Where to Stay in Bacolod
There are a good number of hotels in Bacolod. We shortlisted L’Fisher and White Hotel but booked Seda Capitol Central, which was newly opened at that time (like a week old!).
We loved our stay. The staff are very friendly. The rooms are clean and spacious. Breakfast is delicious and varied. The price was very affordable (thanks to the introductory rates). The location is right beside provincial capitol complex and walking distance to many of our favorite places to eat. And we enjoyed a bonus during our Bacolod travel with our kids when we got upgraded to adjoining rooms on our last day (our daughters loved that they had their own room with twin beds)!
Sample Itinerary
Frankly, there is not a lot to see in Bacolod. You can pack all the activities in a day or two. Do the heritage house tours during the day and visit The Ruins at night. That’s it.
Actually, we stayed in Bacolod for several days because we organized a conference in SMX Convention Center Bacolod. Our speakers and staff joined us for most of our food trips, hence the enormous number of dishes we ordered and ate. And of course, our two daughters were with us the whole time. The actual sightseeing though was just one whole day. We rented a van and I drove around town.
But of course, in your case, your Bacolod travel with your kids is just for a vacation. And you obviously can’t fit all the food tripping in one day. Instead, you can spread your vacation in three days, as follows:
Day 1
- Arrive in Bacolod in the morning
- Lunch at Aida’s in Manokan Country
- Check-in at your hotel, rest
- Coffee and dessert in Calea
- Visit The Ruins in the late afternoon until early evening
- Dinner at 21
Day 2
- Breakfast
- Tour Balay Negrense and Hofileña Heritage House
- Lunch at El Ideal
- Tour Bernardino Jalandoni Museum and check the other heritage houses on foot
- Snacks at Cafe Bob’s or Felicia’s
- Refresh or take a dip in the pool in your hotel
- Dinner at Sandok Comfort Food
Day 3
- Breakfast
- Buy pasalubong at Bong Bong’s, Pendy’s, Roli’s, Virgie’s, or Merczi’s
- Check out
- Lunch at Chicken House or 21
- Coffee and dessert in Calea
- Departure
Optional
- If you’re the MassKara Festival, add a couple of days
- If you go to the “nearest” beach, add 2-3 days and head off to either Lakawon Island Resort (1.5 hours away) or Punta Bulata Resort (3.5 hours away)
We skipped the mountain resorts like Mambukal Resort and Campuestohan Highland Resort. And we just drove by San Sebastian Cathedral, the Capitol Park, the Provincial Capitol Grounds, Panaad Park, Pope John Paul II Tower, and other supposedly “must-see” sights.
It’s not the landmarks that appealed to us. It’s the whole Bacolod vibe. The people are sweet and friendly (certainly helped by the gentle tone of the Ilonggo or Hiligaynon language), the lifestyle is quite laidback, and the food is cheap but super delicious. We enjoyed it so much we even briefly discussing moving here for good (until we realized there’s not much to do).
Yes, there’s not a lot to see or do in Bacolod that’s really worth the effort. But we have a great excuse to travel to Bacolod with our kids again: we love the food!For that reason alone, we would come back for seconds!
