Resort Deja Vu

I don’t usually write reviews, but after seeing the one posted four days ago by 'A', I wanted to share how different our stay was. We recently had a very pleasant, relaxing time here. The setting really is beautiful and peaceful, right by the sea, just as that review says. The other complaints felt exaggerated compared with what we saw. Our room was clean and well maintained, and there was no “black mould everywhere.” If we’d seen anything like that, we wouldn’t have stayed. Housekeeping was available when requested. We also liked that staff didn’t come into the room unnecessarily, which gave us privacy. They clearly explained the food rules when we arrived, and they seemed sensible in a tropical setting. We did see insects around the island, as you’d expect in nature. The staff were friendly and helpful whenever we needed something. They weren’t always in sight, but that added to the calm atmosphere we wanted. We had a different impression of the owner too. He seemed present, approachable, and passionate about the property. Not every place suits every traveler, of course, but that review doesn’t match our experience. Other reviews suggest we’re not alone in having a great stay. I wanted to offer a more balanced account for future guests.

My husband and I spent a few days at Deja Vu Resort in November 2025. It was beautiful and clean, and the owner and staff were all very nice. We had a lovely stay, but the animals gave me serious reservations. They kept snakes, pigeons, and birds of prey in cages that were far too small. Some pigeons were left in direct sun without protection. Others were in plain wooden boxes with no furnishings, water, or anything else, including the pythons. I don’t think animals like these belong in cages; at minimum, they should be kept in conditions suited to their species. Had we known beforehand, we would have chosen somewhere else, despite how beautiful the resort was. I hope the owner changes this and gives the animals a better life.

We weren’t staying there, but ended up eating every meal at their restaurant and had a great time. The scenery is beautiful, and the staff are very good. They also have a well-equipped gym and a large pool facing the ocean, which seem great for keeping fit and relaxing. I’d definitely recommend them to friends visiting Siquijor.

The private beach and location are beautiful. That’s the one thing I can recommend. The rest of our stay was deeply disappointing. The property has damp patches on the ceilings, loose and spongy shower tiles that aren’t sealed, and water coming through underneath. Black mould was everywhere, including in the rooms. The place looks serene in its online photos, but the mould and signs of long-term neglect were hard to miss. Housekeeping felt like hide and seek. Our room was serviced once in five nights, and only after we searched extensively for a staff member. We left the “make up room” sign out, but were told nobody had seen it. Towels and sheets weren’t changed during our five-night stay. The pool photos are aspirational. About three quarters of it is ankle deep, and only the small section at the end near the sea reaches around waist depth. I don’t know why it’s built that way, but swimming there is more of a suggestion than an activity. The room rules are unusually strict for an island in a forest. You can’t bring in drinks other than water or any food, apparently because of ants. We didn’t see any, and no other place we stayed had a rule like that. After the lack of room servicing, it was hard not to wonder if it was more about making staff’s jobs easier than solving a real problem. There was no tea, coffee, or fridge in the room either. Staff were mostly nowhere to be found when we needed help, aside from check-in. The bedroom rules said to dial “0” for reception, but there was no phone in the room. Then, after five nights of trying to find staff, someone knocked right at noon on checkout day. That timing didn’t go unnoticed. The owner was also a major part of the experience. He was in the gym every day at different times, shouting, grunting, working out loudly, and taking mirror photos. It often drowned out the sea. He didn’t offer me gym advice, as other reviews mention, but the resort seemed built around the gym, with everything else secondary. It was well equipped, though noticeably rusty from the sea air, and shouldn’t be the resort’s main focus. The owner seemed to occupy a prime-view room among the guest accommodation, and I wondered if the early closing time, around 9 p.m., was to fit his sleep schedule. Staff were especially hard to find after that time. The place never felt relaxing. I felt watched all the time and couldn’t enjoy the space. The atmosphere was heavy, and there was no real service. The owners and staff need to understand that hospitality means putting guests first, rather than treating the resort as a personal playground. One star out of five, and only for the view. Five stars if you’re passionate about black mould. Ten out of five if you enjoy hearing a man battle dumbbells and his inner demons every day.