El Nido Garden Resort

Overall was a good stay being first time in el nido. Stayed 3 nights with 10 of our friends. The view was amazing for our room which was the highlight of the hotel. However the room wasn’t up to standard as seen in the photos especially for the price we paid. The bathroom wasn’t very clean and water pressure was extremely poor. There was hardly any water coming out of shower and no hot water. In the bedroom we only had one pillow each for the bed and 2 small lounge pillows. The service of the hotel I would say was average. We went on the island hopping tour on 2nd day and were informed by hotel staff that they would have towels on the tour. However this was incorrect. We went a whole day with being very wet and getting burnt due to not being able to dry ourselves properly and re-apply sunscreen. We believed the hotel staff knew this and didn’t want us taking the towels even though we had them for the beach the following day. Still ongoing renovations happening especially with pool bar and the work was carried out early morning and at night which disrupted the peace. Would say they need to re-do all the bathrooms, improve water pressure and get better bedding. Food at resort was overall good however would say the drinks were very sugary, sweat and water down.

If the room hadn’t been priced at 180€, my expectations would have naturally been lower. The service and front desk were genuinely good, and I appreciated that. However, several areas didn’t match what was presented online. The food quality fell short — the eggs tasted powdered, the selection was very limited, and the overall presentation lacked creativity. Given that we were in the middle of a typhoon, communication was also a concern. There was little to no guidance about safety or procedures, which left us unsure of what to do if the situation escalated. The room itself could benefit from significant maintenance. The shower area showed visible mold, and the glass looked like it hadn’t been replaced in years. These issues create a large gap between the expectations set on social media and the actual experience. Increasing transparency and showing realistic, up-to-date conditions online would go a long way toward rebuilding trust. I truly wish the owners success, and I hope they take this feedback as an opportunity to improve operations with integrity and align the experience more closely with what guests are led to expect.

We booked a “Premium Sea View Room” and even confirmed in advance that it could accommodate 3 people with an extra bed. We were explicitly told yes. When we arrived, the resort did NOT honor the room we booked. Instead, we were placed in a completely different room on the ground floor with NO sea view. This is not what we paid for, and not what was promised. We were told they could move us after two nights, but at that point we were already tired and did not want the hassle of packing, unpacking, and disrupting our stay — something we should never have had to deal with in the first place. The situation worsened when we discovered a DEAD COCKROACH INSIDE THE ROOM. This is not a minor issue — it raises serious concerns about cleanliness and pest control. They also skipped room service and had to be asked to do it. On top of that, the bathroom water smelled like sewage, and shower drainage was blocked/very slow, making basic hygiene unpleasant and unacceptable for a resort charging premium prices. Breakfast was equally disappointing: served in a small, enclosed dining room with no view, and the food was mediocre and uninspired — hardly the experience advertised. Between the room downgrade, hygiene issues, sewage odor, and underwhelming breakfast, this stay fell far below what was promised and paid for. The only saving grace was its central location, but not even sure if the experience was worth it or worth the price. Would not return or recommend.

When we checked in, we had already paid for two rooms, but the front desk said only one was available because of a "system error." After showing our receipt, they eventually sorted it out and gave us the second room. On our last night, they made us switch rooms, even though one of them didn't need to be moved. Our original king ocean-view room (312) was switched to the same exact layout and view a few doors down (304). If they needed 312 for incoming guests, why couldn't they have put those guests in 304 instead of making us pack everything again? The rooms were identical, so the switch made no sense. Room 312 also had multiple issues: the shower was dirty and smelly to the point where l had to shower in my Crocs, the grout and corners had mold and grime, the hot water was only lukewarm, the floor towel was ripped, and the TV didn't work. I also asked them to change the bedsheets because there was hair on them that wasn't mine and a small yellow stain. Both rooms had stains on the small sofa and on the deck chair cushions. Room 304 had slightly better water pressure, but the condition still wasn't great. Our friends stayed in the bungalows and had no complaints, and based on the TripAdvisor photos, those units seem much better maintained. The breakfast buffet was okay. This place could be a good hotel, but management and housekeeping don't seem to care. I will not stay here again.

Pros: amazing location and view! Hotel was the perfect location just outside of the main busy area of El Nido but still walking distance. The views from the hotel were stunning. And had a lovely pool and access to walk along the beach (note that you can’t swim at the beach). Cons: so much construction. So noisy but the views from makes up for it. Beds were only kinda comfy but super hot sheets. Newly renovated and rooms were clean. Overall would recommend.