Panglao, Bohol | A Review of Alona Vida Beach Resort

Date of stay: May 23-25, 2017
Type of room: Family room
Rate per night: P5,248 inc. taxes
Number of people: For four people

Address: Alona Beach, Tawala, Panglao Island
Phone: +63 38 502 9180
Official Website: https://www.alonavida.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlonaCocoVida
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This trip was all for my mom. She's retired and currently staying in Maribojoc, which is our hometown in Bohol. We surprised her with a visit on her birthday and took her to Panglao, where she can stay away from her house chores, relax and spend quality time with us. 

We booked a room for four at Alona Vida, I think, a month before our visit. I booked the resort through Agoda since it was much cheaper than booking directly with the resort or with any other hotel booking sites during that time. To score the best prices, you can check four things and choose which one gives the best offer:

  • Check their official website and try booking directly: Book directly with Alona Vida
  • You can call the resort and ask if they have any promos running during your stay. You can call them at +63 38 502 9180.​
  • Bookings are also accepted through third party providers including Booking.com, Agoda.com, Expedia.com. So far, Agoda has been the cheapest among these three: Book Alona Vida via Agoda
  • If you are more comfortable using Booking.com, you can book here: Book Alona Vida via Booking.com

Location | 9 out of 10 stars


I guess the most important thing for me when I book a beach resort is that it has to be by the beach. I love the feeling of waking up in the morning hearing the waves and being able to do leisurely walks by the beach, without having to walk very far. Alona Vida is right by the beach although to get to the rooms, you have to walk past the restaurant and the pool but the resort itself is located by the shore.
 
Before 6 o’clock in the morning, my mom would come down to the beach and jog. I would attempt to come with her but she usually leaves me behind as I can never jog longer than a minute on sand. I also get distracted by a lot of things being sold along the beach so I could never really get a full decent jog.
 
The resort is also near other eat-out establishments like Buzzz Café, where they serve the most unique ice cream flavors in the country. There are also other restaurants nearby if you’re fed up with food from the resort’s restaurant. It is also a few minutes walk to the grocery store and bank, which are both located in the street leading to the main road. 

The location of our room was also perfect. It was at the second floor which allowed us to have a veranda overlooking the pool and it was only a few steps from the resort's courtyard. It was also at the corner-most part of the building which was far enough from the bar/restaurant so we are not bothered with loud music at night.

Rooms | 9 out of 10 stars


There were four of us in this trip so we got a family room. It was just two adjacent rooms with a door connecting both rooms in addition to the doors leading to the corridors. One of the rooms had a veranda so I gave this to my mom and to my brother. My husband and I took the other room, which I think was a bit smaller than the “main room”. The veranda was overlooking the pool and we had a nice family lunch one afternoon there.
 
Similar to other 3- or 4-star hotels, the rooms were provided with complimentary bottles of water, complete toiletries, hot and cold shower, personal safe and free coffee/tea. The room service staff was also nice enough to provide us with extra towels and coffee/tea when we requested for it.

Restaurant | 7 out of 10 stars

The restaurant served a good number of Western and Pinoy food. I’m not really a good food critic but I don’t think there was anything special about the food. We ate here thrice but nothing really stuck to my memory. However, I would say that the presentation of the food was impressive and the serving was really generous.

The price was expensive, as what you can expect from restaurants along the beachfront. I checked around the area and Coco Vida was a bit more expensive than the others.

​The serving time is a bit slow during evening because a lot more people visit the restaurant. 

Amenities | 8 out of 10 stars

Facilities were pretty basic – there was a small and clean pool but depth reached to up to 6 feet. Not very kid-friendly so it would be safest if you don’t leave your kids unattended.
 
The resort also has its own dive shop so if you would like to go diving, you don’t have to go very far to book a trip. 

Coco Vida also turns into a bar at night. They also have live performances so if you don't have anything to do during the evening, you can just go down, grab a drink and be entertained by excellent Filipino voices. 

Customer Service | 10 out of 10 stars

Customer service is key for the hospitality industry and Alona Vida had one of the best customer service I've ever experienced. The staff was very courteous and made sure their guests get the best experience during their stay. 

One morning after taking a stroll along the beach and a good two-hour swim, we wanted to have our breakfast at the courtyard near the pool. There were only a few guests during that time so they allowed us to use the public area. The staff was so nice to set-up our table and serve the food all the way from the beachfront restaurant. 

Another pleasant experience was when we were checking out of the hotel. The staff made one last check of the room while I was paying our bill. The manager walks to the counter with two wristwatches. Apparently, my husband and I left them in the personal safe! This is something we will definitely never forget. 

If you would like to check the prices or book a room in Alona Vida, click here: Book Alona Vida via Agoda

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