Discovery Coron — Hotel in Coron

Club Paradise, Tuesday, 4-24-2018 We got picked up by the Club Paradise Van from the airport. About 20 min ride to the boat. Then we rode the boat for about 35 min to the island. We were given snacks and a bottled water while in the boat. There were only 6 passengers in the boat and 3 crews. The crews helped with all our luggages.

Our luggages were hauled by bus boys as soon as the boat arrived the island. We arrived at 11:30 am (check-in is at 2pm) so our room was not yet ready. We were allowed to enjoy the facilities while we are waiting for our room. There was a bathroom in the lobby (front desk). And another beside the pool. Both bathrooms were clean and smelled so good.

All front desk staff were very nice, polite, and professional. Bea helped us with our check-in. She was nice and made our check-in a breeze. She reserved us a cabana along the beach. We enjoyed a free glass of citrus drink while checking in. There were also 3 singers with guitar welcoming the guests.

We went to the restaurant, and ordered the BBQ platter that was supposed to be good for 4-6 people. We got the food and concluded that it is good for only 3-4 people. The food was filling. Our first order from the dessert menu was not available due to lack of ingredients. Our 2nd choice of dessert was not available because its supposed to be ordered 1 meal earlier.

The pool is beautiful! It has a shallow area and a deep area, with a concrete wall separation. It has heated salt water with fountains on both sides of the children area. The bar is close to the pool. Pool towels are provided along the side of the pool. 2 shower stalls inside the bathroom closest the pool, but no shampoo, no conditioner, no liquid wash. Music was playing beside the pool. There are feet wash around the pool. (During my 3 day stay you seldom see people in the pool except at dawn)

We had a beachfront cabin. It has a hammock & some sofas in the patio. The cabin has a doorbell. They combined two beds and made a huge bed (yes, bigger than a king size). And they placed 2 extra twin mattress because there were 4 of us (all adults). We could have fit on the bed. The staff personalized our room by putting framed pictures of me and my friends on the night stands. They printed pictures posted our social media. They also posted a personalized welcome in the flat screen through a usb. Several cable channels were available but we didn't have the time to watch tv. I couldn't get the cable to work so i called front desk and ask for assistance. Maintenance engineer knocked in my cabin within 5 minutes and showed us how to work the tv & cable. The flat screen has usb & hdmi ports in the back.

Mini-fridge, coffeemaker, hot water pitcher, hair dryer, slippers, dental hygiene package, shower caps, body scrubs, facial tissue, big bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, 2 pitcher of drinking water were included in the room. Their towels are thick high quality towels. Hand towels were provided as well. Huge beach basket was available for use. Some of the wood floor planks are uneven. Water pressure is very low. The rinsing shower outside the cabin has better water pressure. There is also foot rinse concrete basin outside the cabin.

Kayaks and snorkeling equipment are free. Scuba certification is also available for additional fee.

Breakfast was wonderful and lot of varieties. Fresh fruits, rice, pasta, salad, gourmet station, eggs, bread station, guava juice, pineapple juice, bacon, fish, chicken, were in the free breakfast buffet. Breakfast was very good. Waitress & waiters were attentive. The lunch and dinner menu was also great (but only breakfast is free)! They have american and filipino dishes in their menu at reasonable prices. All waiters and waitresses were very respectful.

There were no fitness center. No planned activities.

You can see the protected bats in the trees.

All staff were very polite.

I have enjoyed our stay in...

We stayed for 6 days as a family with a 7yo in a sunset villa deluxe. First of all, the beach is stunning. We had a view of the beautiful beach everywhere (from our room, the pool, and the restaurant). Long stretch of soft white sand with beautiful vistas all around. The resort is sprawling and it never feels crowded even at full occupancy. The sunset villas fronting the sunset beach is worth the cost. The location is perfect if you want to lounge at the quiet part of the beach. Nothing beats swimming on the beach a few steps away from your room. The room is spacious and the beds are so comfortable. The best room we've stayed at on a beach. If budget is constrained, the oceanview and garden suites are also a good choice given there are plenty of lounge chairs and huts to stay at in the common area of the beach that is best for swimming. ||The food is also very good. We enjoyed all the dishes we tried at the Firefish restaurant. From paninis to pastas, the food is very tasty! The desserts are also great. Thank you to Chef Robert for the delicious pastries we had during breakfast! The breakfast selection is quite varied with unique options from shakshuka to polenta. Although some reviewers commented on the long wait for service, I honestly did not mind. The restaurant is in a beautiful location and I can easily spend hours there. It's island time, I enjoyed the laidback atmosphere. Everything was made fresh and from scratch. We also had a lovely dinner by the beach. That was incredible. To F&B managers Shawn and Karl, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. ||They also have thoughtful touches that we greatly appreciate. This is what sets it apart from other resorts. From popsicles and tarts as snacks on the beach, movies at night in a heated pool, to the delicious turndown treats. The sunrise coffee service is special and very memorable. A special thank you to our server (I didn't get his name but it might be Edison). Waking up early with your breakfast snack is something we always look forward to. The staff is always pleasant and friendly. They are what makes this place special. I can only imagine the amount of effort that goes into running a place of this scale. Kudos to the management. We always see the hardworking housekeeping team keeping the grounds and rooms neat and clean. It is not an easy task considering the area is large and there are trees, sand and wildlife everywhere. A special thank you to Sherwin who is always happy to help. We also enjoyed our welcome footwash. We had a lovely chat with our friendly masseuse (I think her name is Kris). My daughter also had fun in her little hotelier stint. A nice touch for families with kids. ||We did not avail of tours as we were happy to relax on the beach. There is plenty to do from snorkelling in the house reef, hiking to the eagle's point, swimming in the pool, and lounging on the beach. We could easily spend a couple of weeks without being bored. Wildlife abounds and we enjoyed seeing them in their natural environment. The bats especially during the night flight, and the lizards at the restaurant. Seeing George the heron outside our door was a nice treat. The reef is teeming with fish and corals. We even saw sting rays and turtles, the reason we came to this island. Thank you to our helpful guide Carding who made sure we saw some turtles. ||I don't usually write reviews but sometimes a place and the people make such an impression that I have to express my gratitude. We considered extending our stay on our last night, but sadly good things also come to an end. We look forward to returning. Club Paradise is now our family's...

Highly disappointing experience. We stayed 5 nights (far too long and a waste of money). I am so confused that this hotel has won so many awards (apparently)...

Let's start with the positive:

Stunning island, as highlighted by many other reviews. It is gorgeous and the nature around it is beautiful

Aircon in our Garden Room was exceptional

Food got better during the stay, day by day

The lounges by the pool are comfortable

Daily treats and snacks delivered to your room

Management of the arrival/departure transfers was very good

What did not go well?

The check in reception is absolutely terrible. The welcome drink, served by a miserable bar-lady, was warm and unappetizing

The reception area is extremely hot and uncomfortable

Our room was not ready, so we waited, and even after check in hour, it was still not ready until we made a fuss.

Service is, overall, terrible! Yes, most of the staff are friendly once you interact with them, but it feels like this property is being run and managed by students who have zero training on customer experience or etiquette. There is no attention to you at all. Bar service at the pool is essentially non-existent, you have to wave someone down to order anything. Service at the restaurant is just as horrific. When eventually you flag someone down to take your order, they eventually bring it and then disappear. No clearance of plates of glasses, no offering of additional drinks or desert - complete neglect for a hotel that seems to think they are of hight standard.

The breakfast is mediocre. The egg station is a mess with one, sometimes two (if you are lucky), people trying to accommodate everyone's orders. They run out of water/juice glasses often. Tables are dirty, there is no welcome host, you navigate your way to try find an empty table....very 3* or less experience

We booked two tours:

A) Island Hopping: Was beautiful nature and Noelle and team did a great job. But there was zero communication from reception on where to meet to start the tour, what was included etc. When we questioned the reception, they were clueless on how to manage us and advise accordingly

B) Sunset Cruise: Waste of money. Zero value - don't do this. The boat is not conducive to the experience

Housekeeping is slow. Often our room was only cleaned after 2pm or 3pm in the afternoon, although they did s decent job with cleanliness

There is a terrible sour smell in the bathroom of the room. We think it may be the terrible body wash (parsley flavour!!) which makes the shower absolutely stink. It is disgusting

Wifi is terrible or non-existent in the rooms. There is basically no cellphone reception on the island.

The spa is basic and of 3, or below, standard. Although our actual massage was good, the facilities and rooms are that of a basic 3 properly

Overall, I will never consider staying here again.

I can get why some people write highly positive reveiws, but my perception is that they stayed for only 1 or 2 nights.

Additionally, reading the reviews and looking at the social media platforms of this property, they portray themseves as this luxury, exceptional island-escape - which absolutely is not.

Is unique, yes. Is it "sufficient", yes. The beach is gorgeous with beautiful snorkeling, yes. The bats are a majestic and sunsets are gorgeous.

But, it is high-priced for what you get, Service needs serious management and training, And the overall experience is truly...