Tagbilaran Things to Do
Some people think twice about staying longer in Bohol because they heard hotels don't come cheap. And well, if you are planning to stay in a fancy resort in Panglao then you're not entirely wrong.
However, if you want to stretch that travel dollar some more there are plenty of accommodation options in the capital. You're actually not too far away from beach resorts – and major attractions are just a day trip away. Here are a few selections that we can personally recommend in Tagbilaran in different price ranges.
Budget
We were lucky to stumble upon Francesca's Inn (51 Espuelas Street, 6300 Tagbilaran City) when we were looking for a budget place in the city. We booked their double room for only PHP595 including taxes and we were satisfied with our stay. What more could we ask for, it's a new inn so everything is clean and smells fresh. It's also conveniently located quite close to the airport, seaport, and downtown. The staff are also warm and friendly. Perhaps because they're trying to get their name out there so everyone's on their best behaviour. If only the WiFi were not intermittent it would have been perfect for its price.
The Blue Horizon Inn (6 Airport Road, Tagbilaran City) is an equally good find that offers a bunk bed at PHP700 per night. It's important to know that this is a mixed dormitory so if you aren't used to sharing a room with strangers of the opposite sex, this might be a deal breaker. But do not worry because they do have private double occupancy rooms ranging between PHP900 to PHP1400. The place just exudes the backpacker vibe mainly because of the interior decoration and the bright colour scheme. WiFi was surprisingly fast and the best part is, it's walking distance from the airport.
Mid-Range
Gomez Guest House (52 Espuelas Extension, Brgy. Poblacion III, Bohol, Tagbilaran City) offer rooms starting at PHP 1,100 per night. We've heard so much about the owner of this place and every testimonial turned out to be true. He really went above and beyond in making sure we had the best stay at their place. We loved the interior especially the paintings. It's close to main road with plenty of convenience stores. We had access to a microwave and stove as well as kitchen utensils so it was really more than we could hope for.
717 Cesar Place Hotel (C.P.G. North Avenue, Tagbilaran City) offers free breakfast with accommodations starting at around PHP1400. Great staff as can be expected and the breakfast wasn't bad either. Facilities and amenities are in top-notch condition as the hotel is brand new. We really loved our room, clean and spacious, as well as the showers. However, it is a bit far from the city centre but that's actually a plus for us.
Top End
There's a lot to love at this new-comer, Belian Hotel (Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Bohol, Tagbilaran City). Location wise, it is within a walking distance from the port with lots of restaurants and shopping places around. Public transport is accessible and so are major attractions. There's an elevator so if someone has a mobility issue, it will not be a problem. Best of all, we really loved our room. The bed and pillows were super comfortable we had trouble getting up in the morning.
Splurge a little and book a room at Kasagpan (2 Ungab Street, Booy Beach Road, Brgy. Booy, Bohol, Tagbilaran City) for somewhere between PHP3600 to PHP8100. Not only were the staff accommodating and professional but everything else was great! We had a lovely room and the onsite restaurant and bar served great tasting food and drinks. The garden, the two pools, the view, everything was just sublime. WiFi was strong too and they offer tours and free airport pickup.