La Jolla Beach Resort

The beach has some rocky patches, so bring aqua shoes if you plan to wade. Apart from that, we had a wonderful stay at La Jolla, with accommodating staff and great service throughout. They granted our request for a top-floor room, and the stunning ocean view made it feel extra special. Dinner at Coco Grill was delicious, and breakfast at Mango Cafe was just as good. Both were trip highlights. Highly recommend it for the service and food. Just stay more than one

The resort itself is lovely, but three things spoiled what could have been a five-star stay for us. The towel we got smelled like dogs, though I can't say whether it had been used or just washed poorly. We also got a double single bed instead of the double twin bed we were told to expect. It was stiff, and we slept badly. Another group kept singing on a videoke machine until 11:00 PM, but staff responded right away when I reported it. The rooms have been renovated recently, are clean, and have nice balconies. A free two-hour bike rental and breakfast buffet are included. Breakfast was impressive, with three tasty viands, juice that wasn't too sweet, plenty of fruit, coffee and desserts, plus an omelette station. The pools are all attractive and well kept. The beach is clean and still swimmable, though the sand is compacted and the water a little murky. The Mongolian BBQ buffet is good if you know how to balance your ingredients, and the fresh mango, pineapple, and watermelon shakes are worth trying. I still recommend La Jolla, but there's room to improve housekeeping and room assignments.

We had a great time on the ATV and pedal boat. The pool by our building wasn't crowded, which we liked, and the beach was accessible down a staircase, with a shuttle available on request. The sand isn't very fine. We booked two reasonably sized rooms with a nice ocean view. The rooms were very noisy because of poor soundproofing. Early in the morning, we could hear housekeeping staff talking and banging doors. Reception welcomed us warmly, and they sorted out a small room problem. The food was good, though a bit pricey. We had bihon at every meal because it was that good. Breakfast had lots of choices, including salad, rice meals, soup, and dessert. It would be helpful if they had a Viber number for in-house guests to message.

The beach is clear, with gentle waves, so it seems well suited to families with kids. The resort has spa services and an infrared sauna. For me, PHP 1,000 for 30 minutes in the sauna felt short and pricey. It's attached to the massage room, so perhaps it encourages guests to book a massage afterward. La Jolla is presented as a luxury beach resort in Bagac, Bataan. It's a huge property with three pools, a clear waterfront that's a bit pebbly, and three separate restaurants. The staff are friendly and attentive at reception, on shuttle requests, and in the restaurants. They also look after senior citizens, with a dedicated golf cart and shuttle service around the property. The rooms and villas look great when you first see them. The monstera plant and logo appear throughout. Rooms have air conditioning and basic supplies such as towels, toiletries, and bottled water, though they strictly limit the water allocation. The room we had was decent, but smelled old and damp. There was a small cupboard, and some of the clip hangers didn't work. The bedding and pillows were comfortable enough, but the extra folding bed could use a refresh. It came with a pillow and fleece blanket. The bathroom has hot and cold water and a bidet, but the grout and glass partitions need a thorough cleaning, perhaps because of the salt water. Bring your own shampoo and conditioner. The towels looked worn and need replacing, and there are no bathrobes. Beach towels aren't freely available either: you have to sign them in and out and return them after use. Most of all, the rooms are not soundproof. We stayed on the ground floor of Azalea Villa and heard doors, footsteps, furniture moving, shuttles, neighbours singing karaoke, and guests coming and going. People sat on the ground-floor couch to chat during morning transit, afternoon rest, and evening catch-ups, with little thought for guests staying on that floor. If you're a light sleeper, consider an upstairs room or a quieter part of the resort.