Fishermen's Cove Resort and Diving Center — Hotel in Puerto Galera

To say it is HORRIBLY OFF-PUTTING is an understatement||||I went to their restaurant for the second time this week on Thursday, 8 October. In the middle of my Zoom meeting which btw was a live broadcast, I was told by staff that they have a policy whereby walk-in guests are PROHIBITED from staying long in the restaurant. I was there from 2pm to around 5pm. Such policy is enforced despite paying for what you order. ||||When I inquired why staying long is not allowed, I was told that checked-in guests (who happen to be foreigners) also use the table I was occupying for Zoom meetings. (And so? Can’t they wait for me to vacate the spot? I am a paying guest too!)||||The day before, I was also in their restaurant - did my Zoom meeting there, ordered drinks before my meeting, ordered food after my Zoom meeting. I USED MY OWN MOBILE INTERNET half the time I was there on Day 1 because the wi-fi connection became unstable towards late afternoon. I used my own mobile data THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE on Day 2 because they had no wi-fi that day. ||||I have never been so rudely interrupted in the middle of my business only to be essentially told that I should vacate my table because some self-entitled person probably wanted the best table there was. ||||First of all, since when have restaurants imposed a specific time limit as to how long paying guests can stay? I have never experienced this in other hotels, restaurants or cafes here in the Philippines or abroad - NOT EVEN IN THE POSH ONES. That is of course unless another guest has made a prior reservation for the exact same table one is occupying OR it is closing time.||||In fact, in other restaurants I’ve been to, the staff voluntarily tone down the music upon realizing their guest is in the middle of a call or an online meeting. WHY? Because obviously, management and staff are aware that THAT IS BASIC COURTESY you accord a customer. It is extremely disappointing that it does not seem to be the case in this place. ||||If they truly value customer experience, then CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE AND SATISFACTION SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT. A snobbish, discriminatory policy whereby walk-in guests and checked-in guests are treated differently HAS NO PLACE IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. ||||Nevertheless, if only checked in guests are allowed into the restaurant, then WHY IS THERE EVEN A LOG BOOK AT THE ENTRANCE? WHY WAS I TOLD WHEN I WAS DROPPED OFF THAT WE CAN PARK THE CAR INSIDE THEIR PREMISES? WHY WAS I ALSO TOLD THAT THEIR RESTAURANT IS OPEN DAILY IF ONLY CHECKED-IN CUSTOMERS CAN FREELY STAY? WHY WAS I EVEN ALLOWED TO GET IN IN THE FIRST PLACE AND GIVEN A MENU ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT ONLY CHECKED-IN GUESTS CAN STAY? ||||I FIND THAT TO A FLIMSY, STUPID EXCUSE TO KICK A GUEST OUT OF THE BEST TABLE ALL BECAUSE THEY WISH TO GIVE PREFENTIAL TREATMENT TO CHECKED-IN GUESTS WHO ARE FOREIGNERS. IF SUCH POLICY IS NOT ABHORRENTLY DISCRIMINATORY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. ||||If you want genuine hospitality, customer respect and fair and equal treatment towards PAYING CUSTOMERS regardless of what your personal business is for camping out in a restaurant, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE PLACE TO GO TO. ||||DO NOT EVEN BOTHER TO VISIT. YOU’RE BETTER OFF DINING AND WORKING AT THE SAME TIME ELSEWHERE. THE KIND OF TREATMENT TOWARDS WALK-IN GUESTS IS EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL. THIS PLACE IS SO NOT WORTH...

To say it is HORRIBLY OFF-PUTTING is an understatement||||I went to their restaurant for the second time this week on Thursday, 8 October. In the middle of my Zoom meeting which btw was a live broadcast, I was told by staff that they have a policy whereby walk-in guests are PROHIBITED from staying long in the restaurant. I was there from 2pm to around 5pm. Such policy is enforced despite paying for what you order. ||||When I inquired why staying long is not allowed, I was told that checked-in guests (who happen to be foreigners) also use the table I was occupying for Zoom meetings. (And so? Can’t they wait for me to vacate the spot? I am a paying guest too!)||||The day before, I was also in their restaurant - did my Zoom meeting there, ordered drinks before my meeting, ordered food after my Zoom meeting. I USED MY OWN MOBILE INTERNET half the time I was there on Day 1 because the wi-fi connection became unstable towards late afternoon. I used my own mobile data THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE on Day 2 because they had no wi-fi that day. ||||I have never been so rudely interrupted in the middle of my business only to be essentially told that I should vacate my table because some self-entitled person probably wanted the best table there was. ||||First of all, since when have restaurants imposed a specific time limit as to how long paying guests can stay? I have never experienced this in other hotels, restaurants or cafes here in the Philippines or abroad - NOT EVEN IN THE POSH ONES. That is of course unless another guest has made a prior reservation for the exact same table one is occupying OR it is closing time.||||In fact, in other restaurants I’ve been to, the staff voluntarily tone down the music upon realizing their guest is in the middle of a call or an online meeting. WHY? Because obviously, management and staff are aware that THAT IS BASIC COURTESY you accord a customer. It is extremely disappointing that it does not seem to be the case in this place. ||||If they truly value customer experience, then CUSTOMER CONVENIENCE AND SATISFACTION SHOULD BE PARAMOUNT. A snobbish, discriminatory policy whereby walk-in guests and checked-in guests are treated differently HAS NO PLACE IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY. ||||Nevertheless, if only checked in guests are allowed into the restaurant, then WHY IS THERE EVEN A LOG BOOK AT THE ENTRANCE? WHY WAS I TOLD WHEN I WAS DROPPED OFF THAT WE CAN PARK THE CAR INSIDE THEIR PREMISES? WHY WAS I ALSO TOLD THAT THEIR RESTAURANT IS OPEN DAILY IF ONLY CHECKED-IN CUSTOMERS CAN FREELY STAY? WHY WAS I EVEN ALLOWED TO GET IN IN THE FIRST PLACE AND GIVEN A MENU ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT ONLY CHECKED-IN GUESTS CAN STAY? ||||I FIND THAT TO A FLIMSY, STUPID EXCUSE TO KICK A GUEST OUT OF THE BEST TABLE ALL BECAUSE THEY WISH TO GIVE PREFENTIAL TREATMENT TO CHECKED-IN GUESTS WHO ARE FOREIGNERS. IF SUCH POLICY IS NOT ABHORRENTLY DISCRIMINATORY, I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS. ||||If you want genuine hospitality, customer respect and fair and equal treatment towards PAYING CUSTOMERS regardless of what your personal business is for camping out in a restaurant, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE PLACE TO GO TO. ||||DO NOT EVEN BOTHER TO VISIT. YOU’RE BETTER OFF DINING AND WORKING AT THE SAME TIME ELSEWHERE. THE KIND OF TREATMENT TOWARDS WALK-IN GUESTS IS EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL. THIS PLACE IS SO NOT WORTH...

Questo piccolo resort a gestione italiana del mitico Giuseppe non ha nulla da invidiare ad un hotel di lusso, almeno al lusso vero che intendo io; anzi, per usare un termine di moda, direi ad un boutique hotel che tanto amo.||E' immerso in una rigogliosa vegetazione di palme e mangrovie che lo nascondono per la gran parte alla vista. E' composto da una ventina di stanze, alcune più moderne in una struttura in muratura a tre piani e altre, le più vecchie, in bungalow di bambù e tetti in paglia. A completare la cornice un bel praticello con una graziosa piscina di acqua dolce e lettini all’ombra di fresche palme per indimenticabili relax pomeridiani.||La stanza in cui ho alloggiato insieme ai miei tre figli (una delle due suite al terzo piano della nuova struttura) è molto spaziosa e pulitissima, dotata di aria condizionata e con una vista mozzafiato sulla splendida baia da godere attraverso le ampie vetrate o comodamente adagiati sulle poltrone del grande balcone. Svegliarsi con tanta bellezza negli occhi ogni mattina all'alba mi ha riempito il cuore! Ciononostante, non mi sarebbero dispiaciute delle tende oscuranti essendo abituata a dormire col buio totale ;-). Un altro piccolo suggerimento a Giuseppe: un ventilatore a soffitto per chi non ama dormire con l'aria condizionata e qualche mensola nello spaziosissimo bagno ci starebbero proprio bene.||Un fiore all'occhiello di questo resort è senza dubbio la cucina: niente buffet che personalmente non amo, ma servizio al tavolo da parte delle deliziose ragazze filippine che già da pochi minuti dopo il tuo arrivo ti chiamano per nome senza mai sbagliare, facendoti in questo modo sentire ancora più coccolato. Il tutto in una splendida location all’aperto su tavoli in legno con vista baia e accarezzati da una piacevole brezza.||A colazione frutta fresca, pane fatto in casa, brioches ogni giorno diverse, possibilità di ordinare pancake, omelette e uova a piacere, succhi di frutta freschi: insomma tutto ciò che desideri. Menù fisso, a pranzo piuttosto leggero (pensato per chi vuole immergersi anche nel primo pomeriggio) solitamente a base di insalata e di un secondo di carne o pesce alla griglia di qualità e cottura eccellenti, ma una volta a settimana non manca una vera pizza italiana cotta nel forno a legna e del gusto che più preferisci.||A cena abbondante primo piatto (pasta spesso fatta in casa e di cottura perfetta con sughi uno più buono dell’altro), secondo (mai assaggiati carpacci sia di pesce che di carne così squisiti) e contorno.||Alla fine di ogni pasto frutta fresca o gelato e qualche sera dessert fatto in casa (panna cotta, mousse al mango e crostata).||Una sera abbiamo provato piatti filippini, ottimi se amate la cucina asiatica.||E’ vero che il menù è fisso, ma viene sempre chiesto prima di servire se qualcuno gradisce un’alternativa e siamo sempre stati accontentati.||Concludo il capitolo cibo, sul quale si potrebbe scrivere un libro di cucina, dicendo che i miei tre difficili figli adolescenti mi hanno detto che si mangia meglio che a casa!||Capitolo diving: da dove iniziare? Beh, direi senz’altro dal fantastico team capitanato da Paolo, simpaticissimo e disponibile istruttore PADI italiano (con il quale i miei tre figli e due amichetti hanno partecipato al training per il brevetto Advanced) affiancato da esperte guide locali dall’occhio di lince, vera manna per i fotografi subacquei, per i quali questo luogo è il paradiso. Normalmente si esce in barca alla 9 per tornare verso le 13.30 dopo due immersioni. Volendo ci si può immergere anche il pomeriggio verso le 15.30 oppure in notturna verso le 18.30.||Questo è almeno stato il programma del nostro eterogeneo gruppo di 9 subacquei dai 12 ai 74 anni, ma Giuseppe è sempre disponibile ad organizzare programmi ad hoc a seconda delle richieste degli ospiti.||Anche il servizio del diving è un vero lusso mai trovato altrove: attrezzatura pronta in barca già montata solo da controllare, al ritorno si lascia tutto in barca e la mattina dopo ritrovi la tua muta lavata e stesa pronta per una nuova giornata!||Dulcis in fundo, possibilità di fare un massaggio serale nel gazebo, sul pontile o nella tua stanza sotto le abili mani di ragazze filippine.||Al di fuori del resort e del diving, Giuseppe organizza gite all’interno dell’isola o sulle vicine spiagge: un pomeriggio ci ha accompagnati in barca su una di queste (Long Beach) e ci ha offerto l’aperitivo al tramonto.||Anche il paese è vicino al resort, circa 15 minuti a piedi oppure pochi spiccioli per un tipico triciclo locale. La prima volta Giuseppe, gentilissimo come sempre, ci ha accompagnati in auto per mostrarci la strada.||Capitolo Giuseppe: indescrivibile. Uomo riservato e squisito, di una cortesia e disponibilità uniche. Tutto ciò che vi ho descritto sopra (e molto altro che probabilmente non sono riuscita a trasmettervi con le mie tante, ma allo stesso tempo insufficienti righe) è merito della sua dedizione, competenza, gentilezza e amore per questi luoghi e per il suo lavoro. ||Grazie Giuseppe, spero che la vita mi riporti prima poi al...