Located at Kundugan Point, an extension of El Nido that stretches into Biscuit Bay, and difficult to access by road, the Alternative Beach Cottages is reached via a 30-45 min boat ride from the El Nido harbor, giving this accommodation the feel of being on one of the remote and secluded islands in Bacuit bay. After researching accommodations and reading the positive reviews I decided to book this accommodation. My hope was that it would be similar to the luxury beach resorts in the area without the ridiculous price tag of the El Nido Resorts run by the Ayala group- a wealthy non-local family conglomerate from the mainland. First the bad points of this experience-the communication prior to arrival was exceptionally poor due to the lack of responsiveness to emails and calls from Expedia. After decades of world traveling and trip planning, I would put this among the very worse in this regard. Except for the auto response from the Expedia platform confirming the reservation, I was unable to get any response to my questions about tours which was important so that I could properly plan my trip. I sent messages using the Expedia platform, emailed them directly using the address on their website, and had Expedia call them mid-day several times with no response each time which led to worry about whether something was wrong at the resort and whether our reservation would be honored. It also led to...Located at Kundugan Point, an extension of El Nido that stretches into Biscuit Bay, and difficult to access by road, the Alternative Beach Cottages is reached via a 30-45 min boat ride from the El Nido harbor, giving this accommodation the feel of being on one of the remote and secluded islands in Bacuit bay.

After researching accommodations and reading the positive reviews I decided to book this accommodation. My hope was that it would be similar to the luxury beach resorts in the area without the ridiculous price tag of the El Nido Resorts run by the Ayala group- a wealthy non-local family conglomerate from the mainland.

First the bad points of this experience-the communication prior to arrival was exceptionally poor due to the lack of responsiveness to emails and calls from Expedia. After decades of world traveling and trip planning, I would put this among the very worse in this regard. Except for the auto response from the Expedia platform confirming the reservation, I was unable to get any response to my questions about tours which was important so that I could properly plan my trip. I sent messages using the Expedia platform, emailed them directly using the address on their website, and had Expedia call them mid-day several times with no response each time which led to worry about whether something was wrong at the resort and whether our reservation would be honored. It also led to problems coordinating with other properties because of our itinerary.

I decided to take a leap of faith and hope for the best when I arrived in El Nido from Puerto Princesa. Fortunately, pick up was almost on time -just after 2pm at the El Nido bus terminal (one review said that pick up could be as much as 45 minutes late)- two guys showed up asking for us by our name. We then had to walk about 10 minutes with our backpacks to the harbor where the crew used small kayaks to ferry us to the boat anchored off shore, and there we waited another 45 min for a couple who eventually no showed. While waiting on the boat, the staff spoke among themselves in Tagalog and ignored us before we started the 30-40 min boat ride to the resort. Needless to say the beginning of our stay was off to a very bad start but we were relieved at least that we did not have to scramble for a last minute accommodation.

Just before leaving the harbor, Erika the acting manager of the property boarded the boat. I learned that both the owner and Alex, the manager, responsible for guest relations and communications was on vacation. In my opinion, someone should have informed of this so that we were not kept in the dark as long as we were about our status with this property. Also, given that Alex did not responsibly handle this part of his job, the owner should seriously consider finding a new manager or re-train him given his sub-standard performance.

By contrast, Erika was personable, she apologized on behalf of the organization and tried to make things right with the tours.

We were offered a late lunch which was great. The portions were generous and most important, dietary preferences are honored as one of our party was vegan/ plant based. I also learned that they do gluten free. In fact the unusual name of this resort is rooted in a past local restaurant that catered to vegan and vegetarians - hence the name “alternative.” Meals are served 7-9am, 1-2pm and 7-9pm.

Other than the poor communication, the other issues have to do with minor inconveniences but ok for those seeking to unplug during their stay: Electricity is available from 4pm-9am. WiFi is limited; I was able to receive text messages through iMessage but emails were difficult to send and receive while electricity was on. Rooms are cooled with floor fan, no central AC.

Staff is responsive to requests/feedback.

An expected bonus-the hotel and beach faces northeast which means less direct sun which was perfect for us as we enjoyed being on the beach without getting excessive UV exposure. On the beach however sand flies are present after 5pm.

The accommodation has more staff than guests - 18 workers make up the staff while the maximum guest count is 16. When we went there were 5-7 in all.

We stayed at the Cliffside cottage which offered an ocean view screened by trees.
and this room met our needs. There are four units one of them had no view so be sure to get details on the cottage you might be booking...

Overall, alternative beach cottages is a charming secluded family run business that offers the catered experience without the pretentiousness of the nearby luxury resorts. Visitors are mostly Europeans. This place is great for those truly seeking a getaway, to unplug or for those seeking a venue for family reunions.

Alternative beach cottage needs an alternative name
To reflect the unique experience that they offer.

Tours are almost private and in between the cost of a public tour and a private tour. Food is provided. I did Tour A which was good.

If management could be more considerate and respond to emails in a timely fashion, this place would be a gem...More