty because they don't have the appliances plugged in. There is, once again, no air conditioning. But that could be good if you really want to sweat it out.
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
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| The Oriental Legazpi | Jasmine Restaurant |
The Jasmine Restaurant is resident place to get your full meals. We ate dinner and breakfast here. This beautiful place got a decent selection of mostly Filipino food and I'm not mad at it. I love Filipino food and I haven't been eating so much back in the US. I personally loved the Champorado for breakfast and the tropical drinks! But a couple of things did get me down about eating here... First, the food is mostly cold and always seem to look like it is running out. The worst part? They had mini baby roaches running around at some parts. Yup, really tiny cockroaches. Thankfully, not on the food but on the table towards the empty spots. I read reviews that people complained about roaches in their room and the staff not minding that fact at all. I feel like the reason they have that is because the hotel itself is placed on top of a hill with no central heating that could kill any pests. We, of course, avoided the food that was or looked infested. If they kept their food warm, it would be less of a problem though.
For a more detailed look on the hotel, watch our vlog:
Final Thoughts:
This hotel was a big deal when it opened and people still look up to this & think about how fabulous it is. The last time we visited three years ago, we enjoyed it. Everything back then really did look fabulous and so we looked forward to staying a night there. But looking at it now, it seems like it isn't being really taken care of. It's saddening because it is really pretty! It's just being neglected and it's starting to show. I still recommend you to go for a day in the pool or an afternoon at the cafe. Bask in the magnificent view this hotel has! Do it asap before the hotel goes really bad. I just hope that they take care of it because I really want to come back and visit!
More dance videos here.
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