An idyllic family-run boutique hotel and PADI dive resort, with luxurious facilities and a friendly and intimate atmosphere. Superb location with great private beach, beautiful corals and stunning sea views. All guest rooms beautifully furnished and decorated, with air-conditioning and en-suite bathrooms. Guided scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming with whale sharks, dolphin watching, island hopping, sailing, kayaking,swimming pool, private beach, free Wi-Fi, bar and fine-dining restaurant. Local activities include land tours, caving, waterfalls, wild monkeys and more.
Tangkaan, Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte Province 6602 Philippines
Padre Burgos Castle Resort
170 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This place is a hidden gem. If you want some peace and quiet while you’re away, this is the place for you!
The establishment is clean and tidy, the pictures of the premises are accurate. Given the recent natural disaster and the impact it had in the island, the internet at the hotel was down but we enjoyed being disconnected for a while.
The staff there are amazing, particularly Janet.. every time I looked somewhere she was off helping someone else or organising the other girls that work there. Fantastic service, remembering even the smallest of requests.
We specifically travelled to southern Leyte to see the whale sharks ethically, as other parts of the Phillipines are known for feeding the sharks which Causes them to stop migrating. The establishment runs a fantastic tour experience from the hotel and we were not disappointed! Seeing several different whale sharks the day we went out.
We will definitely be back! The only thing that we struggled with was the bed. Everyone has different preferences but we did struggle to sleep on such a hard mattress, three nights was probably the maximum we could have done. Other than that it was fantastic! Thanks to Delia and her team for taking such good care of us while there.
Sam and Chloe
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Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excellent service and very nice property! Although in my confirmation email I made a mistake and thus Delia was expecting us in April instead of March, when I texted we were on the ferry Delia made the impossible true and picked us up herself from the ferry terminal in Ormoc. The staff is incredibly friendly and the whale shark tours and dives very well organised and delightful. Food (although not cheap) is very nice and portions are good. The pool and garden are beautiful, the private beach is nice too.
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Date of stay: March 2024
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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My partner and I stayed at this resort for 3 nights, and we couldn’t be happier with our experience. This is a very family-friendly hotel with an extremely kind and welcoming staff who make you feel right at home.
The rooms were equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay. The location is peaceful and ideal for relaxation. One of the highlights is the pool, which has direct access to the beach.
The food was absolutely delicious, with a variety of options. We also booked a tour through the resort to Pintuyan, where we had the incredible opportunity to snorkel with whale sharks for an extended time. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Additionally, we went diving at Napantao Dive Sanctuary with Roque Razon, a highly skilled instructor. The dive was incredible, we saw an abundance of fish and a breathtaking coral wall. Roque made the experience safe and enjoyable, and we truly appreciated his expertise.
This place truly felt like home. We highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing and memorable escape.
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Date of stay: November 2024
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Location
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I can't fault the attention and care from Delia and the staff during our stay. We traveled to Padre Burgos for no other reason than to swim with whale sharks. Delia was brilliant in helping us organise transport to the hotel and also making sure we got on the trip the day after our late arrival at the hotel. We had a great day on the boat trip, although it was quite a wade out through the water to get on the boat..just be prepared 😊. The amazing experience of finally swimming with the whale sharks made the stay worth while. Sadly the food at Padre Burgos is not great and there is really nowhere else nearby. I waited until I had returned from travelling the Philippines to write this review so I could guage how it compares. Chicken and fish dishes, whilst tasty in the sauces, mainly featured boney cuts with very little meat, surprisingly they had no shrimps both nights we were there. Not what we expected, the website states fine dining and it's definitely not. It's also very expensive by all other restaurants/hotel prices we experienced in the Philippines. The rooms are pleasant enough, although ours was a little dark and there's nowhere to hang swimwear to dry in or around the room. I was surprised at this for a dive resort. In summary you have great people with the chance for great whale shark swimming but the food let's the overall experience down. One a plus note the scrambled eggs at breakfast beers the best 😊
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Padre Burgos Castle Resort is the best place to stay in Southern Leyte. We stayed here for 4 nights and it wasnt enough. We wish we could stay here longer. It wasnt plan to stay in the resort but it was the best thing we did. I called up that morning and luckily they have available room. This place is amazing. The view was breath taking, very relaxing, the beach is well maintain and the water is really clean. The girls in there were treating us like king and queen. Incredible service and the place was spotless. The owners are amazing and lovely people, David and Ate Delia are always make sure that we were comfortable and happy with everything. They come out to see us and talk to us every morning and at dinner time. Of course Ate Delia's home cook food was amazing. She was making special dishes for us to our taste buds. It was really nice of her. David always make sure we enjoy our stay. The activities was incredible. We didnt have enough time to do the whole day trip as we were visiting family. We only went on a half day trip to limasawa and it was absolutely amazing. We saw the dolphins, we went for a tour around limasawa island, had nice cooked lunch on the beach and and did more snorkelling, we had the best time. We wish we could do more activities but time was limited. I highly recommend this place and their activities. Thank you very much for making our stay unforgettable. Definitely coming back here in Padre Burgos Castle Resort on our next visit to the philippines.
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Date of stay: April 2013
Value
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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We have been at Peters diving for the last 4 days and loved it. I wanted to show my girlfriend a bit of luxury so booked this place for last two nights. HUGE MISTAKE which I MUCH regret, but as is non refundable we must endure it I guess.
Arrived to find at least 30 screaming kids in the pool area for the birthday party of the owners. We got welcome drinks of iced tea that was room temperature and had no ice, this was the first bad omen of incompetent customer service. We went down by the beach to escape the chaos and noise. at the pool area caused by all the screaming kids. I asked if we could take our late lunch down on the beach to avoid the noise and splashing poolside but the owner David said "it would be too much work because there are stairs". I said "Ill gladly carry the food down the stairs myself" but he still refused insisting we eat by the pool and saying he'd clear out the crowd. He did clear out the crowd, but by refusing my very reasonable request due to laziness it was TERRIBLE customer service.
Lunch was Filipino food, I had caldereta and my girlfriend lechon. Both were average. What was EXTRAORDINARY was the cost, 750P per plate! the highest I have ever seen in this country for local food. Now I know why there is no menu!
After the birthday party for 9 YO Nika broke up, we were excited to have the place to ourselves as there are no other guests. We soon found out why.
Neither the air con unit nor the refrigerator worked worth a damn in room 3, the luxury room for which I paid over 5,100 Pisos! I also note none of the rooms has a view, unlike our cottage at Peters which was just steps from the sea with a large window facing across Sogod Bay.
We were promised the ac would cool the room in 20 minutes, so we waited. For several hours. We put our drinks in my ice chest because my chunk of ice, which I had used for 4 days refreezing each nite in the Deluxe Cottage at Peters, melted when I put it in the freezer portion of the ref in room 3. Eventually I asked the staff guy (who was very helpful and deserves none of the criticism for poor management by David and Delia) to switch rooms. I tried every room, none are occupied, and only the cheapest room (# 4 with a small bed, no TV, and no ref ) had air con that was strong enough to stop us from sweating. They obviously do not put freon gas in the AC units or service them sufficiently. The lack of any breeze coupled with concrete construction makes the place a veritable sauna.
The bathroom sink was full of ants when we arrived too; at Peter's we had snacks and tang and sweets yet never saw an ant anywhere in our room.
Finally, while it sits above a nice beach and it does have great views from the pool area, the beach is a public beach and it was packed with locals so forget any idea of exclusivity of peace and quiet on the beach. Granted it was Sunday which is beach day for Filipinos the country over so surely more crowded than the rest of the week, but just don't be fooled into thinking the beach is private. Loads of locals were hanging out just outside the gate too, perhaps waiting for rides back into town after a day at the beach.
At check out, David Warren the owner charged me the price for the best room, 5115p, despite the fact that we stayed in the cheapest room (3740P) because neither the air con nor fridge worked in room number 3. I protested, to no avail, and his response was as pathetic as his "customer service" saying we could have moved to another 5115P room. It was his night watchman Nene who assisted in in switching rooms as he could not be bothered. I will protest the extra charge with VISA when I get home.
All in all a hugely disappointing place. We'll be back to Padre Burgos because the diving is simply the very best in the Philippines that does not require a liveaboard, particularly the Napantao marine reserve on the other side of Sogod bay about 40 minutes by boat, but 100% certain we'll spend our entire week at Peter's next time. Word in town is the place is for sale so hopefully the new owners can correct the management problems that have allowed the Castle to decline so precipitously (note the last review was 4 months ago, and the reviews back them were very good.).
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Date of stay: September 2017
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sea_Sun_Sand490, Owner at Padre Burgos Castle Resort
Responded Sep 8, 2017
Thank you for your feedback. Of course, we always do our very best to maintain all our facilities and equipment in very good condition, and we are sorry that there was an issue with your original room. We checked your air-conditioning unit shortly after you had checked in and it appeared to be working satisfactorily. Upon hearing of your dissatisfaction later that day, we unhesitatingly offered to relocate you to a room of the same standard with same level of equipment as the one you had booked, which should have been the end of the matter. Let us explain the issues you raise. The service technician subsequently found that the refrigerant levels were fine, as we expected, but that a weak electrical capacitor which meant the cold air was being blown only slowly into the room, which had not been obvious during our own inspection. We had no guests staying the night before your arrival and our daughter celebrated her 9th birthday with a pool party at our resort from 11am to 2pm. Most of the 20 attendees were small children from very simple homes in our local village and they were having such a great time that we decided they could continue enjoying themselves until the check-in time of 3pm. In the event, you arrived earlier than that and immediately expressed your anger about the party, which was then wound down as quickly as possible without making the invitees feel like second-class citizens. On the very rare occasions that it is necessary for guests to change rooms because some item of equipment is not functioning properly, and if the same standard of room is not available, we either give guests a free upgrade to a higher standard of room or adjust the room rate if only a lower standard of room is available. In your case, you had made a non-refundable booking of a “Superior Room” (the highest standard of room) through an on-line travel agent. Having briefly inspected all the rooms you declined the other available Superior Room and decided to take the smallest room, which is located in the shadiest part of the building. We are very sorry about the issues in your original room but, given those circumstances, you were not eligible for a reduction in the room rate because the other Superior Room was available with all equipment working properly. Meals are served either on the outdoor terrace or in the indoor restaurant, both of which offer superb views, but not at the beach. The public beach, adjacent to our resort, can sometimes be very popular at the weekends and on public holidays. Entry to our own beach, which is out of eyesight from the public beach, is prohibited to the public but some people are curious and sneak around to take a look before our beach attendant politely informs them that they need to return to the public area. People are free to congregate on the public road near the entrance to our resort as and when they wish, and they have no impact on guests inside the resort grounds. We have a menu both for food and for drinks. The food menu contains a list of specified and individually priced “light” dishes as well as the price for generic “main courses”, which vary according to what excellent Filipino and international dishes are available and guests prefer. You were charged according to the prices on the menu for the dishes you ordered and consumed. You can rest assured that we appreciate your feedback and that we have already addressed the legitimate issues you raise and both the air-conditioning unit and the refrigerator in your original room (as well as in all the other rooms) are now working very well. David & Delia Warren Proprietors Padre Burgos Castle Resort Tangkaan, Padre Burgos, 6602 Southern Leyte Tel. +63 (0)927 548 8598 / (0)917 408 2529
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This place is incredibly expensive for what it is - there were two of us and it worked out to be $600AUD (incl food, drinks etc) for two nights, which is LOADS in the Philippines. The location though, is pretty sensational as is the house, albeit a little daggy (I'm talking mustard drapes and white satin linen, which is incredibly uncomfortable). It is more like an expensive B&B than a resort (and B&B style is not my preference). The staff were lovely, the meals were cooked there and were quite nice but hugely expensive for what they were. The female owner was lovely (she is also the cook).
There were countless mosquitos in the room when we arrived, and generally, there were loads outside due to it being so close to trees. I asked at dinner if they had any mosquito repellant - and they gave me some which I didn't use. This was on the bill - which is odd for here. Most places would have an insect repellent for guests to use if it was an insect prone area.
Given it is more of a B&B, we were having drinks on Sat night and everyone had left. We went to the bar, took a bottle of wine and left a note to charge the room. David was quite upset about this (which I could understand completely if we didn't leave a note) and we felt like we were in 'trouble' the next morning. A glass was knocked over in conversation and yes, we were charged for the glass. Again, not usual in a resort / expensive hotel. And it's not the money, it's the stinginess of it all that bothered me
So, despite the beautiful location, the lovely pool, private beach and the really sweet girls that work there, all these things added up with the sum of the experiences to be average at best. In terms of value, it certainly did not stack up, and if you are looking for wi-fi, it is intermittent at best.
If you are living in Tacloban (which we are), it is a nice little luxury to have a beachside location that is so picturesqu so close by - but I wouldn't stay at this particular place again.
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Date of stay: January 2015
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:Just be sure to let them know ahead of time if you don't want slippery satin linen and I am...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sea_Sun_Sand490, Owner at Padre Burgos Castle Resort
Responded Jan 19, 2015
Thank you so much for your feedback, and we are very sorry to hear that you found your stay with us disappointing. Your travelling companion was on a return visit and, with the exception of a much larger bar bill this time around (!), the cost of her previous 2-night stay last July was pretty much the same as on this occasion. Given this ‘insider knowledge’ we are a little surprised to read that you were expecting to enjoy a cheaper stay and that the style of our resort is not your preferred one. Of course the Australian dollar has fallen from 41.4 Philippine pesos last July to 36.7 pesos now, which immediately puts up the cost in AUD by 12.5% compared with your companion’s previous visit. We have been using the elegant looking satin quilt covers and pillow cases for nearly a year now, but it is becoming apparent that several guests find them less than comfortable, so we will revert to good quality cotton ones. The internet connection is generally very reliable (and fast considering our relative remoteness) but on Saturday 17th January, your one full day here, the electricity company were doing maintenance work in Maasin City, 30km away from here. Our internet signal is transmitted by radio signal from Maasin and the power outages there on Saturday meant that the transmitter sometimes had no power and that the internet connection was therefore intermittent on that day. Also voltage drops and split second power outages, which we do experience here, can sometimes upset the Wi-Fi signal range extender, which provides coverage to all the guest rooms, restaurant, bar, lounge, and garden areas (but not the beach). This range extender is easily reset when we are informed that the Wi-Fi connection is not working well. Just to be sure that the connection to the Wi-Fi router is not also the source of some problems, we have today switched that range extender with the one which previously served our office, and which we know works perfectly well. Just because we are ‘more of a B&B’ does not mean that guests are free to help themselves from the bar, and you were the first guest in 6 years to feel that such action was acceptable. The waiting staff checks with guests that they have no more orders before the bar is closed for the night. We also have a security guard who is on duty all night and can assist with very late orders and/or ask us, who live on the premises, to come and serve guests after the waiting staff has finished work. Given that the bottle of wine which you served yourself was your 3rd of the evening, it is perhaps not surprising that a champagne flute got broken during the course of the proceedings. Your companion kindly offered to pay for the broken glass (even after we asked “are you sure?”) which, under the circumstances, seemed fair and reasonable and we gratefully accepted that offer. We provide complimentary hand soap, body wash and shampoo in the rooms and items such as insect repellent, sun block, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. are available to purchase from our small shop. You asked for, and were given, insect repellent which was in a new, unopened bottle and, of course, that item was added to your bill. Mosquitoes are occasionally, but not often, a significant nuisance but were quite abundant in the humid and very calm conditions when you arrived on Friday evening and dined outdoors, so it good to know you didn’t actually need to use the insect repellent you bought. We spray the rooms with insect killer when guests arrive, and also when mosquitoes are reported to us, and the air-conditioning keeps them at bay once guests occupy their rooms. We do not disguise, and are far from ashamed by, the fact that our room rates and meal rates, which are both shown clearly on our website, are significantly higher than at most other places in Leyte. Your bar bill, which included 3 bottles of our best ‘champagne’ as well as the ‘extra’ bottle of lovely sauvignon blanc, amounted to 20% of your total hotel bill and you both also enjoyed a manicure and kindly paid for the broken champagne flute. Such pleasures (and accidents) are always going to present you with a significant bill, especially when converted into Australian currency which is at a 5 year low against the Philippine peso. We do thank you for your feedback and are very happy that you enjoyed, to quote, the sensational location and ‘house’, the lovely pool, private beach and ‘sweet’ service. Based on this feedback we will, as stated above, change the ‘standard’ bed linen to cotton rather than satin and we have already changed the Wi-Fi range extender serving the public areas in the hotel and grounds. We hope that your comments and this rather lengthy response (sorry!) will help prospective guests get a good and balanced picture of what to expect. David & Delia Warren Proprietors
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A mixed experience for us at Padre Burgos. The food was delicious, and of very high quality. We especially enjoyed some of Delia's own specialities and Philippino traditional dishes. Service was also excellent. All of the staff were very attentive, friendly and polite at all times. Our room was cleaned well, and the whole resort was always spotless and well maintained.
The Whale shark tour was wonderful. A really special experience, and one of our main reasons for going to Southern Leyte. The tour was well-organised, the lunch was delicious, and the spotters were fantastic at their job. A minor disadvantage was the uncomfortable seating on the boat - the journey to and from the Whale shark spotting location is long.
However, our room (in the tower) was small - for the price paid, damp and stuffy, and it was difficult to get clothes and towels dry - made worse by the fact that it rained most of the days during our stay. We don't like air conditioning, so were disappointed that the windows could not be latched open, and would blow in the wind if opened, and there was no fan. Due to the poor weather, we were at times at a loose end as there is very little to do when it rains. I definitely would not recommend visiting during rainy season! We had hoped that this would be sporadic, tropical rainfall but some days it did not stop all day long. We did feel rather 'trapped' as the resort is so remote, and it was a shame to not have any other options for food than at the resort - meaning the cost of the stay rose considerably.
Food at the resort was on the expensive side when compared with other places we stayed at in Philippines. Granted, the meals were excellent, but sometimes we would have been happy to have simpler dishes for lunch, for example, at more reasonable prices. Similarly, the breakfast, both choices and portions - particularly of fruit seemed a little sparse for the price paid.
Another disappointment for us was that the resort charges for bottled water which is placed in the room. At almost any other hotel we have stayed at in Philippines and around the world bottled water that is placed in the room each day is complimentary. We felt that at a hotel of this quality, bottled water should be complimentary. The water served with meals was free, but we felt uncomfortable having to keep asking for water outside of meal times.
The resort beach is okay, but the shoreline is very rocky and there is only one small section where you can get into the sea without walking on very sharp rocks. Due to the weather, the sea was very rough during our stay. This meant that swimming was not really possible, and the water was not the beautiful calm, clear blue that we were hoping for.
On the whole, we enjoyed our time at Padre Burgos, and are very glad we got to swim with the whale sharks. We would come back to see the whale sharks, but would look very carefully into the predicted weather, and would stay for a shorter time.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: December 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A "boutique hotel" with "luxurious accommodation"? You must be joking!
We - myself, partner and two children (5 yrs and 15 months) - spent five nights here over the Christmas period and left feeling pretty deflated. I'll be as objective and fair as I can, but I really fail to see how any guests - particularly families - can leave feeling on such a high!
THE GOOD:
The PBCR's location is stunning, no question. The views from the terrace/pool/beach are all fantastic and, although we didn't try it, other guests raved about the snorkelling, often just a few yards off-shore. The sea is clear, warm and a beautiful colour against the coral/sand combination on the sea-bed. Food, in general, is of a very good standard, and presented in a very professional manner. The Christmas Eve 'buffet' was superb, with delicious turkey/beef/ham/seafood and plenty of accompanying vegetables/rice. The only slight negative was the wine; advertised as 'free-flow', indeed it was. But the standard measure is 125ml and, whilst your glass was topped up if you asked, we felt uncomfortable doing so after having had two or three. The only fly in an otherwise splendid ointment. The sailing trip we had was great. Only my son and I went - it's not suitable for very young children which, unfortunately, we weren't made aware of at the time of booking, so my partner stayed behind with our baby - but it was fantastic weather and a real treat. We were very grateful that David had managed to fix one of the boat's cables, which had broken but a few days earlier, so that we could take this trip before we left. The property - including the beach - is kept, in the main, extremely clean. And the pool is lovely and inviting. The staff are, almost unfailingly, extremely helpful, polite and accommodating. Prices for drinks/snacks/meals are reasonable, by Western standards. The (pre-booking) contact/service you will get will be excellent. We almost booked on the strength of this alone. Very polite, very helpful and very swift.
THE BAD:
Unfortunately rather a lot to cite... To claim PBCR is a "boutique hotel" with "luxurious accommodation" (see the website) is a gross misrepresentation. We had the family room - which is the same size as a double - and it left a lot to be desired. The furniture is generally of a poor standard; no runners on drawers, mis-aligned doors and made of wood that seems to have been simply thrown together (take a look under the beds). There was no cot for our baby upon arrival, and when it did turn up we found a cockroach scurrying about under the mini-mattress. The A/C is generally OK - even if it does kick in with a noisy vengeance every 15 mins or so - but the bathroom has no hot water to the basin. Our basin tap was very loose (David kindly fixed it, after I'd had to draw it to his attention) and the mirror was dilapidated. There was also what we suspected to be a 'toilet' stain on the bathroom rug - we asked for it to be cleaned. The "garden view" advertised is nothing of the sort. The property boundary lies a few feet away, and the only time we looked out was shortly before one of the staff walked past right outside the window - the curtains remained closed thereafter. Be prepared, also, to spend your nights with geckos glued to the ceiling/walls a few feet away... For a resort that claims to have a family room, it is surprising that they do not have a single high chair for dining. Our daughter was fed either on our lap or sat in her buggy. Despite the food being, generally, of a good quality, we would have been happy to book a single, set dish for our evening meal. Half-boarders are almost 'told' what they will be eating that evening, although Delia did try to make sure that she wasn't serving us with something we utterly detested or something we might have some kind of reaction to. Breakfasts - save for the Christmas Day champagne one (very nice) - are very ordinary. Toast (often cold), butter (always hard) jam etc, plus cereal and tea/coffee/water. Juice you pay for, as you will for anything cooked. I had to send back half of a lunch-time sandwich because the bread was visibly mouldy, and was given the explanation (by the staff) that it was not, and was simply something to do with the "baking" method - nonsense! After 20 mins waiting, I had to ask for a replacement. Despite my commending the resort's cleanliness, I should point out that litter (not washed up) could almost always be spotted in patches down at the beach, and that cobwebs can be found under the beds, at least they could in the family room. And anyone seeking adventure should take a look under the sofa in the lounge. I only spotted it because one of our kids' toys rolled underneath, but I couldn't even guess when it was last swept! There were other little annoyances, such as being charged, at the end of our stay, for food we'd not ordered, and for water - three bottles in the room, daily - that we'd been led to believe were complimentary. PBCR is also a 30-min walk from the 'town'. We didn't venture, leaving ourselves confined to the resort itself, albeit of our own choice. WiFi is acceptable, at best, and on a par with dial-up, at worst, even if one positions their lap-top within inches of the router. Given the time of year - and being 6000 miles from 'home' - we were disappointed not to be able to have a decent Skype conversation with our parents/family to wish them a 'Happy Christmas'.
THE UGLY:
The transfer from the airport (Tacloban) is horrendous. Dress it up as best you can, but it's a fraction over 100 miles (168 kms, the driver told us) and 3.5 hours on some of the most unforgiving roads. An absolute nightmare, particularly with young children. The steps leading down to the beach are extremely steep, hazardous and entirely un-lit. Beware, if you wish to venture down after dusk and do not have a torch. There is a small wall (approx 18ins high) between the upper area of the grounds - not more than 8 feet from the pool - and the beach below. It is a sheer drop of perhaps 70 feet or more! There are no 'warning' signs, and it is both nauseating and downright dangerous, particularly when you're holidaying with young children - a CONSTANT worry, to be honest. I am quite sure that any resort in the UK/EU with this sort of hazard would be closed down instantly.
So, there you have it. As honest and fair as I think we can be. Three stars is the absolute maximum I would award. If you're a young couple with a bit of 'adventure' in you, it may well be the right choice. For anyone else - and particularly families - it might not be quite what you had in mind. And, as I've said, a "boutique hotel" with "luxurious accommodation"? Not in a million years! We wouldn't (ever) go back.
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Date of stay: December 2012
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
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Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from PBCR_Owner, Owner at Padre Burgos Castle Resort
Responded Jan 7, 2013
Thank you for your review. Given your continual family arguments, which were a constant annoyance to our other guests and led to you indulging in the unacceptable behaviour of spending at least 1 night sleeping on the sofa in the hotel lounge, it is not surprising that your holiday was disappointing. Let us address some of the points you make. Activities such as catamaran sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, caving, hiking to waterfalls, etc are clearly unsuitable for 15 month old babies who cannot yet walk. We also offer city tours, land trips to other beautiful beaches and fish feeding sanctuaries, and tours by motor boat to nearby islands and to watch dolphins, which are all great for families with babies and infants – as well as for adults. Our half-board dinners are 4-course set dinners, which are discussed and agreed with guests in advance. The choice for any particular evening is limited but we provide different menus every day even for people who stay for 2 weeks or more as well as for people with special dietary requirements. We also offer 1, 2 or 3 course dinners for people not taking half-board. You ‘upgraded’ to ‘half-board’ after your first dinner, and you ate all 4 courses every night. Wine on Christmas Eve was free flow and was not measured, and glasses were constantly topped up, without guests needing to ask, until dinner was cleared about 10.30pm. Continental breakfast is included in the room rates and comprises tea/coffee/hot chocolate, toast & jam or cereals, fresh fruit or fruit juice. Additional items are available at additional charge. As you spent 2 hours over most of your breakfasts, it is not surprising that your toast was cold. Internet connection on a remote island in a developing country is never going to be as fast as in a big, developed city. The connection is available in all the guest rooms and public areas (except the beach) and the speed is more than adequate for e-mailing, web browsing and social networking. On Christmas evening 3 people, including yourself, were simultaneously making Skype video calls while several other guests were also successfully connecting to the internet with their mobile devices. It is a 3 hour non-stop drive for the 165km journey from Tacloban airport to the resort. The road is concrete/asphalt for the entire length, it winds through the mountains for about 50 kilometres and in some places the surface is rough. There is continuous work to maintain and upgrade this road. It is an 11 metre drop from the garden to the beach, with 36 steps in the staircase. We are 3 km from Padre Burgos town and both public transport and the resort van are available at a small cost for people who do not wish to walk. The information in the rooms clearly states that bottled water is not free. You mentioned when you checked out that there was 1 portion of French fries on your bill which you had not consumed. As the amount was so trivial you asked for no adjustment to be made, and we fail to understand why you are complaining about this here. The bread was made freshly every day but there was clearly something, other than mould, in one of your sandwiches. We apologise for this and it took 20 minutes to make a replacement, and we made no charge for either the original or the replacement. Your points, while exaggerated, about the underside of beds and sofas not being completely clean have been noted and we have updated our cleaning procedures to ensure these types of places are cleaned more often. Our cleaner was spending up to 3 hours a day to clean your room because your clothes, towels, toys, papers, bedclothes, etc were strewn all over the floors and furniture and you used your bathroom to do your laundry with the complimentary bath soap. We keep the beach very clean, as shown in the numerous guest photos posted here, and natural and artificial debris that is continually washed up by the tide and currents is cleared as quickly as humanly possible. Swivel type water taps do work themselves loose, particularly when children play with them, and it was a 5 second job to re-tighten the retaining nut by hand. Geckos are part and parcel of life in the tropics – even in the brand new 38th floor penthouse apartment we occupied when we lived in Singapore! Thank you, once again, for your comments and giving us the opportunity to respond. David & Delia.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We are a couple that has traveled frequently in the Philippines over the last year to places that are off the beaten track, and our stay at Padre Burgos Castle Resort has been the most disappointing one so far. Although the overall experience was poor, the reason for giving it an average score is that the resort also has good things to offer and maybe we have been unlucky during the three nights that we stayed there.
+ Staff and hostess/owner: Super friendly + Private beach: Great snorkling at the house reef. Be careful with kids though, the current can be dangerously strong. + Cleanliness: Everything was very clean - Food: Although very well prepared and tasty, portions were too small and definitely overpriced (Php 750 for main course). By far the most expensive food we've had outside tourist hot spots. - Tours: We booked a full day tour to go snorkling and dolphin spotting. It was not only by far the most expensive tour we have done in the Philippines (100 Euro for 2 people), we did not see any dolphins either. Of course this can never be guaranteed but the tour felt rushed and we returned to the resort almost 2 hours before the tour was supposed to end. We got the feeling that the boat staff just wanted to go home and did not care about whether we would see the dolphins or not. No discount or refund offered. - Proximity to the village: Although pictures make it seem like a very secluded place, it is located in a village. The second day and night there were some celebrations going on in the village with extremely loud music that did not end until 4am in the morning. Even without those celebrations, there's still a high risk of noise given the Filipinos' love for karaoke.
At the end of our stay we were tired due to lack of sleep, our wallet was empty and we didn't see dolphins. Overall, not a good experience.
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Date of stay: August 2018
Rooms
Location
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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Hi! We run fabulous eco-tours to snorkel with the whale sharks during the season and can also advise on and arrange transport for ferries to/from Bohol and/or Cebu. Please e-mail us directly for more details.
Best wishes,
PBCR
Hi Joselle,
It is about 3 hours' drive from Palo, and we can certainly arrange transport for you. Please e-mail us (e-mail address is available on our website) for more information and to make a reservation.
Kind regards,
David & Delia Warren
Padre Burgos Castle Resort
Hello Angel,
Thank you for your question.
We offer luxurious accommodation and top-class meals, and camping and consumption of own food and drinks within the resort grounds are prohibited.
If you e-mail or call us, we can put you in touch with a nearby property offering simple accommodation where visitors who take both rooms may also camp.
David & Delia Warren
Hi J & W,
For detailed questions like this it would be best to e-mail us at the address you will find on our website. But to give some feedback in the meantime:
It is a long way be road from north west Samar to Southern Leyte. You may be able to get the Bachelor bus which travels through Samar on its way from Manila to Davao, and then change in Sogod. But if you're doing a road trip back to Manila it would be best to come here first by flying to Tacloban and then going by road to Manila stopping in Samar on the way.
There are lots of activities including superb snorkeling and diving, island hopping, dolphin watching, sailing, kayaking, caving, walks to waterfalls, land tours, motor bike rental etc. April and May are excellent times for swimming with whale sharks which are in abundance at the moment. So get out and enjoy yourselves and sleep at night!
We look forward to answering further queries by e-mail.
David & Delia
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What are some restaurants close to Padre Burgos Castle Resort?
Conveniently located restaurants include Sogod Bay Scuba Resort Restaurant, Southern Leyte Divers Restaurant, and Padre Burgos Castle Resort Restaurant.
