Hotel Review: Lagun El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
El Nido is one of the most touristic destinations in the Philippines. Located at the northern tip of the island of Palawan, it’s famous for sandy beaches, jungle vibes and hidden coves. However, it is less famous for good hotels with most hotels in the primary El Nido township being low value hotels or hostels.
Lagun El Nido is slightly further back from the seafront but offers a slightly more premium experience compared to its peers. Here’s my review.
Upon arrival to El Nido airport, you enter through a stylish wooden-clad reception area where there’s several areas for guests to relax. The restaurant, where the buffet breakfast is served, can also be found on the ground floor. We were offered a fruit juice and biscuits upon arrival, a nice and refreshing touch.
We stayed in the Deluxe Room, spanning 26 sqm, during this two-night stay which retails for around PHP 5000 per night.
The room didn’t have much of a view, although that didn’t bother us, however it did feature a comfortable double bed where we slept well. Air conditioning worked excellently.
In parts of the room, there is an ‘industrial chic’ style which others rightfully might call unfinished. There probably isn’t enough room in this ‘wardrobe’ for more than one day worth of clothing for a couple. The refrigerator is kept empty and kept bottles of water cool.
A large internet-connected Sony television can be found on the opposite wall alongside a chaise-longue and desk with chair. Lagun Hotel have done a decent job of fitting out this room.
As a hotel primarily attracting foreign tourists, I certainly appreciated several international power outlets dotted around the room.
A large bathroom with separated enclosed toilet and shower areas is found near the entrance to the room. The design isn’t to my taste and looks pretty dated considering how new this hotel is.
The shower was both high pressured and had plentiful hot water, while the property provides sufficient amenities including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and shampoo.
Shower robes and very comfortable slippers are provided, although I’m not sure if you can take the latter due to them feeling quite high quality.
Walking around the hotel and it’s apparent the hotel has spent a fair amount of money on making it feel upmarket. While the corridors are dark, windows located next to the stairs along with light wood panels make it feel inviting and the space open.
The top floor plays host to a beautiful rooftop view that looks towards the mountainside and sea. I didn’t have enough time to use this facility, but it looked both clean and well maintained.
Finally, breakfast takes place on the ground floor where a generous buffet of Filipino favourites is available. This is included in the standard room rate with my only grumble being that the food wasn’t kept particularly warm during this visit.
Barista made coffee is available inclusive of the room rate at breakfast time, however the flavour was a little weak for my tastebuds. In all, providing you do not get down to the buffet later in the morning, the breakfast experience is well paced and relaxing.
I enjoyed our stay at Lagun El Nido. While it isn’t necessarily somewhere you would want to spend several nights at, for a short stay it had all the necessary amenities and features you would need or want. It’s close enough to the main areas of El Nido without being at the very centre of the busy areas and provides a comfortable experience for visitors - I highly recommend it.
