Bohol’s newly-minted luxury address, South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection, is making waves for its biophilic design, integration into the local community and genuine sustainability
Location
This resort by the sea is just 10-15 minutes from Bohol-Panglao International Airport and a short distance from dive sites, the Chocolate Hills and the tarsier sanctuary.
Its biophilic design blends seamlessly with the natural environment, creating a calming and restorative hideaway.
The creative teams of interior designer Patricia Ho Douven of White Jacket, F&B and detailing specialist Phillip Pond of Atelier Pond, public space designer Patrick Keane of Enter Projects Asia, and master planners Chris Singer and Prasasti Chenchin of SCSY Studio have together created a luxury Filipino resort through and through.
Limestone, timber and clay abundant in Bohol were used to build the resort, with its design inspired by the province’s folklore, culture and traditions. Local artisans incorporated native materials such as rattan, bamboo, abaca, and recycled wood, tiles and stained glass salvaged from old, abandoned houses, crafting décor, furniture and fixtures that are rustic yet refined.
Accommodation
The resort has 188 rooms and suites arranged in clusters of two-storey structures. Our 48m² superior room features a king bed with a headboard of traditional solihiya rattan weave – a Filipino lattice pattern known for its craftsmanship and airy design – and a large bathroom with a wooden bench and stepladder. It opens onto a private balcony with a plunge pool and views of the gardens and a sliver of the sea.
Unexpected touches in the décor create a modern yet whimsical, playful and calming sanctuary, as the photos show.
The resort is also a high-tech hideaway, offering fast and constant internet, multiple electrical sockets and data ports. A smart room system with touch controls and motion sensors reduces energy consumption and enhances security.
F&B
The resort’s culinary offerings focus on local, organic ingredients – from seafood to fruits and vegetables – prepared using traditional cooking techniques. Guests can enjoy farm-to-table dishes, the day’s fresh catch, and tropical fruit tasting at UMA, which features market-style stalls and al fresco dining typical in the Philippines.
Manja, playfully designed with large tables and a children’s garden with games, serves international dishes including brick-oven pizzas and rotisserie chicken. The Sirenna Bar offers cocktails, including lambanog, a Filipino liquor fermented from coconut sap.
Facilities
The vast grounds and beach of South Palms Resort and Spa – MGallery Collection lead to herbal trails, hydroponic gardens, sunrise yoga, and at night, torch-lit ceremonies and firelit drumming rituals that honour the rhythm of the island.
For MICE, the resort offers the 200m² Marcela Ballroom, designed with indigenous Filipino motifs; the 100m² Acqua Pavilion along the coastline, with fluid geometry inspired by fish scales and sea creatures; and the sweeping 500m² beachfront lawn, connected by a grand staircase to a rooftop garden for alfresco celebrations. Tiya’s ground floor and two upstairs event rooms provide a charming setting for cocktails and conferences.
The open-air lobby, featuring an elevated sari-sari store (after the ubiquitous small neighbourhood shops), is ideal for informal gatherings and enjoying views of the gardens and sea.
A meaningful experience is a guided tour of the facilities for making asin tibuok, or sea salt, a Bohol tradition that involves immersing coconut husks in seawater for three months. Aside from using asin tibuok in its kitchens, the resort plans to use it in the spa scheduled to open in September.
Adjacent to the resort is the nine-hectare South Farms, established during the pandemic to retain staff from the owner’s other property, now renamed Oceanica Resort Panglao. Today, South Farms supplies both resorts with organic food, ornamental plants such as bamboo, and water from its reservoir and harvested rainwater.
Service
The resort maintains a high guest-to-staff ratio. There is always someone available to assist, whether it is for directions, riding the buggy, visiting the 24-hour clinic, or catching a tricycle to the town centre. The housekeeping, lobby, and restaurant staff are courteous, polite, and helpful.
Verdict
South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection approaches sustainability and community engagement with care. Recycling is widespread, the resort provides 14 refill water stations for guests, and its 1,017 solar panels generate enough energy for six to seven hours of daily use.
Beyond its design and experience offerings, and support for local artisans and small enterprises, the resort also assists two local orphanages through regular donations, play-based visits, and shared meals, reflecting the brand’s belief that hospitality begins at home.
These efforts made my two-day stay at the resort memorable long after checkout.
Contact details
E-mail: southpalmsmgallery.reservations@accor.com
