¡Escape al Paraíso Ecológico: Peace & Love Beach Club te espera!
¡Ay, Dios mío! Where to even begin with this whole "Escape al Paraíso Ecológico" situation? Peace & Love Beach Club… they're promising paradise. Let's see if they actually deliver, shall we? Buckle up, amigos, porque this is going to be a long review. And trust me, I’ve seen a lot of hotels… and a lot of…things.
Accessibility: (Okay, let's get the practical stuff out of the way first, because, let's face it, who wants to be stuck in a hotel room that’s a pain to navigate?)
- Wheelchair Accessible: Parece que sí, peroooo… I'd call ahead and confirm everything. Just because they say something is accessible doesn't mean it is. I've been burned before!
- Elevator: Whew, thank goodness! I'm getting too old for those stairs.
- Facilities for disabled guests: Hopefully, this is more than just a ramp at the front door. Cross your fingers… and call to confirm!
Internet, Internet, Internet… (because, let’s be real, we're all addicted):
- Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! ¡Aleluya! That's a huge plus. No sneaky extra charges.
- Wi-Fi in public areas: Good, just in case your room is a Wi-Fi wasteland (which, in my experience, is always a possibility).
- Internet [LAN]: Okay, for the old-school among us. (Me. I'm the old-school.)
- Internet services: Let's hope they're not “services” that nickel and dime you.
Cleanliness and Safety (because, in these crazy times, it's extra important):
- Anti-viral cleaning products: Bien! Sign me up.
- Cashless payment service: Love it. Fewer germs, less fumbling with money.
- Daily disinfection in common areas: Excellent!
- Doctor/nurse on call: A lifesaver, literally.
- First aid kit: Always a good idea.
- Hand sanitizer: ¡Imprescindible!
- Hygiene certification: Okay, this makes me feel a little more comfortable.
- Individually-wrapped food options: Again, good for safety.
- Rooms sanitized between stays: Fundamental!
- Safe dining setup: We'll see about that…
- Staff trained in safety protocol: Let's pray they put it to use!
¡La Comida y la Bebida! (The Most Important Things!)
- Restaurants: Several! This better be good…
- Bar: Oooooh, I’m sold. Especially if it has a good happy hour.
- Poolside bar: Dreamy… if it’s not too crowded.
- A la carte in restaurant, Buffet in restaurant: Bueno, opciones. I'm always in for a buffet, for the people-watching potential alone.
- Asian breakfast, Asian cuisine in restaurant: Interesante. Not something you find every day.
- Vegetarian restaurant: ¡Para los amigos verdes!
- Coffee/tea in restaurant, Coffee shop: Essential. Seriously.
- Happy hour: (eyes light up) Details, please!
- Snack bar: Necessary for those mid-afternoon cravings.
- Room service [24-hour]: ¡Perfecto! Especially if there's a late-night menu. I can already picture myself, ordering a massive plate of patatas bravas at 2am.
- Bottle of water: Gracias! Hydration is key, especially after a few happy hour cocktails.
Things To Do (because, you know, vacation):
- Spa/sauna, Steamroom, Body scrub, Body wrap, Massage : Okay, stop everything. This is where it gets serious. I love a good spa day. I love the feeling of being pampered.
- Fitness center: Meh. I'm on vacation, not at a gym. But, hey, for those of you who like that sort of thing…
- Swimming pool, Swimming pool [outdoor], Pool with view: Please tell me there's a decent view. None of that "looking at another hotel's window" nonsense.
- Things to do: ways to relax: They better offer ways to relax. That's kind of the point…
- Foot Bath: ¡Qué lujo! I’m so there after a long day.
Services and Conveniences (because, details, details):
- Air conditioning in public area, Air conditioning: ¡Bendito aire acondicionado! Essential in… well, everywhere.
- Concierge: Important for booking tours and getting recommendations.
- Business facilities, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Seminars: I, for one, shall not be doing any business. Unless it involves negotiating the price of a margarita.
- Cash withdrawal, Currency exchange: Handy.
- Daily housekeeping: Please, please, please clean my room every day. Por favor!
- Doorman: Makes me feel fancy.
- Gift/souvenir shop: For the obligatory “I went on vacation and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” purchase.
- Ironing service, Laundry service: Necessary. I can't travel with a suitcase of wrinkled clothes. It’s a disaster.
- Luggage storage: Always useful.
- Safety deposit boxes: ¡Imprescindible! Protect your valuables.
- Smoking area: Good for some, bad for others.
- Terrace: Yes, please! All sunshine, no judgement.
- Xerox/fax in business center: Why? Seriously, why?
For the Kids (Because, Family Travel):
- Babysitting service: Helpful for parents.
- Family/child friendly, Kids facilities, Kids meal: Good. If you must bring the little monsters…
Going Back to the Room (The Nitty Gritty):
- Available in all rooms! Good, I don't think I could even think to ask to rent one, I will be staying for a long time.
- Air conditioning, Alarm clock, Bathrobes, Bathroom phone, Bathtub, Blackout curtains, Carpeting, Closet, Coffee/tea maker, Complimentary tea, Daily housekeeping, Desk, Extra long bed, Free bottled water, Hair dryer, High floor, In-room safe box, Interconnecting room(s) available, Internet access – LAN, Internet access – wireless, Ironing facilities, Laptop workspace, Linens, Mini bar, Mirror, Non-smoking, On-demand movies, Reading light, Refrigerator, Safety/security feature, Satellite/cable channels, Scale, Seating area, Separate shower/bathtub, Shower, Slippers, Smoke detector, Socket near the bed, Sofa, Soundproofing, Telephone, Toiletries, Towels, Umbrella, Visual alarm, Wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free], Window that opens. Wow, that's a lot of stuff!
- The Bathroom: The most important part of a hotel room, am I right? A bathtub? Score! Complimentary tea? Ooh-la-la!
Arrival and Other Oddities:
- Access, CCTV in common areas, CCTV outside property: Good for security.
- Check-in/out [express], Check-in/out [private]: Express is faster, Private is better.
- Couple's room, Exterior corridor, Fire extinguisher, Front desk [24-hour], Hotel chain, Non-smoking rooms, Proposal spot, Room decorations, Safety/security feature, Security [24-hour], Smoke alarms, Soundproof rooms All the usual things.
Getting Around:
- Airport transfer, Bicycle parking, Car park [free of charge], Car park [on-site], Car power charging station, Taxi service, Valet parking: Muy Importante! Getting around can be a pain.
The Verdict:
Okay, after all that… ¿Qué pienso? I'm cautiously optimistic. ¡Escape al Paraíso Ecológico: Peace & Love Beach Club te espera! has a lot of potential. The spa, the pool with a view, the promise of a relaxing escape… It calls to me…
BUT… they need to deliver. They need to have their safety protocols down pat. They need to have their service on point. They need to make me feel like I'm truly escaping.
My Offer – The "Peace & Love Package"(Only for you, mi amigo!)
Here’s the deal:
- Book any room for 5 nights or more and receive a complimentary couples massage! (Because, hello, relaxation!)
- Get a **50%
¡Ay, Dios Mío! Okay, here we go. My "Peace & Love Beach Club Eco Boutique Resort Philippines" disaster/dream-come-true itinerary. Brace yourselves. It's gonna be a rollercoaster… probably a rickety one.
Day 1: Arrival & The Great Sand Castle Fiasco (and Why I Questioned My Life Choices Immediately)
- 10:00 AM: Manila airport. The humidity hits you like a warm, clammy hug. Okay, I can do this. (This is before the "can't do this" feeling really kicks in.)
- 12:00 PM: Flight to Busuanga. Praying the plane doesn't fall apart mid-air. I'm notoriously bad at small talk with God.
- 1:00 PM: Arrive at Busuanga Airport. The airport looks like a shed. Charming. But seriously, where's my luggage? Oh, there it is… in pristine condition, thankfully. (Phew! Crisis. Averted.)
- 2:00 PM: Transfer to Peace & Love. The van ride? Let's just say the phrase "suspension" was probably lost in translation. My spine now feels like a cooked noodle.
- 3:00 PM: Arrive at Peace & Love! The photos… Lie. Okay, maybe not lie, but they definitely used a filter. Still, it's beautiful. Rustic. And the staff is insanely friendly. Instantly, I'm trying to remember all the Spanish I ever learned for the “gracias” and “por favor”.
- 3:30 PM: Check-in. The "Eco Boutique" promises were a bit, well, eco. My room is cute, but the mosquito net has more holes than Swiss cheese. Already itchy. sigh
- 4:00 PM: Beach time! I decide to build a sandcastle. This is where things go off the rails fast. I'm talking, like, the Leaning Tower of Pisa level of sideways construction. I'm digging a moat, and my shovel breaks. "Perfect" I mutter to myself. The tide starts coming in and mocking my efforts. I swear, a crab did a little jig, I think.
- 5:30 PM: Dinner. Local cuisine. Delicious. But the fish… it had bones. I hate bones. I’m battling my fear as a little kid. I give up and just eat the rice and plantain.
- 7:00 PM: Sunset. Beautiful. The colors are insane. I finally understand why people get obsessed with sunsets.
- 8:00 PM: Bedtime. The bed is comfy but the gecko on the ceiling is judging me. I name it “Gerald”. Gerald and I will be best of friends.
Day 2: Island Hopping & The Lost Lens Cap (Plus, My Love Affair with a Coconut)
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. Pancakes. YES. Needed that carb-load.
- 9:00 AM: Island hopping tour. This is what I came for! Coron Bay is gorgeous. So. Freaking. Gorgeous. The water is crystal clear.
- 9:30 AM: Kayangan Lake. Swim through the clear water. I realize its way deeper than I thought. I almost panicked. Then, I had to get my picture perfect shot.
- 10:30 AM: Barracuda Lake. The thermoclines? Surreal. Like swimming in a giant, liquid lava lamp. It's glorious, then, you suddenly think, "what if a barracuda actually shows up?" Panic subsides.
- 11:30 AM: Lunch on the beach. Fresh grilled fish. This time, I conquer the bones. Victory!
- 1:00 PM: Snorkeling. Coral reefs. Fish in every color imaginable. It's like being inside a giant, saltwater aquarium. Then… oh no. My lens cap! Gone. Vanished. Probably eaten by a fish. My perfect photos! (Dramatic much?)
- 2:00 PM: Beach time again, I'm feeling a little melancholic after losing the lens cap– So, I decide to just find a palm tree, and hang out by it. I ordered a coconut. It was huge and refreshing, I drank it all.
- 3:00 PM: I make a friend! With a little girl playing in the sand. She can't speak a lick of English, and I can't speak a lick of Tagalog, but we are making it work with a lot of laughing and pointing. She's adorable.
- 4:00 PM: Attempt to take photos of the sunset. Sunset is glorious, and I’m taking my chances. Praying to whatever god that is to not “lose” anything else.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner. Ate way too much.
- 7:00 PM: Fireflies! Thousands of them twinkling in the trees. Magic. Pure, unadulterated magic.
Day 3: The Unexpected Massage and My Existential Crisis Over the Beach
- 8:00 AM: Decide to get a massage on the beach. I did, I got a massage. The massage was amazing.
- 9:00 AM: I'm still thinking about what I'll do.
- 10:00 AM: Decide to head out to the beach, I feel much better. I sit there, just staring at the beautiful view.
- 11:00 AM: A sudden realization hits me. Why am I so obsessed with the camera? I mean, yeah, I love taking photos, but the experience is what matters, right? Isn't it? Am I missing anything? Am I just a tourist, or is there more? Am I asking myself existential questions, the answer is yes.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch.
- 1:00 PM: A nap.
- 2:00 PM: Explore the town.
- 3:00 PM: Went to the beach!
- 4:00 PM: I stare at the sunset, thinking about the meaning of life.
- 6:00 PM: Dinner with people I met on the boat.
- 7:00 PM: Stargazing on the beach. Incredible.
Day 4: Farewell & The Promise to Return (Even with the Bumpy Roads)
- 8:00 AM: Breakfast. One last pancake hurrah!
- 9:00 AM: Check out. Saying goodbye to that incredibly friendly staff. I will miss those staff.
- 10:00 AM: The van ride back to the airport. Spine-crushing part two.
- 11:00 AM: Flight back to Manila, I'm praying that the plane doesn't fall apart.
- 4:00 PM: Back home.
- 5:00 PM: Settle back into life.
Final Thoughts:
This trip was messy, a lot but wonderful. I lost stuff, got sand everywhere, and questioned my sanity on several occasions. But the beauty, the people, the feeling of being truly away from everything… worth every bump in the road (literally). I can’t wait to go back, lens cap or not. Peace & Love, you crazy place. I'll be back. And next time I will be making sandcastles!
¡Fashen Poshtel Tailandia: El Paraíso Asiático que Te Dejará Sin Aliento!
¡¿Qué es exactamente eso de 'Escape al Paraíso Ecológico'? Suena a promesa, y a mí las promesas... ¡me dan miedo!
¡Ay, bueno, no asustarse! "Escape al Paraíso Ecológico" suena grandilocuente, lo sé, como si te fueras a la luna. Pero en realidad, es el viaje al Peace & Love Beach Club. Es un sitio en la playa, con... bueno, con un rollo. Intentan ser *eco*, que es lo que está de moda, ¿sabes? Con hamacas y palmeras y esas cosas que se ven en Instagram. Pero a ver, no esperes que te sirvan el agua de coco en un coco tallado por ángeles. A veces, las toallas... ¡parecen arena! Y si vas en temporada alta, lo de "paz" y "amor"... ¡olvídalo! Es *un poco* un caos, pero bueno, es la playa, ¿no? ¡Y el sol! A mí el sol, me puede.
¿El Peace & Love Beach Club... es realmente 'ecológico'? ¿O es postureo verde para ricos?
Ufff, esa es la pregunta del millón. A ver, intentan. Tienen *algún* contenedor para reciclar (¡a veces!), y sí, las pajitas son de papel (¡glups!) y los jabones... bueno, parecen hechos a mano. Pero, ¿es perfecto? ¡Ni de coña! Un día vi a un tipo con una furgoneta descargando... ¡¡un montón de botellas de plástico!! Y lo de los vasos... ¡ay, los vasos! A veces, son de cartón, pero otras... ¡son de esos de plástico duro que te reutilizan hasta el fin de los tiempos! Así que... digamos que es un *eco-lite*. Un intento honesto, pero con sus fallos. Como todos nosotros, ¿no? Como yo, que me propuse no comer más patatas fritas... y mira, aquí estoy, pensando en ellas.
¿Qué tipo de gente va al Peace & Love? ¿Es para *influencers* y gente guapa?
¡A ver, vamos a ser claros! Hay de todo. Sí, sí, hay *influencers* (¡¡y vaya que sí!!), con sus bikinis imposibles y poses estudiadas. Pero también hay familias (¡con niños gritones!), parejas (¡acaramelados!), y hasta algún solitario como yo, leyendo un libro (¡intentando no parecer un *voyeur*!). Lo que más me gusta es la diversidad. Hay gente de todos los tipos, todos los colores... ¡y todos los acentos! Un día conocí a una señora de Kansas que hablaba español mejor que yo. ¡Humillante! Así que no te preocupes, no tienes que ser perfecto para ir. ¡Solo tienes que ser tú! (Y quizás llevar un buen protector solar, por el amor de Dios).
¿Qué puedo hacer en el Peace & Love Beach Club? ¿Solo tomar el sol y beber cócteles carísimos?
¡Nooo! Bueno, puedes tomar el sol y beber cócteles carísimos, sí. Pero hay más. Tienen hamacas (¡muy cómodas!), y sombrillas (¡necesarias!). A veces, hay clases de yoga (¡yo intenté una vez, acabé con agujetas por tres días!). También puedes nadar, hacer *paddleboard* (si te atreves... ¡yo casi me caigo!), y leer. ¡Leer es lo mejor! Una vez, me quedé leyendo un libro durante horas, ¡y el camarero me trajo una piña colada sin que yo se la pidiera! (¡Probablemente me vio con cara de náufrago!). También suelen hacer fiestas por la noche (¡con música que a veces es horrible!). Pero lo mejor de todo, es simplemente... relajarse. A veces, solo contemplar el mar es suficiente. ¡Y es gratis! (Bueno, a no ser que te caigas al agua y tengas que comprarte ropa nueva...).
¿La comida es buena? ¿O es comida de "turista"?
¡Ay, la comida! Mira, no esperes alta cocina, pero tampoco es *tan* mala. Tienen hamburguesas (¡¡muy buenas, por cierto!!), ensaladas (¡para los que están a dieta, que yo no!), y pescado fresco (cuando lo tienen, que a veces... ¡se acaba!). Los *tacos*... ¡humm, no los recomiendo! (No me gustaron nada). Los precios... bueno, son un poco caros, pero es la playa, ¿qué esperabas? Una vez, me pedí un sándwich que me costó casi veinte euros... ¡pero estaba tan bueno! El pan crujiente, el tomate... ¡ay, el tomate! Y la vista... ¡el mar! ¡Todo valía la pena! (Bueno, casi todo).
¿Hay wifi? Es que necesito subir fotos a Instagram... ¡ya lo sé, qué superficial soy!
¡Sí, hay wifi! (¡Gracias a Dios!). Pero... ¡ay, el pero! A veces funciona de maravilla, ¡como un rayo! Puedes subir fotos, hacer *stories*, mandar mensajes... Pero otras veces... ¡es como si estuvieras intentando conectarte a la red con un módem de los '90! Lentísimo, intermitente... ¡un suplicio! Una vez, intenté subir una foto de mi pie en la arena (¡lo típico, ya lo sé!), y tardó media hora. Media hora sufriendo, con la pantalla congelada, ¡¡¡mientras el sol se ponía!!! ¡¡¡Un drama!!! Así que... olvídate de subirlo todo al instante. ¡Disfruta del momento! (O, si no puedes, busca un buen sitio con mejor señal y... ¡a publicar!). ¡No me juzguéis! Todos tenemos nuestros vicios.
¿Hay baños? (¡Es una pregunta importante!)
¡Sí, claro que hay baños! Pero... ¡a ver! No son los baños de un hotel de cinco estrellas. A veces, hay cola (¡¡la cola, la eterna cola!!), y a veces... bueno, digamos que no siempre huelen a rosas. Un día, me tocó uno que... ¡horror! ¡No voy a entrar en detalles! Pero sí, hay baños. ¡Llévate tu propio papel higiénico! (Por si acaso...). Y reza para que no te toque el baño de antes de la limpieza. ¡Yo lo he visto! ¡Lo he sufrido! ¡Pero sobreviví! (¡Casi!).
¿Qué puedo llevar? ¿Hay algo que deba saber antes de ir?
¡Buena pregunta! Lleva... ¡de todo! Protector solar (¡¡fundamental!!), gafas de sol (¡si quieres ver algo!), sombrero o gorra (¡el sol pega fuerte!), toalla (¡laBusca Un Hotel
