El Nido Reef Strand Resort
Location: Sitio Caalan, Brgy. Masagana, El Nido, Palawan, 5313, El Nido, PH
Star Rating: 3 Stars
Property Type: Hotels
About this Property
Recreational Amenities: Enjoy a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool or relax in the spa tub during your stay at El Nido Reef Strand Resort. Make the most of the complimentary shuttle service to explore the area conveniently.
Dining Experience: Indulge in a delightful culinary experience at Reef Strand's beachfront restaurant, offering a mix of local and international cuisine. You can also opt for room service if you prefer a cozy dining experience in your room.
Amenities and Comfort: With 8 air-conditioned rooms boasting modern amenities, private balconies, and complimentary Wi-Fi, your stay at El Nido Reef Strand Resort promises relaxation and convenience. Take advantage of services like dry cleaning, luggage storage, and safety deposit boxes.
Immerse yourself in beachfront luxury at El Nido Reef Strand Resort and create unforgettable memories by the sea.
Important Information
- No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property.
Policies
Check-in: 02:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Check-out: 11:00 AM
Instructions: The front desk is open daily from 7 AM - 10 PM. To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 72 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation. If you are planning to arrive after 10 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation. Guests must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions. The front desk is staffed during limited hours.
Amenities & Facilities
- Boat tours on site
- Free WiFi
- Garden
- Luggage storage
- Designated smoking area
- Wheelchair accessible
- Scuba diving nearby
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free area shuttle
- Snorkeling on site
- Beach sun loungers
- Pool sun loungers
- Beach towels
- Boat tours on site
- No elevator (single level property)
Rooms Available
-
Deluxe Room
1 Queen Bed
248-sq-foot room, furnished balcony/patio with sea views
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - Flat-screen TV with cable channels
Food & Drink - Room service (limited)
Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and hydromassage showerhead
Practical - Safe and desk
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Non-Smoking
Max Occupancy: 3 (3 Adults)
- Shower
- Safety deposit box
- TV
- Air conditioning
- Desk
- Private bathroom
- Room service (limited hours)
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room massage available
- Free WiFi
- Furnished balcony or patio
- Hydromassage showerhead
Guest Reviews
- Kevin Lynn (10/5): - The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. Will definitely stay again.
- John (10/5): - Great location with lot's of charachter and a great staff that made all arrangements for us including tours. The location way down the Strand is what made it special, but also a little ways away from town. Their dedicated Tuk Tuk driver was awesome and easy to schedule, which eliminated that problem...
- Eugene (2/5): - The property needs many updates. Came home from island hopping and water not working. But they corrected it saying it was lime build up. But water softener machines would prevented it. Food was horrible at the hotel. Old steps going to the room. No elevator. No refrigerator or phone in room. The door to the room stopped working and had to be repaired during my stay.
- Jesus (10/5): El Nido vacation. - We have a good time in this resort. Friendly staff. Good customer service. Good food from the restaurant with reasonable prices.
- Erika Liv (10/5): - I had read alot of reviews which almost pursued me not to stay here. Yet I tried anyways and Im so happy I did.
Although it is dated its a gem of a place.
The rooms were very clean, the pool was great and not to mention the views are phenomenal.
As far as transport: they def provide transport to the main square. For a small fee they will drop you at your request a bit further.
The staff was lovely and very accommodating.
Its close to some amazing food spots. Mine was Fuego for the burger and chicken eaters
For the athletic there is a gym in the town square. This was a birthday stay and it was an amazing one.
- Adam (10/5): - Great spot right on the beach with a beautiful view of the sunset. The food is delicious and the staff are wonderful.
- Adam (8/5): - Nice area, pool is great, beach view was wonderful. The staff are amazing, a wonderful place to stay for sure.
- Jeffrey (8/5): - Property could use some updating but, for the price and location, we were satisfied and would recommend. We also found staff very helpful and accomodating.
- melinda (8/5): - The views are astounding-- best sunsets ever.
- Hans (2/5): - I had one of the worst experiences in this property mainly because of the horrible customer service. Big waste of time and money. Avoid booking this place at all costs !
- Bryan (10/5): - So - I remember booking this reservation mainly because of the property being right on the water and the beautiful pool & hot tub. Man, did it not disappoint!! Especially rm 202, I would soo book that room or ocean front - anytime, because...WOW!! The view as soon as you open the curtains, was breathtaking and I NEVER got tired of the View!
The STAFF were soooo Friendly, Informative, Accommodating and just great! They picked us up and even helped me find a parking lot for the Car Rental. (Which is great to have but parking is tough). Great Meals and Breakfast's, and I'm usually not a breakfast person but in Paradise, vacation and the energy of the area, made me want to wake up and start my day early and to have options for Breakfast was Awesome! My gf and I had a great time!
Only Suggestion - Making it more able to get to and from the downtown area as the walk to and from can be a bit much after a tiring day of tours and heat and at night. It wasn't bad, about 10 min walk to and from. Yes, most people rent a Motor bike and can go to and from faster, which i would suggest and probably also get next time..but having 2 vehicle rentals was a bit much. But for pickup and drop off with luggage, the staff was VERY accommodating!
Overall: I loved it! Beautiful spot, quiet - peaceful but also had just what we needed and beautiful rooms. Definitely book them again!
- Z4032YJsarahb (2/5): Don’t come here - It was so stressful getting to this hotel. There no road accessibility. You have to park your vehicle somewhere else and then take a moped there into a small alley. Room conditions is gross honestly. You’d be lucky if there are no bed bugs or other critters. Rooms are dirty and you get very cheap vanity sets and they charge you when you ask for more soap. Lol
Towels are old and rough you can tell it’s been used a million times. Don’t come.
- Sarah (2/5): - Not recommended, there is not roadway access to this property and upon arrival it was not clean, old old towels, single vanity set with a bar of soap. Definitely can find other arrangements better suited. Cleanliness is not great here.
- Keith (10/5): - The views were incredible the staff was outstanding especially Ulli who has the smile of an angel. The rooms were priced very reasonable. The room I had was without a view on the lower level and could use a little updating but it was only used for sleeping so no big deal. The owner is very protective of his guest, by this I mean I had a pickup scheduled and somehow or another there was a delay. The owner drove down to the pickup location on his motorbike and made sure I was taken care of. That was service over and above.
- Javier (2/5): - Doesnt has access to the hotel by a regular way the street is closed just really disappointed
- Michael (10/5): - I stayed here for 5 days and had a great time. They have free transportation to town or tours. Right on a very nice quiet clean beach. If you are a foodie you can walk to Carly for an incredible meal as well. Thanks Ulle!
- Estela (10/5): - Excellent service
- Dominic (10/5): - Many thanks to Uli & Rose for being excellent hosts, they made us feel like we were ‘part of the family’
The views from the balcony were spectacular, the rooms are large, have air-con and with smart TV. The shower/restroom also very spacious. We spent the evenings at the bar interacting with other guests and the hosts. There was also a good choice of delicious on the menu. We also opted for the breakfast included option.
We also took advantage of the chariot/shuttle service, that took us into El Nido town and to the next beach… free of charge and included within the price. I personally recommend the Island Hopping, if you want to see some spectacular views of, and want to visit the beautiful lagoons, just ask Rose or Uli for details. They will also arrange transport too.
The Reef Strand Resort is like a sparking hidden treasure, and my partner and I are already looking forward to visiting again in 2025.
A special thank you to Jima, Angel, Jizreal and Jona, and all of the employees that welcomed us, took care of us and looked after us, during our stay.
- Rebecca (10/5): - Love the staff. Best place ever.
- Carlos (10/5): - Nice little quiet resort run by great people.
- Colton (10/5): - Awesome staff
- aaron (10/5): - Other than the place being hard to find, and my room smelling a little moldy … it was a great stay . Very quiet and staff was very accommodating as well as friendly
- Adam (10/5): - Lovely staff. Couldn’t do enough to help. What a view you get over the pool looking at the ocean and the islands.
- Karen (10/5): Quiet, ocean front, simple, but perfect. - Although an older hotel, its location is quiet and it has the best pool overlooking the ocean. The staff are really lovely and it was a wonderful stay.
- Antigone (8/5): - Location was great but hotel could use upgrading
- Maria (2/5): - Where do I start? First, the place is not the same as in the pictures.The owner of the place is so rude!
Where my sibling stayed, they all got a lot of bites! Not sure if they were bed bugs or what, but something bit them.
The room had lot of ants and the tv and bathroom were not working - clogged toilet that wouldn't flush. When we asked for the room to be cleaned, the cups dirty and the dirty towels not replace!
We had to pay going in and out of this place, Don't be fooled by the website this place is out of nowhere you could stay somewhere where is cheapear and convenient to you...
- Martin (8/5): - The property is hard to get to.
The showers use salt Walter.
The view is magnificent
The staff is outstanding.
- Joselito (2/5): - The pictures are very deceiving. Pool is dirty,never seen the filter on, the whole time we were there. It shows that the maintenance of the property is very minimal. The only thing great about the resort are the staffs. I wouldn't recommend the property to anyone. It was very disappointing.
- Ward (8/5): Nice view of water and mountains. - Staff were friendly. Food was average not much imagination. Rooms could be a bit cleaner. Overall pleasant stay.
- daniela (8/5): - We enjoy the view by the pool and there food is good. The staff and owner give you a great costumer service. Great communication, tks
- David (10/5): - I had a wonderful first visit and look forward to coming back again. The owner Mr. Uli, went out of his way to make sure I was comfortable, and get me to my island hopping cruise on time! Warm and friendly staff. Very helpful. Beautiful location on the beach. シ
- Dennis (4/5): - Truthful review. The only two pleasing things at this hotel was we had a beautiful view ocean view from our balcony and the staff were excellent and so friendly.
The hotel itself needs a complete renovation. There was a lot of rust and rotted wood around the exterior of the building. The owner was alway in the lounge area which is ok, but we always struggled to get change. He had to pull money out of his pocket. Very shabby business practices here.
For my room, the sliding door was the only door to the room. The lock did not work so they had to replace it but he told me the people that checked out that morning had no issues. Complete lie because when their maintenance guy tried, he couldn’t get it to work either. Had loose tiles on the floor. No water pressure in the shower. When I opened the bathroom door from the inside, the door knob came off. The air conditioner could not keep the room cool enough during the day but night was ok.
The reviews were good that is why we got a room here, but I wouldn’t recommend staying here. Also, it is about 15 minutes from a road to get to a tricycle or taxi because of a very narrow way to the hotel.
- ZSUZSANNA (10/5): - The view from the rooms and the pool is exactly like you see on the pictures. It is spectacular. The staff is super friendly and very attentive. Lot of times they serve you the things you might need without asking. For example towels for your excursions.. You can conveniently book excursions with them and they provide free transportation or rent a scooter from them. Meals and cocktails available as well. We had a fantastic time.
- Lois Anne (8/5): - Overall, good experience and beautiful view. Limited transportation when it's high tide in the area and it was very dark in the evening when walking back to the hotel without any transportation access.
- Patryk (10/5): Exactly what you need - Very nice, very surprising and awesome staff
- 662judeb (2/5): Bad experience all-round. Avoid at all cost. We cut our pre paid stay short, the double costs were worth it just to get out of t - Condition, access, unhelpful attitude which appears to have been rubbed off from the owner.
Could not understand why suitcases were entered into on more than one occasion,although nothing had gone missing and on the latter the combination lock code was changed.The owner was least interested or concerned.
Had to leave a day earlier despite having paid for the stay.
Have previously put a review on this but cannot seem to access it.
Please stay away to avoid
disappointment .
- donhY6372OZ (2/5): Disaster - The El Nido Reef Strand Resort was selected for our family vacation as 4 star accommodation in El Nido Palawan. Our entire family refused to stay there as it was a run down excuse for a hotel and totally misrepresented by our Travel Agent. Lowllights as follows;
1...Goat track to and from Hotel as cars could not travel there. Access was by way of a bike trike with several trips necessary over a bumpy narrow and scary trail.
2...Rooms were mouldy and smelly
3...Rooms were not maintained. loose tap fittings
4...Were were told hotel was popular and fully booked and lucky to stay there. Only unfortunate souls were there the rest of the place was empty
5...Pool was dirty and greenish
6...Beach front was terrible you could not swim there as it was rocky
7...Hotel Staff were a bunch of kids with little or no experience
8...Beds had thin foam mattresses and not appealing
9...We were informed that the hotel was owned by a German national who rarely visited and spent no money to maintain or improve the hotel
Give this place a real MISS!!!! We have been trying to get our money back with little or no success by the Travel agent thus far. Travel agent tells us that Hotel is not answering calls or responding to emails.
- Mirna (8/5): - Great location! The hotel is on the beach side so you’re able to catch amazing sunrise/sunset views. The staff was very nice and super helpful in accommodating our needs and coordinating breakfast each morning as well as the island hopping tours. The breakfast was good..The rooms were good..a little rundown but for the price, it’s worth it! Overall, we were all satisfied with our stay and would recommend. They also provide roundtrip transportation from the airport.
- Nina (4/5): - The view is great but the rooms, stairs, bathrooms and pool are so dirty, everything is broken and not working. You will only pay for the view that’s what it is. You need to put money out every time. You borrow an umbrella you have to give a deposit the moment you walked in you have to put a deposit. Terrible! The owner is always on top of his staff and making the so uncomfortable in front of the guests. Scolding them in front of us. Staying here was a waste.
- Ben (10/5): - We were a little worried about coming here due to some of the bad reviews that have been left but after visiting I genuinely don't know what the issue was for these guests.
Yes it's a little weathered but that's the nature of this kind of environment and the property having zero income/funding for about two years during the pandemic. We didn't see any evidence of bed bugs and no ants were in the room.
The owner is a very friendly chap and the staff are always willing to assist when you need something. They also provide a free shuttle service to the town during the day (small surcharge of 150 pesos after 7pm, 900 pesos for an airport transfer).
The breakfast did the job for me and they serve food throughout the day and have good variety on the menu, the pizza was wonderful and I was genuinely surprised to see they had their own home made dough in the fridge!
Overall for the price I had no issues with this property and recommend anyone booking to go there with an open mind.
- Bienvenido (10/5): - The view from the room is amazing, after a day of island hopping you come back to a place very relaxing. The staff are so friendly, courteous and very accommodating. We had a very relaxing stay.
- ERIC (10/5): - The pool is fantastic. The view is amazing. The staff is friendly, helpful, and eager to please their guest. You have to get to know the Owner "Olly" - him and his wife Rose are super cool host.
- anselmop954 (2/5): PLEASE READ... If I could give a ZERO-STAR review, I would... HOTEL FROM HELL! - Overview:
Please avoid this hotel if you can. I know a lot of people in the review section have shared the same bad experience we have. It's evident that they have not fixed their hotel and attitude and you will likely experience the same - you have been WARNED!
Also, I am sure you have noticed the very suspicious distribution of ratings given (lots of very bad and very good reviews). I am pretty sure these have been tampered with, please DO NOT TRUST this...
Our Story:
Me and my family booked a stay in mid-March 2023 for 5 nights at El Nido Reef Strand Resort. We paid a relatively premium price, comparable to some big hotels like the well-known Lime Resort, and were expecting a similar quality, as you should. This, however, was not a problem for us as we wanted to enjoy our holiday to the fullest - the pictures presented online (agoda.com) looked very nice and there was a beach view which we felt justified the price.
Upon arriving at the hotel, we were very disappointed. It was comical, like meeting your Tinder date that looked nothing like the photos - we were catfished... Here are the highlights of our first impressions:
- The overall condition of the facilities looked worn out compared to the pictures, not very clean, broken jacuzzi, disappointing beach.
- The airconditioner (a very important part of any hotel in the Philippines) in our room was barely functional. It was placed in the most obscure part of the room so that the airflow was non-existent, facing down into the space between the window/door and curtains so that the air was trapped in between unless we exposed ourselves to the outside.
- The furniture in our room was covered in mould, the shower pressure was very low, the sink faucet barely hanging onto the sink and a variety of insects (wasps and cockroaches) enjoying our stay with us :)
The condition of the facilities alone would have warranted a 2-star review but the interactions with the owner are what really bring it down to a big, fat ZERO.
Like anyone, we felt very unhappy with the hotel and proceeded with trying to cancel our stay and obtain a partial refund. Upon the owner hearing about this, he started confronting us, being very rude to my mother and raising her voice at her, and being very adamant that we WILL NOT receive a refund instead of trying to ensure the rest of the stay is compensated for with BASIC, good customer service. Of course, we told him about our reasons for cancelling, but his only response was to GASLIGHT us and try to discredit our genuine complaints. Absolutely ridiculous!
Later on in the same evening, we asked for extra pillows just so that my mother could sleep a bit better. Not only could they not provide a simple necessity, but the owner had to add a bit more rudeness to this interaction as well.
The very next day, we decided we would leave but before doing so we decided to have a swim in the pool because we had already paid for it. The next thing you know, the owner is pointing his camera at us, trying to show the booking agent (Agoda) that we were enjoying ourselves this whole time and that we were complaining for no reason - another attempt at gaslighting. Of course, this led to more confrontation, which consisted of him lying about filming us, refusing to show us the video recorded and eventually admitting the reason he filmed.
My mother was very scared that the situation was only going to get worse, the longer we stayed, so we decided to leave as soon as possible as an emergency precaution and that was the end of our stay.
Conclusion:
As you can see, we have had a very bad experience with this hotel, especially with the owner. It is also clear that we are not the only ones that faced this issue, don't be the next victim. Please don't give these people your money, they have a very sneaky no-refund policy to ensure that they can refuse a refund if you don't enjoy your stay, which I guarantee you won't.
- 90jumanaha (2/5): An honest review: Would not recommend, please avoid if you want to have a pleasant experience in El Nido. - Terrible customer service.. AVOID!
For the price paid, you really will not get you stays worth. The photos advertised did not depict our experience during our stay. There were several issues, including a broken faucet, mould on the bed, and the air-conditioned placed in a odd place where it did not cool the room after blasting it on for several hours. If you enjoy cleanness and want to avoid mosquitos and cockroaches, then this is not the hotel for you.
Upon raising these issues with the manager to request a partial refund, we were met with a terrible attitude and complete unprofessionalism. He was very confrontational and overall unpleasant to speak to. We were then subjected to being filmed for the rest of our paid stay. What was supposed to be a relaxing experience turned into a nightmare, which is very unfortunate as it was our first time in El Nido and did not expect such treatment.
I recommend trying other hotels such as Tandikan, where we had a much more pleasant stay and did not have any of these issues.
- John (2/5): - Where do I begin?
Arriving at the “resort” was quite the experience. My girlfriend and I arrive at the El Nido airport and take a motorcycle trike to El Nido. In the town of El Nido the driver tells us he cannot take us all the way to the hotel and to call and they will pick us up. We call and then someone shows up and tells us we have to walk to his trike, we walk through a small alley and onto the beach at high tide and have to take off our shoes and run across the beach area bounded by a wall and terrace while carrying luggage. Upon arrival at the hotel and getting to our room it was quite a disappointment, it smelled, had mold in a corner of the ceiling, this was not a water stain as I verified this by standing on a chair and rubbed some off with my finger. It looks nothing even close to the pictures on Expedia as the Expedia pictures are skillfully taken to avoid anything that looks bad. This place is in need of serious maintenance.
On the second day we requested our room to be cleaned which was not done as promised.
On the second night the owner stayed up drinking after midnight at the bar all while talking loudly and laughing with complete disregard for guests trying to sleep. Along with this we paid $32 for 2 small bags for laundry service only to get it after asking for the second time the next day at 6 PM, about 34 hours after leaving our clothes. Dirty pool, no water in the jacuzzi, smell of sewer from the shower drain at times. A run down and dirty place.
- voyagevon (2/5): Just an Honest Review. Not worth the money. Just a warning: the hotel is the opposite of what they advertise. - Please book and spend your money somewhere else. I booked the hotel because of the ammenities they advertised online plus the beautiful photos they have on their page. But these photos are old pictures of the hotel because it looked a lot different in reality. Its the complete opposite. The hotel needs a lot updating and has a lot of maintenance issues. The hotel is not accessible at all, unless they take you to the town, its not even beach front as they advertise, the beach next to it is not swimmable at all. Their pool is dirty, you can see tissues/napkins under the water with algae on the ridges of the pool. Their rooms is not updated, some rusting, mold dew, and could use some air freshner. The linens smells like thy were not laundried, no blankets, there is no fridge for your drinks, their free breakfast is same everyday. The whole hotel is not ehat you think it is, their photos ate deceiving, it look very nice online but its the complete opposite. You can stay somewhere way better with the rate they are offering. The ambience of the hotel is not relaxing, its the opposite of it. They will overcharge you for everything, it’s not worth the money. Just an honest review because we don’t want people to experience what we had experience.
- Catherine (10/5): - Amazing staff and amazing view.
- Brittany (8/5): - Come here for the views!! Unbeatable view of the ocean and mountains from every room.
The location is a little off the beaten path, but that's what makes it nice. The only sound you'll hear at night is the sound of waves on the shore. It's an easy walk to town (about 15 mins), and the hotel also offers free transportation any any time via motor trike.
To the reviewers who said there is no transportation, that is completely false.
Sure the property is a little rustic and needs a few repairs, but I challenge to you to find any truly 5-star resort in El Nido after 3 years of the pandemic and a typhoon. This is a great value for what you get.
The water is hot, the A/C (and the beer) is cold, the rooms are clean, and the Wi-Fi is fast. What more could you ask for?
The staff is SO nice, and they always had anything we asked for. They even went out of their way to make sure they had our breakfast order every night, and the owner even went so far as to carry our bags into town after a huge rain storm.
Thank you for a lovely week! Mabuhay :)
- Derek (2/5): - DO NOT COME HERE !
They have no transportation! It’s impossible to get to the hotel and they make you walk across the sand and a dangerous bridge to even get halfway there !
The hotel is next to a cemetery!!!
It has raw sewage and trash all over the property!
The whole place is in shambles and beyond repair
The rooms are infested with beg bugs
The appliances are destroyed and there is water damage all over
They have no blackout curtains and the lights shine in all night
There is dangerous areas everywhere and is very unsafe !
This is a danger to anyone traveling here
Please review my pictures and please do not come here
- Jeff (6/5): - The rooms were dirty . Had used soap left in bathroom. Windows were broken and taped shut. Fire alarms missing. Very run down.
- DerekForreal99 (2/5): STAY AWAY , LOOK AT MY PICS, DO NOT COME HERE !!!!!! Please stay away !! Go anywhere else !!!!!!this place is trash - WHY CANT I GIVE A ZERO!!! DO NOT COME HERE !!! IT IS A TRASH FILLED SEWAGE PIT!!! PLEASE LOOK AT MY PICTURES,
First of all I should say the pictures are all absolutely false, and the place looks nothing like advertised. It is totally beyond repai
- johnsD6869FS (2/5): Bad Experience - Pictures are at least 10 years old, add 10 years of neglect to get an accurate image. Paint is faded and peeling, air conditioning did not work, curtains and bedding were sun bleached and threadbare, bathrooms showed soap scum and mildew in the grout. This hotel is in the middle of nowhere and the only access to restaurants/shopping is a 15 minute walk on a dark/secluded beach. Roads a virtually non-existent. Management was argumentive and refused a refund.
- Verified traveler (4/5): Not a 3 star hotel - We picked this place because it was listed on the Qantas website. This is not a 3 star resort, maybe 1 or 1.5 star.
On the plus side - the view and infinity pool is amazing. The recommended island hopping tour was great and the kitchen staff were very nice. Beds were clean.
On the negative side - the bathroom we had for 4 people was smelly. We left them the room key over 3 days and the staff only cleaned the room once , we cleaned the bathroom ourselves. We had to ask for 1 or 2 toilet paper total each day for 4 people. The room rate came with breakfast and on the 2nd night they asked if we could all order the same thing so its easier for them. We said no.
There were power blackouts and the staff couldnt turn the generator on without the owner there which was just ridiculous ☹️. Wont be coming back.
- X3120DHlarryc (10/5): Love the people ans the resort - I have enjoyed my stay here it's not your 5 star resort but the crew and owners make it feel like a 5 star resort it very clean me personally I will be back and stay here it the type of place were it makes you appreciate the Philippines what I really like is they don't look at your color
- Verified traveler (2/5): - When we entered our room. I noticed the towels are very old that looks like a cleaning cloth, grouse. The shower head is missing. Has lots of ants even centipede. Room smells so bad. Breakfast not on time. The pool walls looks greenish. It looks like never been clean. The road that goes to this resort is so narrow and bumpy. I am not happy staying here. Its not worth the money I pay. Beware! I will not recommend this resort in El Nido.
- Maximino (10/5): - Location with perfect views
- outofofficeallsummer (6/5): Nice but depends on what you're looking for - I'm in-between on this hotel. It really depends on what you're looking for. We enjoyed our brief stay here but not sure we'd be quick to recommend it to others. The location is probably it's biggest deterant. As others have mentioned it is outside of town, about a 20 minute walk. If low tide you can walk it along the beach or at any time you can walk along the path/road. But beware only parts of it are paved, which made for a very muddy trek during our rainy season stay. They also offer a driver to take you by tuk-tuk which is free if charge until 7pm when it gets dark. After that it's 100 php until midnight and beyond midnight costs a little more. Note that most other motor-tricycles will not be able to take you to the hotel because they do not fit through the narrow passage.
The motor-tricycle rides are not for the faint of heart. They're fun for the experience but to have to do it each time they are very bumpy rides. (We were told there's been approval to pave the road fully but no set plan yet as to when that will happen.) The pros of the location though are definitely the stunning views and peace and quiet at night.
The room itself was comfortable. Air con worked well, bed was fine, stunning views, working safe and hair dryer, large water and coffee/tea packets provided, and relatively clean. We did notice ants in the room but was nothing severe and chalked it up to being on the 1st floor during rainy season. When we mentioned them to the staff they right away offered to spray bug be gone. Another con of the room was the shower. The temperature was nice and can be controlled through the heater but the pressure was almost non-existent making it very difficult to wash the soap out of my long hair. It also flooded over the small lip of the shower area. The place seems a little aged and like it could use an update. There were a few occasional brown outs as well but they did not last long at all.
The homey feel of the hotel space though is what I loved most. The owners were so welcoming and kind. They got to know you by name and even remembered how I take my coffee. They were eager to arrange any tours or transports for us and did so with ease at fair prices. The staff is lovely and make sure to cater to your needs. The included breakfast was delicious and came out quickly. We also ordered lunch from the restaurant once and enjoyed it. The pool is magnificent! Clean and refreshing. We did not use the jacuzzi but it looked nice as well. The beach however was not an option. Overall, it depends on what you're looking for. I can't imagine older folks being okay on the rough tuktuk rides or doing the walk to and from. But the peace and quiet and sounds of the waves at night were very nice.
- calcury (8/5): Great Private Island Hopping tour. - Great View ! Awesome staff. Friendly and accommodating. The private island hopping tour was great, as we ventured to many of the well-known beaches. The lunch was absolutely amazing. The beach in front is rocky, but free or low cost transport to other beaches is available. All short trips are free !
- curmd (10/5): Wonderful weekend - We were delighted with our trip to El Nido! Rose and Ulli (hotel owners) made us feel most welcome and right at home. It was quite remarkable to wake up to the spectacular views that the room offers. Our son truly enjoyed the wonderful pool, and again... the views that it offers.
It is true that the beach is rocky, but provides a cool opportunity to look for critters. When coming to El Nido, we knew what to expect, so our main goal was to explore the nearby islands and locations. Rose organized our private tours and we had a spectacular time. Be sure to go to the small lagoon if you are there - this was our favorite part of the tour!
To top it off, Rose is a great chef, and we got to enjoy wonderful meals while there. She was most kind to accomodate our vegetarian requests and we never went hungry.
After our departure we discovered my husband left his phone in the room. The owner personally raced to the airport and got it to us just in time as we were walking to the plane. It's like I told you, they treat you like family.
We loved our trip to El Nido and happy that our hotel selection resulted in us meeting such lovely family.
- C7666MUks (10/5): Amazing view and hospitable staff - I stayed here for 4 days and 3 nights. This is a great place to stay especially if during raining season that tour may not be able to push through as the view from the hotel itself is amazing and it has pool amenities as well. Favorite time of the day is breakfast time and sunset. The room was very clean and very worth it for its price. The couple who owns the place as well as the staff are very accommodating and will assist you along the way for your best experience in town. I recommend 10/10.
- mwazowksi (8/5): Great hotel staff, further location - Older accommodations with intermittent brown-outs and low water pressure but breakfast included definitely was great and the hotel staff was amazing! Definitely having the free shuttle take you between the resort and the main alley/town was nice though and saved a lot of time. Quieter location as it was further from the main busy area but we didn't mind this.
- Verified traveler (4/5): - Old and sheets and towels are not good. It’s too expensive for a place that has not good amenities and looks like it’s not that clean.
- Alessia (10/5): - My husband and I stayed at this hotel for a few nights of our honeymoon. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by very friendly staff. The hotel is away from the hustle and bustle of the main El Nido area which makes it much more peaceful. However, the hotel provides a free shuttle service whenever you’d like to go to town.
We did Tour A through the hotel and had a great time! We also enjoyed breakfast each morning provided by the hotel.
The view from the hotel is breathtaking and makes the experience incredible. Watching the sunset by the pool was a key memory for me.
- Verified traveler (8/5): - The view from this property is amazing, and I love how it's quiet, away from the bars and loud partying in El Nido proper.
Yes, the road to get there is bumpy, but no problem, because the trikes are on call all day and come and get you almost immediately wherever you are.
The food in the restaurant could be improved, but the service was wonderful.
- Verified traveler (8/5): - Views from the property are unbelievable! Hotel WiFi was down the entire 6 day stay which was very inconvenient. Staff was friendly, knowledgeable, professional and helpful. They made our stay very comfortable. Rooms were clean and the breakfast that was included everyday was delicious. Transportation into town was very flexible to our schedule.Overall, we enjoy our stay.
- Kiana (10/5): - My partner and I had a lovely stay here. Incredible views and a nice walk into town along the beach front. El Nido is covered with beauty and waking up to it every morning when staying here was absolutely magical!
- Alba_Ribo (2/5): Worst hotel I’ve ever been to - One of the worst hotels I’ve ever been to.
As first they are called beach resort but there is no proper beach, is just rocks.
The customer service is very bad.
For example:
- the housekeeping asked us to give them our room keys to be able to clean the room, I though was weird but accepted. Then after 4h (13h) of being out, the room was not clean.
- when we went to ask for our keys back another person in the hotel asked us if we could wait 5min as the housekeeping were on the lunch break. This was fine, then we asked them to bring us some pool towels to chill while we were waiting, and the lady responded to us we needed to wait 15min to have towels as now she needed give priority to a food order she just received for the bar.
-The staff was always trying to upsell you with their tours and services.
Conditions of the hotel:
- The WC and shower area stinks
- Bed is not comfortable and could barely sleep more than 4h per day.
- There are ants in the room
- AC works poorly
- breakfast was not good
- Verified traveler (10/5): - ocean and mountain view.... pool is great..............................
- Helen_Gant (10/5): Calm, romantic, lovely & clean - Amazing stay, wonderful experience, very relaxing, super friendly owners.
Before booking be aware that:
1. this is a small (~ 9 rooms) REMOTE resort. Upon arrival, you can/should use the (free!) shuttle trike the last 5 minutes since there is no road for cars to the resort (for us, the 5 minute trike ride was a bit bumby, exciting and lots of fun)
And: 2. it is good for people who want to relax, away from traffic/noises (the resort is NOT in the buisy city center!) but in a calm area on the beach. It is not suitable for people who want to party/be in the middle of the city. All in all, we can definately recommend and will come again:
Pros:
Stunning view, really breathtaking sunsets (every single evening)
right on the beach
Very calm, relaxing, not in city center (for us, this was positive and what we were looking for)
Amazing sundeck with pool table, dart and chess (we were the only guests to use the pool table; it seems to be new)
live band once a week (we wished for our favorite songs and they - singer and guitarist - could play them all)
Very romantic atmosphere
Restaurant with also many vegetarian options - my favorites were the vegetarian spring rolls and the vegatarian pizza and I always had a coconut shake. The vegetarian curry meal is also nice.
Clean outside premises: staff cleaned the pool and jaccuzi every day and mopped the pool area and the sun deck
Very friendly and helpful staff - thank you especially to Ladylynn at the reception
We were there with our 2-year old toddler, the owners and staff were extremely kids-friendly and very welcoming
Cons
For some this may be a con: Not easy to access! There is no real road to the resort, only a sand road, so the last couple of minutes need to be taken with the (free) trike of the resort and might be a bit bumpy - getting there was an small but fun adventure for us, but if you do not know, it might come as a surprise (I read that some people actually tried walking there with their luggage - but why should you? Just tell them before your arrival that you would like to take the free trike shuttle! It is even available until 10 pm!) By the way: walking without (!) luggage works perfectly; it‘s just that it is a sand road, i.e. obviously, you cannot pull suitcases on wheels on sand.
This can be good or bad: it is calm, i.e. it is not good for people looking for a „party environment“
The restaurant is not super fast - the reason is that they make everything fresh, so if you do not have an appointment such as a tour to catch and appreciate fresh cooking, the restaurant can be recommended. Also, since the restaurant has a breath-taking view on the ocean, we were never in a hurry.
The beach is perfect for sunset walks, but you have to know that the entire El Nido area is not at all for swimming (very rocky!), go to Lio Beach or Las Campanas for swimming!
We always went for a romantic walk along the beach and then hopped in the pool or jaccuzi of the resort which has a beautiful ocean/beach view
—> book here if you do not mind the short trike ride and are looking for a remote, romantic, relaxing, small (~9 rooms) resort with friendly staff, fresh food and amazing sunsets, as well as a nice pool and sundeck, then this is perfect!
We will definately come again!
- torogon (10/5): A nice beach view hotel in a quit place - The hotel is well located at the shore side of the El Nido Bay.
Nice Rooms and very friendly stuff and the restaurants is awesome. A big menu with a lot of different choices and two cooks who know what they're doing.
The hotel is a little fare from the center and have no main road connected. But its easy to go there as the hotel offer shuttle service ( for free ) and we could use them any time.
I`ll be back.....
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Fantastic staff, friendly owner. We came here to celebrate my gf birthday and from teh moment we got there everyone made our experience special. The owner upgraded us to a beautiful room pberlooking the fantastic view! Thanks a lot guys
- Verified traveler (4/5): Don’t ever assume in El nido - We arrived in El nido and decided that we would go see the hotel reef strand as thats where we decided we would stay for the last leg of our trip to Palawan , We learned that the reef strand was Actualy .8 from the edge of town and that you had to walk or take scooter or Tricycle up Very bumpy flooded road , Once arrived we were greeted by Hotel staff and was informed that the Deluxe Ocean view room was Actualy given to someone else and that I would be staying in room just next to it rather than the Actualy one with two large windows that define deluxe sea view, The room had leaking water from the roof and they had a towel behind the sink to sop it up , Stairway to the room was one you would see in a sub marine very narrow and steep to say the least , other than that the room wasn't bad , The rooms have no fridge to keep your snacks cold , , After couple days I had to give up my stay Told No refund “ to find a bottom unit closer to town cause that’s why your their in the first place is to enjoy El nido , Hotel just made you ask for everything even simple toilet paper seems to be a big deal , Service and value are found more in the town of el nido , I would recommend El nido beach hotel ,
- RKKTravels (10/5): - The staff were very friendly and attentive which made our stay more pleasurable.
- MR OLIVER (6/5): Very remote and staff need to be more organised - Very remote loacation and the only way to the resort is to rely on one trike driver to either pick you up from town. Unfortunately the driver and hotel is a bit unrealiable on this front and really need to work on their customer service skills. Overall the hotel was ok, and wasn’t the worse place I stayed. It has a lovely view from the pool, but again if you’re wanting to be close to town this is a good 20min walk In the pitch black away.
- Michelle (8/5): - We planned our entire day to stay a this resort. It was difficult contacting the resort to arrange a ride there, we were lucky enough to have met someone who knows a personal number of a staff who works here, or else we might have to walk our 4 luggages down a small, twiny, dirt road to get there (10+ minutes walk - town/beach/dirt road). We have arrived around 1 pm, but noone's here other than the host to check us in. We were famished and had to wait for workers to come back and make us food. Good thing they were all very accommodating. A couple of things that were disappointing : we were told our room is on the 2nd floor (Yay View!) But later moved us to the 1st floor due to an arrangement mistake. Secondly, we have asked for their snorkels, but they were all broken, so we ended up just walking along the shore and exploring the low-low tide pools. The Room itself is great, but the door into it is a floor length window with metal frames, so be careful touching it when the sun's been beaming on it. They have a small TV on the wall with many channels to kill time. The shower may look dorky with the tiled walls, but it wasn't that bad. Bed was very comfortable. Hair dryer was in good working condition.They have complete shower kits. They provide pool towels. The incline sofa/chair cover is quite dirty, they need to be washed.... It was a good stay, but don't expect an abundance on RESORT space. It's a good place to stay in, enjoy the pool, food/drink(when available) and rewind.
- Shannon (8/5): Nice stay - This hotel probably had one of the best views out of all the hotels we stayed at. Loved the pool area because you literally could watch the sunset. Food wasn't horrible, but i felt a lot of it was on the greasy side. Location was great except for the fact that you had to get a ride from one of the bigger scooters since it was a little truck to the hotel from the beach. Rooms weren't horrible (meaning they weren't dirty) but the shower head wasn't really working and kept leaking. Overall, this was a nice stay.
- Verified traveler (10/5): - The property is beautiful and has a breathtaking view. The units are set up to take advantage of this as is the infinity pool. The staff at the El Nido Reef Strand Resort was one of the best parts of our visit. They were incredibly welcoming and friendly from the start and treated myself and our group of eight like dear friends. We were sad to leave, but cherished our stay.
- Jen (8/5): - Staff was very helpful and friendly. Good location if you want quiet
- Ella (10/5): Most helpful staff and very clean! - We loved this hotel!! The staff were the most helpful and kind we have encountered. We missed our ferry and the owner of the hotel managed to book us into another hotel for that night and organise our ferry for us the following day and offered us their shuttle. They were so so helpful and accommodating! The rooms were very clean and modern with an amazing view of the sea. The breakfast was lovely, they offered both Western and Filipino breakfast. The rest of the staff were always so happy and it was lovely to hear them singing and enjoying themselves whilst at work. The hotel is quite a trek to get to if you walk from the town as at high tide you cannot walk along the beach. However the hotel offer a free shuttle which was great! You can just call them and they will come to collect you from the town or the beach. We really enjoyed ourselves at this hotel and in El Nido. 100% would come back here!
- Verified traveler (2/5): - Location:
The property is a 15min walk from the town - the path itself is very unpleasant, full of stray dogs and tricycles running into you.
Food:
Terrible. Firstly, the food in the breakfast menu is not fully available. Ask for an American breakfast and all you get are some unsalted eggs and stale toasts with jam. Secondly, the food is either tasteless or horribly seasoned. My boyfriend got sick from eating the Filipino breakfast.
Room:
Floor sticky. Shower head broken. No proper curtains (full light into the room). Ants crawling everywhere.
Safety:
The keys open any rooms on the property.
Facilities:
Swimming pool full of local kids screaming till late at night. Loud live music in the restaurant till 1030pm.
- Robert (6/5): Reef Strand as I saw it - This is a small budget hotel year priced high. The owner is German and he tries very hard to accommodate and gets full marks. My complaint is access, the hotel is located with a number of other such hotels along a bumpy lane and riding in a yuk yuk is uncomfortable in the extreme. The night life is in town but the hotel gets cut off at high tide. None of this is explained on the website fir obvious reasons. So you are captive or you stay out until the tide ebbs but for us with kids, not an option. The weather didn’t help but the hotel has no control over that.
This is not negative only honest. Other than location issues the property is great and the owner, Uli, a great guy.
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Friendly staff, great location, overall great experience.
Will go back there every time
- Verified traveler (4/5): - Hotel is overpriced for what it is. The view from the hotel is nice but the location is bad too since you need to take a rickshaw for about 15-20min from the hotel on a terrible road to access anything. Staff is really nice but unefficient.
- paul (10/5): - A little far from town but resort offered free transportation to a common location
- Anonymous (6/5): - Nice view, close to the ocean. People are nice.
- Thomas (10/5): - This was one of the best part of our trip. All the staff from the hotel was lovely and always willing to help us to book any tour or to have a Tura Tura trycicle to transfer us from the hotel to the city. Our room was incredible and the swimming pool and afternoon were just so amazing! Our recommendation for the hotel would be if maybe for the breakfast you could include a bit of more adds on :) highly recommend this place and the lovely staff we loved our adventure in El Nido! Thank you 😊 we did as well all the tours booked through the hotel and they were amazing!!
- Alex (10/5): - Very nice hotel and the staff super friendly to attend your requests. Indeed very good choice for my short holidays in El Nido. Would visit again.
- Tony (8/5): - Great staff, lovely pool with view of the islands. Really enjoyed our stay
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Beautiful view nice rooms great staff. A little difficult to get to but worth it.
- Alex (10/5): - Great hotel by the beach. Staff is excellent and very friendly. The pool was recently redone and provides a beautiful view at sunset. Best views at sunset. Delicious Philipino breakfast and great customer service.
- Verified traveler (10/5): - Great hotel, beach right outside hotel. Best views for sunset, friendly staff will not disappoint. Pool has recently been redone made beautifully for pictures. Great Philipino breakfast and again the all the staff is excellent.
- T (2/5): - UNSAFE! BEWARE! 1000 pesos car ride from Puerto Princesa to El Nido 6hrs. Driver speeds dark&dangerous. Ocean front view obstruct by construction&trash. Room dirty, stinks of rotten food, flies, towels are not soft and fresh dirty. No cable, static t.v./grainy, no phone, no room service, weak wifi. Woke up to jack hammering in the a.m. moved rooms. Rody the manager horrible man. Construction for 5yrs Rody told me after booking. Rody turned off hot water twice for no reason when asked. Power went out 1hr in the heat Ask Rody to turn power on he did. Leaky toilet clogged sink. Dangerous hotel drop us off at bus terminal to get car service to airport back to Puerto Princesa. We get into van paid 2000 pesos then took us to dark secluded area told us 3,000 more pesos or they leave us we did pay. So scary I would never trust this hotel DO NOT STAY HERE. Rody set us up because we are Americans. Horrible stay.
- Verified traveler (8/5): - The hotel and its vicinity is good and the view from the hotel is amazing!
- Mike (2/5): The hotel was nothing like advertised - The resort was run down, very difficult to get to and had questionable hygiene standards.
The pictures on expedia and elsewhere do not do the resort the justice it deserves, which is to say they portray it in a positive light. The place looked tired and in many places neglected. The bathroom in the room stank and looked like it had a dirty mop ran over it. Even the towels on the bed, while mage in the shape of a swan, appeared questionable as to how clean they were.
700m from the main road, the only way to get there is by tricycle which is a pain if you have any more than a back pack. The pathway had lots of holes and looked like parts were on the verge of being washed away.
After checking in we ordered lunch from the restaurant, which took over 45 minutes for a ham and cheese sandwich and longer for everything else. Could understand if it was packed however we were the only ones there. Realised after a while the cooking was being done in a little area begins the bar and to keep it cool they left the refrigerator door open, which also had the food they were preparing.
Needless to say, after eating a fraction of what was served to us, we travelled into El Nido city centre and found a hotel 1/3 of the price that was very clean and of a much higher standard. While we wasted $540 USD on this resort having not stayed there, it was worth it.
If you read this please take my advice and do not stay here
- Philip (10/5): Great view, nice pool - It was a great stay. We like that there's a swimming pool because you can't really swim on the beach, but we're gone most of our stay anyway to our island tours so it was just fine. The sunset view and the mountain view across the ocean is amazing. The only downside is 10 to 15 minutes walk to the main road.
- DANNY (2/5): The nightmare !!! - The worst place I ever stay. Car or public tricycle can not go to this place. Need to call them for pick up (before 22:00 or walk in ) and usually take few call and you need to wait. Dirt street and if it is raining then you just mug yourself !
Bad order in bath room, old towels, no blanket, poor breakfast, can not swim in the beach behind due to concrete and rock.
- Verified traveler (6/5): Hotel is quite with a nice view - If you are looking for a quiet place to stay then this is it. Bella was pretty helpful giving us nice tour guide. We will absolutely recommend the place for people who wants privacy.
- Verified traveler (4/5): Do yourself a favour and stay away - If you compare this place to other resorts around the world, I would give it 0 stars without a doubt. I was upset with myself for booking this place.
1. Room had poorly built infrastructure. The bathroom smelt like sewerage when using water. The shower became blocked with water only when a very small amount of hair fell whilst showering. It seems like the drainage system was poorly built and needs repair to unblock.
The staff said we should remove the hair ourselves so water can drain. I've stayed at another hotel in El Nido and the infrastructure was much better - no drain blockage.
2. Ants in the room.
3. Staff friendly and helpful. We got a free ride into town whenever we asked.
4. Breakfast is basic, e.g. white toast and basic fruit with hot drink as an example
5. Way Overpriced for condition of room. You can stay in newly built rooms further out in Lio Beach for about the same price.
6. The view is beautiful, however you can get that view anywhere in El Nido.
- Chadi (8/5): Amazing view - The best sunset watching ever is from the hotel pool. Rooms are nice and fit 2 to 3 people easily. Staff are friendly but a little bit slow when asking about stuff, but they help you to book any tour you want. The hotel is 1 km far from the town and only accessible by small TukTuk and bikes. The hotel provides free shuttle till 10:30pm. Breakfast is a choice of 3 set menus and it's good especially with the great morning sea and islands view.
- John (6/5): Not worth the price. - The hotel is very difficult to find. I had to look for a narrow alley that has no name, then drive along the beach for 1 mile before reaching the hotel. Everyday that was 2 to 3 blackouts. During the blackouts, there is no WiFi, air conditioning, lights, TV or hot water. It was very inconvenient. The hotel is nice, but it wasn’t worth the price they asked for.
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