Accommodation Review: Casa del Camba in Alaminos, Pangasinan
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
As early as elementary, I’ve been reading about the Hundred Islands. It’s been visited by a couple of friends of mine already and I want to go see it even for once in my lifetime. Then came my birthday and I was contemplating on going on my first solo tour but then I decided to finally go on an island-hopping adventure together with my family—because in the end and as cheesy as it may sound, I think birthdays are meant to be celebrated with loved ones. It’s the first time for me to organize such outing. It turns out that it’s a lot more stressful to plan for a trip with your family than with your friends. Out of all the things, I’ve had a hard time planning where to stay the most. We’ve already been to Bolinao but we skipped Alaminos so we just planned on just doing a Hundred Islands tour because Bolinao is still an hour or two worth of travel and we have limited time.
I searched through travel sites, Facebook, and even hunted down every hotel and transient houses near Lucap Wharf in Google maps to see which one would fit our needs and budget. We are a family of 7 so I was looking for a place that would offer a good, comfortable space for a great price and in this summer heat, an airconditioned room is non-negotiable.
I found many listings for rooms and even a whole house but I found them rather unappealing or it was beyond our budget. It also didn’t help that it’s surprisingly hard to find a detailed hotel review online whether it be on blogs or travel sites. Fortunately, I found a hotel near the wharf seems to have everything that I am looking for. So I decided to share a review just in case you are also combing through the web looking for accommodations for your hard-to-please families, friends and/or officemates.
I found Casa del Camba on Facebook. Out of all the hotels and transient houses I texted, they were the quickest to reply and that definitely gave a great first impression. Aside from texting them, I also messaged them through Facebook. They were very gracious in answering my many questions. They even sent me a photo of their menu for their small restaurant. After ironing out a couple of concerns, I made a reservation and deposited 50% of the rate to their account. You can deposit either to their BDO or RCBC Savings account.
There are 4 types of rooms available and their rates are as follows:
Standard Room (for 2 pax) – Php 1,800
Deluxe Room (for 4 pax) – Php 2,500
Family Room (for 6-8 pax) – Php 3,200
Barkada Room (for 8-10 pax) – Php 3,700
Take note that breakfast is not included in these rates. They also offer to arrange the island tours for you. Someone from their staff will coordinate directly with a boatman on your behalf. Hundred Island tour rates are standard for all boats and you’ll have to pay at the Tourism Office. (I’ll do a separate post on the tour next time.)
Casa del Camba is less than 5 minutes away from Lucap Wharf--the gateway to the Hundred Islands. It can easily be seen since it is just on the side of the road on the way to the wharf. We were immediately greeted by their friendly staff upon entering the hotel’s premises.
The check-in time is 1 p.m. while the check-out time is 12 noon of the next day. They also offer senior citizen discount if you have someone 60 y.o. and over with you. Note that the discount is only for the senior citizen. It will be regular rate per head for all others.
It also has a spacious parking on the side.
I chose the barkada room because I have big brothers and we need more space. Our room was everything I expected since they sent me a photo of it during our conversation in Messenger. Each deck is queen sized and would fit 2-3 persons easily. The bunk beds were made of good wood and the ladders going to the top deck are sturdy. Let's say if a person sleeping above you moves around a lot, you won't feel it if you are sleeping at the bottom bunk.
The airconditioning system is working well and kept the entire room cool and comfortable.
There are plenty of spaces for bags, luggage and other travel stuff. You are also allowed to bring food inside your room which can save you a lot of money. There may not be a cabinet for clothes in our room but you can hang your towels and other clothes in the space underneath the table (the one below the window).
I wasn't able to take a photo of our comfort room but here is one I grabbed from their Facebook page. It's pretty simple really. They also have complimentary toiletry kit which include a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, and shampoo.
I asked their permission to grab their photos on Facebook to share with you how the other rooms look like. Here is the standard room.
This is their deluxe room which is good for 4 persons.
Their family room is good for 6-8 persons. Each bunk bed is just twin size which, unlike the barkada room which would fit 2-3 persons per bed, a family room can only fit around 2 people per bed.
Here is their humble restaurant which will welcome you upon entering. It also doubles as a reception area.
If you don't have time to go out to get some food, you can order here. Or better yet, you can text them your order after your island-hopping tour so the food will be ready once you arrive. To give you an idea of what they offer, here is their menu:
Our stay was short but enjoyable and made comfortable by the friendly and accommodating staff of Casa del Camba who are always ready with greetings and smiles. I recommend this hotel especially for families who are looking for a great place to stay that will surely not break the bank. Their rates may vary per season, therefore, are subject to change so it is best to contact them directly for booking inquiries.
Casa del Camba is located in Lucap, Alaminos City, Pangasinan. You may contact them at 0933-675-4162 or through their Facebook page here.
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