Romantic Hotels in Central Visayas, Philippines

Was looking forward to our stay with the rebranding of Belmont to international chain Mercure. GOOD: 1. Staff is great, friendly and helpful. Diane at the check-in counter was helpful. 2. 6-7 minutes walking access to the private beach and outdoor pool shared with Savoy Hotel. 3. There are many good restaurants within walking distance. 4. It also has an indoor pool, gym, and spa. COULD BE IMPROVED: 1. For a 4-star hotel, Pulo's breakfast was average with nothing special or memorable. The food selection for the buffet is plentiful but not premium. The service of the attendants is lacking. Once seated, no one approached us to offer water or coffee during breakfast. Spread is a decent size so you'll find something to fill you up. 2. There is sewer smell in the lobby of our floor and inside the elevator at times. One staff admitted that the building has plumbing issues in the basement. 3. Elevator security system is faulty. Would not accept my keycard so could not go to our floor. Had to approach the reception desk THREE times to have my keycard checked. Eventually a staff had to accompany me to the elevator to tap my floor.

Here's my hotel booking advice for traveling with seniors and a little one. A large resort is ideal because it's not suitable for a baby to go island hopping. During the day, we mostly spent our time at the various pools and the beach within the hotel. The direct-access pool room was my baby's favorite; they carefully walked down the steps one by one, eager to learn how to swim. We even happened to be there for Chinese New Year's Day, and the hotel provided a complimentary buffet dinner for all guests. The buffet was excellent, and the performance was fantastic. This hotel is impeccable, and I'll definitely stay here again in the future. I also booked a two-night villa at another hotel. While a villa might seem nice, it was actually quite impractical. The small pool in the villa couldn't satisfy my mom's swimming needs; she didn't even get in. It was also dangerous for the baby to play in the yard, walking around the pool. We originally booked it to cook our own New Year's Eve dinner, but we couldn't even buy seafood locally in the end [crying face].

The facilities are quite old, and dinner was pretty bad; the meat was impossible to chew. There were also a lot of flies. On the positive side, the spa by the sea was amazing, you could hear the sound of the waves, and the service was very relaxing. However, the beach wasn't very clean and had a lot of seaweed.

I recently stayed at Bluewater Maribago and had an overall pleasant experience. The resort offers a relaxing atmosphere with strong hospitality standards and several standout features, though there are also areas that could benefit from improvement. What I Liked 1. Excellent service and hospitality, especially at the Oyster Bar. The staff were attentive, warm, and professional, which truly elevated the dining experience. 2. Newly refurbished modern rooms that feel fresh, clean, and well-designed for comfort. 3. Convenient buggy service around the property, which makes getting around easy and enjoyable. 4. Lifeguards stationed at all pools and swimming areas, providing reassurance and a strong sense of safety for guests. 5. Anuma Spa’s ambience and treatment selection, which offer a relaxing environment with a wide range of spa services to choose from. Areas for Improvement 1. Breakfast management during peak hours needs significant improvement. Around 8:30 AM, the breakfast area becomes very busy, and food replenishment is slow. For example, while there are three hot steamers dedicated to eggs, bacon — a hot favorite — is served on a small plate that gets wiped out within seconds. Food supply and quality control during peak periods should be better managed to ensure consistency. The bread selection, however, is excellent and deserves recognition. 2. Security procedures may unintentionally compromise guest privacy. Guests are frequently asked to state their room number when leaving the lobby, and again when entering through the guardhouse — first to taxi drivers and then to security officers. This means multiple strangers may overhear room numbers, which raises safety and privacy concerns. A more discreet verification process would enhance guest security. 3. Spa promotions for in-house guests are lacking. While the spa experience is excellent, there are currently no exclusive perks for staying guests. Introducing options such as an early bird discount (e.g., 10:00 AM–3:00 PM) or curated half-day and full-day “head-to-toe recharge” packages would be attractive. The spa pricing is relatively high compared to comparable standard spas outside the hotel, so value-added incentives for in-house guests would make the experience even more appealing. Overall, Bluewater Maribago offers a comfortable and well-maintained resort experience with strong service standards. With improvements in breakfast management, privacy-focused security procedures, and enhanced spa promotions for in-house guests, the resort could further elevate its guest experience.

The entire resort consists of 1-2 story buildings, giving it a real vacation vibe away from the bustling city. The staff were incredibly friendly throughout our stay. You do have to be patient with the slower service, like dishes being served, which is common in the Philippines, but then again, we were there to enjoy a 'slow-paced life.' If you want your room cleaned quickly, you'll need to call the front desk specifically, otherwise, it typically won't be done until after 3 PM.

The hotel is about a 30-minute drive from the airport. While the location is a bit secluded, the resort offers complete facilities, so you don't necessarily need to leave. It boasts a private beach, and right next door is a public beach with a pier, making boat trips and diving very convenient. The breakfast selection isn't huge, but they have a different theme every day, so it doesn't feel monotonous. It's worth noting that the resort doesn't have a tipping culture, which is quite rare for Southeast Asia.

This turned out to be an incredible choice for our family; Though it is a refurbished property, the rooms' size is very good. The beach was nice and the most astonishing thing for us was the small rock formation near its beach, which hosted an incredible variety of fish and other forms of life. Just a pair of swimming googles or the snorkeling rental equipment here could get one ready in a matter of minutes from your room. The breakfast spread was good and the 'chocolate hour' in the afternoon was a hit amongst all kids and adults.

Beautiful place to spend your holidays and relax a bit before going back to work… this beach is very beautiful and well kept… I have visited almost the entire coast and this structure is the best… nice to swim in the evening and also you have another hidden piece of beach… Virgin Island where you can find starfish in the water, various types of fish etc… the rooms are clean (don't expect Hilton Hotel for what you pay) but it is a very charming place, you have the Bar/Restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner or you can go to the nearby city for lunch or dinner

We stayed for 2 nights. It was decent value for money. But lots of small giggles...our room was right kn top of the area that served bfast. Trolleys bringing food in made a lot of noise from 5 am! Towels were not freely available! Choice of food for vegetarians is limited.

The rooms are excellent, spacious and comfortable, and the bathroom is huge. On the second day we could not get the staff to clean up the room, for some reason everyone else was a priority. But the rest of the services were great and the staff overall are as welcoming and friendly as Filipinos can be. The location was the major let down for us as there is no beach in reality, which is what we booked for. There is a tiny area of beach access completely covered with algae and littered with boats. You can only hope on an island tour if you want to spend time in an actual White Sand beach. Also you have to chance walking with no sidewalk dodging cars if you want to go eat anywhere else.