Stunning Republic Beach Resort — Hotel in El Nido

We had a fantastic stay in El Nido despite challenges at this hotel and the Booking.com description being inaccurate to the room. ||Pros of staying: easy access by tricycle off the main road, beautiful sunset views, free kayak rentals, great and attentive bar and restaurant crew, good but very limited breakfast, air-conditioned rooms with outdoor drying racks for clothes.||Cons of staying: far from town, no hot water, brief loss of power, terrible to no internet, dogs and cats with mange that will put their paws on your lap while you eat, variable quantity of food for breakfast (sometimes 1 egg, sometimes 2), they do not clean your room, front desk will lie to your face over several important issues (see below), (and minor issue) instant packet coffee only.||As for the front desk issues: I at first thought there was a gap in communication, but things kept happening that made it clear they were just negligent and rude. I would like to preface this by saying I've spent over 4 months in the Philippines with no issues communicating even when both individuals don't understand the other's language. This hotel's website is in English and is marketed in English.||The front desk also showed their hand by remembering several details including our van transfer time and date while pretending to not remember several other things they literally wrote down on the same sheet of paper. Most of our communications were with Catherine Apa.||1. They tried to kick us out before the day they told us we were checking out. ||We had booked a 3-night stay and tried to add another day online, but were unable to modify our reservation. We booked a 4th night separately and were happy to switch rooms if we had to. The first thing we did on arrival was to ask if we could stay in the same room for all 4 nights. They said OK and scheduled our van transfer to the airport the morning after our 4th night. ||Thank God we were in the room at 12PM the day before check-out, because they tried to make us leave. I showed her my reservation (again), and she told us we would have to move to a different room. She said "don't worry, it's a deluxe room with the same price with an ocean view. But you have to get out now because someone else booked your room." ||OK, so we hastily pack up the whole room and just as we finish, she pops in to tell us "actually you can stay here" with no apology whatsoever. At this point it felt like she was messing with us. The excuses were "our desk computers don't connect to the internet" "you are booked twice, for a 5 day stay" (which makes no sense) and "actually there are people in the new room right now."||2. They insisted our tour meeting time was wrong and refused to schedule transportation at the time I asked for.||The tour said 8AM sharp, and she absolutely insisted on leaving at 8:30AM. She said the tours leave 9-10 so there's no way you need to be there at 8. I asked several times to get there at 8 and she just wasn't having it. So we booked for 8:30. Then the transportation didn't even show up. We hailed an emergency tricycle and almost missed the tour. ||3. They will treat you like an idiot instead of fixing any issues.||Our hot water unit was not working on the 2nd day, we told the front desk and it was replaced by the evening. Great. Except it still didn't work. So we told the front office again and she lied to our face and said we had to leave behind our room key, even though we both knew maintenance has a spare key.||We get back from the day and it's still not fixed. We ask the front desk about it. She didn't even look up from her phone, and then dismissively told us someone would "show us how to use it." They didn't bother to put in the maintenance order. A guy came in, confirmed the heater was broken, and then told us nothing could be done because maintenance only works until 5PM, even though we told...

A Disappointing Stay in the Family RoomOur recent stay at this hotel was, unfortunately, far from pleasant. We booked the family room, expecting comfort and cleanliness, but what we encountered was nothing short of disappointing. From the moment we stepped into the room, it was clear that the space was extremely outdated and poorly maintained.The beds were an absolute letdown. The mattresses were uncomfortable, and the bedding looked worn out and neglected. It felt like we were sleeping on furniture that hadn’t been updated in decades. The air conditioning units were ancient and clearly hadn’t been serviced in years. They made strange noises and barely functioned, leaving the room either too hot or too cold. Just looking at them made me feel uneasy.The couch in the room was another low point. It was so old and unkempt that we couldn’t bring ourselves to sit on it. The fabric was faded, and the cushions were lumpy and worn. It was clear that it hadn’t been cared for in a long time. The mini fridge was completely non-functional and had visible signs of wear and neglect, with mold growing around the rubber seal. It was unusable and added to the overall sense of discomfort.The bathroom was perhaps the worst part of the experience. It was extremely outdated and showed no signs of proper upkeep. After showering, we didn’t feel refreshed at all—the fixtures were old, the tiles were cracked, and the overall state of the room was far from inviting. It was clear that no effort had been made to modernize or maintain the space.We were so put off by the conditions of the room that we even started looking for flights to another country just to get away from the hotel. The thought of spending another night in that environment was unbearable, and we were desperate to leave as soon as possible.The only positive aspect of our stay was the reception staff. They were friendly, helpful, and genuinely kind people. Their professionalism and warmth were a stark contrast to the condition of the room, and we truly appreciated their efforts to make our stay as comfortable as possible.Overall, this hotel fell far short of our expectations. The family room was in a shocking state of disrepair and neglect, and we would not recommend it to anyone. While the staff were wonderful, they couldn’t make up for the appalling conditions of the room. We hope the management takes immediate action to address these issues, as the current state of the accommodations is simply...

This hotel was recommended by a friend, so I was really excited to stay here. We spent around 3,500 per night and stayed for two days.

First, the rooms were a bit of a letdown. The wear and tear was quite noticeable, and it felt like the rooms hadn’t been maintained well. Even the hallways looked a bit old and rusty.

The beachfront location is nice, though the water is quite shallow, so you have to walk far to swim. They do offer free kayaks and, if I’m not mistaken, free breakfast as well, which is a good touch.

The biggest issue for me was the internet connection. It was not reliable at all. Before booking, we made sure to ask if the internet was stable since I had meetings, and they confirmed it was. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case. The connection was fine in the lobby, but in the room, it was so bad that we had to switch between mobile data and Wi-Fi, which was frustrating. On top of that, the phone signal in the area wasn’t strong either, making it even harder to stay connected.

They also offer tour packages, but it’s important to communicate clearly with them. There was a misunderstanding where they thought we had confirmed a tour we didn’t agree to, and we ended up having to pay 50% of the package. Clear communication could have avoided this issue.

Overall, the stay was okay, but for the price of 3,500 per night, I feel like there are better options out there. Either they need to improve the upkeep of the place or reconsider their pricing. That said, I’ve seen mixed reviews about this hotel, so it might just depend on what you’re looking for. This is just my experience.

Edit: The stay comes with free breakfast, and you get to choose two dishes for your meal. For example, I had longganisa and tocino.

The garlic fried rice, however, was a bit disappointing. It didn’t really feel like fried rice—it’s more like they just cooked the rice with garlic. The texture was very mushy, almost like wet rice that doesn’t separate into grains. It was the same consistency for both days we stayed there, so it wasn’t just a one-time thing. It felt more like eating mashed rice, which...