Oceanica Resort Panglao, Bohol

Extremely satisfied! The windows and doors are soundproof and light-blocking. From inside the beachfront room during the day, you can see outside, but people outside can't see in. Waking up early, I saw staff cleaning the outdoor cushions before placing them on the hammocks. The beach area allows smoking, which is much more lenient than many hotels in Cebu. The omelet and toast at breakfast were delicious, and I fell in love with cucumber juice here.

Extremely poor experience. The staff had a terrible attitude. When I asked if I could book a massage for the same day during check-in, they said there were no slots available and told me to go ask myself. Check-in was also incredibly slow. There were ants on the bed in the room; I woke up lying with ants. When I informed the front desk, all they said was "I am sorry" and that they would get the manager. Then, they completely ignored me and started attending to the next person. Overall, a very bad experience.

Let's cut to the chase: everything from the service and ambiance to the facilities and food was incredibly awful. You pay five-star prices for a three-star experience. Here's the detailed review: This hotel was so bad that I felt compelled to write a review myself, without any AI assistance. I chose it because I saw it ranked high on Ctrip's family-friendly hotel list. I bought breakfast for two adults, and every morning, even though I was staying with my 8-year-old, the staff would remind me that children over six have to pay extra for breakfast. Every single day I had to explain that I'd already purchased two adult breakfasts. I find it bizarre – they ask for my room number every day, can't they see two people are registered and two breakfasts are paid for? On top of that, the breakfast spread was pathetic. Many dishes were burnt, and there were only three staff members trying to manage a 10-meter long buffet island – it was completely understaffed. This morning, a chef preparing noodles actually scooped noodles into my bowl and then added broth, only realizing he'd forgotten to cook the noodles when he saw my stunned expression. If food ran out, they wouldn't replenish it. The breakfast experience reeked of an 'it is what it is, just deal with it, we know you won't be back anyway' attitude. Moving on to the hotel's other restaurants, the pavilion in the middle has an Italian flair. The cocktails, priced around 40 RMB, were simply terrible, worse than anything you could mix yourself at a 7-Eleven. And every time, we'd wait half an hour for our food. Service was virtually non-existent. While tipping isn't mandatory in the Philippines, I usually tip around 100 pesos per meal when I'm in regions where cash is the primary payment method. However, on our fourth visit, my daughter and I sat at a table for 20 minutes without anyone bringing a menu, water, or any service at all. I honestly felt all the previous tips and smiles were completely wasted. After that, I never went back to that restaurant. The hotel spa charges are higher than outside, but the massage technique was decent. However, they make you strip naked in a public area, leaving only your underwear on, with absolutely no privacy. The hotel rooms were run-down, and housekeeping was practically non-existent. On the first night, I left 100 in my room, and they tidied up and refreshed the tea bags. The next day, I didn't have any small bills to leave, and as a result, they just made the bed, didn't empty the trash, and didn't refresh the tea bags. The attached picture shows the 'cleanliness' of the cups they replaced. The most frustrating part was checking out. I told the staff I was checking out and asked them to help move my luggage. I should mention that the path between the hotel rooms and the lobby is a gravel road, making it incredibly difficult to push a suitcase, while the hotel's large-wheeled luggage carts would be much better. But I never expected to wait 20 minutes for my luggage for a mere two-minute journey, almost making me miss my ride. I kept urging them, but they just wouldn't bring it. I was so fed up that I didn't leave a tip. I absolutely, absolutely do not recommend any Chinese person stay at Oceanica.

The room was spacious and clean, and opening the door led straight to the beach with many beautiful coconut trees. Refillable water was a nice touch, and the service was excellent with friendly, smiling staff. The SPA was very affordable. Smoking wasn't allowed in the room or right outside it; in fact, the entire hotel is smoke-free, with smoking permitted only in a small designated area.

We booked a beachfront room but were assigned to room 219, right next to the South Palm building. Our friends were in room 318, so it took at least 10 minutes to walk back and forth. I wouldn't mind the room being a bit further if it were just for a walk, but there was a strong musty smell in the room. Even though the hotel is a bit old, is this really the standard for a five-star hotel? And I won't even mention the road leading into the hotel... it's like something out of a slum. I recommend that anyone looking for a nicer stay choose a different hotel. One more thing: for those planning to get a massage there, please be aware. We booked an evening massage through the front desk, specifically requesting four Philippines Traditional massages for 60 minutes. After the massage (which was actually quite good), none of us thought to double-check the massage type – we just signed off without looking (which was our mistake...). On our last day, during checkout, we discovered that the massage had been changed to the more expensive one. It was supposed to be 1388 PHP, but they charged each person 1688 PHP. While it wasn't a huge difference, it definitely soured our trip a bit.

The facilities and services were great, and the room was clean and tidy. The bed was really comfortable! The privacy was also excellent. Overall, a fantastic experience! It's also super close to the beach, and it's a great spot for photos!

This hotel's service is the kind that ruins your day. I was asked for my room number three times. The first two times were fine, and the inquiries were at least polite. But once, when my child was playing in the pool, a male attendant came over and very sternly asked for my room number. His look and expression made me feel like he thought I was some outsider trying to sneak into their pool! It was incredibly offensive! To top it off, our child cut their toe in the pool. When I mentioned it to them that evening, there wasn't even a single 'sorry.' I initially thought about sending an email to complain, but then decided it wasn't worth the hassle. I definitely don't recommend this hotel! The food was also bad; even the butter at breakfast was some unfamiliar local Filipino brand.