Pangalusian Island — Local services in El Nido

Our stay at the Pangulasian island was disappointing in every way possible. The real let down was giving the hotel constructive feedback (in private) and their poor attitude (particularly from the manager Heidi) who needs to take a course in hospitality.

Checking into the hotel felt very rushed. On arrival we were given a 10 minute lecture about the resort which didn’t feel welcoming at all. Why not put this in a pamphlet?

The staff provided us with a lot of irrelevant information, for example, talking about the other rooms at the resort and driving straight past our room to show us the bigger family rooms at the end. We didn’t ask for this nor were we interested.

We had traveled a long way and on top of a long check-in we were given a tour of our very small room which somehow took another 10 minutes.

The air con in our room wasn’t working for the first 4 hours. The staff tried to fix it (only after an hour when we had to ask them twice) but it just wasn’t blowing cold air. This is something the hotel should check before their guests arrive.

We were told to move to another room but they only sent one person to help us. We ended up carrying most of our luggage, in the dark and on hazardous, uneven stone steps. The staff member tried to get us to take a short cut by walking under the room (the rooms are on stilts) which was dangerous as we couldn’t see where we were going.

Our other room looked like it hadn’t been cleaned properly. There were human hairs on the bathrobes and a large beetle that looked like it had long since been dead. I appreciate that we are on an island and that you will find insects in the rooms but this could have and should have easily been spotted.

This was the only hotel in the Philippines we visited where the drinks weren’t complimentary (only two bottles of water). This is really stingy, when you are paying almost £600 a night! This is £100 more than the Two Seasons in Coron (for a similar pool villa room also on an island) but the Two Seasons’ mini bar was free, including snacks. For somewhere so hot (and in our case without air con) they should really include drinks (at least one or two). It all felt mean.

The floor in the room is very slippery (even the small carpets move around). I slipped twice before deciding to keep my shoes on.

The stone steps going down to the villas are dangerous and it’s easy to twist your ankle because the stairs aren’t level and quite far apart.

Exposed plug sockets near the pool? Check! Broken wooden floor decking with sharp bits to go into your foot? Check! Toilet paper that falls apart in your hands? Check!

The breakfast buffet was okay but when we asked for an omelette the staff behind the counter who was mopping and cleaning didn’t wash his hands before making us one. I’ll have a ham and cheese omelette with a side of bacteria please.

The breakfast was abysmal and a lot of the food isn’t covered so flies were landing all over it.

Any request for ‘normal’ juices like orange, or watermelon, are an additional charge.

Most of the staff we met were miserable. A smile here or there doesn’t hurt.

The WiFi was not working during our entire stay. We ended up having to pay £48 for data on our phone to sort out an issue with our flight (a second time an airline in the Philippines had let us down). The staff said that this was normal. Surely an alleged 5* hotel should have contingencies in place?

At checkout none of the staff or the manager Heidi bothered to ask how our stay was so we later raised all the above issues with the hotel’s manager, Heidi who (after several emails) offered us a treatment and a half a day boat tour on our next visit. This was utterly useless to us. Not only do we live half way across the world, but this would mean having to spend more time at this awful place and have the privilege of giving them more of our money to stay there.

So do yourself a favour and avoid this hotel. Go to the Shangri-La in Boracay which was worth every penny. Perhaps the staff at the Pangulasian should pay them a visit to see how a hotel...

Extremely Disappointed with Pangalusian Resort

I recently had the unfortunate experience of staying at Pangalusian Resort, and I must say it was one of the most disappointing vacations I have ever had. From the moment I arrived, I encountered numerous issues that left me utterly dissatisfied. Here are the main reasons why I would rate this resort with only one star:

Management is bad: The management at Pangaulasian Resort is incredibly poor. "Sir David" demonstrated a complete lack of professionalism and failed to address even the most basic concerns. The staff appeared disinterested and disengaged, showing little to no regard for guest satisfaction. Their incompetence was evident in their inability to resolve simple issues promptly. It was a frustrating experience to say the least. For example David was always sleeping or "bussy" when we had medical emergency.

Unprofessional staff: The unprofessional behavior of the staff at Pangaulasian Resort further added to my disappointment. Instead of being greeted with warmth and courtesy, I was met with indifference and apathy. It seemed like the employees were just going through the motions, lacking genuine interest in providing a positive experience for guests (felt like "get out"). Their lack of training and professionalism was evident in their demeanor and attitude. for example they had an argument between the in front of us. For example when we had a medical emergency for some reason they decided to present our bill not only but also house keeping came to our Villa around 9 pm after they rang the doorbell once they just came inside and saw me naked.

Bad food: The quality of food served at Pangaulasian Resort was abysmal. The dining experience was a complete letdown. The limited options available were poorly prepared and lacked flavor. It felt like the ingredients used were of subpar quality, resulting in tasteless and unappetizing meals. To make matters worse, it took them one hour to get the apptisers and entrees.

Overall, my stay at Pangaulasian Resort was nothing short of a disaster. The management's incompetence, unprofessional staff, and the poor quality of food all contributed to a truly disappointing experience. I would strongly advise against staying at this resort unless you are prepared for a vacation filled with frustration, dissatisfaction, and regret. Save your time and money and find a different resort that values customer satisfaction and provides a memorable experience, like...

Spectacular views but lackluster food.

If I hadn't visited the sister Island Resorts Miniloc and Matinloc, my view of the food might not be as bad as those resorts far outshine the variety and quality of the food here at Panalusian.

All things being equal the food is the problem here at Pangulasian. The service and the accommodations are fantastic. The staff are friendly and very accommodating to your needs. No complaints at all. Everyone will greet you with smiles and tend to your wishes.

For me when I visit a resort I like to eat good food and have variety and Pangalusian short quite a bit compared to Miniloc and Matinloc Island. Pangalusian has a breakfast buffet which is "okay" when compared to the other two but then they make you pay for lunch and dinner which the other two do are included. I would rate all the food they serve here as "okay".. probably 6 out of 10. They have an "upscale" restaurant for those of you that want "fine dining" but you'll pay 30 to 40 USD a plate for that. Are you willing to pay $30 USD per person for lunch AND dinner on top of the mega $$$$ you've spent for your room? My wife and I went to the upscale restaurant one time for lunch and the place was empty. One look at the menu and I said "I think this is too pricey for a casual lunch". I asked myself "If their other restaurant serves food that is "so so" how do I know that the food at the upscale restaurant is any better and I'm paying top dollar? "

Pangalusian Island is considered the king of the Island Resorts here at El Nido and I expected the best food on top of the best views, accommodations, and service. It fell short.

I won't return unless things change in the food department. Otherwise I had a fantastic time , relaxed and enjoyed the amazing views and...