Bohol | Where to Stay
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Mithi's 2021 Christmas tree (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Mithi's 2021 Christmas tree (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Check-in was a breeze. It took longer than usual because there are more requirements now than before the pandemic and the front desk had to check each one. There are no requirements for locals apart from valid IDs but for those coming from Metro Manila or other provinces, you have to submit a vaccination certification from DOH, SPass Travel Coordination Permit from the Panglao LGU and valid IDs. If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you will need to submit a negative RT-PCR test result taken no earlier than 72 hours from your arrival to Bohol.
We also arrived there a few hours before our check-in time but the first villa was already ready so we checked in the room and stayed there comfortably while the other villa was being prepped. The buggy driver who took us to our first villa went back to give us the key to our next villa. I wasn't able to get his name but he's in our pictures below. Thank you so much for being so pleasant and accommodating, Sir. 😊
On the way to our rooms (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
On the way to our rooms (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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On the way to our rooms (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
On the way to our rooms (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Our Seaview Villa
My mom and grandmom enjoy being near the sea very much so I had booked 2 Seaview Villas for us. I had requested for our villas to be adjacent to one another but the reservations office called us a few days before our arrival that they couldn’t accommodate our request. To my surprise, when we got there, our villas were just right next to each other (villas 1103 and 1104). And what’s awesome is that right outside my mom’s villa was a passageway to the beach. This passageway was in between our rooms so it was very convenient for us to go down to our little paradise. This little paradise wasn’t exactly exclusive to us but since it was farther away from the main amenities and main beach and it was at the farthest end of Mithi’s beach (just right before a fishing village) so other guests rarely go to this area.
The Seaview Villas were spacious and well-decorated with a modern touch. The flat screen TV can be turned 360 degrees so you can watch from your bed or from the couch at the opposite side nearer the terrace. The lighting was very well thought off and it made the villa feel really homey. There was free coffee (Nespresso for that matter) and some peanut kisses-type of snacks. There was also a huge table where you can work comfortably if you have to. Aside from the mini bar, they also have some complimentary snacks of mangoes and various kakanin. I got so excited, I ate my mom's share and forgot to replace it when we transferred to the next villa. Haha!
Bed inside seaview villa 1104 (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Bed inside seaview villa 1103 (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Complimentary mirienda (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Turning the TV 180 degrees to face the couch
(Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Couch inside the seaview villas (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Mini bar inside the seaview villa (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Side table stuff inside the seaview villa (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Turning the TV 180 degrees to face the bed (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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One of the reasons why I had booked a Seaview Villa apart from having an unobstructed view of the ocean is because it had a jacuzzi. But the water in the jacuzzi was not exactly new and it looked far from enticing. The water was cold and we don't know how to replace the water and how to turn on the heating and the bubbles. We ended up just using it for pictorials. It looked super nice in photos though and the tiny unidentified floating objects are not visible from the camera. Maybe if you really want to use the jacuzzi, you can check with room service how to operate it :)
Jacuzzi in the seaview villa (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Jacuzzi in the seaview villa (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
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Not really a downside but just a warning that the seaview villas' design is more apt for couples/young families as there is not much privacy when you're in the bathroom. The bathroom/restroom is located between the bedroom and the terrace. There was another door leading to the terrace but it was not very obvious and the outdoor chairs were lined up against it giving a signal that the door is not meant to be used. So the only way for you to access the jacuzzi and the terrace was through the restroom which you obviously cannot pass through if someone is using it. The glass in our shower area is also not frosted, unlike the shower area in my mom's villa, so people passing through the terrace will definitely see you. I also think that people outside (people from the local fishing village) might see you or if someone was taking a photo with your villa as backdrop, they might see you if they zoom in the photo LOL! Or I'm just probably being too paranoid.
Privacy aside, all that you need, you should be able to find in their bathroom. Toiletries are complete, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush/toothpaste, etc. Even extra stuff such as lotion, shower cap and cotton buds (which I forgot to bring) are available. You can even ask room service for additional packs if you need. The toilet has a Japanese-type bidet so that's cool. They also have iron and ironing board, slippers and bathrobes in case you need them. A safe is also well-hidden in the bathroom closet.
So I guess the downsides are still outweighed by everything else nice in the villa including their topnotch service. Despite the villa being too far away from the restaurant, they were still able to serve us food when we arrived. We were too lazy to have our mirienda/dinner at the restaurant so we ordered room service. The food didn't take very long to be brought to us and it's surprisingly good.
Here is the room service dining menu during our visit.
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The view from the room is AMAZING. It was drizzling and cloudy when we arrived. It was a nice day to walk around the beach but we decided to just hang back in the room and enjoy the view with a cup of coffee. That evening, my husband and I stayed for a bit longer in the terrace and we dosed off to the sound of the waves! It was the most relaxing evening I've ever had in months! Perhaps when you go there, you can try this, too. It's not all the time you get to hear the sound of the ocean in person. Mine is always via a meditation app (yes, this Tita meditates lol!), but that evening, the sound of the ocean was for real!
The view from the room is AMAZING. It was drizzling and cloudy when we arrived. It was a nice day to walk around the beach but we decided to just hang back in the room and enjoy the view with a cup of coffee. That evening, my husband and I stayed for a bit longer in the terrace and we dosed off to the sound of the waves! It was the most relaxing evening I've ever had in months! Perhaps when you go there, you can try this, too. It's not all the time you get to hear the sound of the ocean in person. Mine is always via a meditation app (yes, this Tita meditates lol!), but that evening, the sound of the ocean was for real!
View from the seaview terrace towards the local village (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Apart from the Seaview Villas, Mithi Resort also has two other room types: Mithi Superior Room and Mithi Deluxe Villa. While the Seaview Villa is perfect for honeymooners and romantic getaways for couples, families and friends might enjoy the other two room options. You can check them out here: Rooms and Villas
The Beach
Can I just say again that I'm super thankful for the reservation staff for putting us in these villas as we were really in the most ideal location I could ever think of. When I was looking at the resort's aerial photos, I was hoping to be placed in those rooms but I felt it was just too much to ask them that and to my surprise, what I had hoped for happened. If you look at the next photo below, 1103 (my mom's room) and 1104 (our room) is just right above this small secluded beach and it was right smack in the center of it. Going down the beach was so convenient for my grandmom and she was able to do her short walks. The weather was also very cooperative. November is supposed to be a rainy season but it hardly rained. Not much sun either so it was just the right blend that we needed.
BUT the sun did peak every now and then and we enjoyed some of it while swimming the morning after. The water is shallow and it's very safe for kids to swim in. We even walked our way to the dream islet and when we got there, the water was barely waist deep. There were just a lot of seaweed around it but nothing harmful. There might be some urchins here and there so if you're bringing kids, best be careful and just stay away from the seaweed-filled areas.
Photo from the Mithi Resort & Spa website: https://mithiresort.com
Looking up to our villas from the beach below (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Swimming Pools
There are two pools that you can enjoy - the main pool which is located near the restaurant and reception area and another one by the gym and spa. The main pool is more for lounging and photo-taking and this is also where the pool bar is. And as you can see from the photos below, you get an unobstructed view of the sunset and its beautiful colors from here.
Sunset colors by the pool (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Sunset with the restaurant in the background (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
A family swimming in the main pool (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Kids swimming in the main pool during sunset (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
The gym pool, on the other hand, is more of a lap pool and since it's near the gym, it can be used for exercising. It is also secluded so you will need to request for a buggy to be able to get there. But seclusion can provide you with more privacy so if that is what you want, you'd probably prefer to swim here. It was super quiet and it was just us and the spa staff in the area.
A second pool by the gym and spa (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Spa
The spa facility reflects so much of the antique vibe that the reception area exudes. Most, if not all, of the furniture here are wooden antiques even the actual building itself. The facility is set in a very quaint location and surrounded by greenery and overlooking the ocean. The massage room that was provided to us was facing the ocean and had a jacuzzi as well. Their services included several regular and premier massages, as well as facial and body treatments. My mom got the Swedish massage while I got the stress-free aromatherapy massage. To see more of their services, you can download their spa menu from here: Mithi New Normal Spa Menu
Enjoying our tea after our massage (Photo © iHeartPH 2021)
Other Activities
Apart from swimming in the beach or pool and availing of their spa services, there are a lot of other activities that you can do at the resort:
- Play tennis (they have two full-sized courts in the premises)
- Waste your time away at the pool bar while watching the sunset
- Try out their sikwati (Bohol's famous chocolate drink)
- Explore and swim in the natural pool of Cambagat Cave
- Walk around the resort and enjoy the sounds of nature
- Kayak or paddleboard your way to the dream islet
- Go to the gym (probably not something you want to do in a resort)
- Play at the game room (they also have a playground for kids)
All photos below are from the Mithi Resort & Spa website: https://mithiresort.com
Breakfast
Just like any other resorts, they have given us breakfast stubs to use. I called the reception the night before and at that time, there was still no decision on whether the breakfast was going to be served buffet-style or otherwise. I confirmed the morning after that it was indeed going to be a buffet. I guess they no longer offered breakfast buffet very often since the pandemic started and it depended on the number of guests at a particular time. It was a small buffet and it was not the usual buffet setup for sure. They only served 6-8 dishes at that time plus the usual omelette and dessert stations.
They had the best corned beef I have ever tasted in a resort. I love corned beef but most of the time I get disappointed because some resorts would use this canned brand that I didn't like. But this time, they had corned beef unlike anything I've tasted before and I had gone back several times to refill hehe! I asked the staff what brand it was and they said it was home-made. That wasn't just two but four thumbs up!
Apart from that, their sikwati, the famous chocolate drink of Bohol, was also one of the best I've ever tasted. It was not as consistent/strong as other resorts would serve it and it had a bit of milk in it. And the best thing is it was bottomless! I think I had about 4 cups LOL!
For some reason, I was not able to take photos of the restaurant during breakfast. Perhaps I was too hungry and couldn't wait to swim so the photos below are not mine. Got it from Mithi's Facebook account.
Photo from the Mithi Resort & Spa Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mithiresortandspa/
Overall, I would rate this resort a 4.5 out of 5 only because of our experience with the jacuzzi in the villas that we were not able to use. There are not a lot of activities compared to other resorts in Panglao but it had the best views and I got very instagrammable photos. I guess having a lot of activities doesn't really matter if all you want to do is destress and step away from your usual routine. And lastly, despite them having only a few staff during this pandemic, the service was still topnotch. Everyone was super pleasant and nice - the kind of service you'd expect from Boholanos. :)
If you'd like to check prices, you can compare prices in Agoda and the resort's website. You can also call them up using the contact information below just in case they have promos.
Address: Bingag Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines
Number: +63917 3040222, +63917 3021010, +63919 0883412
Email: info@mithiresort.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mithiresortandspa/
Website: https://mithiresort.com/
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (as of December 2021 in Tripadvisor)
See more reviews here: Tripadvisor Reviews of Mithi Resort & Spa
Compare prices or book here:
If you are looking for other resorts in Panglao, you can check out these pages:
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