Amarela Resort

What People are saying

Beautiful holiday!

Syahirah Don 10/08/2017 05:47

Love this place:

1. Free airport transfer ( so you don't have to hustle your way and waste time getting to the resort).
2. The room is well designed and comfortable bed
3. The waiters are amazing especially "Jason" he is such a sweetheart. He set up our beach dinner area and it looks so pretty (under the full moon)... pretty romantic!
4. The beach is pretty too ( they do have sandflies)

Lovely resort, enjoyable stay

janbrubelon 20/07/2017 06:40

We stayed here with the entire family for 2 nights / 3 days. The resort itself is very lovely. The style differs from the sleek modern resorts but the local vintage style combined with the lovely garden really gives you that nice hacienda feeling. The entire place has a very relaxed and peaceful vibe, ideal for relaxing.

The cleanliness of the entire property is excellent. Even the big garden and the beach, not easy to keep clean due to the elements of nature, are kept clean and tidy. Really impressive how you can stroll through the garden and walk at the beach at any given time of the day and find it spotless.

Rooms were great, had enough space, bathroom was nice and 100% functional. As mentioned before the style is not modern so you won't find things like electronic room keys but everything you need can be found in the room: tv with cable box providing local and international channels, mini-bar, coffee maker, hair dryer, recent airco unit, ceiling fan if you prefer non aircon, night stand with few USB charging outlets ... A few more electric outlets could have been handy. Sleeping quality was good. Beds are hard, we prefer it that way but I can imagine some people don't. Our room had a nice balcony with table and chairs and garden view. Wifi is average, like most places in the Philippines.

Swimming pool isn't very big but it is nice and it has a small separate zone for smaller children. It is well maintained and very clean, despite being in the middle of the garden.

The beach is private and short stroll through the garden. The beach itself is very nice, there are lounge chairs and tables and for those who prefer to stay out of the sun the trees provide natural shade. The beach is swimmable but the water is shallow, especially during low tide. The hotel provides facilities like snorkelling gear and kayaks for free (first come / first served bases). Went snorkelling along the beach and it was good, lots of fish to spot. Not specific for Amarela's beach (goes for most beaches on the island) but still worth to mention: a few dozen meters beyond the shoreline you will find sea urchins, saw plenty while snorkelling, so protective footwear and special attention with children is advised.

Location is good, on Panglao Island, a good 15 to minutes drive away from Tagbilaran City and the airport. The most vibrant beach of the island, Alona beach, is a good 10 minutes drive away. Transport arranged by the hotel is fairly expensive. We found much cheaper alternatives after a short browse on this site. You're not in the middle of the vibe at Amarela but that adds to the quiet and relaxed feeling.

Breakfast was served as a buffet the first morning of our stay and was really lovely. Good choices and fresh and tasty food. Available food mostly local / Asian inspired but few 'Western' options present. The second morning they had switched to set menu instead of buffet and that was a bit of a disappointment. Food still tasty but service not too great. I guess our waiter had a bit of an off day as none of us got exactly what we ordered (managed to swap amongst each other to correct most of that) and service was rather slow resulting in food and drinks getting cold . It didn't spoil our good feeling about Amarela but I would advise them to stick to buffet as much as they can, especially as the staff seems to be struggling when quite a few people are at breakfast.

We had dinner at the restaurant twice. Reasonably priced dishes served in a lovely atmosphere, enjoyable food. Local sized portions. Shakes and fresh fruit drinks very good. Had a gin sling that didn't seem to have seen the gin bottle, I'm not looking to get drunk on 1 drink but a slight taste of the basic ingredient would have been appreciated ...

Staff very friendly and accommodating. Some minor service improvements can be made but overall you can see everybody is trying their best to make your stay enjoyable and make you feel welcomed.

Overall we had a great stay. As I mentioned not everything is perfect but you don't pay for a picture perfect resort neither. Location is away from the busy areas but still good as starting point for day tours or visits to Bohol's hot spots. The clean, relaxed and authentic atmosphere makes this a really lovely place to stay.

No trouble in Paradise

Highlander770on 11/07/2017 09:20

A long weekend at the Amarela was perfect! The property is charming with many local touches in the decor. The skilled kitchen even offers vegan and vegetarian options - everything was so delicious we ate many meals right there. All the members of the staff helpful. A special call-out for Miss Jessa! She is sweet as can be and so eager to explain local customs, foods and teach us a few words in the local tongue plus careful attention to detail.

A very different resort in Bohol

aquashikon 09/07/2017 05:40

I like the design of Amarela because it features the different Filipino design and not your usual nipa. The place is clean and the resort has lots of plants and has a nice beach.

They can improve a lot on the food service. My order came after 1 hour considering that we were the only one in the restaurant. And the chicken that I ordered was not completely cooked. The breakfast ala carte was good. And a suggestion to the management, maybe the resort can minimize using the single use plastic straws.

Amazing Amarela Resort is the Best!!!

Kirk Hon 08/07/2017 08:16

Amarela Resort is simply the best and they treated us so very well. Their attention to detail was incredible. They get to know you personally and the staff is exceptional.

The resort itself is beautiful with restored Filipino authentic furnishings as well as a beach that is gorgeous and all to yourself. On-Site library and Art Museum which are also unique and amazing.

On-Site meals were good and at a fair price. The staff waits on you at every moment. Both Filipino and English choices.

They also arrange day trips to Balicasag Island for snorkeling- 5 hours at about $50 and also can have you driven around the island for a day trip to see Chocolate Hill, Tarsier (very small monkies), Shell Museum, Hinagdanan Cave, and even the snake farm. Alona Beach just down the road for a shopping trip.

Stay at the Amarela and you will not regret it!! It is what everyone needs to "really" relax.