With its quirky details, classy decor and homey vibe, Islands Leisure Boutique Hotel is a great place to stay in Dumaguete City. This boutique hotel in the capital city of Negros Oriental offers a peaceful oasis right in the heart of the city. After motorcycling all over Siquijor the previous day, checking in here felt like a treat.
A bright red door on the main street leads to a zen lobby with stones on the floor, wooden statues and hanging swing chairs. A red fountain in the middle of the grounds are surrounded by several comfy couches and seating areas decorated in a mix of prints and fabrics. The decor is eclectic yet modern with a lot of attention to details.
The place feels more like someone’s home rather than a hotel. The whole place just makes you want to stay in and lounge around, which is what I ended up doing that afternoon. The boutique hotel currently has 16 rooms, which are all stylishly decorated in different themes. The rooms range from Premier Suite, Premier Room, Duo Pad, Solo Pad, Backpackers Pad and the wellness rooms.
I stayed in a premier suite room on the second floor. A set of inspirational quotes on travel decorated the headboard and a comfortable bright orange beanbag lay on the foot of the bed. On the right side of the bed was a small table for two. On the left was a futon which offered another place to lounge on. The room also came with a TV, closet and other amenities you would expect in a hotel. The bathroom was clean and basic, with hot & cold showers.
With its contemporary design and use of bright colors and graphic prints, the room had much more character than your typical hotel room. I especially liked the inspirational quotes on the wall. There were also a couple of framed paintings of Marilyn Monroe, which seemed to be a recurring theme in the hotel, along with all the zen touches and plants.
LIVING AREA & POOL
Beneath the premiere rooms was a small private sala area, with several plush looking couches and magazines for guests to browse through. The sala area led to an outdoor space with a small wading pool beneath a shroud of vines. The pool is tiny but looks really inviting. Families with little kids will probably enjoy letting them take a dip here.
WELLNESS SPA
Aside from being a boutique hotel, Islands Leisure is also a wellness spa, and they offer different packages for walk-in guests. Several private rooms can be found along a small zen hallway leading to the pool. The Mandarin Spa is inspired by the concept of nature’s oneness, a perfect balance of wind, water, warmth and earth.
DINING
The hotel serves complimentary breakfast in their leisure cafe. The options are either Filipino, American (toast and bacon) or European (pancakes and jam).
There’s an interesting art installation and shelves with quirky decor in the dining space, and a few framed prints of landscapes. All in all, very pleasant. With all the interesting furniture and homey vibe, it’s no surprise that the place is popular for pre-nuptial shoots and intimate parties.
With its strategic location, good service and affordable price, the Islands Leisure Boutique Hotel is a good option for business travelers and tourists on vacation in Dumaguete City. The place offers easy access to bars and restaurants, including Hayahay Treehouse and Viewdeck and the boulevard. The promo price of the premier rooms, which is comparable to average hotels, is pretty good if you’re sharing a room with others. I’m particularly interested in the backpackers room.
I regret that I only got to stay one night here and didn’t get to fully explore Dumaguete or visit Apo Island. Unfortunately, staying the night was just a quick sidetrip before heading to Bacolod for a work assignment. (Incidentally, the bus ride from Dumaguete to Bacolod took 7 hours!). I was able to squeeze in a quick trip to Pulangbato Falls, the Hotsprings & Tierra Alta zipline in the town of Valencia in the morning, but I haven’t seen the last of Dumaguete.
ADDRESS & CONTACT INFO:
Islands Leisure Boutique Hotel and Spa is located along Hibbard Avenue, Bantayan, Dumaguete City, Philippines.
- Website: http://www.islandsleisurehotel.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islandsleisure
- Tel. no: (02) 994 9291, 0915.349.1132
- Email: sales@islandsleisuregroup.com, rsvn@ilslandsleisurehotel.com
RATES: (as of Feb 2014)
- Premier Suite Room – P3,000 (promo rate at P2,000.00 with breakfast for two persons)
- Premier Room – P2,600 (promo rate at P1,600/night with breakfast for two persons)
- Duo pad room – P1,200 (promo at P990/night with breakfast)
- Backpackers room – P450/person (minimum of 2 person booking)