On my three times visit to Batad in Banaue, Ifugao this is the second time that I stayed in Simon’s Viewpoint Inn.
My first visit last 2009 in Batad Simon’s made a good impression on me that I wanted to stay here when I get back to Batad.
On my second visit, a friend of mine arranged the trip so I left the decision making to her and she arranged us to stay at Hillside Inn.
On my third visit (which is this visit) I was able to stay in Simon’s again.
Why did I go back?
Mainly because of all the view in Batad, Simon’s is one of the best views to see the Batad Rice Terraces. Imagine I get to see a great view from sunrise to sunset.
But let me be more detailed on why I love staying at Simon’s Viewpoint.
If you’re wondering where Simon’s Viewpoint Inn is in all of Batad you may want to see the picture below.
View of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn from the Highest Rice Terrace in Batad.
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To get there, once you have reached the Tourist Information Center turn right and keep walking on the path. You’ll be passing by Rita’s Mount View Inn. At the end of the path there’s a stair going down. From here you would see the sign of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn. Just go down the stairs and you’ll be entering Simon’s Viewpoint Inn.
The distance from the Batad Tourist Information Center to Simon’s Viewpoint Inn is less than 50 meters.
Note on my visit here last 2009 it was really cold that I needed to wear cold weather jackets. I would advise that you bring jackets when you visit Batad.
I like big open spaces that’s why I’m very happy with the dining hall of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn. It’s wide and the tables are well spaced apart. Plus the view of the amphitheater like Batad Rice Terraces can be seen from the dining hall.
Dining Hall
It may seem like the place has not yet completed its construction. Ever since my first visit to Batad in 2009 it was already like this. Weirdly, I like it that way. It adds to the charm of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn.
I could tell you the interesting story why Simon’s Viewpoint Inn has not yet finished its construction but I think it would be better if you go there and ask the staff anyway. 🙂
You’ll notice that there’s this wall of calling cards, photos and other stuff that other visitors leave. It’s somewhat a common thing in the establishments in Batad. You may want to check out the wall and see if you can find a friend.
You can also leave messages on the wall for the staff and I think it’s a really great idea to do so as the staff really look forward to seeing messages for them. Plus it’s a huge boost of encouragement to keep up with the good service.
I think the view is best described by pictures rather than words.
The Sunrise
Night time
The Rice Terraces when the sun was setting.
There’s not much to see during the night as Batad does not have streetlights. You’ll only see a few patches of light which shows how little the community is.
Dining Hall at night.
Taking Pictures
There’s a fence which prevents people falling off from the ledge but also challenges the photographer to take a good photo of friends and the view. That can be solved by pulling a chair and standing on the chair to take photos. Just be careful not to fall off.
The second floor is where the rooms are located. To get there one must remove their shoes first to lessen the dirt that would go be on the rooms and hallways.
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The hallway’s floor is made from wood and the walls are made of plywood. Same with the rooms.
The rooms are just basic. There are just beds with beddings and pillows, they also gave blankets too. You can put your stuff beside the wall, under your bed or on the bed. It’s up to you.
Our room.
Room good for 2 persons. 2 single beds.
Room good for 2 persons. 1 bed for 2 persons.
There’s also a light bulb in the room. Other than that there’s nothing else. No cabinets. No electrical sockets. No place to hang your stuff. No electric fan.
There are no private bathrooms here, only communal bathroom. Which is nice because you get to interact with other travelers. 🙂
How do we charge our phone or cameras then?
Just go down to the kitchen and ask the staff to charge your phone or camera. The rate of the charge is 30 Pesos/battery.
How much is the stay in Simon’s Viewpoint Inn?
The rate during our stay was 250 Pesos/person/night. We were 3 persons so we payed 750 Pesos/night.
I’m not sure though if there’s a minimum number of persons per room. So if you are alone you may pay more than 250 Pesos/night.
Here’s a view from one of the rooms.
How about the bathroom or toilet?
The bathroom and toilet is located near the entrance of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn.
There are 2 shower rooms and 2 toilets. Only one has a hot shower and to use it you need to pay 50 Pesos/bath session.
There is only one sink if you want to brush your teeth, wash your hands or wash something else.
Since the bathroom, toilet and sink are all communal, when using them please be considerate to other people who might also use them.
I am glad to say that water was not a problem when we visited Batad last June 2015. 🙂
When we arrived at the Simon’s Viewpoint Inn, the staff was not around in the common areas so we looked into the kitchen to see them there. When they saw us they came near and assisted us. They checked our reservation and guided us to where our room is.
When we ordered food, they were really helpful and kind on assisting us to pick something from their menu.
Note: Simon’s Viewpoint Inn is a budget travelers accommodation. It is not a high end hotel where their staff are always ready to assist you. Please be patient, kind and reasonable when you ask for something from them.
Here’s a tip so that you would have a better time with their staff.
- The menus are located near the kitchen. Don’t call on them just to bring you the menu. Approach them and ask if you could bring the menu to your group on the table.
- Once you have selected the food on their menu, list it down on a paper and bring it to them in the kitchen.
- If you have questions, please be patient with them. Though they can talk Tagalog or English they are not used to using these languages.
- When someone else is asking something from them, please be patient to let the other finish first before you ask your question or ask for something.
We have not had breakfast when we arrived at around 8:27 AM in the morning. One of us ordered for a Porkchop (100 Pesos/order) and because of our lack of imagination due to hunger we all decided to order porkchop, and it was the best gastronomic decision we made in our whole stay in Batad as it was delicious. Perfectly fried porkchop with the right amount of meat and fats, with chopped fresh onion and tomato, served with red rice. We also ordered for their Native Coffee (40 Pesos/cup) which was a good combination with the pork chop. Weirdly delicious for breakfast.
Porkchop and Native Coffee
To add to the experience, try a small amount of soy sauce with ketchup and put a hint of their chili powder to add spice. It would be a good dip for your porkchop. 🙂
Since we were superbly tired and aching after our walk around the Batad for 5 hours, we went all out. We ordered the following.
- Pita with Vegetable Salad Cheese Egg (100 Pesos/person)
- Tomato Onion Garlic Pizza (130 Pesos/order)
- Chicken Adobo (150 Pesos/order)
- Fried Chicken (100 Pesos/order)
Our dinner.
Tomato Onion Garlic Pizza
Dinner was just okay. Maybe the porkchop was just too awesome for us to be wishing for porkchop even during dinner. But still it was good. We had a hard time finishing all we ordered though as we ordered too much!
Next time I’m there I’ll try the other things on their menu.
Note: Order way in advance for your food in Batad. The service is slow, especially when they have a lot of guests. I’ve tried several other restaurants in Batad, the waiting time is the same.
Here’s the opening and closing time for the Restaurant in Simon’s Viewpoint Inn.
Opening and Closing Time of their Restaurant.
Electricity in Batad is available 24 hours. Surprising for a place in the Philippines located far from the highway.
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The Cecllular Network in Batad is bad. There’s no signal of Globe nor Smart in the area. The locals use TouchMobile but even they have a hard time getting a signal with it.
Interestingly, this is the reason why I love Batad. Because I get disconnected from the digital world and get connected to the real world. I don’t have to answer calls or text. I have no chance to update my Facebook or Instagram.
If you want to really talk with someone, I highly recommend you head over to Batad.
I am not a fan of massages but after the 5 hours of grueling hike, I happily availed it for 350 Pesos/person. And it was a good choice as my body got relaxed from the massage.
Whole Body Massage (350 Pesos/person)
Would I stay again in Simon’s Viewpoint Inn?
Simon’s Viewpoint Inn had a really nice view of the Batad Rice Terraces, a nice place to see the sunrise, it had a laidback atmosphere, no cellular signal for me to concentrate on the view and my friends, and friendly staff. With these reason, I would be very happy to stay here again.
- 0930-507-7467
- 0919-217-6986
Text only. When you are inquiring just text the following.
- Name
- Number of Persons
- Check-in Date
- Check-out Date
- Number of Nights
Please note that signal in Batad is not that good so it may take a while for them to reply.
Also, please update them if you are not going to continue with your travel.
Want more pictures of Simon’s Viewpoint Inn? Visit my flickr album here – https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/925054.
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The concrete invasion!