On the lookout for a novel and inexpensive place to remain in La Union with direct entry to the seaside? Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel is an aviation-themed hostel within the surf city that provides bunk areas for as little as P750 an evening.
La Union, thought of the browsing capital of the Northern Philippines, has all the time been a well-liked vacation spot for weekend vacationers coming from the metro. Other than surfers, Elyu attracts digital nomads, backpackers, solo vacationers, and households taveling with children and pets who wish to get pleasure from a hassle-free trip place with out having to ebook flights from Manila.
These in search of a brand new and distinctive place to remain will admire the hostel’s handy location proper in entrance of the seaside and close to the eating places and the worth tag that isn’t too painful on the pocket.
My good friend Celine (who needed a fast break from her van life) and I stayed two nights in Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel on a laid-back food-trip getaway in June 2023 and located it a handy base.
Location
Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel is situated in downtown San Juan, only a 5-minute stroll from the bus cease alongside the freeway, the place you may get down from buses coming from Metro Manila.
Ambiance
With a DC-3 aircraft parked proper on the heart of the hostel, the aviation theme is clear at Charlie’s Hangar. The hostel is clear and trendy, with the outside reception, flooring and rooms adorned with distinct airline touches. The place has massive tables and grills proper outdoors the hangar area for visitors who wish to get pleasure from barbecues or picnics.
Beds and bunks
Charlie’s Hangar doesn’t provide normal resort rooms, however slightly dorm-style beds and bunks. The rooms are available in 4-bed, 6-bed, and 8-bed configurations with double deck bunks. In case you’ve ever tried staying in capsule lodges, it has the identical vibe. Every room has a small balcony the place you get a view of the seaside, and dangle moist garments. Air-conditioning is offered in each room.
The set-up is good for teams and households who can take up the complete room. It’s additionally a less expensive possibility for solo vacationers who don’t thoughts sharing rooms with strangers. Since most funds air-con resort rooms value round P1,200 – P1,500 an evening (and are perfect for 2 pax), mattress areas come out cheaper for solo vacationers.
Every bedspace has a safe place on the ground the place you possibly can stash greater baggage and a small cubbyhole the place you possibly can maintain smaller objects and safe them with padlocks. Every bunk additionally comes with its personal charging port for devices. There’s a curtain you possibly can draw for additional privateness.
Charges for mattress areas fluctuate, however all value lower than P1,000 an evening.
- Single beds in 8-bed dorms value P750/evening
- Single beds in 6-bed dorms value P850/evening
- Single beds in 4-bed dorms value P950/evening
We tried to get areas within the 4-bed rooms so there could be much less folks, however the one free room out there was the 8-bed doom rooms. Whereas it was good and quiet on our first evening (Thursday) and we had no different companions within the room, it bought absolutely booked the following day (Friday) with the arrival of the lengthy weekend crowd.
Facilities
In case you need to make amends for distant work, the hostel provides high-speed WiFi on the premises.
For the lavatory scenario, there are communal showers and bogs for women and men out there on every flooring. The restrooms have been clear, trendy, and well-maintained. The bogs had plenty of cubicles, so it wasn’t laborious to search out an empty stall. Bathroom stalls in the direction of the tip of the lavatory had bidets.
Professionals & cons
Staying in a hostel all the time has its professionals and cons. What makes Charlie’s Hangar an excellent place to remain is the nice location. It’s very accessible to eating places and the bus cease and comparatively low-cost for the situation if you happen to simply want a spot to sleep and clean up. These touring with pets will admire having air conditioning rooms the place their pets can sleep comfortably with them. The hostel additionally offers water refilling stations, so you possibly can simply refill tumblers and save on prices of shopping for water
On the draw back, if you happen to don’t take up all of the mattress areas within the room, you possibly can find yourself with roommates who’re noisy or who snore at evening, making it tougher to sleep.
Whereas I slept soundly (like I all the time do), there was just one very skinny pillow per mattress although you possibly can request for additional pillows with a further cost. I additionally discovered the continued building of the second wing a little bit of an eyesore from the view from our balcony since photographs I had seen on-line confirmed beachfront views from the balcony. However I suppose the place is fairly standard since they’re increasing.
Whereas Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel provides a great spot for buddies and people on funds, it’s probably not for introverts, {couples} who worth privateness and wish their very own lavatory, or bigger households who need the area to maneuver round and are prepared to pay extra for creature comforts. It’s extra for the coolness, outside, tenting crowd who wish to socialize with buddies.
Other than the rooms, those that wish to commune with nature also can make use of tenting grounds, hammock hanging areas, and outside showers on website.
Due to its location close to the primary freeway, distinctive vibe, and safe parking, Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel is also vacation spot for bike riders and bike packers who need an inexpensive place to relaxation and clean up in La Union for the evening.
Extra photographs from Charlie’s Hangar Surf Hostel’s web site and FB Web page.
