Panglao | Where to Stay
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I am currently based in Manila but goes back to my hometown every once in a while. My family and I decided that during one of my vacations in Bohol, we would spend a night in Bohol Bee Farm Resort. We decided to have this overnighter last July 2018, which was an off-season so the room rates were cheaper and the crowd was not as much. In Bohol Bee Farm, daytime walk-ins are allowed so it can get a bit crowded during high season, which is during summertime (March to May) and Christmas (December). I spent this weekend with my mom and my grandmom, who were both senior citizens. Although we could have gotten 20% senior citizen discount, we opted to use my Agoda Cash worth P2,600+ to save on room costs. It also occurred to me that booking through Agoda saves me more money at least for this booking. Based on inquiries I made with Bohol Bee Farm, they offered me P5,000 for an Ocean View Room but I got the same room for only about P3,342.26 in Agoda. You can always compare before you book. Based on my experience, sometimes Agoda can be cheaper, sometimes it's more expensive than booking directly with the hotel, especially if the hotel offers exclusive promos. If you would like to compare prices, here are the sites that you can visit:
The check-in process was very smooth. We showed them our Agoda mobile booking and they ushered us to the room. The bellboy showed us around the room and the facilities nearby. They gave us the Calape Room which is an ocean view room located right at the back of the Buzzz Cafe (Bohol Bee Farm's restaurant). The room is obviously overlooking the ocean and since it's habagat (southwest monsoon) season in July, the winds were very strong and it was cloudy outside -- just how we imagined and preferred it to be. Not too sunny but not expecting any rains either. July was a very good choice. The features of the ocean view room that was given to us included the following:
Below are some photos of the room features and a video showing how windy it was at that time. Right after checking in, I had my mom and my grandmom try out the famous ice cream of Buzzz Cafe. I had the malunggay flavor, my mom had melon and my grandmom, being the sweet tooth but still the skinniest among the three of us, had two scoops and two flavors -- ube and buko. It is not as creamy as other ice cream, in fact it melts rather quickly, but it's very tasty and I've always loved the variety of their flavors. The cones they use for their ice cream are not sugar-based or wafer-based but is made out of cassava -- all organic hence healthier than the usual ice cream cones we normally get. So while waiting for the tour to start, we wolfed down our ice cream. The walking tour we took started at around 4:15 PM and I think that was the last tour for that day. These tours around the farm are available from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM everyday and happens as such:
After the tour, you are allowed to roam around the bee farm and the gardens so you can take photos of the place. Some areas though are restricted only to checked in guests. When we finished our walking tour, my mom and grandmom requested to rest for a bit. We bought squash muffins and pesto spread from the Buzzz Cafe, took it back to our room and ate miryenda while enjoying the cool wind from our balcony.
During dinner, the restaurant was no longer as jampacked as lunchtime. We ordered organic roasted chicken and seafood soup for dinner and I also ordered scallops and wine towards the end of the evening. Everything is highly recommended! Their seafood are very fresh, chicken is very tasty and vegetables are harvested right off their farm and straight to the kitchen and dinner table. 
View from our table in the restaurant taken during my very first trip to Bohol Bee Farm in 2017, not part of this overnight stay in 2018 (Photo © iHeartPH)
And below is a video of the view from the Buzzz Cafe restaurant in Bohol Bee Farm. As you can see, the waves are really strong due to the habagat (southwest monsoon) winds. For those who will be going to Bohol Bee Farm soon, you can check out their menu below. I took this photo back in 2017 during our first visit in the Bee Farm so prices might have changed since then.  Buzzz Cafe / Bohol Bee Farm Restaurant menu (Photo © iHeartPH 2017)
I also booked a massage in Buzzz Spa to cap off the day. The spa tends to be always fully-booked especially in the evenings so better call them up to reserve. They would normally prioritize guests who are checked in the resort but I would still suggest to reserve ahead of time. The massage I got that evening was the best! It actually bested any other massages I've had in my life even those I've had in Thailand or Cambodia. The ambiance of the spa area is very pleasant and relaxing. The sound of the strong waves hitting the cliff added significantly to that. It was the only massage which made me dose off. I may have been a bit tired and a little tipsy from the wine I drank during dinner but when you come to think about it, exhaustion + wine would be the best combination before getting a massage. It's a bit more expensive than the usual spa services in Bohol but it was all worth it (see prices in photo below). They would take reservations and walk-ins until 8:00 PM but of course, it will still depend on availability of the masseuse. Photos below of the spa area which I took from the Bohol Bee Farm official website. 
Prices of Bohol Bee Farm Spa Services (Photo © Bohol Bee Farm 2019)
As with most resorts, breakfast is included in the overnight package. It was held in another area of the resort, not in the Buzzz Cafe where we had dinner the previous night. It was an enclosed portion of the resort but still with stunning view of the ocean. The variety of foods served in the breakfast buffet were not as much as other resorts but more than sufficient. Not surprisingly, the food they serve were organic and all-natural. Sweeteners were honey and muscovado. Chicken and eggs were organic. Pancakes were made with herbs. The vegetables in the salad were freshly picked from the gardens. And of course, their famous squash bread was present in the buffet table. After breakfast, we decided to explore other areas of the resort so we went down the sundeck. I was a bit worried that my grandmom would find it hard to go down and up the stairs but it was a cinch for her. We just had to take it one step at a time, slowly but surely. We also swam in the pool and really enjoyed it because we had the place all to ourselves. I guess my only suggestion for the resort is that they inform the guests what the available facilities and activities are for hotel guests. Since we had to be the ones to figure these out on our own, we did miss a couple of facilities such as the outdoor jacuzzis and the indoor pool. If you wish to read more about the facilities offered in the resort, visit their website here: Facilities in Bohol Bee Farm Resort If you are commuting, there are different ways to get to Bohol Bee Farm from anywhere in Tagbilaran City or Panglao Island:
Address: Dao, Dauis Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines
Phone: +63 38 502 2288 Mobile: +63 917 304 1491 Email: vicky.beefarm@gmail.com Official Website: http://www.boholbeefarm.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialboholbeefarm |
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
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WHERE TO STAY IN TAGBILARAN |
OTHER DESTINATIONS IN BOHOL
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KEY CONTACTSTo book your countryside tour, you may call/text Kuya John at +639161765683. He is able to offer a car for smaller groups (4 people max) or a van for bigger groups (12 people max).
To book a hotel in Tagbilaran City, click here. |
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