Al Faro Cosmio Hotel - Coron, Palawan, Philippines
Hello everyone!
I decided went on a trip to Philippines around Thanksgiving and would like to review the hotel I stayed at in Coron, Palawan - Al Faro Cosmio Hotel. I actually ended up visiting 3 different continents, but that’s another story in the future. So here is the review! After a 45-minute van ride, I made it to the boat dock. The hotel staff was already waiting for my arrival and helped me get my luggage loaded onto the boat. It was a quick 5-minute fascinating boat ride to the hotel. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a speedboat before. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5a2ed1bf9a.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0936b0f738.jpg Another hotel staff member already waited for me on the other side of the island. Once getting off the boat, I had to walk on a wooden bridge over the water to get to the main entrance. To get to the lobby, we had to climb a steep hill for another 5 minutes. At the top, a group of hotel staff greeted me in Tagalog and offered me a fresh-squeezed orange juice as a welcome drink. Check-in was a breeze. But I had to wait for a while at the lobby because of the sudden tropical downpour. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...93581637eb.jpg Room This hotel has two types of accommodations: ocean panorama rooms and lighthouse villas. Yes, you can actually stay in a lighthouse! Upon check-in, I ended up getting a standard room in a newer apartment (ocean panorama) that has its own swimming pool. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...fd182d525e.jpg The main area is more like a studio apartment where the kitchenette, dining room, and living room share the space. There are a couple of chairs and sofa, dining tables, and a bar-height counter along with a refrigerator, coffee maker, and a sink. The common area is shared with three other rooms, but there wasn’t any other guest occupying these rooms. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...70370a7897.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...901163ee46.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...5c5865a8ac.jpg My room has a great view of the water. As you can see below, this was the view after sunset. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...40821ed166.jpg Dining Al Faro Cosmio Hotel is not an all-inclusive resort; however, being situated in a remote place, there wasn’t any option but had your meals in house. There is only one restaurant, located at the main lobby which opens until 8 PM and opens for breakfast at 6 AM. The menu is somewhat limited, though it was entirely sufficient. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a30b0615c2.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2bbb551440.jpg The restaurant has a bar with a few bar stools, serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...54dd9ef0c6.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0e567e0c0f.jpg I had a Filipino breakfast for two days in a row. The first morning, I had corned beef and scrambled eggs with fried rice and a glass of mandarin orange (powdered) juice. The corned beef was a little too oily to my liking. The following day, I had luncheon meat and sunny-side-up eggs with fried rice and a glass of guava (powdered) juice. It was better, but nothing memorable. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c4a2f326b7.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...55fb7b7cf7.jpg The restaurant was quite busy at dinner time, which was expected, considering this is the only place you can order food. One thing I like about it is that you could pre-order your dinner meal ahead of time, so you don’t have to wait very long. One thing to note about this hotel is that the staff was accommodating and friendly, just the typical warm hospitality you’d expect in most Asian countries, notably in southeast Asia. For dinner, I ordered pork adobo, which was served with rice and crepes with chocolate ice cream for dessert. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...a6cf3777ac.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...6ea828fb5a.jpg Amenities There is a total of two swimming pools at this property. There is one outside of my room. And the main one is right outside the restaurant, which has a better view, in my opinion. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ef4a9af907.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...194c0ec0b5.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...0b4dbe31aa.jpg You can also get a massage treatment at UFO Spa, inside the “bird’s nest”. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e8c4107d1f.jpg There are also other activities and excursions you can take within the property, such as yoga and kayaking. I can’t remember on top of my head since I didn’t partake, but I believe it is either complimentary or very inexpensive. Conclusion I very much enjoyed my stay at Al Faro Cosmio Hotel. Keep in mind, Al Faro Cosmio Hotel is not a 5-star luxury resort by any means, but it’s charming and has some cute little quirks. Breakfast was mediocre — nothing special. On the other hand, dinner was delicious! I don’t think I’ve had pork adobo before, but it was so good! In terms of service, I can’t say enough good things about the staff. They are genuinely lovely, hospitable, and welcoming, which really sets the tone of the entire experience. |
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