Considered one of the biggest tourist destinations in the Philippines for beach escapes, Panglao Island in Bohol continues to charm and draw sunseekers from all parts of the country and the world. Its palm-fringed beaches with crystal blue waters and soft white sand are enough to make you feel like you are in paradise, but what's even better are a myriad of fine accommodations right on its water's edge. One of these is South Palms Resort Panglao. This is where we stayed in one of our previous trips to Bohol.
Here's our review of this sprawling beach front property.
Location
South Palms Resort is about 10 minutes away from the New Bohol-Panglao International Airport and 30 minutes away from the main city of Tagbilaran so you won't have a problem reaching it upon arriving in the province. It is located in a sprawling 9-hectare property along Panglao's stunning south coast. Having one of the longest beachfronts at 700 meters, South Palms Resort will definitely give you the sensation of exclusivity. When you feel like lounging under the sun, you will most likely be alone when you do because not a lot of people will be there. And in a lot of instances, you will enjoy an unobstructed and spectacular panoramic view of the beautiful Dumaluan Beach.
Check-in
We arrived at the resort after our Bohol Countryside Tour. The van service that we booked dropped us off directly at South Palms in time for the afternoon check-in. The check-in process was quite fast because as soon as we were done with completing the forms, we were immediately escorted to our rooms.
Our Room
We stayed in Deluxe Pool View Rooms that open directly to the East swimming pool and a few steps to the beach. This room type is a beach sanctuary styled in traditional palm-thatched roofing with a modern take. It has a front patio with loungers to relax in while gazing to the ocean, the pool, or the garden.
It is adequately furnished with comfortable double-sized beds, working desks, wardrobes, electronic safes, and minibars. At 33 square meters, the rooms still offered comfortable space for moving around even with extra beds arranged inside. Turndown service is done in the room every night with complimentary snacks of peanut kisses.
The bathrooms are clean and spacious. Each bathroom has a single vanity area, toilet, and shower stall. The brand of the bathroom amenities is Face Stockholm. The amenities are not as complete as expected of this type of resort. There are no bathrobes and no shaving kits provided.
The Beach and Resort Facilities
The resort offers a long stretch of beautiful white sand beach with clear, turquoise water, and nice cool breeze. Just be careful as the first few steps into the water will be a bit rocky but will eventually lead to a very fine and soft sandy bottom. Alternatively, you will have a choice of two swimming pools, the East and the Coast Pool, for soaking up the sun and taking a dip. The East Pool is a free form pool with the rooms and villas set around it. The Coast Pool is an infinity pool offering stunning views from the restaurant.
There is a fitness and recreation area with a well-appointed gym, tennis court, billiard table, table tennis, and Foosball. There is a beach volleyball court in the west zone of the resort. There is also a spa named Palm, The Spa for relaxation where the treatment rooms are outdoor cabanas facing the beach. There are a lot of lounge chairs with green umbrellas and beach chairs in vibrant orange, purple, yellow, and green colors that dot the beachside. Lastly, there are plenty of green spaces and established trees that provide areas of shade along the walkways and lawns of the resort.
Dining
Our reservation included breakfast and dinner buffet at Oceanica Seafood Restaurant. The buffet is not really the largest or the best but it still offered substantial variety. We learned that our first dinner was grill-themed so there were selections of grilled meat and seafood plus an unexpected beer buffet. The second dinner was Bohol-themed with local food selections including lechon and kaldereta. We also had lunch at the Coast Bar where we requested that the staff set up tables for us at the poolside.
Service and Experience
For a beautiful property, the service we experienced was a letdown. The staff were always friendly and courteous but excellent service is more than just being nice. The service at South Palms had several misses. First, upon arrival, we heard the front desk tell one of her colleagues to prepare the welcome drinks. But no welcome drinks arrived. Second, when the housekeeping staff arrived for turndown service during our first night, the complimentary peanut kisses were given but no turning down of bed linens took place. Third, during one of our dinners, we were misinformed that the cakes in the dessert counter were included in the buffet. We only found out later that they were not. Fourth, we received inconsistent information regarding our request for late check-out. They initially turned it down so we no longer pursued the request. However, on the eve of our departure, we received a call from the Guest Services that our late check-out will be accommodated. We were already excited about it when they told us again that it is no longer possible because of the expected arrival the next day. Lastly, we availed of the massage at the Palm, The Spa. We weren't able to relax as loud music was coming from their bar for one company event. The sounds certainly destroyed the ambiance and the supposed tranquility of the spa. They could probably provide guests with individual earphones to listen to more suitable music when there are events in the resort or they could just set the volume to a level that is barely noticeable from the other end of the resort.
Overall, we generally have mixed feelings about South Palms. If only for the beauty of the resort, it would have been great but there were a lot of misses. Nonetheless, we still had reasons to enjoy. We just hope that they could work on vastly improving their service so guests can truly say, "Finally, the way a Bohol beach holiday should be!"
If you have questions about South Palms Resort, please leave a comment in the box below.
Want to read more about our trip to Bohol? Click on the below links.
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Bohol Bee Farm: What's The Buzz About?
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
Bohol: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans
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| The breathtaking Coast Pool of South Palms Resort |
Location
South Palms Resort is about 10 minutes away from the New Bohol-Panglao International Airport and 30 minutes away from the main city of Tagbilaran so you won't have a problem reaching it upon arriving in the province. It is located in a sprawling 9-hectare property along Panglao's stunning south coast. Having one of the longest beachfronts at 700 meters, South Palms Resort will definitely give you the sensation of exclusivity. When you feel like lounging under the sun, you will most likely be alone when you do because not a lot of people will be there. And in a lot of instances, you will enjoy an unobstructed and spectacular panoramic view of the beautiful Dumaluan Beach.
 |
| South Palms Resort has the longest beachfront in Panglao |
We arrived at the resort after our Bohol Countryside Tour. The van service that we booked dropped us off directly at South Palms in time for the afternoon check-in. The check-in process was quite fast because as soon as we were done with completing the forms, we were immediately escorted to our rooms.
Our Room
We stayed in Deluxe Pool View Rooms that open directly to the East swimming pool and a few steps to the beach. This room type is a beach sanctuary styled in traditional palm-thatched roofing with a modern take. It has a front patio with loungers to relax in while gazing to the ocean, the pool, or the garden.
 |
| The beach sanctuary-styled rooms with thatched roofing |
 |
| Inside the Deluxe Pool View Room |
The Beach and Resort Facilities
The resort offers a long stretch of beautiful white sand beach with clear, turquoise water, and nice cool breeze. Just be careful as the first few steps into the water will be a bit rocky but will eventually lead to a very fine and soft sandy bottom. Alternatively, you will have a choice of two swimming pools, the East and the Coast Pool, for soaking up the sun and taking a dip. The East Pool is a free form pool with the rooms and villas set around it. The Coast Pool is an infinity pool offering stunning views from the restaurant.
 |
| The East Pool of South Palms Resort |
Dining
Our reservation included breakfast and dinner buffet at Oceanica Seafood Restaurant. The buffet is not really the largest or the best but it still offered substantial variety. We learned that our first dinner was grill-themed so there were selections of grilled meat and seafood plus an unexpected beer buffet. The second dinner was Bohol-themed with local food selections including lechon and kaldereta. We also had lunch at the Coast Bar where we requested that the staff set up tables for us at the poolside.
Service and Experience
For a beautiful property, the service we experienced was a letdown. The staff were always friendly and courteous but excellent service is more than just being nice. The service at South Palms had several misses. First, upon arrival, we heard the front desk tell one of her colleagues to prepare the welcome drinks. But no welcome drinks arrived. Second, when the housekeeping staff arrived for turndown service during our first night, the complimentary peanut kisses were given but no turning down of bed linens took place. Third, during one of our dinners, we were misinformed that the cakes in the dessert counter were included in the buffet. We only found out later that they were not. Fourth, we received inconsistent information regarding our request for late check-out. They initially turned it down so we no longer pursued the request. However, on the eve of our departure, we received a call from the Guest Services that our late check-out will be accommodated. We were already excited about it when they told us again that it is no longer possible because of the expected arrival the next day. Lastly, we availed of the massage at the Palm, The Spa. We weren't able to relax as loud music was coming from their bar for one company event. The sounds certainly destroyed the ambiance and the supposed tranquility of the spa. They could probably provide guests with individual earphones to listen to more suitable music when there are events in the resort or they could just set the volume to a level that is barely noticeable from the other end of the resort.
Overall, we generally have mixed feelings about South Palms. If only for the beauty of the resort, it would have been great but there were a lot of misses. Nonetheless, we still had reasons to enjoy. We just hope that they could work on vastly improving their service so guests can truly say, "Finally, the way a Bohol beach holiday should be!"
If you have questions about South Palms Resort, please leave a comment in the box below.
Want to read more about our trip to Bohol? Click on the below links.
Bohol: A Travel Guide for First Timers
Veraneante Resort: A Good Off-the-Grid Hideaway in Panglao
Chocolate Hills: A Stunning Natural Wonder
Bohol Bee Farm: What's The Buzz About?
Baclayon Church: Beauty in Faith
Tarsier Conservation Area: Not Exactly A Conservation Sanctuary
Bohol: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans
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