Manawari Beach Resort

The main drawback at Manawari was how the meal came out: we waited a long time, and the dishes arrived separately. The staff were friendly and service was good, though we did have to ask for a few things. The setting has a lovely view and a great atmosphere. The wings were excellent, the pasta decent, and the Tinola was good. We left a little disappointed with the execution.

We took responsibility right away when someone in our group broke a resort rule by urinating outside the designated area. We apologized sincerely and cooperated with staff, but the Resort Manager turned it into a personal confrontation. He shared the details with guests at neighboring tables, which felt like a serious breach of privacy and professional ethics. He also said, "Kaila baya nako ang uban sa inyoha diri" (I know who some of you are), which came across as a threat. In the middle of the night, security forcibly evicted us, even though we weren't disturbing other guests. We initially enjoyed the facilities, but the manager's hostile, unprofessional behavior ruined the stay. Rules matter, but in our experience management chose to intimidate and shame us instead of resolving the situation. We felt harassed and treated with no respect. If privacy and professional treatment matter to you, I'd stay elsewhere.

We came back to Manawari Resort after enjoying the Burrata Pizza on our last visit, hoping to try the main dishes. This meal was a letdown. The Beef Salpicao was tender and flavorful, and the sour broth in the Salmon Sinigang was nice, though it was mostly salmon off-cuts rather than proper fish pieces. Those were the best parts of dinner. The Buttered Chicken smelled funky, almost as if it had been left out too long before cooking. The Calamares had thick, undercooked breading that tasted like raw flour. Both the plain and fried rice tasted burnt, making the meal worse. We had high hopes after our first visit, but the quality fell short. The Salpicao and soup only somewhat saved the night.

We got bored and checked out much earlier than planned to go to another resort. The accommodation itself was clean and comfortable, but the beach was rocky and covered with seaweed, and the water stayed too shallow to swim even at high tide. The only water activity was a bamboo boat you could pull a little farther out, but it still wasn't deep or clean enough for swimming. It's quiet on weekdays and can get very full on weekends. The food was basic but alright, while bar drinks were pricey. I was relaxing on the Hiraya balcony one evening when a huge rat fell out of a coconut tree and ran next door. Good for partying, but I wouldn't choose it for a quiet beach stay.