another juan on the go

as published here:

Another juan on the go

By Nickky Faustine P. De Guzman

Published: April 14, 2013

Gohotels.ph Dumaguete at late afternoon. It is a stone's throw away from the airport.

A land trip from the City of the Gentle People to the City of Smiles was a far cry from being calm—it was a hell of a ride from Dumaguete to Bacolod—but it did make us grin and even jump for joy (especially first time visitors) upon seeing what these two polar opposites yet same provinces in Visayas have to offer.

To traverse from Negros Oriental to Occidental by land seemed like an absurd idea. Two separate plane flights from Manila to Dumaguete and Manila to Bacolod could have been the sanest things to do, but we didn’t. Imagine a four-hour land trip (or more with stopovers), which was approximately 205 km, from end to end points of two these two distinct counties of Negros.

But nobody complained. Any smart traveler would quip, “Andito ka na nga lang, bakit hindi mo pa tuhugin ang biyahe?”

And these were the points of our land trip: to witness the changing scenic views of the mountain sides and shorelines of nature, to experience the polarity of the cultures of Dumaguete and Bacolod, and most importantly, to debunk the notion that these two cities could not be linked through land travel.

“The idea of our land journey is to promote this kind of transportation to smart travelers who want to take a trip from one place to another without spending that much,” Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) Corporate PR Roseanne C. Villegas said.

The RLC, with its chain of Go Hotels, wanted to boost the tourism in the country by offering budget hotels fit for smart and even business travelers. Hence, Gohotels.ph chains in Bacolod and Dumaguete endorsed what the fourth largest province in the country has in store.

“The Gohotels.ph is a ‘no-frill hotel for every Juan’. You wouldn’t end up in the hotel all day, anyway. Of course you will travel and visit the city. So what we offer are the eight essentials that each smart traveler needs,” Gohotels.ph Marketing Officer Adrian Ong said.

The “eight smart reasons” include: free wi-fi access in every room, LED cable televisions in Queen and Twin bedrooms, Windsor beds that have 100% cotton sheets, duvet and pillows, convenient transport access, hot and cold showers, complimentary perks (like toiletries), service plus (online booking), and tight security.

As an essential service hotel that offers value for money, Gohotels.ph follows the same ‘early booking, lower rates’ setup, which rewards the lowest available rates to the traveler who books the quickest. (Current promotions and packages are available at Gohotels.ph.) It has branches in other top tourist destinations in the country like Puerto Princesa and Tacloban and will soon open in Iloilo, Ortigas, and Otis-Manila.

The tour to Negros was fiendish but in a positive way. It was raining hard and the bumpy ride awakened the daredevils and shutterbugs in us. The beautiful edge of the Dumaguete sea could not be more picture perfect: huge waves going back and forth as if they would engulf you in any minute, the pristine and green forests and fields, and the locals doing their mundane activities.

Dumaguete City is aptly translated in the vernacular as ‘dinagit’, which means ‘to snatch’. It left us in awe with its sites and humble kabayanan (heart of the city). The long avenue by the sea resembles Manila’s Roxas Boulevard that’s perfect for jogging, walking, or sunset and sunrise watching.

Dumaguete is also a great jump-off point for other destinations such as Cebu, Tagbiliran, Siquijor, and Bacolod.

By the time we passed the boundary Kabankalan City, the views and the vibes significantly changed. Bacolod is a thriving urban city yet still deeply rooted in its rich culture and tradition.

“Nakakaon ka na?” (Have you eaten already?) the locals would perennially ask their visitors if they had eaten. And it was not surprising to hear them asking the same query over and over, since the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines has a lot to offer when it comes to gastronomic indulgences. It is known for chicken inasal and delicacies such as piaya, napoleons, cassava chips, and otap.

In addition, Bacolod offers historical trips that would take every traveler back to the days of conquer. Metro Bacolod (Silay, Talisay, and Bacolod) has vintage and historical houses like the Balay Negrense, Balay ni Tana Dicang, and The Ruins. The Hofilena House was appointed by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as a heritage site. Also supplemental to Bacolod’s rich culture are the Negrense arts and crafts at Robinson’s Mall Showroom. It features ingenious handicrafts, furniture, knit wears, and accessories made of local materials.

Gohotels.ph lives up to its tagline, “a place for every Juan” as it caters to smart and budget wanderers who crave for languid journey amidst interesting tourist spots.