Just be extra careful with this resort's terms and conditions, they are very greedy and inconsiderate.
We reserved a room in this resort only because this is the venue for our friends' wedding. They booked the entire resort for all their guests and for sure Amarela already made some good earnings and profit out of it.
1. The wedding is at December, but they were already asking us to pay 50% by April, giving us only 2 weeks deadline upon confirming we are taking one room. To think the whole resort was already confirmed by our friends, so what's the pressure all about? But we paid, no choice.
2. Since we are outside the Philippines, they gave their Dollar Account details for us to pay. I transferred the payment but was returned back by their bank because it doesn't accept pesos or other denomination, which is dirhams in my case. When my money was returned, their bank deducted the fees and charges at my expense. I asked the resort to waive it but they firmly said it is not their fault because I should have paid in dollars, wth? And no apologies from them at all. I did not make fuss out of it out of courtesy to our friends who will marry there. So I transferred the payment again adding more to what was deducted by their bank.
3. Unfortunate incident happened to my husband and i that we can no longer attend the wedding. We did not ask for any refund because we know it is too late, we understand that. But this greedy resort asked us to pay the remaining 50% based on their terms and conditions that if you don't cancel 2 WEEKS prior to your stay, you have to pay in full. It is my first time to encounter such terms, because the norm is you can advise around 24-48hours to cancel your reservation. Again, out of courtesy to our friends, we were left with no choice but to pay, again.
4. Worst of all, they even told us that if we will not pay them on their given short deadline (again), they will take the payment from our friends who got married there! How greedy and inconsiderate is that? Involving other people to your separate issues and no sense of compassion to whatever had happened to us and even more so to the couple who chose to celebrate and house all their guests in your resort? All they are after is your money.
Anyway, we already paid them a total of Php 24,820 (+1,173 their bank's deduction) for a cancelled room where no one even stayed. I did not bother to ask anymore but for sure they will not even give a small discount for us even if we did not use their services, amenities, breakfast, etc. anyway.
So be careful, or better yet, do not trust this resort at all. Find other nicer resorts in Panglao, I've stayed in Bohol Beach Club before and it's a LOT better service. Besides, it looks boring in Amarela anyway and read all the negative reviews here, they really have inconsiderate and bad attitude towards their guests, I am not surprised anymore.