Aliya Surf Resort — Hotel in Baler

I’m not really impressed with this place. The food is pretty good, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance is pretty groovy, but it could be so much better if some effort was put into it!

First, there is no thought to guest safety or convenance. There are no fire alarms or extinguishers. There are no hand rails on the steps from the parking lot to the walkways, the stairways between floors, those to the beach, or even the pool, which has absurdly tall steps. There are no elevators either, and the toilets in the room are placed inches from the glass barrier between it and the shower, so this location is a nightmare for handicapped/elderly/PWD.

The rooms are less than exceptional. There is no thought as to where people may sit down, set up a laptop, or hang clothes. The bathroom has an overhead shower that does nothing for you when it’s time to clean the nether regions. The do not provide hand towels or washcloths, so good luck cleaning yourself. The beds were comfortable, but the AC is on a timer so your room may be stifling when you arrive. Cable TV boxes are on brackets that protrude into the walking are at the foot of the bed, so if you get up at night have the paramedics on speed-dial for sutures when it tears your skin off.

I noted that there is no housekeeping, so no fresh linens or towels like every other hotel on the planet. Also, the pool is really cool with an awesome view, but it needs a proper cleaning to get the green algae off the grout.

Overall, not bad, but if they’d step it up a bit with cleanliness, guest care, and install some safety devices, it would be...

This beachfront property offers great value for money. The rooms are relatively small but the bathroom is surprisingly spacious. The place is well-kept and clean. They offer free breakfast with decent variety. Main entree - beef tapa, longganisa, pork tocino and bangus - were all a bit dry and need to be improved; but they are supplemented by diff items per day - congee, champorado, crab and corn soup, ensaymada, suman, etc. - which were all good. The live performer on acoustics guitar at night is very good and provided great entertainment from 8–10pm. But sound-proofing is not good, so even though we stayed at the opposite end of the resort, we could still hear the music from the room. If you have little ones who need to go to bed before 10pm, you may need to consider this. The best part of staying at this beachfront property is that it allows guests to enjoy the sunrise either at the veranda on the second floor or by the infinity pool or by the shore. Surf instructors are effective - Aliya is allegedly the first to offer surfing lessons in Baler. Within an hour, most people learn to get up on the board and glide to shore. This is a highly recommended facility for those looking for a great-value venue. All the best restaurants are also around this area. Oh, one of the highlights of the trip was the ATV ride by the river trail (separate review), and if you are a guest at the Aliya, you get a 10% discount. That’s another...

This hotel was perfect. And I rarely say that. But it is an oasis of kindness, good food, and amazing staff who go out of their way to make sure you are taken care of. It's right on the beach with an infinity edge pool, restaurant, and bar. The rooms are comfortable, clean and have everything you need to enjoy your stay. The hotel is situated around a little green area in the middle that they turn into a seating area at night when they break out the barbeque. And it has a great little surf school right next store that has wonderful trainers for newbies' like me. The best part of this hotel though is Rebecca the manager. She is so amazing she could easily be managing a billion-dollar resort in Las Vegas, but she loves Baler and the Aliyah Resort, so she stays to bring top notch service and lead her staff. Rebecca always made sure I was taken care of. She greeted me every day with a smile, answered all my questions, made any arrangement for any needs I had and always made me feel like I was her only guest even though it was obvious that the hotel was sold out and bustling with activity. This is my home away from home and I can't wait to go back. After traveling across more than sixty countries over the last five years I finally found a place I want to retire and call home. Thanks again Rebecca. I can't wait to come back and...