Review of Donatela resort in Bohol: The last peaceful place near Panglao

Panglao, the main beach of Bohol, is becoming the victim of its own success with mass tourism development. Donatela resort in Bohol offers a peaceful oasis for visitors wanting to sample the delights of Bohol. Read on for my review of Donatella resort in Bohol and practical tips

Check prices

How to get to Bohol?

Bohol is getting increasingly easy to reach with many flights a day coming directly from Manila.
From the airport, it is a 30 minutes drive to the Donatela resort. The hotel provides free airport transfer.

 

Check-in at Donatela resort in Bohol

Check-in was a swift affair. I was driven to the reception area to do the paperwork. My villa being quite far from the reception, we had to use the car that picked me up from the airport to go to the villa. So if you come with your own vehicle, ensure the car waits for you.
After check-in, I was given two pieces of wood. One with my villa name and another one with the passcode to my room. The hotel does not use a keycard or even a key-and-lock system. Instead, they have a keypad-type of security. This is quite practical because as soon as you remember the code, you do not need to carry your key with you anymore.

 

The room at Donatela Resort in Bohol

I stayed in the honeymoon villa for a week. It is divine.
The Honeymoon Villa offers the ultimate dreamy experience. I almost regretted traveling alone!.
This Villa is one of a kind, with its own private pool set within a lush tropical garden. The private pool and enclosed garden provided a beautiful oasis to relax.

The architecture is just breathtaking. The architectural inspiration comes from tribal house concepts found in the northern part of the Philippines.
The roof of the villa, with its dramatic beamed ceilings, was very special and could be fully appreciated when lying in bed.
The bed was huge and comfortable.

The honeymoon villa of the Donatela resort is quite large with about 140 sqm.
The living room has 3 large sofas. There is a good music system making it an enjoyable place to relax and listen to music.

The bathroom is large with a separate bathtub and shower.

There are only 12 other villas scattered amongst a vast garden. Each villa is architecturally exciting and offers plenty of privacy.
When you go to Panglao and see all the high-rise buildings, you realize that Donatela is an extraordinary place.

The wifi in the villa was unreliable and often inadequate. I would either work from the restaurant that had a bit better wifi or use the Philippines data SIM card that I bought at the airport

TIP: if you need an internet connection, buy a data sim card at the airport

The food at Donatela resort in Bohol

Paprika is the main restaurant of the hotel. It is overlooking the sea and located near a cliff. The atmosphere is charming and relaxing.
The food quality is excellent. I tried 3 other restaurants in Alona Beach during the week, and none came close to Paprika for food quality or atmosphere.
The restaurants seem to be popular with Asian tourists with selfie sticks. A few times, it would look like a busload of selfie sticks was dropped at the hotel. They would frantically take pictures. They usually didn’t stay long, so the place could return to its peaceful nature.
Service in the restaurant was generally good and friendly except when a large group would come in, and it would then seemed understaffed.

I wish I could recommend more restaurants to try in Alona Beach. But none of the restaurants I tried were good enough to be suggested here. It is, however, effortless to go to Alona Beach from Donatella. The hotel provides a free shuttle bus that runs on schedule. The 2 times I used it, the pickup from Alona beach was delayed. I gave up after waiting for over 20 minutes and took a taxi. This is definitely a service that could be improved by the Donatela resort

 

The resort and activities at Donatela Resort

What makes Donatela unique is its spacious and beautifully landscaped garden. You get the feeling of entering a unique sanctuary.
The staff also makes the place feel special.
There is a lot to do in Donatela.

Diving

The main reason for many people to come to Bohol is diving. The diving off Alona beach and the surrounding island is spectacular. It is as good as diving in Komodo, Alor, Maumere or Timor. Please see my article on Diving in Bohol for more info.
It is worth noting that there is no dive centre in Donatela resort.

Equestrian centre

Donatela resort has its own equestrian centre which you can try while staying at the hotel. They have about 15 horses for beginner to advanced. They also dressage lessons.
Donatela has Quarter horses, thoroughbreds and the unique and magnificent Lusitanos. The equestrian centre has an Olympic sized dressage arena and a 15 meter covered round arena for all-weather riding.

 

The Zoo

One of the fantastic features of the Donatella resort is that they have their own zoo. They have rescued many endemic animals including monkeys, birds and other animals.
I got the chance to feed the monkeys and some other animals, and it was a lovely experience. If you go to Donatela resort, make sure you do visit the zoo.

The Gym

The gym was not impressive and looked run-down. This is an area that Donatela Resort Bohol could improve.

Seaside lounging at Donatela resort in Bohol

While the villas do not have a sea view, there is a charming cliffside terrace that has a few lounge chairs. They are located downstairs with many steps. It was very quiet and peaceful during my stay. I would often be the only person relaxing down there.
There is a tiny beach down there. It is also possible to swim to the cliff.
Sunset from the cliff is stunning
TIP: do cover up if you go swimming from the Donatela cliff as I got bitten up by jellyfish in front of the resort

 

The Spa

The spa is located in 5 charming spa bungalows nestled around a central lounge area.
Their signature treatment is the Chocolate Scrub Treatment.

Visiting Bohol

Bohol is an island paradise in the Central Visayas region. It has natural attractions like the Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, majestic falls, caves, and white sandy beaches and crystal blue sea waters. Bohol is rich in cultural and historical heritage, like centuries-old churches, towers, and historical landmarks.
Organising a day trip from the hotel is straightforward. They can set you up with a car and driver for the day, which is enough to explore the most famous sites in Bohol.

 Green resort

Donatela Resort Bohol is a green Resort. They aim to have a minimum negative footprint. This is highlighted by their use of solar panels for power, and low-level LED lighting. Donatela also does reverse-osmosis water treatment and has a sewage treatment plant.

 

Conclusion

Donatella Resort in Bohol is a peaceful oasis in the middle of an overdeveloped Panglao Beach.
This hotel is for you if you value peace, natural setting, and exciting architecture. If you want to be in town or have a sea view or beach access from your room, then it is not the place for you.
The place feels very exclusive and private. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay there and hope to be back soon.

Check prices