White Villas Resort

White Villas Resort – San Juan, Siquijor: A Disappointing Experience We recently stayed at White Villas Resort in San Juan, Siquijor, and unfortunately, our experience fell short of expectations. We took the 5:10 AM OceanJet ferry from Cebu City, stopping briefly in Tagbilaran before proceeding to Siquijor. The journey lasted nearly five hours, with rough waves throughout. We arrived at Larena Port around 9:30 AM and had a quick breakfast before heading to the resort. We booked a total of five rooms: 1 Executive Bungalow 1 Family Room 3 Superior Rooms Upon arrival, we were met at the front desk by a staff member who introduced herself as Miss Feb (none of the staff wore nameplates, which we found unusual). During check-in, she bluntly told us, “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CHECK IN AT THIS TIME,” emphasizing that check-in was strictly at 2:00 PM. She pointed us toward the beachfront and offered no courtesy such as a washroom or a temporary room to freshen up. Surprisingly, she also did not invite us to dine at their restaurant while waiting. We were told our luggage could be stored behind the front desk—an unmanned and unsecured area that did not inspire confidence. We later discovered that the front desk staff also served as restaurant staff, making them difficult to locate when needed. We were even told to look for them at the restaurant if we needed assistance. While waiting by the beachfront, we were eventually given complimentary iced tea as welcome drinks. When we politely requested if at least one room could be made available for us to freshen up or store our bags, the front desk replied, “I still have to talk to the property owner about your request.” By 1:00 PM, we were finally allowed into the Executive Bungalow and the Family Room. Since no effort was made to accommodate us at their own restaurant, we opted to have lunch at a neighbouring establishment instead. It was a missed opportunity for them to upsell or provide hospitality. As for the rooms: They were generally okay. Air-conditioning units were a bit noisy but tolerable. Bathrooms were clean. Linens and towels were also clean. There is a small pool in front of the Executive Bungalow. However, the so-called beachfront was a disappointment—fenced off with a fishing net and littered with garbage. Breakfast was the same every day: Chicken arroz caldo Bread with two kinds of jam and butter Watermelon and bananas Coffee and cucumber juice A choice of plated Filipino or American breakfast When our mother casually told one of the female staff, “Hello, your breakfast is okay,” the server responded by raising her eyebrows and walking away—shockingly rude behaviour. Basic hygiene standards were also neglected: Female servers wore their hair loose instead of tied back in a hair net. One male staff member, who served us food, wore a sleeveless shirt, shorts, and slippers—appearing more like a maintenance worker or beachfront cleaner than a restaurant staff. --- Overa

This was a very good decision we made bec this was our first time so we had to rely on the reviews on Agoda. We arrived and checked in but then the receptionist said that the room we chose was not available despite us specifically requesting a queen bed and not 2 single beds. The other thing is our aircon was busted so we had to move again to another room then the next day we had to move back again to our original room. This was a hassle but the staff Liz was very apologetic and they went way above and beyond to fix the problems we encountered. They were so helpful and very nice. They even gave us complimentary bfast for our duration of stay which we found really great. We will definitely come back here for sure. Resort was clean. Rooms are cleaned daily and the staff are very attentive and very friendly. Great location too. White sand beach. Near all the major restos. I would’ve given the resort 5 stars but i just have some minor complaints which I will write below. Cons- if you’re going to book the standard rooms at the back building make sure you’re on the 2nd floor. We were very unlucky to have noisey neighbors above us. A group of ladies who were very loud and very disrespectful of other people. They kept stomping on the floor and kept moving furnitures late at night and very early in the morning. Didn’t really have a decent sleep for a few days. Our last day same problem again with the new customers. I guess the floor are thin so if someone walks around you can really hear it. So make sure to stay in the 2nd floor. But overall we had a great time here. We will definitely book again here. Thank you again for taking care of us. Their scooter are cheap too.