It has been a little over four months since our stay in Dumaluan Beach Resort in Bohol. A delayed post, I know. But better late than never. We were supposed to book in Bohol Beach Club but there were no available rooms for our travel dates. I have had friends recommend resorts in Alona Beach but we chose Dumaluan over all others essentially because it is a beach front resort. Most resorts in Alona will have you walk a block or two to get to the beach.
Dumaluan Beach Resort is also what our tour guide Tatsky recommended. Tatsky has very good reputation amongst my friends. A friend from church and a fellow blogger both availed of his services when they were in Bohol and only have good words for him. We are very satisfied too. Even if one of Tatsky’s cars had to be serviced, he made a way for us not to be inconvenienced. First day of tour we rode a van. Ideally, they use the vans for larger groups of people. Airport transfers via Tatsky is cheaper by a hundred bucks too.
I wish I can say we were as satisfied with Dumaluan Beach Resort‘s customer service. Right from the time that we arrived at around 11 A.M. Until the very last day we were there, Dumaluan was not able to redeem themselves when it came to customer service. As soon as we got there, reception was already having a discussion with an unsatisfied guest. When I handed them the voucher receipt for our booked room, I was told that the room is being prepped and should be ready in an hour. Since it was lunch time, we decided to head over the restaurant. After lunch, we waited another hour or more. While I understand that check-in time was at 2PM, they were the ones who told us that the room should be ready “soon,” an hour to be exact, as the lady told us. A total of three hours from the time we got to the resort to the time we got in our room.
What Dumaluan Beach Resort lacks in customer service, their lovely beach front view tries to make up for. The beach was inviting and the shore was a whole tad cleaner than Boracay‘s. Seeing the beach in Bohol alone made me wonder what took us so long to visit the place.
Pork Sinigang, P280
We were pretty famished when we got to the hotel. Our son took the liberty of ordering for us three. He ordered his favorite Pork Sinigang and rice. We also ordered Kinilaw na Tanigue and shakes (Banana, Mango and Watermelon). They have 10% service charge. Our first meal in Bohol amounted to P970. Not bad. We loved everything that were served.
Kinilaw na Tanigue, P220
Fruit Shakes at P90 each
After three hours, we were finally handed our room key. Yay! Our room was an Executive Double. It was the only room available when I booked via Agoda.com. Executive Double as per their published description is a fully air conditioned room, with water heater, cable tv, mini refrigerator and breakfast for two persons.
The room was huge. And that definitely is not a mini refrigerator. But who’s complaining? It also has a kitchen area and terrace.
King size bed
Look who got busy watching Cartoon Network Channel as soon as we got in.
Yes, our room has a chandelier. But no intercom. Major drawback, I should say. We figured we could let this pass. The room was huge anyway and we do not really plan to stay indoors for most of our stay. But then again, it is such an inconvenience if we just want to order in or if there is just anything that we need.
I love the space of the room, really.
Our room’s terrace.
My roughhousing boys did their thing as soon as we got the bags down.
Our room’s old looking washroom. Its being old looking is forgivable. But its dripping ceiling is something else.
The part of the ceiling where it drips is above the toilet bowl. So you can just imagine the crazy ninja moves we have to do while we’re sitting to avoid getting hit! Haha! It is funny now that I remember it. It’s even more yucky if you have your imagination play where that water came from. Eeew! Nope, we sucked it in. Not literally, okay! We thought we just let this slide just because we refuse to wait another three hours to get settled to another room. And since there was no intercom, we were not able to complain about it right away. We thought of going to the front desk when we leave the room. But because our itinerary was planned out, we either forgot about it or just got too busy to bring it up.
And because I don’t fancy being scorched in midday heat, we hit the beach as soon as we got up. Yes, even before breakfast.
I swear, that boy is too big for his lifesaver! Teehee! I’ll just have him level up to the next belt in his karate class and he’s off to a swimming program.
Buffet Breakfast
Not spectacular. But not bad either. It is the only buffet place that I have been to that we cannot go back to refill our plates. But no biggie. We totally enjoyed the beach. So the breakfast part was just something we had to do.
Dumaluan Beach Resort also has a swimming pool, which I think my son and I enjoyed more than the beach. Jed stayed in the kiddie pool for the most part. Jeff also stayed in when he got pricked by a purple sea urchin along the beach. It was purple according to Jed. When I asked how he knew that it was color purple, he said that all the other colors are the poisonous ones. He said he read it from one of his books.
Waverunner Seadoo GT 130 rent rate: P2,500 for 30 minutes
We were supposed to go island hopping on our last day in Bohol. But Tatsky advised us against it, even as it was reported to have a rough weather due to typhoon that day.
Jed and I tried to ride with Jeff on the Waverunner Seadoo GT130 for a few minutes. I ended up screaming half the time. The crazy waves were ready to give me a heart attack had I stayed a second longer. Haha!
Jeff totally loved the waverunner ride. He said it was like ten times the thrill of riding a roller coaster. I knew it! The last time I rode a roller coaster was when I was in middle school and I threw up! Haha! I am boring that way. Oh the things that my husband has to put up with me. At the very least, I try.
We plan to go back to Bohol next year. We really loved it there. For tour guide services, contact Tatsky at the above numbers. As for the accommodation, I think we’ll check out other beach front hotels and resorts instead. But if left with no choice, I think we still would rather stay at Dumaluan over other resorts along Alona Beach. We’ll just have to find a way to make sure we don’t get the same room with a leaky ceiling. As for Dumaluan Beach Resort’s customer service, I think, we will be willing to give them a chance to improve.
Dumaluan Beach Resort
Bolod, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Landline no.: +6338-5029092
Fax no.:+6338-5029081
Mobile no. +639178834888
Website: www.dumaluanbeach.com
E-mail: dumaluanbeach@yahoo.com
