Caramoan Accommodation: Beach Front and Town Proper

Caramoan is rapidly changing its face as the tourism boom continues to benefit this sleepy town which had become one of the top destinations in the Philippines. Now, it has become a major tourist hub and the demand for good accommodation is continuously growing. Here are some of the pension houses, guest houses, hostels and resorts that range from the most basic to the top end accommodation in the area.

1. GOTA BEACH RESORT

Gota Beach Resort Cabanas

Gota Beach Resort is the top end resort in Caramoan recommended for those who don’t mind paying extra for a somewhat more luxurious beach escapade. It has its own beaches which are also open for the public so it is best to avoid it during weekend (Caramoan residents pay Php150 and php300 for non residents). In 2008, we stayed at this resort just because it was the only beach resort available at that time that had its own beach. A lot of the time, the beach is occupied by the crew of Survivor so it is often closed for public.

It is also quiet expensive to stay at this resort compared to other resorts in the area now but its location makes it all worth it. We actually spent most of our time on its beach and only visited the nearby Malarad Island during our stay. The resort is surrounded by towering limestone cliffs covered with green vegetation and it has two coves with fine sand, one of which is another jump-off point for island-hopping. It is a few minutes boat ride from Malarad Beach (formerly called Matukad Island), Lahus and Hunungan Beach Resort.

Gota Beach Resort View Deck.

GOTA BEACH RESORT CARAMOAN
Tel: +63 2 8170831 or 710 9086
Mobile: +63 9283083969
Email: gotavillage@gmail.com , infocamsur@gmail.com
CamSur Provincial Tourism Office
Tel: +63 54 4773344, +63 54 47744473344

It is quite cozy inside these small cabanas which were imported from China. Each cabana costs around Php60,000.

2. LA CASA ROA HOSTEL

La Casa Roa Hostel Receiving Area

My relatives and I stayed at La Casa Roa Hostel on my second visit at Caramoan this year. I was fortunate to be able to accompany my balikbayan aunt, her son and her fiancé to Caramoan and guide them around the islands (for free). Normally, I would stay in backpacker’s accommodation on this kind of trip but at the request of my cousin, who had just roughed it out in Calaguas Islands before we left for Caramoan, we stayed in the very first “more-than-decent” lodging accomodation for visitors to Caramoan. The hostel is the private residence of Dr. Nilo Roa and has been converted into a cozy hostel.

The hostel has clean and spacious rooms, dining area and living rooms on the first and second floor. It also has a wide terrace and different types of room to choose from. It is probably the most expensive accommodation in the town proper – we paid around 2400 for an AC room with hot and cold shower and complimentary breakfast for four. It was ok but I find it isn’t really worth staying in an expensive hotel when you just end up spending most of your time outside anyway. (We arrived around 5 in the afternoon here and left early the next day for island-hopping).

ROOMS

Matrimonial Bed

Twin Sharing

LA CASA ROA HOSTEL

Address: Tawog, Caramoan, Camarines Sur
Tel: +6354-8113184
Contact: Rhodora Roa Perez
Email: dollyrperez@gmail.com
Room Rates
Room 1 – Matrimonial bed (Php1950)
Room 2 – 3 Single bed, Triple Sharing (Php2,150)
Room 3 – Twin Sharing (Php1, 750)
Room 4 – Queen sized bed (Php1,250)
Room A and B – Family Room (Php2,800)
Room C – Family Sharing (Php2500)
Annex Rooms – (Php2,800)
Extra Bed – Php300
(All are inclusive of free breakfast)

Another living room on the first floor.

La Casa Roa Dining Room

3. VILLA JULIANA

Villa Juliana

Receiving Area

AC rooms with TV and toilet.

VILLA JULIANA

Tel: 0921-2261395 , 0929-4884928, 0907-6557984
Contact: Mr. Roger Reyes
Website: http://www.villajuliana.multiply.com/
Room Rates:
Php750 – All 12 AC rooms

Villa Juliana Rooms and Parking Area

4. CARAMOAN BED AND DINE

Bed and Dine Native Hut Restaurant

Bed and Dine is one of the mid-range accommodations available in the town proper located along the main road in Barangay Tawog. This pension house is another private residence turned into a nice lodging accommodation. It has only 3 air-conditioned rooms and it is usually fully-booked most of the time (advance reservation is a must). Two of its AC rooms have common toilet and its guests could use the TV in its living room as well as its dining area.

Bed and Dine is also the only trusted and good enough restaurant in the town proper as of now. Many visitors in Caramoan eat here for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is often packed with people and it is a favorite hang out of foreign tourists, backpackers and local visitors at night.(The food is quite good but its popularity is more for the lack of competition I guess).

Mocha Room - Php1200 with toilet and bath (Good for 2pax)

Yellow Room - Php 1200 (good for 2 pax)

Violet Room - Php1400 (Good for 4pax)

CARAMOAN BED AND DINE
Tel: 0920-4768619, 0920-4768577, 0915-8268563
Contact: Allan Lejarde
Website
Room Rates:
Violet Room Php 1400/day – good for 4pax,1 queen size bed,1 double size bed
Yellow Room Php 1200/day – good for 2pax, 1 double size bed
Mocha Room Php 1200/day – good for 2pax, 1 double size bed with toilet and bath
Guests can use the living area w/ cable TV, dining area and comfort room of the
Pension House.

Caramoan Bed and Dine Living Room

5. WEST PENINSULA VILLAS

West Peninsula Cabanas and Duplex

This villa is my top choice for quality and value for money. West Peninsula has new and clean facilities, cozy cabanas made of concrete walls and anahaw roof, and a nice yard where guests can party at night. It has an open-air dining area, a mini bar and small pool table. You can also ask them to cook any food that you want if you don’t find it on their menu.

The rooms have cable TV, a hot and cold shower and air-conditioning. They also offer tour packages for the guests. West Peninsula is currently building new rooms and has a total of 15 rooms now, all with AC, cable TV and toilet (9 of which have hot and cold shower). One is lucky to get a room in this place if the reality TV series “Survivor” is filming in Caramoan. Their local production crew usually checks-in here.

ROOMS

Duplex Accommodation

Cabanas

Small Room

WEST PENINSULA VILLAS

Tel: 0921-2642538
Email: westpenvillas@yahoo.com
Website
Room Rates
Php1500 – big rooms (good for 6pax)
Php1000 – small room (good for 4 pax)

West Peninsula Dining Area

6. BC HOMETEL TOURIST INN

BC Hometel Tourist Inn

Another option that offers cheap and basic accommodation about 5-minute drive from Centro. It has 10 air-conditioned rooms each with its own toilet. Room rates start at 600. The biggest room can accommodate 12 people and costs Php300 per head. Be warned though of the possibility of sharing the big rooms with strangers. Food is costs around Php100 per meal (minimum). They can also arrange island-hopping tours.

ROOMS

BC HOMETEL TOURIST INN

Tel: 0927-4027220, 0921-8357454
Contact: Mr. Danilo Belleza
Email: danfhel@gmail.com
Website
Room Rates
Php300 per head ( minimum of 2)
Php600 per room

BC Hometel Dining Area

7. CMC VILLA CARAMOAN HOSTEL

CMC Villa Caramoan

CMC Villa offers a hassle free Caramoan escapade for a certain price. It was the first hostel we stopped at after Guijalo Port when we were looking for a place to stay, but we moved on to look for another one because we were only looking for a place to stay and were planning to arrange our own tours. This villa markets more its package tours that are inclusive of accommodation, half day island hopping tours to Matukad, Laos, and Hunungan Islands, one-day island hopping tours in Lahuy Islands (Manlaue, Bosdak, Cotivas, and our Lady of Peace), shuttle service within the town, motorboat, local tour guide and meals. You can call their contacts for a group with less than 5 persons.

ROOMS

CMC VILLA CARAMOAN HOSTEL

Contact:
Coleen Cordial – 0906-4205644
Marlyn Cordial – 0920-9030226
Email: cmccaramoan@yahoo.com
Webiste: cmcvillacaramoan.multiply.com
Package Rates
5-10pax – (2 days/1 night – Php3500/pax) (3 days/2 nights- Php4900/pax)
11-15pax – (2 days/1 night – Php2700/pax) (3 days/2 nights – Php3700
16pax and up – (2 days/1 night – Php2200) (3 days/3nights – 3200)

8. REX TOURIST INN

One of the cheapest and most popular inns in the area, Rex Tourist Inn isn’t too shabby for the price it offers. It is inconspicuously located on the second floor of a hardware store. Room rates start at 300-500 for fan rooms, 1500 for AC rooms (good for 4persons), up to 2500 for AC room with private bathrooms. It serves food to guests who have availed of their package (shuttle service from Naga, boat ride, accommodation, food and island-hopping). Rex Tourist Inn has a total of 4 branches now, three in the town proper and one at Barangay Paniman (beachfront).

Receiving Area

REX TOURIST INN
Address: Barangay Tawog, Caramoan
Tel: 0919-8821879, 0919-3089675
Contact: Mr. Rex B. Hernandez

REX TOURIST INN BRANCHES

Rex Tourist Inn Branch

Rex Tourist Inn Branch near the church

9. RIVER VIEW VACATION INN

River View Vacation Inn

One of the new hotels in the area located beside a nice river. It has a total of 10 fully-air-conditioned rooms all with toilet and cable TV. Rooms with hot and cold shower are also available. It offers its own package tours inclusive of accommodation, buffet meals, transportation within the area, boat rentals for the island hopping and local tour guide.

RIVER VIEW VACATION INN

Address: #4 Fernandez St. Barangay. Ili, Caramoan, Camarines Sur, Philippines
Contact: Melody Reyes Niego
Tel: 0908. 8655322, 0919-3955743
Email: RiverViewInnCaramoan@gmail.com
Website: http://RiverViewInnCaramoan.sulit.com.ph

10. GOLDEN HUB TOURIST INN

Golden Hub Tourist Inn

11 . WOW NA WOW TOURIST INN

Tel: 0919-5999673

Wow na Wow Tourist Inn

12. VISTA DEL MAR GUEST HOUSE
A house on top of a hill overlooking the sea and a few steps from the jump-off point for your island-hopping adventure
Address: Bikal, Caramoan
Contact:
Mervyn A. Valencia – 0919-8136766
Ome B. Alarcon – 0920-2816362

13. HUNONGAN COVE
A top end resort with its own beach a few minutes boat ride from Gota Beach Resort. It is also owned by the local goverment of Camarines Sur.
Unit 2401, 139 Corporate Center, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati 1227, Philippines.
Tel: 63 2 8180831
Mobile: 09283083969
Email: camsurtourism@gmail.com, gotavillage@gmail.com
Website: http://www.caramoanislands.com/

14. CARAMOAN KAYAKS INN
Address: Lupi,Guijalo, Caramoan
Tel: 0921-9873157, 0920-4742637
Website: http://www.ck-inn.com/