Eskaya Beach Resort, Bohol: Answering the “How Much” Question

I’ve been getting a lot of queries as to how much budget should be prepared to stay in Eskaya Beach Resort after my posts the past couple of days, so now I’m doing my homework so I could give everybody a rough idea.

This is really an answer to Cely Laddaran Santos‘ question, which was (perhaps accidentally) posted in my About page. Anyhow, she asked:

i am planning to book for eskaya on our 10th wedding anniversary on May 15,2013… but you know, please can you pls give me an idea how much budget will i prepare.. its time for me to surprise my husband, of all our 9 years of marriage he never fail to surprise me, so this time , i would like to take the floor.. i envy you, or rather i am inspired by your blog with all the photography, it made sense

And for the benefit of everybody, this is my response:

FARE

The fare, via Cebu Pacific going to Tagbilaran, Bohol, would probably range from P5,000 (perhaps on Sale seasons) to around P10,000 (that is already a bit expensive). I am checking for the fares now for December 2012, and for two people, it costs roughly P16,000 for two people.

ACCOMMODATION

There are 3 kinds of Villas in Eskaya: the regular Balai which we stayed in, the Balai Banai or family villa, and the Balai Datu or presidential villa. The cost of accommodation will depend on what villa you want to be in, and how long you will be staying there. The cheapest package in their site is at USD1,000++ for 3 days, 2 nights. This is for the Whirlpool Bath Villa which can accommodate 2 persons. I wouldn’t advise a longer stay as the resort is small and there won’t be much to do after maybe 3 or 4 days (and also considering the additional costs for a longer stay). Their most expensive packages are for the Beachfront Family Villa – which costs USD11,000++ for 10 days, 9 nights, and for the Presidential Villa – which costs USD21,000++ for 10 days, 9 nights. Both villas can accommodate 6 persons.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Eskaya is mostly a place for relaxation, with all those baths and private pools and lovely infinity pool. But some activities, like biking, game boards, and some non-motorized water sports can be done as part of the package. Usually, packages also come with a 1-hour Shiatsu massage at their Handuraw Spa which would be nice to cap off evenings.

You will also have the option to have your dinners by the beach or by the pool. There are certain areas dedicated for that. I suggest you already choose which area you want to dine in early in the day so you could get the best spot. It’s rather cold and windy by the beach in the evenings though so take a shawl or jacket with you.

If you don’t want an outdoor dinner, then you could always choose to eat at their restaurant.

FOOD

The prices of the food and drinks are proportional to the price of staying at the resort, so yes, it’s a bit pricey. 🙂 To give you an example, here’s what we ate for dinner.

Baked Mussels as appetizer.

Mushroom soup.

Beef Salpicao.

Mashed Potato.

Tiramisu Cake.

Apologies, as I can’t remember the fancy menu names, but these, including a buco shake and mango shake for drinks, cost approximately P3,000. Cocktails and regular alcoholic drinks are in the P300-P500 range.

TOURS

If you are staying for a bit longer, you can choose to avail of one or two of their tours and cruises. I don’t really think you need to as Eskaya is meant to be a place you should savor, but it could be a good addition to your itinerary. Their packages include Firefly watching in Laoay town, sunset cruises, island hopping, and day tours to the oyster farm or the Bohol countryside. Prices for these are in the P5,000-P10,000 range. Bohol is one of the friendliest provinces I’ve ever been to, so you might want to go out and see what else it has to offer.

So there. I hope this helps answer your question, Cely, (and also my friend, Giselle Chua, who has been bugging me about this last night). Eskaya lands in the “quite pricey” category, in my opinion, but the comfort and bliss that it gives – that’s priceless.

P.S. If you are looking for an alternative resort in Bohol, you may want to check out Amorita Resort, which is also situated in Panglao Island. I have been there before I started blogging, and perhaps I should dig up some of my photos and post them one of these days. It’s also very beautiful there but I believe not as pricey.

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Eskaya Beach Resort and Spa is located in Panglao Island, Bohol, Philippines. For more info, visit: http://www.eskayaresort.com/