We stayed in this hotel at the end of December 2022. This was the most expensive hotel on our honeymoon and we expected great things. The only good thing about Matinloc was our room… but we paid through the nose for it.
We had previously stayed at Cauayan hotel where you were made to feel very special with fantastic accommodation, service and food.
Unfortunately Matinloc is rundown. The rooms at the top of the hill are derelict and the stairs leading up to them are unsafe but no cordoned off. The wooden boards are broken and some stair cases only attach on one side.
There is a fair amount of waste in the sea and most of the coral has sadly died so the snorkelling isn’t good. We took a kayak to the next bay where the coral is better.
We did not swim in the pools because they were dirty and the hazard sign on the ladder didn’t really create the ambience you would expect from such an expensive hotel.
The food is poor and over priced and the service is terrible. The staff are friendly so it’s not their fault. However there appears to be no management and they are under staffed. We decided to go to El Nido to get a better meal. We were informed there was a boat leaving at 1pm and returning at 5pm so we went to nice local restaurants for lunch and brought food back for supper which we enjoyed. We were not told we would be charged for the ride into town and were billed for it at checkout.
Overall I felt totally ripped off and although the room was good I was hugely disappointed by this hotel.
Krissy R
-
March 26, 2023
Booked for our Honeymoon, we only stayed for 1 night and I would say that was perfect. On its own island, you travel by speed boat from El Nido Town to the resort.
I wouldn't recommend saying here longer than 2 nights as you miss out on the El Nido Town experience and the more populated part of the island. There isn't any alcohol delivered to the island as well, so make sure you stock up before your stay.
The food was OK, quite expensive for the Philippines but I think part of that is due to the fact they have to deliver everything in from town.
Lastly, we stayed in the Beach Villa which was quite picturesque and comfortable, but we did overhear other guests complaining about how far the upper suites are so something else to keep in mind as well when you book.
Svetlana R
-
April 14, 2023
Short
Bad food (few healthy options + not tasty at all + food poisoning); no alcohol in the hotel; very nice and friendly staff; good rooms; not much to do on the island
Long
First of all food. That’s the worst part.
Hotel staff says the hotel supports healthy lifestyle - that’s why they do not serve any alcohol on the island (but at least they warn you about it at El Nido beach hotel before departing to the island and offer you to buy your own one). But considering this food, I didn’t find anything healthy there.
For lunch you have a very poor choice: pizza, pasta, sandwich, deep fried, Philippino dishes. For dinner same menu + some salads, several soups and I’ve seen some fish and meat. Fish and minestrone as well as mango juice were unavailable for my whole stay, 4 days. I’ve tried local noodles, fried rice with egg, pasta and pizza. Everything is literally soaking in huge amounts of vegetable oil. On the second day after this terrible oil (I ate only pasta with prawns with a generous amount of vegetable oil again) I had a terrible food poisoning and ended up throwing up all day. So the other days I ate only steamed rice with no spices and oil, that was the only suitable option from the menu.
My husband got food poisoning the next day after me (he ate mozzarella salad and pizza). I went to El Nido to buy some food for us. Normally transfer to El Nido comes for extra cost even despite the fact you’re going with other guests who checked out and they are brought to the airport for free :) ~500 peso per person one way, but the owner made this transfer free of charge for me because both my husband and I had food poisoning.
Hotel stuff was very supportive, they gave us carbon and electrolytes to help with food poisoning.
Staff is very nice and friendly, but it’s hard to appreciate it when you’re locked up on the private island for 4 days with no choice of healthy / good food. A golden cage with bad food. And there’s no much to do here: swimming and snorkeling (but the reef is almost dead), kayaking to the next beach on the left side (you’re forbidden to go to other places 🤷♀️), island hopping. At 4pm there’s already no sunlight on the island. Only 1 massage therapist was available during our stay.
The only positive moment was on the first day, the receptionist Jason was super helpful and by our request upgraded us for an extra cost (but with a big discount) for a spacious mountain villa, quite private, located on the hill, with beach overview and own balcony. Although even here we experienced a clogged toilet (great, that’s what I’ve always dreamed to have during my wedding anniversary celebration). We fixed it ourselves. Toilet seat is very uncomfortable.
Keno Moreno
-
March 10, 2023
Planning an El Nido vacation will be fun and enjoyable in a safe place, capturing and worth sharing views here in Matinloc Resort.
Spacious and comfortable beds for a good sleep and rest, good food and services.
Jack Zheng
-
April 24, 2023
I know there are negative reviews but I had the most amazing time ever, one of the best places I’ve stayed. The beach and the sandbar nearby that you can kayak too are both stunning. I did stay on the ground level.
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Matinloc Island, Brgy, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
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We stayed in this hotel at the end of December 2022. This was the most expensive hotel on our honeymoon and we expected great things. The only good thing about Matinloc was our room… but we paid through the nose for it. We had previously stayed at Cauayan hotel where you were made to feel very special with fantastic accommodation, service and food. Unfortunately Matinloc is rundown. The rooms at the top of the hill are derelict and the stairs leading up to them are unsafe but no cordoned off. The wooden boards are broken and some stair cases only attach on one side. There is a fair amount of waste in the sea and most of the coral has sadly died so the snorkelling isn’t good. We took a kayak to the next bay where the coral is better. We did not swim in the pools because they were dirty and the hazard sign on the ladder didn’t really create the ambience you would expect from such an expensive hotel. The food is poor and over priced and the service is terrible. The staff are friendly so it’s not their fault. However there appears to be no management and they are under staffed. We decided to go to El Nido to get a better meal. We were informed there was a boat leaving at 1pm and returning at 5pm so we went to nice local restaurants for lunch and brought food back for supper which we enjoyed. We were not told we would be charged for the ride into town and were billed for it at checkout. Overall I felt totally ripped off and although the room was good I was hugely disappointed by this hotel.
Booked for our Honeymoon, we only stayed for 1 night and I would say that was perfect. On its own island, you travel by speed boat from El Nido Town to the resort. I wouldn't recommend saying here longer than 2 nights as you miss out on the El Nido Town experience and the more populated part of the island. There isn't any alcohol delivered to the island as well, so make sure you stock up before your stay. The food was OK, quite expensive for the Philippines but I think part of that is due to the fact they have to deliver everything in from town. Lastly, we stayed in the Beach Villa which was quite picturesque and comfortable, but we did overhear other guests complaining about how far the upper suites are so something else to keep in mind as well when you book.
Short Bad food (few healthy options + not tasty at all + food poisoning); no alcohol in the hotel; very nice and friendly staff; good rooms; not much to do on the island Long First of all food. That’s the worst part. Hotel staff says the hotel supports healthy lifestyle - that’s why they do not serve any alcohol on the island (but at least they warn you about it at El Nido beach hotel before departing to the island and offer you to buy your own one). But considering this food, I didn’t find anything healthy there. For lunch you have a very poor choice: pizza, pasta, sandwich, deep fried, Philippino dishes. For dinner same menu + some salads, several soups and I’ve seen some fish and meat. Fish and minestrone as well as mango juice were unavailable for my whole stay, 4 days. I’ve tried local noodles, fried rice with egg, pasta and pizza. Everything is literally soaking in huge amounts of vegetable oil. On the second day after this terrible oil (I ate only pasta with prawns with a generous amount of vegetable oil again) I had a terrible food poisoning and ended up throwing up all day. So the other days I ate only steamed rice with no spices and oil, that was the only suitable option from the menu. My husband got food poisoning the next day after me (he ate mozzarella salad and pizza). I went to El Nido to buy some food for us. Normally transfer to El Nido comes for extra cost even despite the fact you’re going with other guests who checked out and they are brought to the airport for free :) ~500 peso per person one way, but the owner made this transfer free of charge for me because both my husband and I had food poisoning. Hotel stuff was very supportive, they gave us carbon and electrolytes to help with food poisoning. Staff is very nice and friendly, but it’s hard to appreciate it when you’re locked up on the private island for 4 days with no choice of healthy / good food. A golden cage with bad food. And there’s no much to do here: swimming and snorkeling (but the reef is almost dead), kayaking to the next beach on the left side (you’re forbidden to go to other places 🤷♀️), island hopping. At 4pm there’s already no sunlight on the island. Only 1 massage therapist was available during our stay. The only positive moment was on the first day, the receptionist Jason was super helpful and by our request upgraded us for an extra cost (but with a big discount) for a spacious mountain villa, quite private, located on the hill, with beach overview and own balcony. Although even here we experienced a clogged toilet (great, that’s what I’ve always dreamed to have during my wedding anniversary celebration). We fixed it ourselves. Toilet seat is very uncomfortable.
Planning an El Nido vacation will be fun and enjoyable in a safe place, capturing and worth sharing views here in Matinloc Resort. Spacious and comfortable beds for a good sleep and rest, good food and services.
I know there are negative reviews but I had the most amazing time ever, one of the best places I’ve stayed. The beach and the sandbar nearby that you can kayak too are both stunning. I did stay on the ground level.