Cliff Garden

We’ve visited four times and always enjoyed staying here, and I still have nothing against the rooms or accommodations. This is only about our recent day tour and how we were treated. We came back because we missed the place and remembered our earlier visits fondly, so the receptionist’s rudeness caught us off guard. We asked about breakfast, and she said, “Who let you guys in here?” I was shocked. I calmly explained that the guard on duty had let us in, then asked if breakfast was still possible since it was already after 8:00 a.m. She just said “No” coldly and went back to the kitchen, where she had brought her child. We had paid the entrance fee, and it would have been nice to eat at the restaurant too. I’d been craving food I remembered enjoying on past visits. I hope the owner won’t take this personally or hold it against me. I’m sharing it in good faith as feedback, and hope it’s taken seriously. Respectful communication, hospitality, and professionalism make a real difference. The accommodations themselves had been enjoyable on our previous stays.

The reviews on Google were a big part of the poor experience for us. I didn’t meet the owner, but based on the ironic, sarcastic, and disrespectful replies to low-star reviews, I’d say he comes across as mean and unsuited to hospitality. We’ve been traveling in the Philippines for two weeks, and this was the worst attitude we’ve seen. A business should take feedback seriously so the same experiences don’t keep happening. Guests paying to stay on private property aren’t being done a favor. I expect a response to this review too, and will see how it affects the reputation further. There’s a nice place to rest by the cliff, with a lounger and table overlooking the sea. None of the rooms have sea views, though. The rooms are close to the cliff, and the views are beautiful. Our room had a large ant infestation. We were given a broom but no other solution, so spent the night worrying the tiny ants might crawl under the sheets. In a tropical climate, insects are expected, but the host should have spray or powder available. There was no warm water either, just cool water from a basic pipe shower. At 18-20C, that was unpleasant for us and a major inconvenience. It was one reason we cut our stay from two nights to one. I don’t recommend the place.

The cliff top has sea views and uneven steps down to a cove where you can swim, though there’s no beach, you go straight into the water. It’s peaceful, clean, and beautifully set up, a little piece of heaven away from the hustle and bustle. You can hire a scooter to get around easily. The owner spoke some English. Breakfast was nice but limited, and I ate out for other meals. The shower is partly outdoors, but that caused no problems.

The gardens are lush and tropical, and the cliff steps down to the ocean are a real highlight. We watched lots of turtles swim past at sunset. It’s close to the main town and plenty of restaurants, the AC is cold, and cat lovers will like it. We booked last minute and thought the room price was very reasonable. Sleep was difficult, though. The rooms aren’t soundproof, and every night our neighbour came home around 1am. The doors bang shut hard enough to shake the whole room. The shower was broken and sprayed water randomly. Pillows were lumpy, some sheets were torn, and blankets and towels had lots of stains. There was no water in the room or common areas. We had to ask staff in their room to fill a bottle, and having water available mattered to us in the heat. Customer service was just okay. Most of those things seem easy to fix, apart from maybe the noise, so hopefully they can improve :)