Blue Crystal Beach Resort — Hotel in Puerto Galera

DUPED BY MISLEADING EXPEDIA PHOTOS

Will never return here and would discourage anyone from even thinking about it!!!

On arrival, it was apparent that the misleading Expedia listing photos had duped us.

The staff at reception were very uninviting and did not bother to give us Wi-Fi codes until we went back to reception to ask for them, which then seemed like too much trouble for them. In the end it was pointless anyway as the as the Wi-Fi was virtually unusable. Our room was not in the grand building represented in the photos but was a chalet style room along a rough gravel path making it impossible to wheel your bags or walk properly around the hotel grounds.

The room size was ok but from the minute we walked in there was an extremely noxious strong smell of paint. We were told that the room had been freshly decorated two weeks prior; it stank of paint and also backed on to the road forming the hotel perimeter wall to a noisy continually used street. The bed was very hard and uncomfortable; the air conditioner was very noisy and ineffective and badly located low to the ground and next to the bed. Anyone knows that cold air falls and warm air rises so fitting it in this position was utter stupidity. The fridge was also very noisy and continually clicked on and off all night making it impossible to sleep.

There is a kitchen area in the room, which is totally pointless and just wastes room space, and a large walk in type cupboard equally pointless, as there are no drawers or hangings for clothes. The FREE water was from a large blue tank of water in the kitchen area making it impossible to cool in the fridge. At their room prices, would it have been that costly for them to supply a couple of bottles of water?

Having arrived late in the evening we decided to chance the hotel’s restaurant as we were tired and hungry and there is nothing else nearby as the hotel is the middle of nowhere. The restaurant had just one server, despite there being several tables occupied. The poor woman was overrun with work and did her best; she turned out to be the only staff member that was polite and made an effort. Food was average, prices were not; well overpriced for what it is.

Good luck trying to get anywhere using the only mode of transport around; motorcycle sidecar operators stationed outside the hotel, driving what are called “Tricycles” in Philippines and waiting to rip off your arms for a short ride back to some civilization where if you are lucky you might find something worth eating. Utter scam artists.

I would love to know what genius person decided to name this place “Blue Crystal Beach Resort”, as there is “NO BEACH” there, and I do mean “NO BEACH”. The waves lap on to a concrete retaining wall and the water is rocky and fit only for divers and not bathers.

UPDATE: 23/05/2019 - Many thanks for your illustrious response to my review, which is littered with...

The Blue Crystal Beach Resort, should you go? Yes Will they treat you like a king? Yes Is there a better breakfast to be had on the island? Not that I could find Will I be returning? You bet They're several things that set them apart Friendly service ALWAYS Concierge services are on point Never did I want for anything They worked around food allergies Snorkeling in the bay was the best I've ever experienced. I am experienced with reef snorkeling but I've never seen the amount of coral and wildlife that you can see in three foot of water. The island is perfect for motorcyclist. I had an amazing time on a Honda xr150 and didn't find that I was short on beautiful drives to Tamaraw falls, or any of the mountain roads. 12 dollars US gets you an hour massage with tip.... Yes I said $12 US, with tip, I wouldn't make something like that up. I suggest Beth or Rhina, they were both courteous, friendly, and professional. The place is gorgeous, it's nestled in a quiet cove, and the sunrises are breathtaking I spoke earlier about concierge, it's not your typical concierge service, each of these people have lived on this island their entire life and can give your information way beyond the "main sites". They take pride in sharing their culture and the true "beauty" of the island. If snorkeling scares you, the pool and spill over hot tub are perfect for relaxing and unwinding. As I type this, internally I know I could go on forever... But if I did then you would be reading and not booking....

So go get a room and give it a shot. I just got back yesterday and I'm already planning another trip. I honestly can't say enough about the Blue Crystal Beach Resort, there is still so much to list but I...

Went there for honeymoon vacation, we had a warm welcome from the staff ond got our room upgraded to the bridal suite. Even though the hot water is sometimes cold and the beach no longer resembles an actual beach this is a greeeat place to stay for a week or longer. There is a beautiful coral reef with plenty of colorful fish just 30 meters out in the water so don't forget to bring your snorkeling equipment or you can rent it just for p100 a piece/day at the front desk. There is also a neighboring dive shop that we did not visit. I recommend walking along the road to the "beach" and start swimming from there so that you don't accidentally step on something precious. Apparently the staff are reacting to earlier reviews because we were now able to get our dinner served outside of the room. If you choose this option just be prepared that a dog and a cat might show up to ask for your leftovers, however surprisingly they actually do have manners and will often quietly be waiting for you to finish your meal. Ohh, and definitely make sure to get up before 6am to enjoy the sunrise from either your bathtub (if you are in the bridal suite) or go to the rooftop and enjoy the enriching view from there. We looove this peaceful getaway place and the staff is always very polite. We'll be coming...