Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation Resort

What made the stay feel less relaxing was having to pay extra for so many amenities and activities. At this price, I expected more to be included, and those added charges made the resort feel like poorer value and less indulgent. The setting itself is lovely. Dusit Thani Lubi Plantation has well-designed villas on a quiet island, with lots of greenery and impressive privacy. The staff were generally warm and courteous.

I really liked the new rooms, their beautiful design and top-class amenities, especially the outdoor shower in the villa. The food was delicious throughout, and Chef Pia's Thai dishes were a highlight. There was plenty to do as well, from tennis and scuba diving to mini golf. Lubi is a secluded island, so it worked well for both relaxing and having an adventure. Service was warm, thoughtful, and attentive from beginning to end. I’d recommend it as an island getaway, and it seems like a great fit for a corporate offsite or wedding.

The location is great, close to Tagum, and the resort has modern facilities and good WiFi throughout. But service was inconsistent. I asked three times to have my room cleaned on the first day, and it never happened. At the Western restaurant, the wait was 2-3 hours, several menu items weren't available, and service was painfully slow. The Thai restaurant was excellent, while the Asian restaurant was okay. Breakfast was nice. The spa sold us a 90-minute couple's massage, but only 60 minutes had been booked when we arrived. The massage itself could have been better, especially for a Thai resort. Buggy service varied a lot too, sometimes taking ages and sometimes arriving very quickly.

The property is beautiful, but our stay felt stressful and disappointing, and I can't recommend it. We were in a villa from December 16-17, and were told on arrival that Lyndon was our personal butler. We never saw or spoke with him, and had no way to contact him. I still don't know whether he was actually assigned to us or whether anyone followed through. We ordered dinner at 5:00 PM, asking for it around 7:00-7:30 PM. It arrived very late, one dish at a time, and nobody had told us beforehand that some of our choices weren't available. For a resort marketed as 4-star, not having Coke No Sugar was shocking. Even a simple watermelon shake took more than 30 minutes. When we raised the problems, staff passed us from one person to another. A waiter said he was the F&B supervisor, even though his nameplate said “waiter.” We asked to speak with the resort manager and were told he was on his way, then later learned he'd already clocked out. The lack of accountability and poor management overshadowed the property's looks. For something presented as a 4-star resort, the service didn't meet that standard. It was a waste of money and time.