Frangipani El Nido

JM made sure we felt looked after and helped with everything we needed. Some of the other staff were harder to communicate with, and they forgot to book restaurants and massages for us. The restaurant food was good, but service could be really poor. Waits were much too long for almost everything, the chairs were uncomfortable, and it was often too warm inside. It’s a beautiful boutique hotel with large, luxurious rooms and great views. It does try to be a luxury hotel, but there are some flaws.

The front desk staff were genuinely nice and helpful, and they can arrange transfers and laundry. But the place didn’t feel worth the price. Breakfast was odd, with only a few things included and extra charges for most items. The rooms were clean, but that was about it. The bathroom drain clogged the first time it rained. The pool feels mainly for photos, and the beach isn’t usable. Other guests have mentioned problems too, including needles in chairs, but management seems to put more into publicity than fixing issues or lowering prices. For this cost, especially in this area, I expected much more. Hotels in Lio or Maremegmeg at a similar price have a lot more to offer.

The property itself was lovely, with a room overlooking the sea, a plunge pool, and a restaurant and bar. Breakfast tasted good, though the selection was limited. It also seemed odd that a boutique hotel included only one of coffee, tea, or juice, with extra drinks charged to the room. Our experience was let down by how things were handled. When reception accidentally gave us too much change at departure, a staff member chased us to the port on a scooter and called out in public just as we were boarding the ferry. We would have returned it once we knew, since they had sent a WhatsApp message that we received later. It felt uncomfortable and unnecessary, especially since it was the hotel’s mistake and could have been handled discreetly. There were other small frustrations too: we weren’t picked up on time to arrive at the hotel and had to chase it ourselves, with no one from the hotel following up proactively. The service often felt robotic and procedural instead of attentive, which was surprising for a place presenting itself as boutique.

We had a suite looking out over the swimming pool. It was peaceful, away from the busy town, and only 5 minutes by tricycle. Hearing the waves was lovely. The included à la carte breakfast was excellent, and the complimentary transfer to the airport or boat terminal was very well organized. The Nespresso machine was a nice touch, but they didn’t refill the capsules. The bed didn’t suit us. The memory foam mattress made for a poor night’s sleep. For the price, I expected more: there was no safe, the WiFi was patchy, there was only one TV channel, and the air conditioning could have been better. At this rate, coffee and juice should both be included with breakfast rather than charging extra.