I found Ellis Ecotel thru Agoda.com, an online site that provides hotel reservations. I was looking for a cheap but chic hotel, one that's decent but not too basic. I predicted a gloomy weather over the weekend so I thought it was a good idea to get a nice hotel room where I could leisurely spend the day in case I couldn't go out. True enough, my stay in Legazpi was wetter than I had expected. I stayed indoor most of the time.

Ellis Ecotel is a newly built hotel that occupies two floors of a shopping complex called Embarcadero just beside the gulf. A modern property with minimalist nautical-inspired design, the hotel serves as an ideal spot to discover Bicol. Its strategic location provides accessibility to famous attractions around the city such as Lignon Hill and Cagsawa Ruins as well as homegrown restaurants that feature local cuisines. Ellis Ecotel also offers guests a variety of recreational activities like ziplining and gokart.


Finding the hotel was a cinch (well, I didn't have to find it because I was able to avail of their free pick-up from the airport even though it's not included in my reservation). It's around 10-minute ride, more or less, judging from the short time it took the van to reach Embarcadero.
Together with another hotel guest, we were led upstairs, past vacant stalls and non-working escalator. We'd be lost without the driver leading the way. Ellis Ecotel is nestled at the fourth level of the mall, tucked inside a corner quite forlorn and desolate.

AMBIANCE
Inside, the hotel looked a little dull. It could probably be due to the somber morning light from the overcast sky outside that gave off such dull effect in the lobby. Even the little blue chairs dotting the floor looked blue to me. The round lights that hung overhead looked down at us with cold gaze.


The lobby was spacious and empty. In fact too empty even of people that I hardly spotted fellow guests,
save for few ones I met along the corridors.
The mini-bar just across the reception area had been devoid of any living soul which got me into thinking whether people actually sat there to drink, or dine, or even just to while the time away.
During night time, the main atrium awash in yellow light looked as forlorn as ever.

ROOMS

The receptionist asked a male hotel crew to accompany me to my room located at the upper floor. As we walked past closed doors and narrow hallways, I began to wonder if the rooms we passed by were actually occupied. Knowing that they were would somehow give me a sense of comfort, however false it may seem.
We took a right turn at the end of the hallway and the bell boy asked me the card, which he swiped at the door. He then left me after the lights inside the room were all turned on.
The room was smaller than I expected it to be, although it couldn't be smaller for a small guy like me. But the bed was too big for me. I could sprawl and extend my limbs as far as they could go and still, I couldn't take all the bed space. But who was I kidding? This room was good for two people. Only two out of four pillows were used.
Mirrors came in unwanted abundance. I mean, who needs mirrors as large as walls? Not me. They gave me the creeps in fact. Every time I stood in front, I expected to see someone looking back at me other than myself. (Haha, duwag lang). Still, I slept soundly that night despite the occasional pounding sound from the room next mine. My only living company was a line of pesky little ants that took a liking with my unfinished snack - cheap Cream-Os.
When my flight was cancelled the next day, I was forced to book another room at Ellis Ecotel. Good thing, my PayPal account had still some funds on it. I hitched a ride from the airport to the same hotel thru their van service, free of charge. Then I booked thru Agoda using the hotel's free wi-fi. I had to wait for a few minutes before my booking was confirmed.
The room I was led to this time was just a few doors from where I stayed the previous night. It's basically the same room with the same features and amenities and yet I liked it better than the other one. For one, it didn't have those large mirrors I dreaded. But it still had those swarms of pestering ants.

And oh, most rooms have no windows. Mine didn't have one.

Room rate:  US$29.00 a night for superior queen. Booked thru Agoda.

AMENITIES

Ellis Ecotel promises to make anyone's stay comfortable and enjoyable with their amenities.
-Each room has cable TV. (No need to deposit cash for the use of remote)
-Free and fast wi-fi access (No password)
-Telephone for hotel services (No outbound calls even within Legazpi)

-Hot and cold water (Water can get extremely hot)
-Electronic door lock system (Though the door can get stuck)
-Free breakfast at the resto bar (Depends on the room you booked for. My room was superior but didn't include free breakfast)

Since the hotel is right inside the mall, you won't have to go far if you want to eat. There are various restaurants and a coffee shop at Embarcadero.
If you want to buy snacks or grocery items, you just need to go to the ground floor where Puregold is located.
Right beside it are shops selling souvenir items. There are also boutiques scattered around.

Perhaps, the best thing that this hotel can offer guests is the view of Mt. Mayon. You just need to go down the veranda facing the gulf and voila, you can see the volcano from a distance. But seeing Mt. Mayon is a hit-or-miss thing. She's always shy.

Ellis Ecotel
Website: http://ellisecotel.com/
Email: reservations@ellisecotel.com

Phone: (+63 52) 481 4088
Mobile Phone:
+639175580428 (Globe)
+639189654681 (Smart)
Address: 3F Embarcadero de Legazpi
Port Area, Legazpi City, Albay
4500 Philippines