Hotel Doña Elvira

Hotel Doña Elvira Review

Housed in a colonial beauty some 500 years young, this family-owned hotel is noteworthy for its exposed stone and brick walls with 20-foot high, mahogany-beamed ceilings. That look carries through to the best room in the house, No. 11, where an open-air Moroccan tiled bath and shower leads to a normal bathroom. A swimming pool shaded by a mammoth mango tree is flanked by two stories of guest rooms, the better ones being Nos. 2, 3, 6, and 7; the loft rooms you don't want. The rooftop solarium and Jacuzzi are especially attractive when the orchids are in bloom. In 2004 this was the dream project of the owners Marc Bautil, now Honorary Consul of Belgium, and his wife Elvira, a Philippine-American businesswoman. Everything looks neat and tidy, and the bedding, towels, and in-room artwork have been recently upgraded. The prices include tax and service. Ask about the two-bedroom apartment nearby, which is available for short-term rental.