“Please tell us where we could stay should we need to stay in Baguio for the night before we proceed to the farm?” asked one volunteer. It is a common query that we receive from the farm ’s foreign volunteers.
It sounds like a “no-brainer” query but it is really not that simple. It is a loaded question if you really think about it. The question begs for other questions the answers to which are far more important.
“What questions?”, you would ask. Well, here are some which we at the farm must convince ourselves of the answers before we can even reply to the hotel query:
- Is the place safe? The safety of our volunteers is a major consideration. Baguio is generally a safe city but safety is not something one assumes. You need to be sure.
- Is it within the volunteer’s budget? We have volunteers who do not mind the cost but most of the farm volunteers are of the “backpack” culture. These are young people who try to pack as much adventure as they can squeeze out of the limited budget they got.
- Will it be worth your money? Alright, it is affordable. But does it meet your needs? Are the basic amenities like toilet and bath to the standard? Is it clean? Would it afford you the rest you look forward to? These are important things to consider.
- Is it accessible? How far is the hotel from your point of arrival in Baguio and to the bus station to your point of destination? This may be a concern for some volunteers. But if you are to think about it, almost everything important is just a walking distance away. Baguio is not a metropolis. Just a quaint little city. The year-round cool weather makes walking around the city just great. So we say, it does not really matter that much on where your hotel is. But surely if it is just very near the bus station where you are going to take your ride to the farm that would definitely be a plus.
- Does it enjoy a good reputation? It is important to consider what people have to say about their experience with the hotel. We rely on our volunteers’ feedback. If they say, it is good then it must be good.
- Does it conform to the vision and goals of the farm for a sustainable future? This is important for the farm. We are careful in recommending a place as this may be interpreted as an endorsement of the core values such place spouse. We still have to hear of a hotel in Baguio that has incorporated in its corporate values the care for the environment. So when we really need to suggest a place for people, it does not mean an endorsement of the values that such place holds.
These are the basic questions we have considered in recommending a hotel for our volunteers to stay while in Baguio. We will list here the hotels that closely meet the aforementioned criteria. For a start, we are posting here a blog on one of the hotels you can consider staying at.
Where to stay in Baguio/ Baguio Village Inn
Disclaimer:
- The Layog Country Farm is not in any way connected to any of the hotels or establishments we are saying you could consider. This should not be taken as an endorsement. We suggest you double check the information provided before making your decision.
- Hotel rates as published may have changed.
by EKL