Ozamis City? Hotel? Try GV Hotel

Looking for a place to stay in Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines, then your on the right spot, I got another place to share that offers affordable, comfortable and safe dwelling stead, along downtown Port Road, Ozamis City, just in front of the Gaisano Mall Southwing, the GV Hotel.

GV is a prominent and growing hotel chain in the Visayas and Mindanao that provides practical accommodations for people on a budget.

Hit?

The place is very decent, its very accessible and best of all, affordable with clean rooms available for as low as Php400 per day, a single Standard/Regular room type, PhP450 per day for a single Deluxe room, PhP550 per day for a twin or matrimonial Economy/Budget rooms, PhP590 per day for a twin or matrimonial Standard/Regular room type, PhP680 per day for a twin or matrimonial Deluxe rooms, and Php1150 for a Deluxe room with ref good for 4 person. Extremely affordable offers here.

All rooms are air-conditioned, has cable TV, personal comfort rooms, etc., most importantly clean linens and bedsheets.

Misses?

Front desk area or the main lobby isn't very inviting, it looks ordinary and e. The hallway and room set-up was also confusing since it has several intersections that you'll get confuse with the room numbering system and has no proper signage's among others.

The single standard rooms were a bit smallish compared to others, I believe the room's size was somewhere near 10 square meters including the comfort room. It has no telephone per room and WIFI.

Well, if you are to weigh the hit and misses, I would say the advantages still prevails, there is no exchange to the service and comfort you'll enjoy in staying at the hotel. I might have stayed here once but it was a satisfying experience that is why I gave it my seal of approval.

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Ozamis City? Hotel? Try Plaza Beatriz

If you happen to be going or stopping by Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines and you don't have a place to stay, then your on the right blog article, I got a perfect place to share that offers cheap rates and comfortable and safe dwelling place, the Plaza Beatriz Hotel along the downtown area, just in front of the Gaisano Mall Ozamis.

Hit?

The place is very decent, its very accessible and best of all, affordable and clean rooms for as low as Php350 pesos per day! Yes, you've read it right, 350.00 pesos! They also have deluxe for 450 Pesos and family rooms good for 4 person for only 700 Pesos. All rooms are air-conditioned, has cable TV, personal comfort rooms, etc. It doesn't get any cheaper and better elsewhere, this is the best value to beat. See pictures below.

Misses?

Hallways from the main building connecting to the extension building was pretty narrow, it's not properly contoured, no proper signage and signs among others. What if accidents happen like fire, it will be difficult to escape out of the building. Windows were not properly screened and secondary locks on doors were absent. Televisions have no cable, I wonder why they didn't put cable on their TVs since it will only cost them a single cable line to provide every rooms with cable connection. Best of all, no telephone.

If you don't mind all the misses I mentioned, then this is a good place for you. I have stayed here twice already and so far I haven't encountered any problem yet.

That's all for now, folks!!

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Travel and Places: Ozamis City’s Immaculate Conception Fiesta 2010

Ozamis City’s Patron Saint is Our Lady of Immaculate Conception that is why it blissfully celebrates its feast yesterday December 8, 2010. Of course I cannot be missing it being a devoted Catholic myself and that it could be great feature to the blog.

I was there only in the morning though because I was only granted a half day leave from work but nonetheless the best part of the celebration happens in the morning like the Mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and the Procession. Most of the crowd drawing side trip events were held in the evening like the concert and the fireworks display but I wasn’t able to go because I’m a kill joy (KJ)! Hah kidding aside but I was tasks to watch the house for the evening.

I believe this was not the city’s main feast because when I was roaming around, everything seemed regular, stores and offices were open and as well as the banks. This would mean that the city did not announced a special non working holiday except that the schools suspended the their classes unlike the Birhen sa Cotta celebration held very July where a street Mardi Gra is being held that draws crowd from nearby towns and cities.

Anyways got some excerpt photos of the event using my all reliable shooter, the Nokia N82. Hope you find it educational at the same time a waste of time. c”, Enjoy!

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Travel and Places: Misamis Cotta, Shot on a Nokia N8

One of the most prominent historical landmark towering Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines is the Misamis Cotta or the Birhen Sa Cotta.One among the few fortresses built by the Spaniards in Mindanao in the 18th century.

Built in 1756, fortress was built by the natives on orders of Jesuit priests Francisco Jose Ducos and Nepomuceno Paver, primarily to provide shelter for Spanish battle ships anchored in the bay. It was also used as a base to launch attacks against Muslim raiders and pirates who plundered the town and snatched natives to be sold as slaves to rich and royal Muslim families in Cotabato, Zamboanga, Sulu and even in Java, Borneo, Malaysia and Indonesia.It also serve as a city defense against cannon fires from the Japanese, rifle fires from the guerrillas, machine guns and bombs from US bomber planes in World War II.

I personally am fascinated with the fortress being a structure that stood ground over centuries amidst countless battle and struggles. Made me wished to impart its significance and semblance, Stolid and Stunned.

Dive in to the historic architecture that have help shape this part of the world with the best cameraphone in the world Nokia N8.

The fortress which is being considered as a legacy has been renovated through the effort of the local government in 2004.























This is the arsenal of the fortress which serves storage of military firearms and ammuniations. Not that big but considering how unsophisticated the firearms centuries ago, this is just enough to cover everything up.

The Misamis Cotta has four bastions: Baluarte de San Ignacio in the southeast facing the Panguil Bay and named after Jesuit Order founder St. Ignatius. Baluarte de San Jose in the northeast, also facing the sea, named after the foster father of Jesus Baluarte de San Fernando in the northwest fain the town and named after King Ferdinand of Castille. Baluarte de Santiago in the southwest, also facing the town, named after the apostle Saint James de Santiago.












































The lighthouse is still being use at the moment, guiding ship navigation in a nearby port.

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Ozamis City; Lots Of Love To Give

Ozamiz City is located down south of the Philippine archipelago, the city is considered as the northeast gateway of Mindanao, the country's biggest island, the center of commerce, health, transportation and education.

The cities spiritual seat of power, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. Majority if the constituents here are Roman Catholics and this church is one of the cities most important landmark.

A normal city day, not so busy isn't it? Stroll around with ease on a non traffic scenario.

Center of Commerce, the city is a buzzling community, a host to 2 average malls, department stores, botiques, restaurants among others.

Places to Shop:

Gaisano Citi Mall, one of the cities premier. Find everything who want except a Drug Store, crazy isn't it? Small and Compact.

Geege Mall, the biggest in the city and the least number shoppers. This is the only Mall with Movie House, my favorite place to hang out. Big and Spacey.

Geege Malls centerpiece. Yes we do have escalators down here, not to old school as you think it isc",Long and Lame.

Unitop Store, home of China products from clothes to food to school supplies etc. The biggest store among Unitop chains. Cheap, Low Grade.

The newest shopping store in the city, something new yet something old. Cant believe they have no escalator. What a big disappointement.

Places to Stay:

Hotel Beatrize, you can easily identify this place being the tallest building in the city. It is a 2star hotel with airconditioned rooms ranging from 500-1,000 pesos. Just enough, nothing more.

Center of Transport, the city is the main port of entrance of passengers going to neighboring towns to as far as Lanao Del Norte, Zambonga Del Sur and Zamboanga Del Norte. By Air, Air Philippines have daily flights from Manila-Ozamis vice versa, Cebu Pacific Air will soon be serving this route as well as Philippine Airlines which well serve Cebu-Ozamis Route by July 1, 2008. By Sea, several major shipping lines served Manila and Cebu routes with the likes of Superferry, Cebu Ferries, Trans-Asia shipping lines, Carlos A. Gothong shipping lines, Sulpicio lines and Negros Navigation. Rural Transport Mindanao Inc. dominates the land transportation, with routes going to almost all regions in the island.

Places to Visit:
The Cotta Fort and Cotta Shrine
Mount Malindang Golf and Country Club

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Love Travel, From Ozamis City to Zamboanga City

Traveling had become one of my pastime aside from the fact that its part of my work and I have been loving every moment of it.

My blog will then feature helpful information as it describes ways on how, where, when and what to do upon traveling to the places that I have visited.

In today's blog, I'm going to give details regarding the best route in reaching Zamboanga City (Asia's Latin City) from Ozamis City.

Ozamis is a buzzling city of Misamis Occidental. It is considered as the gateway city of central mindanao as it has an airport serving Manila-Ozamis route via Air Philippines and a seaport with almost all shipping companies catering service from Manila, Cebu, Dumaguete among others.

From Ozamis City, you have to travel to Pagadian City first because there is no direct trip to Zamboanga City. The only mode of transport is thru a bus. The Rural Transit Mindanao Inc. is the only bus company that serves this route.

This is the Agora bus terminal with Rural Tours bus on the ally waiting for passengers.

Closer look to the Rural Transit Bus that travels
Ozamis - Pagadian route.

Aircon Bus: P 120.00
Non Aircon Bus: P 100.00

The time of travel is about 2hours in an aircon bus and about 3hours in a non aircon bus.

From the Agora bus terminal, the bus will unload you to the Pagadian Integrated Bus Terminal which is about 2 kms away from the city proper. It is where you can find bus that covers the Zamboanga route.

This is how the Pagadian City Integrated Bus Terminal looks at night with several stranded passengers sleeping on rented folding beds. Most of this passengers were bound to other destinations except Zamboanga City as the route serves at a 24hours basis.

There are actually a number of passengers that travels by night in the Pagadian-Zamboanga route since traveling time is shorter due to direct services offered by Rural Transit. They are by the way the only bus company again that serves this route. All thought there are small number of vans as competitors but their quite risky to ride on and very uncomfortable.

Fare Rates: Pagadian City - Zamboanga City
Airconditioned: P370.00
Non Airconditioned: P320.00
Traveling Time:
7hours for Airconditioned Bus Daytime
6hours Night time

8hours for Non Aircon Bus Daytime
7hours Night time

Upon reaching Zamboanga City, you well be unloaded in the Zamboanga City Guiwan Terminal. Its about 3kms away from the city proper so you have to ride in either a jeep that has a "Pueblo" sign in front or at the side or a motorela which is like a taxi that can take you wherever you want. Fare for the Jeep: P6.00 only while the motorela can cost you at around P30.00.

Well thats about it for now, my next blog will cover my stay in Zamboanga City. Places I visited, etc.

Gud Day to Everyone!

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