Dream Native Resort, Bohol

This was the resort hotel we stayed at in Bohol for 1 night.  My brother booked it for all of us.  It was very price-y in my standards (around P7,000 per night), but since our travel coincided with the peak season, I didn’t mind that at first.

We were served welcome drinks of artificially-flavored juices.   The owner was Italian I think, judging from his books displayed at the reception area:

They have pools inside, a big plus for all of us who love swimming pools!

I had, of course, high expectations for our room.   With such steep room rate, I imagined our room to be big: big walking area (especially since we have a baby with us), big beds and a big bathroom.

I was shocked to find this – for P7,000:

It’s neat, alright, but too “simple” and there’s not much space!   We had an extra bed brought in for Liam’s yaya and with our things and other stuff, we were left with only about 1/3 space to move around.    We thought we have the whole cottage to ourselves when we only have half of it!

I asked my brother if he really reserved for 2 beds in a room and he said he knew he reserved for 2 bedrooms.

Anyway, so we got small space, small beds and small bathroom (not worthy of pictures).   What the hell did we pay for here?  The art towels?

To compensate for the sub-standard room, we maximized the use of the resort’s amenities like the pools and the gym.   We immediately took a dip at their pools (and jacuzzi) after our dinner there (food were so-so and again expensive).

Juvvy, my sis-in-law, decided to step out earlier than the rest of us to put Liam, my nephew, to sleep.   A few minutes later she was with us again because the heater (a regular heater, mind) at the shower wouldn’t work (no hot water was coming out of it).   The minutes spent waiting for the resort’s maintenance guy turned out to be long minutes until he finally came and it took him a really long time to figure everything there at the shower.   At this time, my nephew was now wide-awake and he definitely cannot sleep with all the bangings going on in the bathroom.

I stayed at the pool area the whole time the guy from the resort was trying to fix things.  Then I saw the resort owner’s wife walking near our path, and she didn’t even checked on us! I know it’s impossible that she was not briefed about the problem we’re having with their room’s shower, nor was it possible not to see my brother and AJ talking with the maintenance guy when for the nth time he was walking out of the cottage door to get or check something.

In the end, they took off the heater and we were without hot water for our baths.

We’re so glad when morning finally came and, should I still be surprised, our P7,000 room rate does not include breakfast!  We ordered breakfast for Liam and AJ only, and the rest of us took coffee – nothing else.

To say that we were disappointed was an understatement.    For the price we paid, we deserve much, much more.  Little complementary items like breakfast, soap-and-shampoo in the bathroom and extra pillows would have been very much appreciated.

I won’t recommend this resort at all for budget travelers and families (especially with babies and tots).   The resort’s ambiance, service and amenities are perfect for honeymooners, though, and foreigners who are only after relaxation in Bohol.

Dream Native Resort is located at Dauis, Panglao, Bohol.