The Bruce Luxury Private Cottage

Things began well. My girlfriend and I got there before check-in, and reception let us leave our bags safely while we explored. The beach restaurant had a great atmosphere, though the beach itself was covered in rubbish and didn’t look inviting. We each had one meal, and the food was decent. When the room was ready, it smelled of perfume. We drove to a nicer beach for a few hours, then came back to shower and change. By then, the room smelled awful, like stale pee. I checked more closely and found no mosquito net on the bathroom window, with several mosquitoes already inside. The pee smell wasn’t from the toilet, it seemed to come from the room itself. We went straight to reception and explained gently. They offered to spray more deodorizer, which would only cover the smell, and bug spray, which might kill the mosquitoes already there but wouldn’t stop more from getting in. They didn’t offer us another room unless we paid extra. We asked for a full refund so we could find somewhere else, and that was what they agreed to. They had other rooms available but would have charged us more. By then it was dark, and we had to find a new hotel ourselves. We’d paid by card, but they would only refund us in cash. It was a sad start to our visit to Siquijor, though fortunately it didn’t ruin the trip. Definitely visit Siquijor, and hopefully you have a better experience.

The beach is a little muddy, so it may not be for everyone, but we still had a really enjoyable stay. The pool was decent and well maintained, though quite deep. Our spacious, comfortable room had air conditioning, which we appreciated, and a large drinking water container was handy. Check-in was quick and seamless. The bar and restaurant staff stood out, friendly and attentive, and they handled our large group very well. The food was good too, and the bar team’s service was especially excellent.

Even with plenty of guests around, the wide stretch of white sand kept the beach feeling calm. We had a really restful time at The Bruce Resort. Our room was comfortable and the aircon got very cold, the staff were warm and helpful, and the food was good without costing too much. A nice pick for a laid-back Siquijor break.

We liked the hotel and had a pleasant visit. The room was spacious and clean, the WiFi worked well, and the bed was firm but comfortable enough. Staff helped us arrange a ferry and taxi, and the restaurant's food and breakfast were good. The pool was small and surrounded by trees, so it got dirty fast. There was more room to lounge on the beach, though the sunbeds looked worn. The shower pressure was weak, and even though the hotel sits right by the water, low tide meant swimming wasn't possible while we were there. We didn't feel much like swimming anyway. Sitting with a beer at the restaurant and watching the sunset was lovely, and we enjoyed the hotel and area overall.