Buko Beach Resort — Hotel in El Nido

Cosy resort with only 6 rooms plus a family house. Location about 20 min. trike ride from Lio Airport. Located at the waterfront in Bacuit Bay, beach isn't really usable because very small. Decent size pool available. Rooms very spacious with an added, half outdoor, bathroom. Loved this idea. AC good working. WLAN good as well. Breakfast was included, several options, pretty much European style. Dinner at your choice at the resort or the restaurants along the beach front within 15 minutes walk. We choose to dine at the resort. Dinner menu with several options. All in one great food, vegetarian, seafood or otherwise. We had massages in the room via Blue Sea Spa: amazing. If you love "thai-like" massage, then it's a must. Massages with fresh aloe vera after sunburn were my favorite. Weather in the rainy season was really manageable, longer lasting rain periods were somehow only during the nights. Sometimes we got caught in rain during boat trips and it's been amazing. Warm, nice rain wasn't bad at all. We really enjoyed the boat trips, we did the offered A, B and D tours. It's an amazing experience, every one of them unique with a lot of fantastic spots. For swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, sunbathing or just enjoying the nature. Lunch on the boats was outstanding (we've had some private trips). If you love fish, shrimps and squid (which I do) then it's a must even only for the lunch. But the fantastic spots you'll visit will reward you as well. Last but not least in the list of the best are the people. From trike drivers, to resort staff, till boat crew it's been lovely people. Very polite, helpful and friendly. We were very thankful getting to know so many nice people. And now some things which aren't really bothering but maybe important to be aware of. I've talked about the weather in the rainy season, another positive thing is that the region isn't crowded at all at this time of the year. Even at the islands hotspots they were maximum 3 - 4 boats at the same time with plenty of space for everyone. Some prices are negotiable, I've never had the impression that somebody had been unfair regarding money. Some of the organized boat trips aren't having, like advertised, kayaks on board but you can rent them everywhere at the spots. For a really good price. In the rainy season the bullfrogs are mating. They are really small, their name derives not from the size, but from the sound. Moowing like cows. The first night I've even thought it's some broken generator which is on and off. But after three nights obviously every frog found it's mate and the calls stopped. Talking about generators, rarely the electric power had been interrupted, but the generators kicked in immediately. Silently. You'll hear sometimes some kind of yelling, which in the beginning I've been sure it's a bird. But no, it's been a gecko. There's some of them around, pretty big and beautifully colored. And clearly not at all dangerous for humans. One last idea: our safety wasn't at any time of concern. Thank you...

Unforgettable Stay – Truly 5 Stars! Our family of 10 had an absolutely incredible 4-day stay at Buko Beach Resort in El Nido, booking both the Beachfront Pool Villa and the Couple’s Cottage—and what a gem this place is!

From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with warmth and genuine hospitality. The resort is simply gorgeous—lush, peaceful, and beautifully designed. The rooms were immaculate, stylish, and came with thoughtful touches like insect repellent.

One of the highlights of our stay was how the resort made my husband’s birthday so special. We walked into our Couple’s Cottage to find it decorated with a “Happy Birthday” sign and a birthday “cake” made out of folded towels and flowers—so creative and sweet! It was such a thoughtful surprise and made his day extra memorable.

The staff were beyond amazing—Aira, Stephanie, Rolan, Cris, and so many others whose names we unfortunately can’t recall, but who all made a lasting impression. When a few of us got sick after island hopping, they didn’t hesitate to go out of their way—bringing us medicine, electrolytes, and even preparing a comforting breakfast congee to help us recover. That kind of care and attention is rare and so appreciated.

The daily breakfast was delicious, with plenty of options to enjoy. We also treated ourselves to an in-villa massage at the Pool Villa, and it was incredibly relaxing—exactly what we needed.

Every corner of the resort—from the gorgeous pool and cozy lounge areas to the lush tropical surroundings—added to the feeling of paradise. And if you’re a sunset lover, Buko Beach Resort offers one of the best sunset spots in El Nido—watching the sky light up over the ocean was pure magic.

If there’s one small suggestion I’d make, it would be to update the sign outside the property. It really doesn’t reflect how beautiful and upscale the resort is once you’re inside. A refreshed sign would better match the stunning experience that awaits guests beyond the gate.

Thank you, Buko team, for making our family trip so unforgettable!!!...

The staff here are really accommodating and welcoming and made our stay here memorable. We had a couple issues with our room, but they managed to fix the issues for us quickly and efficiently. I honestly can’t stress enough how great they were.

With that said, as of December 2024, there is heavy construction going on next to the hotel and this definitely took away from us having a nice experience there. My partner is sensitive to noise and we weren’t able to stay in our room the majority of the day because it was just so loud. Although I realize this is out of the resort’s control, for the amount we paid we did not have the experience to match.

Also, we booked a boat tour through the hotel and the tour operator (Kubera) was quite bad. We paid more for the tour than we would’ve paid if we booked with any operator directly (1800 with no possibility of discount). The tour operators rushed us through each stop, didn’t care that there were jellyfish surrounding the boat at one stop and stinging us, and prepared a very mediocre lunch. We trusted the hotel to book us with a good tour operator so this reflects very poorly on them.

Overall, for the price that we paid, I would look for another accommodation next time.

Edit in response to manager’s comment: Although the construction is out of your control, you should communicate this to your guests prior to their arrival so they can make the decision whether or not to stay with you. To only be informed about it upon arrival is completely unacceptable and indicative of a poor level of service and there’s no...