For our very brief sojourn to Puerto Galera last weekend, my friend C took care of booking us a room in Luca’s Cucina Italiana Restaurant & Pizzeria Lodge.  I had no idea that it was such a popular place; a couple of my other group of friends found that I was in Puerto Galera and they absolutely insisted that I go to Luca’s to try their pizza, expensive tricycle rides from White Beach be damned.

Well, in the end we didn’t get to try the pizza but the room they gave us that was “good for four” was huge.  I don’t know how these Talipanan people slept but I guess everybody gets one bed each there?  The room could’ve easily fit eight people, making it a steal for 3000PHP during peak season.

The amenities were very basic: there was a television (but no remote), an air conditioner that struggled against the afternoon heat, a fan, a mini refrigerator, a wall mirror, and four hangers to hang your wet stuff with.  I didn’t get to take a picture of the small bathroom, which is a shame because it was architecturally interesting, but it had everything you would need in there (there’s even a water heater).

As you can see from the pictures, the ceiling slops for some reason so it probably wouldn’t be wise to be drunk and moving around.  The good news is that there’s a veranda of sorts on the second floor that has a few tables and a few chairs where big groups who’ve brought their own food and drinks can hang out in.

It looks out to this view, which is just gorgeous if you want to beach bum without all the sand up your ass.

Everything’s made out of wood, including the floors which A and myself found to be weird because doesn’t wood rot when it’s continuously wet?

My main problem with Luca’s is their service.  Their attendants don’t have a sense of urgency about things, which, had I been more sleep deprived, could’ve pissed me off.  I kid you not when I say that I had to wait for a good five minutes to get an extra towel (because they gave us only three) even though there were two people manning the counter.  Granted, one of them was eating her breakfast or something, but if you’re not going to be working, don’t fucking stay in the reception area.  I realize that I sound like a brat but service like that was just uncalled for.  They weren’t even freakin’ trying.

Which brings me to another peeve: even though the guests are all lodged in a separate building, you would still need to take the trek to the restaurant if you need anything.  I’m not a resort owner or anything but wouldn’t it make sense to have at least one person or desk dedicated to the lodge?

As I’ve said before, I definitely would want to go back to Talipanan in the future.  I just wouldn’t stay in Luca’s Cucina and Lodge again.