Balay da Blas Hotel — Hotel in Luzon

On our family’s outing in Ilocos, our first stop was at Laoag with an overnight stay. After much research for our accomodations, we decided on Balay da Blas Pensionne House because of the generally good reviews and they have a Barkada room that can accommodate 8-10 persons, just perfect for us. Although we hired a travel agency, I took the initiative to inquire about the room rates, etc. and after a few more e-mail exchanges, they “pencil booked” the barkada room for June 13-14, 2016. I informed them that our travel agency would be the one to finalize our reservation and payment. ||||The rates vary depending on the no. of people who will stay as long as the limit are 10 guests for the Barkada Room. Our final rate was P5,700/night for 10 pax inclusive of VAT and breakfast. Breakfast was at their in-house restaurant: Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant. You can choose either beef tapa, tocino, tinapa, honey chicken, hotdog, corn beef, Ilocano longaniza, crunchy headless dilis, and boneless bangus, which were all served with garlic rice, fried egg, and either coffee, tea or hot chocolate. They took our orders the night before and the time we will have it served since breakfast starts at 6am.||||We arrived past lunchtime and we were warmly greeted by the reception staff. After the quick check-in, we were ushered to Room 11 (the Barkada room) at the 2nd floor of the newer building. The room was neat and clean, enhanced more by the predominant white color of the walls, beddings, chairs and tables. There is an upper loft where you can find 1 double bed, 1 queen bed and a small night table in between. They also placed an extra single bed on the floor for the 5th person who will also sleep on the loft. ||||In the lower area, there is also 1 double bed and 1 queen bed, a sofabed, 2 square monobloc tables with 2 monobloc chairs, a flat screen tv with cable channels. and a cubby hole storage for our bags and gears. The 2 bathrooms are also here and it’s up to your group if you want to assign the bathrooms for males and females, etc. Bath and face towels for each guest were provided and liquid soap and toilet paper are in the bathrooms. But you need to bring your own shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush and slippers, and a hair dryer if you'll need one, as these are not included. There is an extra sink located outside the bathroom and a full-length mirror near it. || ||What we liked:||1) The beds were firm but very comfortable so we all had a good night sleep with no backaches from the mattresses.||2) Staff were friendly, accommodating and courteous. They also promptly replied with all the e-mails I sent them.||3) Free wifi.||4) Electrical outlets were numerous and sufficient for all our gadgets.||5) Aircons cooled the room efficiently as there was one at the loft and the other at the lower level.||6) Hot and cold water in the shower.||7) Breakfast and lunch was delicious at Saramsam Ylocano Restaurant.||8) The standard check in time is at 1:00 PM (check-out time is at 12noon next day) but early check-in is allowed at 11am if the room is already available with no additional charge. However, if arrival will be from 5am-10:45am, there will be an additional 50% fee based on the room rate. (note: this policy may have changed as this review is almost a year old so it would be best to check with the establishment).||9) The receiving area/lobby was nicely decorated and furnished with comfortable sofas, wooden chairs and tables, wooden closets and potted plants. A koi pond also complemented the ambience.||||What we did not like:||1) Bed pillows were thin and only one was provided per person.||2) The bathrooms although clean, were small and narrow so it was a bit hard maneuvering especially when using the toilet.||3) The extra sink was small so splashes were unavoidable.||4) Parking area can only fit 2-3 vehicles. You can park on the street but it could be risky as the street is also narrow.||||Overall, it was a brief but pleasant experience staying here. As such, if you are looking for clean and affordable Laoag accommodations manned by an efficient staff, you can consider...

Balay de Blas could easily be your home away from home in Ilocos. We stayed in Balay de Blas I's Deluxe Suite for 2 days. We were surprised when we saw the 'room' because it was more like a small house. It has one bedroom, living room, bathroom, dining area and kitchen. Inspite of the heat, the room is surprisingly cool.

Their staff was very accommodating. It was so hot when we arrived and I was not feeling well when we arrived. Using a plastic to hold my vomit was futile and I managed to get some of it on the sheets but they replaced it as soon as I was able to get up.

Food was great. They also own Saramsam, which is one of the best restaurant in Laoag. So don't be surprised if you find that the hotel's menu is the same as the one in Saramsam. They are actually going to move the restaurant beside Balay De Blas II.

We had to extend our stay and we were transferred to Balay de Blas II. The room is big and clean but there was no refrigerator.

PRO/S: There are a lot of tricycles in the area and there's a 24 hour convenient store on the corner of P. Gomez and Gen Segundo Avenue.

CON/S: Parking - Limited slots available. Bidet -...

Was vacationing in the Philippines, more specifically Laoag City and the surrounding area because that's where my mom grew up. Decided to stay here for about 2 weeks. Managed to get the executive suite.....and wow it was bigger than I thought it was gonna be, and the décor was utterly charming. The room can easily accommodate a family of four to six. There's a tv, and fridge. There's also a really good sized bathroom. Everything was clean as well. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. Really glad it's located to where you can walk to where you need to go. Be it markets, places to eat, or if you just want to take in the local sights. Speaking of places to eat, there's a place down the street that sells some of the best pan de sal that I have ever had, and the best part is that it's only a couple seconds away from Balay Da Blas! Great way to start the morning...along with some coffee or tea. All in all, a very positive experience for my mother and me, and I hope you consider this place when you find yourself here in...