It was tough having to check out earlier today because we had such a great time. We stayed 4 nights/5 days. We stayed at Lagen a previous visit over 10ths ago. We specifically chose Cadlao over Lagen because it was on the mainland. We didn’t like the feeling of being trapped on an island without any sense of the town or its people. Cadlao was a much better value as well during this peak holiday season.
The facility is beautiful and well-maintained. Someone was tending to the pool every morning as well as the grounds. The views were stunning from our suite and the restaurant.
My husband and I stayed in one of the seafront suites while my mother and our 2 children stayed in a Family Suite which had a Queen Bed and 2 twin beds in a separate room connected by a shared bathroom between them. It was an ideal setup. Lots of space in each suite.
I thought there could have been more options to hang wet clothes and towels until I figured out the bamboo “ladders” outside the suites were meant to hang wet clothes to allow them to dry. There were some ants present but they weren’t a nuisance. It wasn’t an infestation. They didn’t bother us. It’s Palawan and close to nature so insects will happen. Mosquitos are also known on Palawan. We did our homework and applied DEET-based repellant on our exposed areas during dusk and dawn. We also wore light weight long sleeve shirts and pants during those times. No need to pollute the environment to create sterile conditions for our convenience.
The restaurant had a great selection of food and beverages. They tried to mix things up on a daily basis. We had dinner there every night for the convenience. Meals are naturally less expensive outside of the resort but to feed 3 adults and 2 kids for 4 dinners and 2 lunches for $300USD is pretty reasonable. We ordered too much food one night and they recommended storing our leftovers for the following evening. They prepared it as promised and it was still delicious at the expense of their own profit. What restaurant does this ever? A wonderful breakfast buffet was included in our package. There were times we had to wait a while but the food was always delicious.
As mentioned previously, there are stunning views from the restaurant. In the morning, however, vendors would be present. It’s a public beach and those families are trying to make a living. They didn’t really detract from the experience in my opinion perhaps because I’m used to Times Square in NYC.
There were tricycles that were available to shuttle us into the beach area where we could then catch a tour or venture into town. This was complimentary each way. Sometimes there was a bit of a wait but it’s only about a 15min stroll back to the resort.
Is this resort perfect? No, but at their price point it doesn’t have to be but pretty darn close. I was debating scoring a 4 vs 5, but I went with 5 because of a few intangibles that make up for the few shortcomings. Cid, the manager, was excellent and a model for the service industry. Dare I say we are a high maintenance family for voicing opinion but each issue during our stay was handled well and without judgement. For example, our AC didn’t seem cold at all during our first night. Cid made sure it was well functioning thereafter. It was rather cold much to the liking of us Canadians. I would return and recommend to my friends and family.
