Jelly Sea Resort

The room had a great view, a comfortable bed, working AC, and was close to a public beach. My stay was okay, but this didn’t feel like a resort, and the price was too high for what was provided. There wasn’t a desk or table, no hangers, and nowhere to leave a towel after showering. The food was fine but minimal and forgettable, with no fresh fruit, dessert, or bar. The hosts didn’t know much about island activities and weren’t helpful. I rented a motorbike for five days but only needed it for the first two. They wouldn’t refund the full amount for the three days I canceled. It wasn’t much money, but the principle bothered me. The place feels like they built the basics, put in the beds, and didn’t give much thought to the rest. For a much lower price it might be good. At the listed rate, I’d suggest staying elsewhere.

The staff were super sweet and easy to talk to, especially Wayne, who was proactive and did a good job. We also loved the setting: snorkeling right off the beach, a diving board on the cliffs, a little forest, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. The night sky wasn’t lit up like it is in other places, and we miss those views a lot. The beach is Shell Beach, with hardly any sand. It gets touristy during the day, though that didn’t bother us. The only road is the small one through the forest to the property. This was my favorite location in Siquijor and the Philippines in October 25, so it’s a real shame the ground-floor rooms were so bad for the price. They felt and smelled moldy, with no natural ventilation, especially in the bathroom. The exhaust fan didn’t do much, and new paint and cover-ups don’t hide the mold. The breakfast menu was very limited for a resort. The owner seems to take full advantage of the unbeatable location while ignoring room and service quality.

The location was the highlight. We watched the sunrise and kayaked around the beautiful rock formations and clean coral reef on the other side of the beach. I’d seen mixed reviews, but chose this place so I could spend a full day at Salagdoong Beach, and it worked out well. The room wasn’t fancy, but it was clean and more than enough for a beach stay, especially by local accommodation standards in the Philippines. Kuya Win responded to requests, and the food tasted like comforting Filipino home cooking. There was a little wait when lots of guests ordered at once, but it wasn’t an issue.

A nice, traditional place with good rooms, all facing the ocean, and nice food. It’s quiet and about 25 km from the city center. Just don’t expect a western-style resort.