Coco Garden Villas

The fan beside the bed worked so well that I needed to pull a sheet over myself in the middle of the night. I was worried the cabin would be too hot, but it was cosy and I slept like a baby. I was only there last night because there wasn’t much left unless I paid £75, which I didn’t want to spend. George handled check-in smoothly, and they did my laundry for a very reasonable fee. A pleasant surprise.

We found Coco Garden Villas at the last minute through booking. The receptionist was lovely and explained things to do in and around el nido. After we’d slept, she booked a boat tour, arranged a motorbike rental and booked a van back to puerto princessa. It was a very pleasant stay and a great price per night, with breakfast and coffee included. The one downside is that the rooms could use a design upgrade. We really recommend the place.

I only got about five hours of sleep a day during my two-week stay. Animals fought at night, chickens started up at 4-5am, and there was also chicken fighting on weekends. I was bitten by mosquitoes about 30 times on each leg, got stung by bees five times inside the cottage, and there’s no AC. WiFi dropped every minute or two. We booked two twin beds but were given one king bed because the WiFi didn’t work in the cottage we’d booked. It works in the two cottages nearest the kitchen, but the others have none. There’s no room service. We got one toilet roll and, when we asked for more, were told there were none, though there was a pack of 24 in the closet by the kitchen. The breakfast was good, the receptionist was nice, and the cats were cute and lovely.

I picked this mainly for the price: 500 a night with free breakfast was the best deal when I booked. It’s central and handy for most tourist spots, with a few convenience stores outside, a gas station three minutes away on foot, and tricycles on the street. It’s calmer than the beach resorts, and the free WiFi is fast. Staff were generally available and handled most of our requests. The owner replies to email and tried to help, though some things she’d assured us would be done on arrival weren’t, which was disappointing. Getting there is awkward. The villa can’t be seen from the street, and you have to follow a sloping path past several houses. It’s really only practical for backpackers, especially since moving around the property involves uneven, partly unpaved steps and narrow paths where you sometimes have to duck or squeeze through. The cottages are old and worn in places, the garden isn’t well kept, and the room advertised with AC only had fans. Small curtains leave you visible from outside. Lights in the sala and bed area didn’t work, so we only had the toilet light. Nobody cleaned our room during our three nights, and insect droppings made the toilet floor dirty by morning. The water pump can be noisy at night if your cottage is nearby. Toiletries amounted to a roll of tissue, and there’s no phone signal around here; the nearest spots with reception are vanilla beach or corong corong town. Breakfast is free but light, usually pancakes or toast with egg, and only served from 730am to 9am, so plan around that. For getting around, renting your own scooter or motorbike is easier and cheaper than commuting. The owner or staff can arrange one for less than in town. Tours at the front desk are pricey, so I’d book online through klook or travel agents. Bring bottled water, since tap water isn’t recommended for drinking or gargling, and travel light.