Secret beach
Secret beach, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines- Attraction
Compare nearby stays with similar location, guest experience, amenities, and class.
Spa, Pools, and Private Beach
Indulge in a relaxing spa treatment, take a refreshing dip in one of the outdoor pools, and unwind on the private beach.
Culinary Delights
Savor international cuisine at La Playa restaurant or enjoy in-room dining with 24-hour room service. Don't miss the daily complimentary full breakfast.
Luxurious Amenities
Stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi, benefit from concierge services, and enjoy the convenience of babysitting. The hotel also offers a computer station, dry cleaning services, and a 24-hour front desk.
To experience a blend of luxury and tranquility near El Nido's beautiful beaches, book your stay at Matinloc Island Resort today.
Check-in from
03:00 PM
Check-out by
12:00 PM
Children
Not allowed
Pets
Not allowed
1 King Bed and 1 Double Bed
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 4 guests
4 adults · 3 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Double bed (131-150 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 2 guests
2 adults · 1 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Sofa bed (90-99 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 2 guests
2 adults · 1 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 3 guests
3 adults
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Sofa bed (90-99 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed and 1 Double Bed
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 4 guests
4 adults
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Double bed (131-150 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 3 guests
3 adults
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Sofa bed (90-99 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed and 1 Twin Sofa Bed
Overlooking the sea
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair; rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 3 guests
3 adults · 2 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide), Sofa bed (90-99 cm wide)
Room details
Sea View
In-room amenities
1 Double Bed and 1 King Bed
Layout - 2 bedrooms and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 4 guests
4 adults · 3 children
Beds
Double bed (131-150 cm wide), King bed (151-180 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 2 guests
2 adults · 1 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide)
In-room amenities
1 King Bed
Layout - Bedroom and sitting area
Relax - In-room massage available
Internet - Free WiFi
Entertainment - LED television, cable channels, and MP3 dock
Food & Drink - Room service
Sleep - Blackout drapes/curtains, turndown service, and bed sheets
Bathroom - Private bathroom, bathrobes, and a shower with a rainfall showerhead
Practical - Laptop-compatible safe, laptop workspace, and highchair
Comfort - Air conditioning and daily housekeeping
Eco-friendly - Energy-saving switches
Non-Smoking
Sleeps
Up to 2 guests
2 adults · 1 children
Beds
King bed (151-180 cm wide)
In-room amenities
Pets not allowed
Service animals not allowed
No alcohol served onsite
No elevators
Professional property host/manager
No cribs (infant beds) available
Get answers about amenities, policies, and more — e.g. “Are pets allowed?” or “Is parking available?”
Provider-sourced guest reviews.
Peaceful and quiet stay. relaxing ang chill. the place is great to stay, excellent views. We were even upgraded to beach villa. staff are friendly and helpful. restaurant has a variety of international and local cuisines. Tried tasty grouper shashimi straight from the sea. they have a cage for live fish and we just pick the one we need. would definitely come back. wifi is 250MBPS in a very remote area. so I was also able to do some work.
secluded, very quiet
The property is "ok." Rooms were decent and bed was comfy. A/C worked well but the temperature in February was very nice that you really didn't need it. Food was pretty decent but you do have to pay for it (except for breakfast). Overall, I had a relaxing time but I think I will try another island resort property.
No activities offered, paid for a room with a terrace and got a horrible one instead, old, looks dirty, employees don’t speak good English, food not recommended. Rip off for price I paid, over priced, rooms not as described! Not happy with my stay at all!
Private island resort . Expect that complete privacy. We stayed 7/6 nights. We were so relaxed sleeping became our routine and we loved it!
Staff was wonderful. Food options could be more wide. Breakfast can have more Filipino pastries or sweets.
disappointed that we were not able to meet the minimums for an outing. I strongly suggest adding beer and wine to the restaurant menu.
Very peaceful and relaxing!
I made a mistake booking this hotel. I thought it was Miniloc. But, I was pleasantly surprised and extremely happy with the customer service and persistent attention to details. Russel was super helpful. John was extremely cautious and careful in handling senior citizens during the lagoon tour. EJ was so pleasant during the welcome tour. Most of all, Mr James trained and managed his staff well. I will definitely be back with more guests. Highly recommend
Horrible overall from the moment of the airport arrival. They messed up the airport shuttle and pick up. We arrived at 2:15pm I’m travelling with my 72 year old mother. We were told by the manager we could order and eat even if the kitchen was closed. They took our order an hour later they told us what we ordered was not available. We had to beg for food. Another hour in we got the wrong order. The next day we book the tour which is at least 5 times pricier than the same tour booked in town since we wanted convenience. The boat broke down and we got stuck in the middle of the bay after being given the wrong information of what’s included and wrong start time. They said 9 am at 8:10 they called that we were late. I asked for no kayak as my mom can’t do kayak we were assured no kayak. I had to then explain to the tour operator as they didn’t send any notes. Then the cherry on the Sunday we both got very aggressive good poisoning. Plead with the owners to give us meds and water or rehydration which took a while. Owner didn’t want to take accountability and his peace offering was to wave one of the buffet charges. I had to complain to the department of tourism to get all meal fees removed. Overall room condition is dated. Resort doesn’t have hot water. Wifi sucks. There’s a dirty water discharge by the dock in the harbour in the morning. This place should be inspected by the health department and the environmental agency and shut down!
So many unexpected fees .
Great views and very attentive staff. We had a Swedish massage and it was amazing. Maybe the food options can be improved. We did kayak tour to the a deserted beach and it was beautiful.
I like a lot the beach and the position, the care and attention by the working team and the excursions to the nearby islands that I believe it is a must should you are getting there from far away. The restaurant is a bit expensive compare to shore ones (but it is also an island and logistic cost) and the excursions are a bit expensive but they were private ones and we really had a good time and enjoyed them all.
Very relaxing, beautiful, good food. Very comfortable. Away from everything!
Excellent hotel and highly recommend. Only complaint is the cost to goto town and there are lots of bugs so expect some bug bites. Staff are so friendly!
Amazing staff, quiet location, beautiful scenery, and overall wonderful experience! My husband had a memorable birthday trip and we truly enjoyed our stay. Shoutout to Mr. Choi (GM), Jhonna, Niño, Dave, Julia and Rassel for the exceptional service in their different areas. We felt really taken care of. 10/10 would highly recommend.
Will stay here again
We have limited meal options. No beef meal was available when we stayed due to limited/no supply following a big event. Otherwise, we have an excellent stat. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, especially David Austria, who went above and beyond to ensure we were comfortable. The GM, James, was very personable. The scenery is to die for! Very quiet and serene.
People very friendly .. kind .. and first class service .. thank you
An incredible resort but unfortunately paid for 2 Signature Suites and one was completely different than the other. Not sure how a tree house room is considered a suite and paid the same price for the other room which was 2 times bigger.
The staff was exceptional. If you want a true getaway from it all this place is it. Not much to do but sit at the beach, swim in the ocean, or in the two pools. Wish there were more dining options on site, but the smoothies and juices were excellent!
Quiet and private, beautiful architecture and wonderful staffs
Despite the fact that they don’t serve alcohol in this resort, we had a great time. We did mange to score some beers in town and brought a few bottles in our checked bags. The general manager of the resort even offered to open our bottle of champagne for dinner. The place was breathtaking and supplemented by their warm and hospitable staff. Take advantage of their great breakfast service- lots of choices, and served till 10. I would absolutely recommend to take the tour/s they offer. Unlike the tours in town, their’s are personalized. They size you up and provide all the gear you need, a catered lunch and a super guide named Wilner. He took great pictures of us and our group. They offer great massages after a long day of island hopping. Christopher bent over backwards to help us with our transfer from the airport with our delayed flight. Overall, it was worth every penny. Is there anything that needs improvement? We weren’t wow’ed by their dinner selection, specially from an upscale resort. Nevertheless, my wife and I had a wonderful time here and we look forward to taking our kids next time.
Secluded, private resort, luxurious rooms just feet from the ocean, beach faces east for gorgeous sunrises
The good: - beach access is great with some decent snorkelling - scenery/views are gorgeous - large rooms - nice to be on a private island - resort staff is exceptional! The less good: - it is expensive to go visit the town of El Nido while on the resort. It's 2,000 Pesos for 2 people if a boat is already scheduled for guest departures/arrivals, and if not it's 10,000 Pesos. - their island tours are very expensive. We paid 25,000 Pesos (including service fees) for two of us; if we had booked this from El Nido town it would have been 10-13,000 Pesos (including service fees). - the restaurant is mediocre, expensive for the Philippines. - there were renovations happening during our stay to prepare for a VIP guest and for Lunar New Year. It was two days of loud "sound testing" with huge speakers, and constant pounding and sawing to install equipment.
Fantastic stay. Everything was amazing and the staff were so helpful and attentive. The views are incredible. Couldn't fault it.
Amazing. Incredibly attentive staff, beautiful and LARGE room, and most important all, stunning beauty. As many others have noted, it's a dry resort and they don't sell alcohol on premises, so if you want to drink just get some drinks to bring in El Nido.
It was relaxing and peaceful. I loved being able to walk out of the villa and beach a few feet away or listen ti the waves from the fromt room.
Matinloc island is stunning and the staff are really friendly at the hotel. However, the property does need some renovations. There were broken boards around the pool and the building my room was in seemed to be “abandoned” on the floors above. It was strange that just the bottom floor rooms were complete and upstairs was neglected. My toilet dripped and would wake me up. I asked if this could be looked at but it wasn’t. My AC also stopped working for the last night. Also the food was a let down. With only one restaurant, it was disappointing that the food was really not a highlight. Breakfast was a buffet but was cold and had flies over the open food. Lunch and dinner had similar menus but overall weren’t enjoyable. I understand being on a private island has restrictions but it was disappointing. The no alcohol didn’t bother me at all and many other guests brought their own. Overall a stunning location with friendly staff but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend based on the reasons above.
The setting was beautiful. It reminded me of fantasy island. The was excellent. Just pick alcohol before you get on the boat in case you want to drink.
Serene and cozy. Not crowded place to enjoy your vacation.
First the staff was amazing, would like to single out a couple by name, Jayson behind the front desk was so professional and understanding, Our flight was delayed and we missed the last boat, he assured my wife we will be taken cared of and still picked up and had a wonderful place to stay for the night at El Nido Beach Hotel (their sister resort). Next is Wilbur he was our tour guide for the two days we did Island tours, his patience with my son and knowledge of the area is 2nd to none, he was a pleasure to go on the tours with and 3rd is Jed he is the kindest person there is , always there to help and ask if u need anything, The Resort itself is one of a kind , had the Time of my Life. The Beach Villa we stayed at was spectacular and huge with the most beautiful view of the beach! We will definitely be back again and hope this place will be visited by tourists from all over the world… it is totally worth it! Thank you Matinloc resort staff for the best experience we will cherish for the rest of our lives…
I like the staff. They are very friendly. The place is luxury if...only if well maintain! The pool behind the restaurant is slippery and dirty. The front pool was ok but we spotted snake by the pool! The beach has white sand but lots of seaweeds and a few garbage. My breakfast bread has hair and that night, my milkshake has styrofoam! Poor management, unfortunately.
Thank you Matinloc and staff for a wonderful experience! Special shout-out to Wilmer for making our private tour memorable. He’s also an excellent photographer! Your experience will definitely depend on your style of travel. If you’re looking for a relaxed/quiet trip, this hotel will fit well in your itinerary. If you’re looking to party and enjoy the nightlife, I would suggest a different hotel in located in El Nido itself. The only con is there’s no alcohol (subjective) and their food menu since it’s very limited, but then again, you’re in the middle of nowhere.
Good hospitality by nice staff
Too expensive for this property. If you don’t have a tour day you don’t have nothing to do there. No hiking places, you can’t go out of property, no entertainment. The tours are more expensive than other places. Oh! I forgot! They don’t serve any alcohol beverage and when you are there you don’t have any options to buy because there are nothing around. The staff are really nice people. For us this property is overrated.
The place is beautiful
Absolutely loved our stay at Matinloc. It’s giving “White Lotus” and coming during the down season, we felt like we had the place to ourselves for quite a bit of the stay. Great food, great spa, nice gym; make sure to do their private island hopping tours! They bring the snorkel gear and kayaks, it was such a special and intimate experience. We will be back!
What we LIKED about Matinloc resort (1) the seclusion - you're away from the hustle and bustle of El Nido Town and are pretty much in your own private paradise; (2) the beach is really nice with white sand and clear waters - though the days we were there the winds were pretty rough creating a lot of waves; (3) the amenities were nice - the pool was great, the library is a genius idea, the kayaks and snorkels are free; (4) we had an ocean view villa and it was probably the nicest hotel room we have ever stayed in. In all, it was such a RELAXING place to stay. What we DID NOT like about the place: (1) it's overpriced - like they know you're stuck on an island and have no other resources kind of overpriced (tiny bottle of lotion is $9.50 or P480); (2) the food is overpriced and not very good, and you're basically stuck with it because it's the only restaurant on the island - though I did enjoy the fish and chips. that's about the only thing I'd recommend on the menu; (3) the no booze policy is inconvenient. You can bring your own, or give cash at the front desk and give them a list and they'll go into El Nido Town and get it; the downside? (4) They only have 3 ferries a day going to and from El Nido Town. Meaning you're *fcked if you miss the last one and have to pay $200 or P10K to ask for a special ride. Overall, we really did enjoy the very relaxing atmosphere, and we would do the "remote island resort" vibe again -- it's still a toss up whether we would come back here.
I’m wasn’t made aware of no alcoholic beverages on premises. Also no type of entertainment Or music .. very little to do during the day.at the resort
The exclusivity with only 30 rooms u feel like your the only 1 there
It is an amazing place, the room amenities are fully completed, they even give you a complementary nice gift. I love this resort.
Beautiful location in an island. Views are fantastic and has a small beach with white sand where you can go kayaking & snorkeling. Rooms are big and beautiful with very comfortable bed.
It is a beautiful location but we cannot recommend it as the resort is very poorly managed, nothing works as promised, the management is incompetent and disorganized. The staff tries its best but cannot overcome these hurdles. The rooms are in okish condition. For the price there are better options in el nido so try to avoid this resort.
Staff made assurances of tour availability before arrival, but had extremely limited availability upon arrival. Was limited to expensive private tour one day and had no options on 2nd (final) day, even though emails with property stated that all tours (up to 4 options) would be available and arranged upon arrival. While the property is beautiful and the one tour I was able to schedule was lovely, I feel as though they made assurances that they couldn't deliver. Note that outside boats are not allowed onto the property and arranging tours from the El Nido town when staying here is very inconvenient (have to take a 5:30am boat (for a fee) to the mainland to arrange for 9am tour). Resort restaurant had decent food. Massage was very nice alternative when tour was not available.
I liked how it was so clean, serene, and just overall relaxing.
Their costumer service is amazing..
Was a great experience over all.great boat captains.
Amazing property and the staff is full of attention
A beautiful, tropical getaway in the Philippines. Matinloc Resort is a nature lover's paradise. Gorgeous, scenic views and breathtaking blue waters. Friendly and attentive staff to serve your every need. This location, however, can be a bit challenging to navigate if you have mobility issues or a disability requiring ramp access.
The staff are genuinely hospitable and welcoming. I recommend this resort to anyone looking for a getaway.
Everything was 5* but the internet connection and speed was a much minus from its total. Airconditioner was out of order on last night, but it couldn't fixed until we checked out. So, the total is 4.8/5.0
Beautiful spot- very quiet and relaxing. Surrounding islands and beaches fantastic to visit. Great staff and our accommodation was wonderful. Crystal clear waters - wonderful for scuba and snorkeling Noted stairs to accommodation could use handrail.
Indeed, a beautiful island and a magnificent resort. The staff are very friendly and hospitable. The beach is surprisingly clean and enriched with reef. Indeed it was a remarkable vacation.
The resort location is the most beautiful place I’ve been and I travel a lot! Stunning views, soft sand beach and crystal clear water. Great snorkel direct from the main beach and fun to canoe to another nearby beach. Rooms are large with a comfortable bed and huge shower. Food was good though they don’t seem to understand vegetarian means no meat or fish! Several items were labelled or told to be vegetarian and either clearly contained fish or on taking a bite were found to contain ground meat. Not ok. Service was generally slow and not attentive with some exceptions like Adrian who was excellent. Many staff just stand around chatting to each other or beach staff are looking at their phones all day. Management invisible. This place has so much potential to be world class given the stunning natural location. Only 4 star due to service and cleanliness (windows need cleaning) but highly recommend a visit as it’s gorgeous there.
Everything about this resort was perfect, except the lunch and dinner food (breakfast was quite good). The lunch and dinner food was very bland and unremarkable, and the restaurant service for lunch and dinner was not good.
Beautiful island location. Be prepared for stairs unless opting for a beach front villa. We had 101 steps to the room, do not necessarily kind as we were prepared... also no alcohol served is worth highlighting. But bringing own supply and consuming at the resort is fine.
The airline cancelled my flight and I had no way to get to the resort. I paid $2843 in advance for a 3 night stay. The airline agreed to give me 1 night stay credit. Matinloc resort refused any credit or even a raincheck. They had several vacant rooms so the did not trun away any customers. I lost over $2100 and management response was "too bad, not our problem" I wrote the General Manager and owner to no avail. Would never give my business to a company that thinks so little of its customers
Very peaceful and beautiful place One of the very best Resort in the area
Beautiful location. Very quiet and great place to get away and relax from busy day to day life. We loved the junior family suite but not on the 3rd floor. Steep stairs not good for children, elders and those who have a difficult time walking up and down the stairs. This gem could benefit from improving their food and amenities. There is only one restaurant at the resort, and activities are limited to beach/pool, kayak, pool, gym, spa unless you get off the island. Gym/spa needs work. Offer more options for food and serve better food ie, formal dining, casual dining and cafe. Offer various daily activities for guests who do not want to venture out of the island for a more pleasurable stay.
The place is amazing and just as convenient for taking tours as it is from El Nido town. A great place if you want to completely disconnect although they do have reasonable Wi-Fi. My only criticism is that the staff are too eager to clear the table when on a numerous occasions I was taking the last mouthful and the plate underneath was being removed while my companion was still eating. Probably being fussy but as an ex F&B manager but otherwise the stay was perfect.
The location is amazing. Snorkling and kayaking activities as well as sunrise hike are included. However the food is very expensive and really bad. The worst we had in 2 weeks in the Philippines. Staying in such properties food is a big part of the experience (especially at that price). They have a weird evening concept we "half buffet" that you can only take if you have smth A La Carte. The only possibility to eat is at the hotel..
My wife and I enjoyed our stay. The Hotel should clearly specify that they do not serve alcoholic drinks so that guests are well aware of the situation. The Resort should offer "water-sports", in terms of sailing, windsurfing and scuba diving based at Matinloc. In addition, the Resort should offer guests free frequent boat rides to the main island/Palawan and not selective rides when it suits the Hotel Management. For that reason we couldn't dive one day as we couldn't reach the diving school very early in the morning. The Resort should also offer clients free boat rides to other Matinloc Island beaches, as other tropical hotels/resorts offer to their guests. The Resort is on the expensive side and therefore management should be more flexible and forthcoming to guests boat and other requests. The Resort and Island are beautiful and secluded so we had a good and relaxing time. The Resort restaurant food was decent/good but more choices and greater cuisine imagination (and better quality meat) could make the restaurant excellent. The location and Bacuit Archipelago are absolutely stunning so Matinloc Resort is a very good base to enjoy the beauty of the area.
Staying here was an absolute dream and the highlight of our trip. Everything about the Matinloc Resort was perfect. The hotel was incredible - comfortable bed, great amenities, and the grounds are beautiful. The common spaces were amazing, particularly the dining hall. We stayed over Christmas, so we had some great meals which included a custom Philippine dance performance as well as live music. The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating. We did a group day excursion around Matinloc island which was incredible and totally worth the money. The snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming are great and equipment is free to rent. If you are planning a trip to El Nido, we absolutely recommend staying at the Matinloc Resort! It is expensive but worth the money.
We stayed at the matinloc last minute for 2 nights (we were unable to get to Bohol so extended our stay in el nido). Positives - the staff were amazing, friendly and attentive. The hotel itself was very nice with lovely views from the room and set on a stunning island. Negatives- poor value for money vs other island resorts such as Lagen Island which we also stayed at and much preferred. Dry resort which we missed in the smallprint - our fault - but that was where focus on wellness ended. Food was very american with loads of fried food, less fresh fish etc than wed have liked. Also very small beach front and rest of the island is not accessible (aside from small sand bar by kayak), gym is tiny and v old, and the pool at the back of the resort was drained when we were there so unusable.. so very little to do aside from sumbathe. They called our room at 7.45am and woke us up to ask if we wanted to take part in a boat tour we had expressed zero interest in which i found annoying. Also the tours offered from the resort were at hughly inflated prices to those offered in town or by other nicer island resorts. If looking for a resort in el nido i would book lagen island instead or seda lio if want to be on mainland.
Private island, secluded, friendly staff. On the expensive side
Stayed 6 days with a family of four; kids were 7 and 9yo. Overall we had fun and met fellow families so it was a big party. Pros; - private island and beaches exclusive for hotel guests - fantastic and flawless service, all the staff there deserves a raise! - almost all facilities are free for guests, e.g. movies, boardgames, kayaks, snorkel gear etc. Cons; - it's 20mins boat ride away from El Nido town so you're quite isolated - only one restaurant so be prepared to eat there for all meals, plus it's not cheap - lagoon, cave, scuba tours operated by the resort are easily >50% more expensive vs El Nido town operators Again, my family had a great time, the sunrises/sunsets were beautiful, and the rooms were HUGE. There were some minor areas for improvement, for example, housekeeping can be more attentive and replace items like face towels, coffee, toiletries regularly. These were taken away/used up but never replaced until you had to call for it. No harm done, but this is a premium resort and one would expect a greater eye for detail.
Amazing service. Amazing stuff.
Great stay staff was great. I would go back again. Beautiful location beach is good Food was good. If you drink make sure to bring alcohol from Island because there is none at resort!
it was awesome. very accommodating staffs. especially Rommel. establishment is on the pricey side. other wise was great.
Beautiful setting, but overpriced for the service. Wait staff not particularly attentive. Tried to increase the price of a special-time return boat trip. Worst of all, was violently ill from food poisoning immediately following breakfast on the first day. Try a different island.
Amazing location, very good service. The coral reef just on the hotel’s beach was incredible, with tropical fish and sea turtles. The day-long tours of the nearby lagoons and beaches were also perfect.
Difficult to reach there , the villa is to high you need to go upstairs up to 4-5 floors. Water is not clean when you take shower. Food is not good . No body was waiting in the airport . You cant take boat after 5:30 pm
What i like: 1. beach - fine, creamy sand. waters clear, may do snorkelling 2. sand bar near by - accessible via kayak. uncrowded place & my favorite spot in this resort 3. pool - one infront seen in most photos is clean and nice tho can get crowded. the 2nd pool infront of the building. this looks dirty due to its color, i asked the staff & learned this is sea water 4. welcome drinks &shell necklace 5. moutain climbing-bring mosq repellant 6. kind boat tour guide what Stressed me: 1. Booking for Island hopping tours. i read previous posts that they have limited number of boats.there can be a time when you are left without an option on tours or even a shared boat where you can join. the place is beautiful but i cannot remain stuck there knowing that outside it, El Nido has much more to offer. so i tried to make arrangements 3x & planned to get the private banca. they would not allow this even if you offer to pay right away, only until the day you arrive there-us 3pm.guests who arrived earlier than you will have booked the boats already. fyi they have only 3 boats (banca). the last thing anyone wants is a stressful vacation when a hotel cannot provide you a good customer service or you cant do the best part of your trip. this was only resolved the day after, for half day private tour before our flight back to Manila. the manager was flexible enough to let us drop off to main island 2. food- pricey. Staff Beth helped me buy crab in town+corkage php 500.
Excellent stay overall. The only feedback is to hire more or train the dining staff. The dining service is extremely slow but we had Adrian as our server on our final day and he did a fantastic job. The food menu needs to be redone. The options are limited and for a three night stay we were left without many options. It would be nice if the music was louder in the dining area as well as the pool.
The staff are very nice and do everything to please the guests
Beautiful property and private beach. Feels very exclusive and the staff are very friendly and attentive. We relaxed and enjoyed our stay.
We are spoilt for luxury and after contemplating few available resorts in the El Nido area we went ahead with Matinloc resort. We are so glad with our choice because this was a gorgeous resort and the staff went above and beyond to make our stay pleasurable. The food was good. Their day trips and tours although more expensive as compared to the El nido mainland are totally worth it given a small group size. We took a private speed boat tour and were able to combine all the lagoons including Cadlao lagoon in 1 day and had more than enough time to spend at each of the lagoons. Highly recommend this. Although it is expensive you get a private boat with a captain, guide, and a cook who will grill your lunch on one of the deserted beaches. Jensen our tour guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We customized our tour and they were highly flexible. You can also take their half day private tours. Would recommend reserving it few days in advance. The resort itself has a nice beach and an infinity pool. They provide you with kayaks. Highly recommend kayaking 15-20 mins to the hidden beach next to the resort which is often deserted and has a gorgeous reef. We saw 2 turtles there while snorkeling. Overall an excellent experience.
First day my wife saw a rat, and when I tried to use the Jacuzzi it did not work. It took 157 steps to climb to our cottage. No one told us there was no elevator. In our last day we requested to get a wake up call to make sure we did not miss our boat that will take us back to town and we never got the call. Very disappointed.
The resort is beautiful, and the people are very friendly, but I get the impression this place is new, and needs to iron out some kinks to truly be top-notch. First, the staff does try their best, and I was very appreciative of them providing great service for me when I became ill. But some things they could do to improve would be more attention to detail. For example, little things like replacing hand towels, or checking on the beach patrons for drink orders, would go a long way. Also, they need to iron out the kinks at the restaurant, where all too often, items would be out of stock. Perhaps offer a much smaller menu, so that guests' expectations are more often met.
We had an amazing time. The staff is very friendly and accommodating, Jensen our tour guide and capitan Mike took us to 2 tours were we managed to see paradise. The room was big and comfortable. The food was really good. I would definitely go back.
From spoiled food to plugged toilets, this Resort was a disaster for me.
the best stay I have ever had. the best view inside the best private island. very pleasant food and service. so happy and would love to come again.
A truly amazing place where we felt spoilt and privileged to enjoy the nature and the created environment.
Matinloc Resort is a wonderful experience for any traveler. The location is picture perfect on Matinloc Island and the staff provides snorkeling and kayaking equipment at no extra charge to explore the surrounding ocean. You have a choice of beachfront suites, mountain view suites, and junior suites further into the resort. A spa, game room, library, and small weight room is available as well. While here, you should know that you are somewhat secluded on the island. There are only a few boat transfers each day to El Nido, the town back on the main island of Palawan, and all guests must be back on the island using the 5pm boat transfer from El Nido (coast guard restrictions). WiFi and cable tv do not work well, but the front desk has movies to keep guests entertained during rainy days. The food is buffet style and honestly isn't very good for a luxury resort, which is one of the bigger disappointments. Matinloc does not provide alcohol, however you are free to BYO as much as you would like with no charge. There are several excursions that leave directly from the dock. Overall, Matinloc is a beautiful resort that is sure to please, albeit with a few subpar attributes.
I highly recommend the Matinloc island resort for families and couples . First of all the staff is the friendliest I have ever met in all my travels. They really make you feel welcome. The number of staff is high for the number of guests so you are always well taken care of whatever would be in the bar/restaurant or in the sea related activities. The resort itself is really nice, located in a bay and partly going up the mountain . The rooms are big and with a nice decoration and the view from the rooms at a higher ground is just stunning . The resort also organize great boat trips to the Matinloc , Miniloc and Snake island plus others. Those tours are really a "must do" if you want to see the beauty of the El Nido archipelago with all the hidden , secret lagoons and beaches . Honestly we really felt great at the resort and we highly recommend it . The only two points to take note are : 1) the Wifi and mobile phone signal is weak and spotty but I guess that this must be the same for all the resorts and due to the geographical location of the island. I think the root cause is the mobile signal itself which is very weak, it improves as soon as you are on a boat traveling towards the main island. 2) the breakfast / lunch / dinner is a bit slow and the taste very Filipino but this is not a great issue and the manager told me that they are hiring additional cooks so this should improve .
This resort is definitely one of the nicest resort we’ve ever been the staff is excellent & it’s very private the only thing i didn’t like is the gym very small & very limited equipment but overall I would love to go back again .
What a wonderful experience. The staff were so sweet and accommodating. The food was decent and the wait staff even brought me cake for my birthday but the highlight of the trip was definitely the lagoon tour excursion. The guides were great and the snorkelling was phenomenal! Great resort on the beach :)
Advertising was misleading. We read that there were two restaurants, one more casual than the other and a bar by the pool. We found out there was no alcohol sold on the island 48 hours prior to us leaving and then felt guilty about drinking something in our room.
Great breakfast. Loved the staff. Resort very nice and clean
Beautiful but small, not a lot to do, one of the two pools was closed, food was ok / not great, staff was great (Vonn!) with the exception of the unhelpful angry gym / computer room man (Czech?). The most expensive resort by far we stayed at during our 2 month trip, the only one we don't want to return to. We wanted to take the scheduled 1:00 boat back to elnido so we would have time to catch the coron (which we loved!) ferry, but they cancelled the 1:00 boat because there weren't enough guests??? The beach was dirty / garbage on the beach.
Staff were nice , room was okay , i like the big bathroom and hot shower. ------- Slept with a 20cm lizard for 2nights , i like him but he was just too noisy during the night. Prepared to get all wet during the boat transfer. Their arrangements were scheduled on time but not considered based on weather coniditon .
Great place. Great staff. Would come back again for sure!
Staff was awesome & very accommodating, especially Alex the manager. She makes sure you're stay is perfect. When she saw my mom who is 82, she moved her to a room that wouldn't be hard for her to get to. We had booked rooms where we needed to walk up 99 steps on a flight of stairs. Everything was perfect during our stay. It was what I had been expecting on a secluded island. Beautiful beach & food was good. Only thing is the wifi was not good. But that was in most places in El Nido.
Upon arrival at the island, I was greeted by Alex, Operations Manager full of energy with a great welcome! She made feel at home right away. Room have spectacular views and the resort was beautiful. Staff were really friendly and very accommodating. Throughout my stay, I was really relaxed , beach is right there and kayaking was another option to do. Overall, highly recommended resort and I will be back!
This was our first time going to the Philippines on Vacation. Twenty hour trip had us exhausted. The personal greeting when you are getting out of the little boat is great. They helped us out and greeted us with water and necklaces. We checked in at around 11:00 am and we had to wait in the lobby until 3:00 pm to get our room. Too long of a wait for somebody who is tired, not dressed appropriately, and with kids. Once we got our room with AC and went to sleep we were fine. The rooms need thicker curtains, too much light comes in. Maybe they should do something about the bees inside the corridors. My room was on the 3rd floor and I have to go up stairs full of bees. We did two days of island hoping. It was absolutely beautiful!
The place is beautiful, well maintained. Room was very comfortable.
Amazing stay at a great hotel in beautiful surroundings
Beautiful location, great pool and sea on doorstep. Only improvement - more vegetarian options please!
Feedback themes are sourced from guest reviews provided by our data provider.
What guests love
Cleanliness
1/10Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Service
1/10Staff are friendly and helpful.
Location
1/10Excellent views, peaceful and quiet stay.
Room Quality
1/10Upgraded to beach villa.
Amenities
1/10Wifi is 250MBPS in a very remote area.
Value for Money
1/10Standard quality for this hotel tier.
Food and Beverage
1/10Restaurant has a variety of international and local cuisines.
Overall Experience
1/10Would definitely come back.