The in-laws were itching for an overnight breather, and because they RARELY tread places other than their own house, we were compelled to bring them somewhere enjoyable yet arthritic-friendly. With its proximity to Bulacan, Subic became the most suitable option.




Knowing which attractions to visit was easy. Zoobic Safari, Le Man’s Go Kart and the famous Boardwalk instantly came to mind. Choosing and booking a hotel according to the elders’ specifications was the tricky part because:

1. The hotel MUST be located at the bayfront and near the Boardwalk
2. It had to be within walking distance from restaurants, or the mom-in-law will go ballistic.
3. It has a swimming pool.
4. If possible, it needs to have an elevator.
5. Most importantly, each standard room for 2 must cost between P2,000-P2,500 only.

The Lighthouse Marina adds appeal to the scenic bayfront

Of course, there were a bevy of hotels that have these features – i.e. Moonbay Marina, the Bayfront Hotel and The Lighthouse Marina –  but they were way out of the stipulated budget. That or the reviews weren’t so good.


It’s in these times you’re grateful TripAdvisor exists.

Ranking 4th out of budget hotels along Bayfront Road, Subic Park Hotel became an instant option. We didn’t regret booking with this hotel. Upon entering the lobby, one gets a very homey sense of feeling with its lush, unpretentious decors and down-to-earth interiors.

The standard rooms are spacious enough for two, and offer more than the basic staples: a  fridge, wooden cabinets and drawers, comfortable queen matresses, sheets and pillows, TV with cable, A/C, toiletries and clean towels, and a coffee table set for two should guests wish to surf the net (Yep, WiFi is free, although it doesn’t work all the time in the rooms).



The ensuite bathroom was nice. For people who can’t live without hot and cold shower and a bidet, you’d be delighted to know that Subic Park Hotel has both. Water ran fairly well, and surprisingly, it is potable. The shower area was a bit restrictive, but hey, if it fits a 7-month pregnant woman inside, it’s gotta be enough.

Now, onto the fun part: The swimming pool. Swimming pools are somewhat a recreational-must for hotels along Bayfront Road as water in this part of the bay isn’t suitable for swimming. Subic Park Hotel’s pool wasn’t olympic-sized, but it does open to a incredible view of Subic bay, and caters to both children and adults.


The second fun part: food. I didn’t expect much on food here as previous guests have complained that it was rather expensive yet forgettable, so we simply settled for the free breakfast plus a few sides. We ordered the Vigan Longganisa meal, ham omelette with eggs, Tocilog, some fries and melon shake.


Price was on the average side, but I would not say the same for the food. While the Vigan longga was a bit dry, it was tasty. So was the tender tocilog and the crispy fries. The ham omelette was goood, and had a really nice texture. The melon shake though, had that distinct NAWASA water taste. Eeek.




The third fun part: the beach bar. Aiming for a Boracay feel, Subic Park Hotel sets up a beach bar fronting the hotel and the sea every weekend, complete with pillows and tables on the sand. One may choose from a flurry of booze and liquor shots: from beer to mocktails to the downright nasty hard ones. It’s open from dusk till 2am.



Hotel service is commendable. The staff, particularly those at the front desk, were generally attentive, courteous and prompt. None of us knew that my sister-in-law forgot some clothes in their room; housekeeping was quick to hand her over the stuff right before we took off!


If anything, the only downside we found is the paper-thin walls – which we already knew prior to booking. One can hear voices at the corridor and worse, bands playing till 1AM at the adjacent Gilligan’s. That’s especially true if your room is located on what the staff calls “the noisy side/ Gilligan’s side”, which included rooms 204 (ESPECIALLY Room 204), 209, and the Oceanfront rooms.

Establishments beside Subic Park Hotel

But if you’re on to Subic with friends to par-teh, I suppose this wouldn’t be much of a problem. You’d probably even find it an advantage that the hotel’s just a stone’s throw from night hubs like Gilligan’s and Pier One, and several other dining establishments.

Note though, there isn’t a dedicated parking slot for guests, so you need to park from the pavement across the hotel lobby.

Parking. Not exactly on the safe side on the road.

Tip:  If you can, book early. A week would be safe, as vacancies do get filled up rather quickly particularly on weekends. Request for rooms on the “quiet side” of the hotel, such as room  211 (this is where we had the elders stay) and those near the stairwell. Both are far from nuisances and noise.

Tip 2: If you have an SM Advantage Card, you might want to take advantage (excuse the pun) of the 10% discount upon check-in. Be sure to present the card upon entrance though, as they don’t give cash-backs if you present it later within the day. We were lucky though, the management were gracious enough to give the discount on foods in their restaurant instead of the cashback, so we had an extra P675 to spend on munchies. BTW, each card is only good for one room, so if you’re a big group getting multiple rooms, it’s better if more than 1 person has the Advantage Card.

For P6,750 inclusive of three air conditioned rooms and breakfast, decent bathrooms with toiletries, a convenient location at the bustling bayfront and a wicked beach bar, I’d say all in all, Subic Park Hotel is not too shabby. It’s definitely on our list of hotels to come back to in Subic.
In Uncategorized

Gretchen is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize-nominated poet and essayist from the Philippines, where she embraces life while managing bipolar disorder and ADHD. Her confessional pieces unpack the complexities of grief, healing, motherhood, love, and intersections, garnering recognition from the Greg Grummer Poetry Contest and Navigator's Travel Writing Competition.

2 Comments

  1. Hotel is quite nice but the water is not fit to swim in. There are some really good bars and restaurants within walking distance form Subic Park but you get much more bank for your buck travelling north another 6km to Baloy Beach at the edge of Olongapo before Subic.

    Reply

  2. Agree on the quality of the waters there. Haven't tried Baloy beach, though. Maybe someday we'll pay it a visit 🙂 Thanks for the tip!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *