Taj Guesthouse is a popular budget hotel in boracay. They offer a variety of rooms with prices ranging from 1T - 4T depending on the season and number of pax per room. As for us, we were able to get a quad room for P2000 and another twin room for P1500. This was all communicated through e-mail and confirmed/reserved by their staff. Reservation fee was paid on time through bank deposit, the rest to be paid directly to the hotel. A week before our stay, we re-confirmed with Taj Guesthouse and they acknowledged our reservation. Because of this, we thought that our stay would be hassle-free.
***For the record, we've heard some bad reviews about Taj before but since game naman kami, we still decided to stay here, hoping that we wouldn't experience any of those "incidences".
Come june 22, we arrived at Taj main at 11AM, We gave our receipt to the reservations staff and waited for our room. However, upon seeing the look of the staff, I knew there was a problem. It turned out the occupants of our room(Quad room) refused to leave and is extending their stay for 1 more night!
According to them, they tried to convince those guests to just change rooms (they have another room available albeit smaller - triple room) because the QUAD room is already reserved for us. TUMANGGI daw yun guests and insisted na kami ang lumipat. Because we already paid for the deposit, we didn't have much choice but kami ang mag-adjust. Kaya lang, sana the guesthouse staff stood their ground and told those guests na hindi puwede. Bayad na namin yun eh. Instead, kami pa yun na-abala. They (staff) were very sorry about it pero wala man lang pakunsuwelo kaming natanggap. Discount man lang wala. Sabi ko nga, bawasan niyo na lang yun charge sa amin since we'll be taking the smaller triple room (add extra matress since 4 kami) even if bayad na namin yun Quad. Parang wala lang narinig yun staff. Hay... kung di lang talaga kami on budget this time...
Anyway, the annex building is located 1 min away from the main site. May dadaanan ka lang na maliit na eskinita. Very accessible and quiet at night. Malapit sa dmall, and just a few steps away from the beach.
As for the room itself (2F room at the annex building), it was ok. Moderately clean. Masikip compared sa Quad room. The extra mattress was quite thin. Buti na lang maliit lang yun tao na natulog dun, sakto lang sa kanya. The CR has hot & cold shower, bidet, strong water pressure, modern toilet. The CR window is broken though, madali ka masisilipan. Buti na lang wall lang ang katapat mismo ng CR. Strong A/C, with mini ref, TV has cable but very bad signal. There was a phone but since palagi walang tao ang reception, wala rin kuwenta. We were supposed to have 4 towels pero we only got 2 on the 1st day. The other 2 towels, we received on the 2nd day after 5 follow ups. The blankets are thin but the bed has clean sheets. Wifi is available at the lobby albeit slow.
**as per my friend, the CR at their twin room (ANNEX 1-C room) has a bad smell. Ok naman daw the rest ng facilities, cr lang yun problem. I think some people has commented about these on tripadvisor, i hope Taj fixes this. Baka may problem yun drainage nila.**
Free hot/cold water is available (may dispenser sa reception). Wala nga lang cup so just buy at sheenas store (P5/ styro cup) or bring small plastic cups na lang. Sa 2nd floor, may small veranda where you can hang out with your barkada. Unahan nga lang ito since maliit lang ang lugar and maraming rooms sa 2nd floor. Suwerte ng mauuna. Ok dito magbonding. Usually dito kami nagbe-breakfast (may dala na kami biscuits/bread, instant noodles and 3in1 coffee, kukuha na lang kami ng hot water sa dispenser). Also, back when we went in June, ginagawa ang 3rd floor so it was quite noisy during daytime. Hindi naman siya big deal since gising naman kami lahat nun.
As said before, palaging walang tao sa reception, kaya pag may kailangan kayo and may nakita kayong staff, sabihin niyo na lahat ng need niyo sa kanya (extra pillows, towels, etc) dahil di niyo alam kung kailan niyo ulit siya makikita. As for security, may nakita ako na guards na nakabantay sa entrance ng alley. I think all the resorts there are sharing the expense for the guard kaya lahat ng resorts binabantayan nila. I don't know how reliable they are though, 1 or 2 guards lang ang nakita ko. Most of the guesthouses there pa naman, puwede ka maglabas-masok. Better be safe and just take care of your own things.
By the way, days before, we inquired sa late check out nila. It was P100/hr and we availed it and left the resort at 6pm on our last day. 10pm pa kasi flight namin sa kalibo and masyado maaga kung aalis kami ng tanghali. Upon check out, tiningnan lang kung kumpleto gamit sa room and we were free to go.
Overall, ok na sana nila. Rooms are adequate naman, sa service lang talaga pumalpak. Next time, they really need to reiterate to their guests kung what time ang check out nila and sundin nila yun dapat. Kasi they (Taj) will be the ones who will be put in bad light eh.
Would i go back? Maybe, maybe not. Along the alleyway kasi, madami na available na guesthouses offering same rates as Taj guesthouse. Some, even nearer sa beach than Taj. May mga bagong gawa pa nga eh. Will probably be checking them next time i go back to Boracay. Maganda rin kasi yun marami ka nata-try na hotels, at least may point of comparison ka na.
See below for pictures of the rooms...
BOTH ROOMS ARE IN THE ANNEX BUILDING
TWIN ROOM (1-C ANNEX)
- sliding door but lock showed signs of force opening. Not that safe since labas pasok ang mga tao.
- CR has bad smell, probably drainage problem
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| hall way at the ground floor |
TRIPLE ROOM (2-F ANNEX)
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| extra mattress on the ground for the 4th pax |
see the small window there? kalahati lang ang ok diyan, the other half open na. walang takip. di lang halata sa pic coz madilim na yun labas.
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| our room |
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| the other guesthouses along the eskinita |
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| our breakfast place |
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| the 3rd floor, yet to be finished |
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| stairs to the 2nd flr |
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| the reception. see? wala na namang tao... |
ADDT'L
Here are other guesthouses that we saw while walking around station 2. Can't vouch for them if they render good service, but their room looks ok at least.
JEROME'S RESORT
- This is the resort across TAj Guesthouse, the one with the balcony (white building) . good rooms, same as Taj.
Price: P2000 - 4000 (depending on the room and season)
BORACAY SUNSET
- quite far from D'mall. This is along the alley going to D' Talipapa. cheaper than Taj/Jeromes. Rooms are ok though the CR isn't as modern as Taj. Big rooms.
Prince: P1500 for 4pax, 2 Double beds. Just a few steps away from the beach.
Boradise Beach House
- didn't see the rooms as they are fully booked. This is right across Real Coffee.
