Kandaya Resort — Hotel in Cebu

Disappointing Experience at a Promising Resort – Staff Needs Serious Improvement

We recently stayed here, and while the facilities were beautiful and well-maintained, the service was shockingly poor—especially for a place that markets itself as high-end.

We booked a 2-night stay and confirmed it multiple times before traveling. It’s a 4-hour drive from our home, and we made sure we wouldn’t be making that trip just for a single night. Yet on our second day, while having lunch at the resort restaurant, we received a call from the front desk saying we were scheduled to check out and that our room was already booked for another guest. They claimed the resort was fully booked and that we couldn’t extend our stay—despite our confirmed reservation. This was incredibly stressful, especially since we were traveling with an infant and a toddler.

After arguing and asking if they had a recording of our phone confirmation (they didn’t), we were eventually transferred to another staff member who miraculously found another room. But the issues didn’t stop there. The new room had no running water, so we had to call again to get it fixed. On top of that, our child’s floater was left in the previous room. When we called to ask about it, they said it wasn’t there. But when we went ourselves, it was exactly where we left it—clearly visible by the pool. The current guest even said it had been there the whole time.

Another frustrating moment: I was carrying my wet baby from the pool and asked a staff member at the shop if they sold T-shirts. Instead of helping, he told me to “try in the main lobby.” I had to suggest that he call the lobby himself so I wouldn’t have to walk there drenched and carrying a heavy baby. There was zero initiative.

The room we were transferred to also didn’t have beach towels. When we checked out, we called for concierge assistance with our bags—but no one came. We ended up carrying our luggage down the stairs ourselves, with our children in tow. As we walked to the reception, a golf cart passed us and didn’t even offer to help.

And finally, as I was leaving the lobby pushing two strollers—one for the infant and one for the toddler—the staff at the door just opened one door and stood there. He only asked if I needed help after I had already maneuvered both strollers through the doorway.

The only bright spot in our stay was the female pony handler, who kindly let our child try the pony ride even though it was raining. She was warm, thoughtful, and the only staff member who made our child smile. She was the one redeeming part of our visit.

It’s such a shame. The resort itself is beautiful and had so much potential. We were even considering it as a venue for a future company event. But after this experience, we won’t be returning—and we certainly won’t be recommending it to anyone. A luxury resort should not come with this level of stress...

Comprehensive review of Kandaya resort I with my family recently had the pleasure of sp vacation at Kandaya Resort in Cebu, Philippines, and I wanted to share my comprehensive experience.

Outstanding Staff: Kandaya Resort boasts an exceptional team of staff who are undoubtedly well-trained in the art of hospitality. In particular, I must commend the reception staff, Ropha and Chamaine. Their professionalism and persuasively soft communication skills were remarkable. Ropha's assistance played a pivotal role in my decision to choose Kandaya over even renowned resorts like Shangri-La Mactan.

Delicious Cuisine: The food at Kandaya was undeniably delicious. However, there's room for improvement in catering to diverse cultures. Despite the presence of a Muslim population, the restaurant lacked a Muslim-friendly menu. Additionally, I noticed that certain local fruits, such as watermelon, grapes, and bananas, were affordably available in local markets, yet the breakfast spread had limited fruit variety. The switch from a buffet breakfast to à la carte after six days did impact the overall dining experience. While this change was explained by lower resort capacity, maintaining consistency is vital for guest satisfaction and ratings.

Sport activities, Water Sports and Marketing: Kandaya offers excellent ground and water sports activities, but they could benefit from a more proactive marketing approach. In destinations like the Maldives, resorts typically promote these activities near restaurants and offer various discounts. In contrast, at Kandaya, guests need to seek out information and navigate a strict price list. However, the staff, including Michelle who leads sport activities, were accommodating and willing to provide discounts upon request. Michelle's understanding of client preferences enhanced our experience. Horse ridwas memorable.

Evening Activities: Although there were no evening activities during my visit, I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing a local wedding hosted at the resort. Such cultural experiences can add to the charm of the stay.

Room for Improvement: It's evident that Kandaya Resort has untapped potential and numerous areas for improvement, especially during the low season. I believe professional financial advice could assist in optimizing operations, generating additional revenue, and enhancing overall client satisfaction. I'd be more than willing to offer my insights and consultation in this regard.

Overall Impression: Kandaya Resort undeniably stands out as one of the finest resorts in Cebu. Its strengths lie in its exceptional staff, well-appointed rooms, inviting pool, and beautiful beachfront. With some refinements, particularly in accommodating diverse culinary preferences and a more proactive marketing strategy for water sports, it has the potential to reach even...

Room:|- We booked the Adelfa Villa which can accommodate 6 people. We have a 10-month-old baby with us. When we arrived at the resort, we were very glad as the hotel staff in the reception were all smiles & very welcoming. They offered us a complimentary drink, which was very helpful as we were kinda tired from a 4-hour drive from the city. Not only that, they even allowed us to go to our villa even though it was not their check-in time yet, for us to rest. When we arrived in our villa & checked out the rooms inside, we chose the room with an own CR in it. That's when my 8-year-old daughter found a big cockroach roaming around the wall. I called the reception & told me that they'll send someone from housekeeping to get the roach out. The staff did come after 8 minutes after the bellman called him across from our villa. That was the first red flag for me. After that, I went to their CR (inside our room), it's darker than I expected because there was a busted light that they hadn't replaced before housing us. No bath mat- I need to call them & ask for it. And the hair conditioner container was empty. I felt that they were not making the room ready for us to think we booked this around November 2024. The ACU in the other room right next to the common CR is not getting any colder. Some outlets were not working. ||Restaurant:|- On our second day of stay, we availed their breakfast buffet. The staff were very accommodating & helpful. They filled out our goblets with water. They even offered us to get a bowl with hot water for my baby's food pouch to get warmed. The food options were great. But in our second time visiting, it was quite the opposite. We arrived inside the restaurant, gave our coupons to the staff behind the bar & we went to look for our table. We were sitting on the other side of the restaurant to avoid crowds. My companions were getting their food already & I left at the table with my baby. No one approached us at our table given the numerous staff in the restaurant standing. My husband then approached one of them- wearing a white shirt & khaki shorts asking for a bowl of hot water. Still, no one went to our table to fill water in our goblets. That's when I asked the girl (wearing a green dress) who manned the bread station. They were not as attentive as the staff in our first-time dining. Another red flag is that the guy staff was always eager to get our empty plates as if he wanted us to leave the premises already. I don't know if that's their policy or what, but I find it rude. I was the last one eating because I let my baby eat first before me, so everyone at our table was done eating except me. Because of that, I feel pressure eating & my...