Place: South Palms Resort Panglao, Panglao Island, Bohol

South Palms Resort Panglao, the newest luxury resort in Bohol, sits in a 9.3-hectare beachfront property with 90 fully-furnished rooms and villas and a 700-meter stretch of white sandy shoreline. If you'd like to know how we wind up in this beautiful resort and the reservation process, check out my earlier post.


Pick-up at Tagbilaran Seaport

After our booking was confirmed, Des, the reservation officer reminded us to provide our arrival and departure details prior to our stay dates so she can arrange the free roundtrip transfers. I told her we will be coming from Cebu and once we were able to purchase our ferry tickets, I emailed again to inform her we will be arriving in Tagbilaran Seaport via Ocean Jet and ETA is 4:00 p.m. I also sent a text message as soon as we boarded the ferry. And sure enough, our service van was waiting for us at the seaport when we arrived.

Travel time from Tagbilaran port to the resort was more or less 30 minutes. Our friendly driver tried his best to be entertaining and informative as he gave us short briefs about certain landmarks in Tagbilaran City, Panglao Island and the resort, and even an insight into the daily lives of Boholanos as he drove us to our destination.

He also shared with us why they came up with South Palms as the name of the resort. 'South' because it's located in the southern part of Panglao Island and 'Palms' because the property has an abundance of palm trees.


Check-in

Upon entering the resort premises, I realized how big the property is, most of it is still undeveloped; the resort itself is still some meters away from the main gate.

South Palms Resort Panglao Main Gate

When we finally reached the reception area, we were immediately greeted with smiles and warm welcome from the staff, as one offered us wet towels to freshen up ourselves with. They told us they'll take care of our luggage and ushered us to the check-in desk.

Check-in was quick. After the obligatory greetings, they asked for our IDs and the incidental deposit fee of P2000/night. After that, they gave our key card and whisked us away to our room. To get to our room, we need to pass in front of the restaurant but there was an on-going wedding reception, so they drove us to our room instead.


The "Room"

I breathed a silent "wow" when they opened the door to our room. Instantly, I noticed there's a living area with a view of the beach.

Living area also has a mini bar, refrigerator, complimentary bottled water and coffee/tea maker

 

Then another door revealed the bedroom - it was fantastic.

This is where D spent his working hours, thanks to their speedy in-room Wi-Fi connection:

The writing desk and the 40" LED TV with many cable channels.

Prior to booking, Des had already told us that they no longer have available rooms with king-size bed. So I just requested for the two double beds to be joined together. And they did just that.

 

This is the most comfortable bed I've been on. Sleeping here feels like sleeping on a bed of clouds.

 

 We got 2 memory foam pillows and 2 regular ones, uber soft and fluffy blankets,
an iPod dock on the left and the phone on the right.

Provisions in the closet: 2 bathrobes, 2 pairs of rubber flipflops, 2 pairs of indoor slippers,
iron and board, in-room safe, umbrella and flashlight (not seen in the picture)

I opened the bathroom door to another surprise.

Spacious and spanking new bathroom

Bathtub, I love!

Glass-enclosed shower area and toilet

Branded toiletries and other bathroom necessities. There's even a bathroom scale under the sink.

It took me a while to realize that our room was upgraded to a beachfront villa. (Insert a very wide grin here.) I'm not sure why we got upgraded, but that was the coolest thing that happened to us on this trip.

The beach villa is just perfect. The design is simple yet elegant and very homey. Outside, it looks like a small modern-tropical bungalow covered with limestone tiles and thatched roof.

Inside, it's an inviting living space tastefully appointed with furniture and decors that showcase the Boholano's craftsmanship and creativity. And the best décor of all: the stunning view of the beach!



The view from our bedroom is absolutely picturesque!

 

Resort's Amenities

South Palms Resort Panglao's amenities are not yet complete. Currently, their main attraction is the infinity pool, located at the center of the resort and in front of the Oceanica Restaurant. There's also a Coast Pool Bar beside it if you fancy sipping cocktail drinks while lounging in one of their many colorful chairs.

There's another pool - the adult pool - located near our villa. This is where we spent most of our time swimming. The depth of the pool ranges from 3 feet to 5 1/2 feet. You can also order drinks from the nearby pool bar or have your meals served here.

There's a lifeguard on standby who will immediately hand you towels when you take a dip.

South Palms Resort has the longest beach in Panglao, which they lined with thatched shades and lounge chairs so guests can quickly take cover when they want to shield themselves from the sun, but still want to savor the fresh breeze of the ocean.

Another nice area in the resort is their mini man-made forest: a paved pathway connecting the Oceanica Restaurant to the adult pool that they outlined with trees, plants and stones.

Their spa is already open and I also noticed that they have function and conference rooms near the lobby. Plans to have a gym, tennis court and other amenities are already underway (according to our driver/concierge). When that happens, I won't be surprised if South Palms Resort becomes one, if not the leading beach holiday destination in Panglao.

I also like that they chose to develop the resort horizontally, building suites and villas that blend naturally with the surroundings. It truly has the look and feel of a tropical paradise.

The Resort at night

The Food and Oceanica Restaurant

Oceanica Restaurant is the only restaurant inside the resort. You can choose to eat in the restaurant, which has the relaxing view of the infinity pool and Bolod Beach, or have your meals served in your room.

Half-board meals - breakfast and a choice of lunch or dinner - are already included in the accommodation. I thought that was practical and cost-effective. At least, it would save us the hassle of finding and deciding where to eat. But in case we're not satisfied with the in-house food, I was thinking we could always go out and eat in other resorts in the area.

But we found out there's no need for that really. The foods served in Oceanica Restaurant are nothing short of amazing. Every dish we ordered was delicious, reflecting the freshness of the ingredients and the skill of the Chef. In fact, the other highlight of our stay in South Palms Resort, aside from being upgraded to a beach villa, is the food.

Price is mid-range, regular fares are somewhere between Php350-Php500, while premium meats are Php900 and beyond. But with the taste and the big serving size, it's totally worth it.

Breakfast: Filipino (fried rice, danggit, 2 hard-boiled eggs) and American (ham, hashbrown, 2 omelets)
with fresh fruits, choice of coffee, tea or choco and bottled water.

Lunch: Fried Seafood Basket with Camote Chips and Dips, Surf and Turf, Kare-Kare and 2 cups of garlic rice.
Not in the picture: Banana Split for dessert.

Dinner: Prime Beef Burger with Camote Chips and Thai Chicken Salad plus Panna Cotta as complimentary dessert.

On Sunday morning, we had buffet breakfast with a wide variety of choices:

Clockwise: Salad bar, Bread station with different spreads, cheeses and cold cuts, Cereal station, Fruits and cakes station

CW: Pancakes with different toppings, Congee station, Noodle soup station

Top: Sushi and maki station. Bottom: Filipino Breakfast station
(fried rice with different viands such eggs, ham, different sausages, hotdog, etc)

Service

Because the resort is new and still in their soft-opening phase, I expected a few glitches during our stay. There was a bit of confusion on how we will avail the meal inclusions. I asked the Front Desk and we were told to order straight from Oceanica. But staff in Oceanica would ask for meal coupons that were supposed to be given to us during check-in. But they were not.

The phone system is also not yet configured so I had to go through Front Desk to connect to the restaurant. Later, I just asked Oceanica for their direct line. I wish I had thought of that earlier.

Then there was a slight misstep during our first dinner, to which our driver and the duty manager had profusely apologized for. But they made up for it by giving us complimentary foods and by rendering us the best service possible, ensuring that our stay in the resort will be the most comfortable and enjoyable. And it was.

Staff are always smiling. They even checked up on us in the villa to ask if there's anything we need. Service is simply superb! Truly, the staff at South Palms Resort Panglao knows what true Boholano hospitality is.


Check-out

Checking out was a breezy as checking in. I called Front Desk at 11 a.m. to inform them that we'll be checking out in an hour. They asked if we need help with our bags and promptly sent someone at exactly 12 noon to assist us. At the reception desk, they had all our expenses tallied. They have credit card terminals so I chose to pay with a credit card instead and refund the full deposited amount. We will still be transferring to another hotel and having cash will be handy.

After payment, we were led to the service van waiting for us. During reservation, I had requested that instead of airport drop-off, we'd like to be transferred to Bohol Bee Farm. I didn't have to repeat the request because the Front Desk officer had already instructed the driver to drop us off at Bohol Bee Farm. I really appreciate that all the information and requests I made during reservation where duly noted and communicated to the staff at the resort. Efficient service = worry-free stay = happy guests.


The Verdict

Need I say more? We had the BEST beach holiday experience at South Palms Resort Panglao. To echo their slogan, come to South Palms Resort Panglao and discover the way a Bohol beach holiday should be.


Related Review: Why you should stay in Bolod Beach

---

South Palms Resort Panglao
Web: http://www.southpalmsresort.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SouthPalmsResortPanglao
Email: info@southpalmsresort.com
Toll Free: 1-800-1888-7777
Info: +63 38 502-8288
RSVN: +63 38 501-3088
Mobile: +639177167609

Place: South Palms Resort Panglao - Reservation

South Palms Resort Panglao is the newest luxury beach resort in Bohol. They recently opened last December 1, 2013 and we had the pleasure of staying at this spanking new resort on December 7-9.

They boast of having the longest stretch of pristine, white sand beach in Panglao Island, and a number of tropical-styled but well-appointed rooms and villas that are specifically built to complement and blend with the relaxing view of the ocean and the lush forest of palm trees, without sacrificing comfort and modern luxuries.

But first, let me go into a lengthy introduction on how we found this latest beach destination in Bohol.


Budget Travelers in a Luxury Resort

We are basically budget travelers. When we go on a week-long vacation, my first agenda is to get the best budget accommodation that I can find. And initially, that was the plan for this 8-day Cebu-Bohol sojourn.  So how did we end up in this luxury resort?

For Bohol, I was searching for a budget resort along Alona Beach, preferably with swimming pool and a free breakfast. But Alona Beach, it seems, has a narrower share of sand that is often crowded with tourists and vendors due to the many establishments that lined up the shore, and even their part of the sea is littered with boats that ferried tourists to other islands.

I found out that Bolod Beach is the better option, with finer sands, quieter and less crowded area, and a wider stretch of shoreline. So I planned to book a room in Dumaluan Beach Resort 2, because they fit my requirements: budget-friendly, beachfront, with swimming pool, Wi-Fi internet and free breakfast for 2.

But as fate would have it, Bohol was struck by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake. We still wanted to push through but decided to wait for news and feedback from other tourists who've gone to Panglao post-earthquake before booking an accommodation, so we can have an idea of the situation in the province and the resorts near the beach.

Then, just when everything seemed okay, super typhoon Yolanda came and wreak havoc in the neighboring islands. Bohol, still reeling from the earthquake, was luckily spared and sustained very minimal damage. But their supply of electricity was cut-off because they were relying on the power plant located in Leyte, which was heavily affected by Yolanda's wrath.

Unfortunately, DBR2, like most of the resorts in Panglao, had to use generators to continue operation but they couldn't guarantee 24-hour electricity, and consequently, internet connection. This was a problem for us because my husband had informed me beforehand that he will be bringing some work. Electricity and internet connection are non-negotiables. It sucks that he has to work while on vacation, but he couldn't help it so I had to find an accommodation that can provide what he needs.

I figured the bigger, more expensive resorts are my best bet. And that's when I started considering accommodations on the higher end. Among my choices were Bellevue Resort, Panglao Island Nature Resort and Amorita Resort.

Amorita Resort, located in Alona Beach was my top pick, but they told me that their Wi-Fi is spotty and that they have brownouts during the day. Bellevue Resort and PINR both claimed they have stable internet connections and electricity but they are a bit secluded and far from the two main beaches in Alona and Bolod. They do have their own private beaches though.

PINR seemed the most practical because of the half-board meals and complimentary massage that are included if we will avail the Getaway Package (minimum of 3D/2N), although Wi-Fi in the resort is only available at the lobby. Still, the secluded location was putting me off. The last thing I want is to be stuck in a place with not much to do for 3 days. I knew my husband will be working and we won't likely be able to do any of the tours so I wanted an accommodation that will allow us to enjoy the beach, at least. I was also considering access to other places to eat, in case the food in the resort's in-house restaurant turned out to be too expensive and/or not quite good.

Then, as if guided by fate, I decided to visit South Palms Resort's website. I learned about them from a forum post which said that Bohol Beach Club was closed but will reopen as South Palms Resort Panglao by the end of this year*. Bohol Beach Club was an old player in the luxury hotels/resorts field in Bohol, and has the advantage of having the best sand and shore in all of the resorts in Panglao. (*BBC is undergoing renovations but will still reopen as BBC. BBC and SPRP are under the same management.)

The website of South Palms Resort Panglao had been under construction for a while, so I wasn't expecting to find anything. Imagine my delight when I saw the website loaded with information regarding the newest resort in Bohol. It's finally up and they are accepting reservations. I was more delighted when I checked the promotions page - they were having a soft-opening promo which included - guess what - half-board meals. And they have in-room Wi-Fi access.

Located in the best beach area in Panglao, with half-board meals included, complimentary in-room internet connection, free airport/seaport transfers, with 2 swimming pools. Suddenly, the choice was clear. Immediately, I sent an email inquiring about the reservation.


Reservation/Booking

I sent an email in the evening and received a reply from Des, their reservation officer, the following day. The promo was available only to those who booked during the travel fair in SMX last September but she said they will extend their introductory rate to me, which was 30% off their regular room rates, because our stay dates fall within their soft-opening period. To reserve a room, I was told to deposit 50% of the total amount to their bank account and provide my credit card number. But I was hesitant to give my credit card number through email and offered to pay the full amount instead.

Thereafter, our communication had been fast and smooth. After I made the deposit and emailed them a copy of the bank slip, she sent me a confirmation letter containing details of the booking and check-in procedures.

Des was prompt and polite all throughout our correspondence, and even asked me how I would like to be addressed. She answered all my queries, took note of my requests and replies to my emails within the day (unless of course, I emailed at night).

However, there was one important thing that she forgot to inform us - that we need a deposit fee of P2000 per night of stay upon check-in, for incidental expenses. I think this is SOP in most high-end hotels/resorts but I would appreciate if we're told beforehand. Good thing I was able to withdraw some cash before we went to Bohol.

Despite that, I still feel that the reservation/booking process was hassle-free and will commend Des for being efficient and quick to reply. I just hope they will be able to accept credit card or Paypal payments in the future as online reservation is a lot more convenient.

Continue to the rest of the review...

---

South Palms Resort Panglao
Web: http://www.southpalmsresort.com/
Email: info@southpalmsresort.com
Toll Free: 1-800-1888-7777
Info: +63 38 502-8288
RSVN: +63 38 501-3088
Mobile: +639177167609

Movie: The Hobbit - The Desolation of Smaug

We watched The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug in 3D last night. I wish I can make a more lengthy review of the movie, but I just don't have the energy right now. We just came from an 8-day vacation and I'm still both reeling from the wonderful places we've been to and tired from travelling and changing hotels every two days.

Anyway, back to my review. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is the 2nd installment in The Hobbit movie trilogy. This alone is a reason why you should see the movie, because the you won't know the whole story if you won't watch all films in the series. Also, in the fashion of the Lord of the Rings franchise, you can count on The Hobbit movies to be adventure-filled and enthralling as you delve into the fantasy world of dwarves, elves, wizards and even the orcs. And The Desolation of Smaug matched, if not exceeded, its predecessor in terms of exciting action, more interesting characters and superb storytelling. In fact, I think this is a better, more fast-paced movie than the first. But I find both movies to be great and didn't really find any major flaws.



Watching The Hobbit movies (and LOTR movies for that matter), makes me feel like what I felt when I watched Cinderella for the first time: magical. From the stunning visuals, to engaging characters - I love Thorin Oakenshield and fact that he look so kingly and has a commanding presence despite being a few feet short, to the heart-stopping adventures - the seemingly impossible-to-overcome hurdles and dangers that Bilbo and the dwarves have to face, everything was pure magic.

In this movie, you'll get to see Smaug up close, and I thought he was beautifully done and he perfectly depicted what a menacing and terrifying fairytale dragon should be. He has the looks and voice of a dragon and was easily the highlight of this part of the story. And Legolas was here too, along with the other Wood-elves, most notable of which were Tauriel and Thranduil, King of Mirkwood and father of Legolas. I feel their involvement will explain why the wood-elves and the dwarves were not exactly the best of friends in the first LOTR movie.

The Hobbit movies, much like the LOTR trilogy is the kind of movies that stay with you, that you would want to watch over and over again. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a perfect middle-movie in this trilogy: it picks up where the journey of Bilbo, Gandalf and the Erebor dwarves left of with more intense action, it introduces new characters that will play pivotal roles in the story (like Bard and the rest of the Lake Town people), it ties some loose ends that the first movie left behind and it ushers in the next film in the series - the all-important conclusion that will decide where The Hobbit trilogy will rank among the greatest fantasy-adventure franchise in movie history.

Overall, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is a highly-recommended movie of the year and watching it is a must especially if you've seen the prequel. We watched it in 3D, but I think it won't make much difference and you won't miss anything if you watch it in 2D, at least.

Movie: The Hunger Games - Catching Fire

We watched The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on its 2nd showing night (and I'm only writing about it now?!) with free tickets courtesy of Nuffnang Philippines (thanks! thanks!).



I haven't read the book so I was a little surprised why the first movie was much anticipated, not knowing that it was based from a very popular cult-followed novel. When we finally saw it much much later, I thought it was really great, one of those movies with a good solid story and an effective cast, lead by the lovable Jennifer Lawrence. The characters were played out well, each artist seem to fit the role, and I really enjoyed the flamboyant make-up and costumes (reminiscent of Star Wars), and the different personalities that tied the whole story together.

When the sequel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, hit the cinemas, I wasn't sure if we'll watch it or not. Despite a nice first outing, I still wasn't converted as a member of the fan club, nor was my husband, so you can say we weren't exactly thrilled. But then came a Nuffnang movie contest and thought I'd give it a try again (after joining 2 of their previous contests and lost). Luckily, I was one of the 100 winners, which gave us a reason to go see it.

The second installment of The Hunger Games opened to the lives of Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark after they both won the killing contest. In the first movie, their tandem - or should I say "loveteam" because there seemed to be a brewing affection between the two (at least, it was true for Peeta) - broke the rules of the game, which requires that only one winner, the last surviving individual, will be proclaimed at the end. But Katniss refused to kill Peeta, Peeta refused to kill Katniss and both decided that they'll just commit suicide by eating poison berries. Apparently (not sure how it was explained in the book), having two winners instead of having no winner is more favorable for the Capitol so they concluded the game and declared both Katniss and Peeta as victors.

But President Snow see Katniss as a threat and a possible key figure in a rebellion. This, along with the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale is the focal point of the film. As I said, I find the first half of the movie slow, but still necessary as it builds up the story. A number of new and interesting characters are introduced, but of course, a handful of the old favorites are still there and are equally delightful.

The pacing picked up during the second half when the actual games started. I think how the game  was portrayed here is better than how it was on the prequel. Lots of exciting and heart-pounding actions, new dangers and a better game plot (I love the clock idea). Being someone who hasn't read the book, everything that transpires in the game made me hold my breath, bracing to see what will happen next.

Fans of the book claimed that this movie is a faithful adaptation, but whether that's the case or not, I believe the film is strong on its own account. Everything seemed seamless, even the character development, which a lot of high-profile movies suffer from, was very well done. It is easily one of the best films of the year (and we've had a lot of good ones this year).

What I really like about the movie is the twist (which, of course caught me by surprise because I didn't know that was coming) and how the story, just when it was really heating up, was ended abruptly, leaving the audience wanting for more (which means, that yes, we'll be watching the next installments).

Overall, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire provides a great cinematic experience. If you like a combination of heart (love and drama), intelligent story, thrilling actions, political undertones and enjoyable characters - The Hunger Games movie franchise is something that you should see.

Fibr: Home’s Most Powerful Broadband

And because 'tis the season of pageants, let's try to answer this ala beau-con.



How would the odds be in your favor if you had a Fibr connection?

Thank you very much for that wonderful question. How would the odds be in my favor if I had a Fibr connection? For me, having a faster, more reliable internet connection definitely put the odds in my favor. Being online is no longer about connecting to the internet. It's being able to experience faster and consistent internet connection.

Fibr guarantees dedicated fiber optic lines and this means that I will no longer be troubled by congested networks, which slows down my online experience. Streaming movies, watching online videos, uploading and downloading files, opening nth number of websites simultaneously, connecting online via various mobile devices- these will no longer be a problem because Fibr provides ultra - as in major, major - high speed internet. So whatever device I am using to connect to the internet, as long I have Fibr, then the odds will always be in my favor.

Thank you Fibr and I promise to be the best internet user ever.

And that wonderful question was brought to you by: PLDT Home's Fibr.

Fibr, Home’s most powerful broadband, allows you to seamlessly and simultaneously experience the following:

1. Browsing of multiple websites

2. Stream hundreds blockbuster movies on-demand from Clickplay

3. Watch Cignal Digital TV Channels

4. Available now in over 800 fiber-powered villages nationwide

5. Visit www.pldthome.com or call 101-FIBR (3427) for more details.