Amanpulo

Actual heaven on earth. Time slows down on the island. Stress melts away. Every last detail is thought of in advance so you truly feel at home. We travelled with our two young girls and they were catered for in the most loving and beautiful way: from the child friendly food to kid sized bath robes and flip flops to the excellent kids Center. Yes it’s pricey but it’s worth every penny. Highly recommend!

We just got back from the most peaceful yet never-boring holiday on a tiny island surrounded by sunshine, soft sand, and endless emerald sea—Amanpulo. From the moment we stepped off the plane and were greeted with a warm “Welcome home!”, we knew this place was special. And it truly was. We stayed in both the Hilltop Casita and the Beach Casita—each with its own charm. The hilltop offered stunning views and privacy (yet mosquito bites at the same time), while the beach gave us the joy of waking up to the sound of waves. Both helped us instantly relax and let go of daily stress. What really made the trip unforgettable were the people. Every staff member, whether maintaining paths or serving as a butler, greeted us with a genuine smile. Their warmth was infectious. Our butler, Jam, was incredibly thoughtful—from bringing us fresh aloe gel for sunburn to surprise anti-itch cream (as well as complimentary upgrade of our room) when she noticed mosquito bites. My daughter absolutely adored her and has been counting the days to go back ever since. Even when my husband suddenly craved a dish from a tiny South American country, the chef and team went out of their way to recreate it with the ingredients they had. That kind of care blew us away. The food was lovely, the entire island was eco-friendly (plastic-free, even the waste recycled), and for a few days, we truly felt like part of nature. The sound of the waves and the kindness we experienced are still fresh in our hearts. And yes—we’ll be back. :) p.s. Some of the staff in restaurants were not experienced enough , so we had to ask multiple times about the menu or the services (if it's included in our package or not). Though this annoyed us a few times, the general manager showed up oftentimes and wanted to make sure everything went smoothly. The kind gesture kind of paid off the inconvenience we experienced.

TIPS: Best time to visit: December to May (summer in the Philippines) Avoid Rainy/ Typhoon Season: June to October Windy Season (dry and sunny with a cool breeze) : December to end of February **protect your eyes and avoid private dinner by the beach as the sand is too fine and the wind is too strong Our Experience in a nutshell: Reservations and Booking: Challenging to coordinate with the Reservations team. Requests and questions were met with immediate rejections, if not incorrect information. They take awhile to respond that I had to call IDD just to follow up and clarify certain things pertaining to our stay. The Property: Outdated and rundown. The whole property can benefit from an overall renovation. Guests are provided with golf carts to explore the whole island, which was lovely. The Beach: HEAVEN. Crystal clear waters, and warm powdery sand. Not much corals to see but turtles are everywhere. Monitor lizards roaming around the island as well. FOOD & BEVERAGE: Food was ok albeit quality slightly deteriorated. It would be nice to have some salads and sandwiches as options along with more international and local cuisines. Wine selection has improved, although the pricing can be adjusted so as not to deter guests from purchasing bottles from the outlets. I understand that the clientele has the paying capacity, but from a hotel's inventory you don't want to spoil the wines sitting and not being drank. Intelligent pricing and flexibility could help boost revenue to encourage guests to dine and drink; especially for guests staying longer. Activities: During our stay, we rented go-karts and went wall climbing (at a cost). Water activities such as snorkelling with turtles, banana boats, and paddleboards are also included as part of the amenities offered free of charge. Bicycles are also provided for free. There is a play area where babies and kids can hang, and a lovely tennis court that you can book. Yoga and gym are available on the island as well. Service and Team: EXCELLENT. Marc, our butler for the whole trip, ensured that our arrival, stay, and departure were smooth. He is very efficient and responds immediately. Vince and Daniel from the Beach club ensured we were treated like royalty. Their attention to detail (remembering our food preference, drinks, etc, from last year) is remarkable. Before we asked, they delivered! This is rare in hotels nowadays. We opted for a private dinner in our casita the night before. Jazmyl, the one in charge of setting up everything, and she made sure the night was flawless. Her passion and love for what she does is evident. Her extra mile to ensure we had a good ambience and a good time is such a lovely touch. It seemed like the team didn't have enough resources to execute their tasks well, but they made it work (cute garden lights and a portable speaker, all personally owned by Jasmyl, were used for our dinner). We felt like dining in a Michelin-star restaurant! Chef Bryan was cooking in the dark (as there were no lights on in his makeshift kitchen) and still managed to serve us good food. Shout-out to Elamar for making our special requests happen prior to our arrival. He knows what an absolute luxury, five-star service, means. He knew how to take care of returning guests. He is a problem-solver who didn't immediately say no to simple requests. Instead, he understood where we, as guests, came from and made sure that we were well taken care of. He is a valuable and seasoned hotelier and I am surprised he is not the F&B Director which he clearly deserves. Allysa of the Front Office also made sure that our stay was smooth. Her personal touch of ensuring we have everything we need was really appreciated. Heinrich, the friendly and humble general manager is always around the property directly interacting with his staff from all levels. Definitely lovely to see a leader accessible to his team! Welcome champagne was a nice touch! Overall: The beach and the team's service makes the trip worth it.