Apsaras Tribe - Siargao

Siargao felt like the peaceful, natural break I wanted after the energy drain of working in Manila. Boracay is popular, but to me it can feel crowded and built up. I also wanted a stay where I wouldn’t have to worry about comfort or convenience, and Apsaras Tribe Beach Resort delivered. The rooms are cozy, clean, and island-style, with a homelike feel. Staff were warm and attentive, which made the stay easy. The sea views are beautiful, with clear water and lovely sunsets. The rates may seem a little pricey, but I felt the experience was worth it.

The pool looked dirty, and dogs were all over the property. We were the only guests during our two nights there, which should have been a warning, but service was still slow. The restaurant-style area only served breakfast food all day. Our garden/pool view room smelled musty, so we paid a hefty extra amount per night to move to an ocean view room. Even in that room, the cable TV and safe didn’t work, and the shower pressure was low. I won’t book this hotel next year when we come back with our kids.

My family and I were deeply angry and disappointed by how check-in went. We had already prepaid more than 40000 PHP for the room, but the front desk clerk asked for another 1000 PHP deposit for mini bar items. We said we didn’t want to pay it and suggested they remove the items if they were concerned we’d use them. She said it was hotel policy. I asked for a manager, and she called someone. The person who said she was on the management team repeated the same policy. After I objected again, she said she’d contact someone higher up and call back. While we waited, a woman named Fatima introduced herself as the front desk supervisor. She repeated the same points, then said that if we didn’t pay, we had to leave with no refund. When I said we were waiting for the manager’s call, she said we could wait all night and forever, but we wouldn’t be checking in, and could leave forfeiting the full payment for seven days. We eventually paid the deposit under duress, feeling as if we were being robbed of our 40000 PHP. The room we were shown was substandard, with a broken balcony, rust-stained glass and door, and what felt like a moldy place to stay. I took pictures of the room, balcony, and facilities. I believe the hotel badly misrepresented its facilities and guest service. Aggressive wild dogs roam around. The decent staff we encountered were front desk staff Vincent, security officer Fernandez, the “restaurant” waitstaff, and the housekeepers.

The ocean view was beautiful, the bed was really soft and comfortable, and the pool was huge. The manager was genuinely nice and helpful, but the front desk woman gave me a different room from the one I booked, which doesn’t usually happen. The Wi-Fi kept breaking, so I couldn’t work and had to go to another café to get online. If you want a comfortable stay with strong Wi-Fi, this may not be the place for you. If you just want to relax at the resort without Wi-Fi, you could enjoy it. For breakfast, get the pancake. It’s super yummy.