Sanctuaria Treehouses — Hotel in Busuanga

This was the last stop of our trip before we headed back to London. We were picked up promptly by Richard at the ferry terminal which we arranged ahead of time. It is a fairly long drive from the port to the treehouses and therefore quite an expensive transfer. But the jeep was very comfortable. ||We arrived after the sun had set. The treehouses and paths were lit up with colourful lights which gave it a magical feel. We were shown our treehouse which we found very small. It literally only had room for a bed, a small side table would’ve been nice. We asked to be moved the following day, and as the Hobbit room was available they moved us without issue. ||The accommodation, indeed the entire resort, embraces a minimalist and back-to-basics ethos. Whilst this simplicity harmonises seamlessly with the natural surroundings and offers stunning views; there's room for improvement in terms of maintenance, there were odd bits of broken furniture and some areas seemed a little neglected/not used. We would’ve loved comfy lounging seats near the front of the pool which is a perfect place to watch the sunset or the stars - the furniture just doesn’t allow you to comfortably do that for longer than 10-minutes. ||A slight downside which we were aware of, are the shared bathrooms. Totally understandable why there are shared bathrooms for some of the treehouses. They are working to install private bathrooms for all treehouses in the future. Not the end of the world and the bathrooms were clean. ||Take advantage of a good shower etc before you arrive. Given the location, climate, lack of rainfall, the water supply and pressure here is awful. We were told that there hadn’t been any rainfall in months so the water was an issue - understandable but something to be aware of. This meant 3 nights of not really washing; it is very much a camping experience - I would recommend bringing body wipes. Some mornings the water that came out of the taps was a dark brown/orange colour. They do have drinking water available in the kitchen which you can access at any time. This can’t be helped I suppose - we can’t change the weather..||All of the food is delicious, the drinks menu is pretty good and the girls that work there are good at looking after guests and running the place. ||We booked a boat tour to Black Island and Snake Island which we did with Brian, the girls and his pal Jake who was in town. This was a fun day. The girls who work there are fond of Brian and look after him very well. ||Overall, it's truly a slice of nature's paradise. While luxury and hot showers aren't on the menu, you can count on meeting wonderful people, tasty food, and good vibes. There's definite potential for enhancement; with improvements to furniture and overall maintenance, perhaps even hosting game nights or quizzes in the communal areas, the experience could be elevated. Brian and his team have laid the foundation for a...

The Sanctuaria is about 1.5 hrs away from Coron town, when taking the public shuttle van service from the town bus terminal. Cost 150peso per person to board the van. Stayed at the Hobbit House which has a/c and sky windows on the roof where you can see the stars and moon at night when you lie down. This place is great if you love to be in the great outback and be one with nature, as well as a LOTR fan. There are other room options too like tent in a tree, and some treehouses. There are 2 sheds for bathroom facilities and you will never be alone because resident toads, lizards and mossies will keep you company. The water from the shower head trickles and is not heated so if you need a warm shower fast, this is not the most ideal. Wifi and phone reception is not strong so perfect if you want a technology detox. The view from the deck at the outdoor bar is great but I am not sure of operating days or hours. It was not in use when I stayed there. There is only 1 local staff who speaks better English and she manages the Sanctuaria when the American owner is away. I am not sure what is their customer service policy because i read mixed reviews so I guess it is pretty much up to luck. Lady luck wasnt exactly with me because she was both hot and cold in her service. Maybe because she had to manage on her own, to watch the kitchen operations, arrange for island hopping tours and guest arrivals so service was lagging. When you book tours with Sanctuaria, better have the charges written down in black and white before committing. It will save you frustrations from verbal recollections. The place definitely has lots of potential if only they are more consistent in providing service and fixing some amenities (bathroom)to make the stay more pleasant. There is a inhouse "restaurant and bar"... what they have available will depend...

We actually did not get to stay at the place but we went and left. Not a fault to Sanctuaria. We were at the last leg of our 10 days trip in Coron. My wife and kids were already feasted by mosquitoes and whatever insects by the time we arrived at the treehouses. It just rained and the place is of course, surrounded by trees and it was all nature, so there were a lot of mosquitoes. By this time, my family had enough so we had to leave.

It is certainly not fair to give a bad review for something the place has no control of. Let this be post however serves as an advise. If you are not about nearly roughing it out, this will not be a place for you. I think this place is really intended for nature lovers who do not mind to rough it out a bit. The place is very basic by design. They do have a place to order food and drinks. The showers and bathrooms are shared. No AC in the treehouses but there is at least one fan. Only the Hobbit House has AC.

There is a pool but when we arrived it was brownish perhaps due to the rain. Photos I have seen looked nice so we must have arrived at a bad time. It was also muddy around, as I mentioned it just rained when we arrived. I also want to mention, that after around 7:30pm, you will be on your own and your fellow neighbors if there are other guests staying.

The staff we met there were all very hospitable, very kind, and accommodating. You will mot expect any less of Filipinos when it comes to friendliness and hospitality. I felt bad to leave but when my daughter cried due to the bites and seeing the number of mosquitoes she has to encounter again, we had to. Yes, we have all kinds of repellents.

So. will I recommend Sanctuaria Treehouses? Absolutely yes! Stay at least for one night t o enjoy nature and the views, and attractions...