Karlo Pacana
San Remigio Beach Club Resort Review
Looking for a decent resort in northern Cebu? Read on. The King of Sinulog is off on a road trip to San Remigio, a municipality that lies in the northwest seaboard in the island province of Cebu. By the way, it has the distinction of having the longest coastline in the entire province.
We’ve chosen to stay at San Remigio Beach Club (resort info), northern Cebu’s answer to life and leisure combined. They have 51 rooms ranging from the comfortably spartan to the gratifyingly luxurious. Here is an account of our overnight stay at this 3-star resort hotel.
Getting There
To reach the municipality, visitors take the main highway for a little over two hours, covering the whole 109-kilometer drive from the central district of Cebu City. One can go to Cebu North Bus Terminal to avail of the Ceres Bus Liner or the multiple vans for hire with a fare of about PHP 150 one way.
Arrival
After being on the road for more than four hours including stop-overs, we decided to drop by SRBC to do an ocular inspection and to ask of their room rates. First impression was that this resort looked beautiful, aesthetic wise. We went to their clubhouse reception and were met by one of their staff and were handed out flyers and brochures. Since we were on a tight budget, we chose the guest lodge at PHP 1,200 good for two persons. They charge an extra person at PHP 450 a night with breakfast. They serve Filipino breakfast at PHP 120 consisting of a viand, an egg and cup of rice. All in all, the four of us spent PHP 2,340 for our room and breakfast. Not that bad really at PHP 585 per person. We also found out that only two other rooms were occupied when we went there so pretty much we had the resort all to ourselves.
Room
What I loved about the guest lodge was that it had a parking space right outside our door. The room was quite spacious but nothing short of functional, what would you expect? The beds were not that soft and the pillows were quite ordinary. Well, at least it was clean and fresh. We were also given a queen-sized mattress which they placed on the floor for the two extra persons. The air-conditioning unit was quite outdated but was still doing its job of cooling the room. The restroom looked okay and the shower’s water pressure was enough for a full bath. All in all, the room was livable but for a premium price, I believe they also have noteworthy Victorian-inspired rooms.
Amenities and Facilities
While most of their amenities and facilities lost their glory in the recent years, still their swimming pool remained its charm. It’s still very inviting with its double slides on its center montage, real-life animal sculptures and Kenneth Cobonpue-inspired lounging chairs. Another facility that still catches the attention of kids and young adults alike is their playground with arcade basketball and lots of instagrammable spots like the Kalesa, the white Volkswagen Love Bug and the fountain in a mini-park. If you want to sing your hearts out, they also have the newly-furnished private rooms at Antonio’s KTV. If you want to frolic at the beach, the shore is not that clean, however, snorkeling is a better activity.
Restaurant
Thankfully Café Gloria serves good Filipino cuisine since there was no other option nearby, you’d have to travel about 30 minutes to reach the nearest food establishments. A little bit overpriced, this restaurant makes up for how well they present the food, the ample food portions and the fusion of native and contemporary ambiance the place generates. However, the waiting time for food preparation seriously needs improvement. My tip is for you to order your food in advance or better yet come when you’re not yet starving.
Service
In my opinion, the team at San Remigio Beach Club is doing the best they can to accommodate the needs of their guests. However, they are just understaffed and incompetent, with any available person doing the task needed at hand which results to poor coordination and customer service.
“Overall, San Remigio Beach Club (reviews) is perfect for a weekend escape with friends. It clearly is very family-friendly so I advise you to bring your little ones here. However, if you’re looking for a luxurious getaway, a romantic honeymoon, white sand beaches, adventure sports or superb service that could accommodate your specific demands, price to performance wise, then I would suggest looking for a better alternative. Now off to another adventure at the Queen City. Later!”
Contact Information
San Remigio Beach Club – Book via Agoda
Website: http://www.sanremigiobeachclub.com.ph/
Resort Address: Baybay, Tambongon,, San Remigio, 6011
Resort Telephone: (032) 435-2030 / (032) 516-0630
