Selectum Mangrove Resort

The accommodation provides a beautiful pool, fitness facilities, and private terraces. Conveniently located near Alona Beach and restaurants. Guests appreciate the friendly staff and exceptionally clean, comfortable rooms.

Selectum Mangrove Resort is located in a scenic area with beautiful palm trees, and the daily bottled water provided is a small, thoughtful gesture. However, despite the natural beauty, our experience was overshadowed by several issues. While the Filipino staff were kind and did their best, the atmosphere was negatively affected by the behavior of the European owners. The female owner in particular came across as cold and controlling, rarely greeting guests and often staring instead. It created a sense of judgment rather than hospitality, and it often felt like we were being watched or even talked about when walking past. There was also a strong sense of tight supervision over the staff, making the work environment feel uncomfortable and restrictive. There was also a man—possibly a relative—who stayed at the reception area in the evenings. He didn’t acknowledge guests, not even with a simple greeting, and we often saw him relaxing by the pool during the day. This lack of basic courtesy felt very unprofessional, especially in a small resort where guest interaction should matter. We were also charged ₱1000 for a makeup stain on a towel, which felt excessive and not in line with how other resorts handle similar situations. Housekeeping times were only mentioned in a contract and never explained to us verbally when we arrived, which led to some confusion and miscommunication. During our stay we even noticed a live crab in the swimming pool, which raised concerns about general maintenance, even considering the natural surroundings. Not ideal for a four star resort.  We do want to thank the nighttime Filipino lifeguard, who was genuinely kind and helpful. The local staff clearly do their best, but they work under management that lacks warmth and professionalism. Unfortunately, we left feeling uncomfortable and unwelcome, and wouldn’t recommend the resort unless there are significant changes in how it’s run.

A great hotel, the best one we’ve had the pleasure of staying in in the Philippines so far. It’s exceptionally clean, professionally run, friendly, polite and helpful staff. The rooms are great, well laid out, comfortable bed, great, quiet air con and a nice bathroom. There’s a lovely pool area because this hotel is not near the beach (about a 30 min walk or a 10 min taxi away). There’s also an outside / covered dining and reception area plus a mini outside gym. I slept really well as it was nice and peaceful at night. Only 8-9 rooms so not heaving with lots of guests which is great for us. The breakfast was also really good (approx £4 per person depending on the set you choose). Sorena, husband and team run a great hotel, would highly recommend. Thanks for a lovely, relaxing stay.