Spot Stays: Enjoy the Quiet Side of Panglao at This Beachfront Resort

Solea Coast Resort Panglao
Danao, Panglao Island, Bohol
Rates start at P4,000 (subject to change, best available rate)

At a Glance
Room: Not exactly beachfront, but spacious enough for a quality stay.
Food and drink: Earth Restaurant offers Filipino and international cuisines.
Staff: Makes you feel right at home.
Why you should stay: It's on the quiet side of Panglao Island.

(SPOT.ph) Bohol, specifically Panglao Island, is known for its many beachfront resorts, white-sand beaches, and marine sanctuaries. It is a tropical paradise, and the variety of hotels and resorts on the island makes it a top-of-mind option when going away on a beach vacation. While this is all well and good, sometimes, we also just want a quiet respite while listening to the crashing of the waves. Enter Solea Coast Resort Panglao, a seven-storey resort in front of Danao Beach. It's far enough from the crowd of Alona Beach, but still 10 minutes away from that strip if you decide to go.

What you need to know about Solea Coast Resort Panglao:

"Our mission is to make sure everyone leaves happy," Solea Hotels and Resorts owner and managing director Chris Gothong told members of the press in a visit last June. And you can easily see why.

The open-air set-up of the lobby allows natural light to come in and lets the cool sea breeze circulate. Immediately, this does wonders to our bodies that are otherwise cooped up at home or in the office on a daily basis. Look up and you'll see various shapes and sizes of rattan-made decoration, immediately prompting the imagination.

The lobby also features a tube slide, which entices both kids and kids-at-heart to slide down from the second-floor gym and towards the ground floor. A billiards table and foosball are also available in the lounge, where you can hang out while waiting for the van for either an island-hopping adventure or a city tour around Tagbilaran.

Every corner is a breath of fresh air, which is probably why the resort immediately got bookings during its opening despite the pandemic.

"I didn't expect much because it was still COVID at the time. But lo and behold, we got a lot of bookings then. When we started, we were fully booked already for December, January, and February," Gothong narrated.

The resort opened in November 2021, but was officially launched in July 2022. The owner said that it was a good thing that they were able to offer a different alternative to the market in Panglao.

Solea Coast Resort Panglao currently has 110 rooms, but the owner says they're continuously expanding. They have two room options: Deluxe and Premier. Both options have two double-sized beds, a balcony, a shower with soap and shampoo dispensers, and more than enough space.

From the balcony, you can see the many fishing boats docked in Danao Beach; and below, another resort that offers small villas to guests. Because of its location near Bohol-Panglao International Airport, expect to hear planes flying overhead at night. But given how soft and comfortable their double beds are, the faint rumbling sound is easy to ignore.

What to Do

The great thing about going on a vacation in Bohol is that there are plenty of things to do: from visiting the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary in Corella to going up the stairway of the Chocolate Hills in Carmen, diving and snorkeling in Balicasag, and going bungee-jumping in Danao Park.

"So what's nice is that when you come back home, you get the good rooms, good and large rooms," Gothong said. And with "home," he meant a room at Solea Coast Resort Panglao.

While recharging, you can take a dip at the resort's swimming pool while enjoying a cold drink from the pool bar. In front of the pool are small tables, where you can work (but why??); and bean bags, where you can plop down and just enjoy the peaceful beach. This side of Panglao still has its small-town charm, where you can see fisherfolks tending to their boats or locals bringing in the day's catch.

Where to Eat

Earth Restaurant, the resort's all-day dining, offers Filipino, Japanese, Korean, American, and other international dishes. Their breakfast spread has enough options to get you through an exciting day, from a variety of pastries and bread to staple breakfast viands like dried fish and bacon.

Solea Coast Resort Panglao's latest F&B offering is the Salt and Sky Bar, which opened just last June. The first-ever rooftop bar in Bohol, it boasts a 360-degree view of Panglao Island—from the rows of coconut trees on one end to the endless ocean on the other.

"I guess what makes us special is that we provide a safe haven for our guests. We provide a place where people can come back and get all these amenities, all these luxuries they want to find in a hotel stay without all the drawbacks," Gothong said. And with a sunset view like no other, it's worth booking a room at Solea Coast Resort Panglao.

Also read:
Spot Stays: This Panglao Resort Is Your Next Budget-Friendly Getaway
Spot Stays: Wake Up to a Glorious View of the Beach at This Five-Star Resort in Panglao

Solea Coast Resort Panglao is in Danao, Panglao Island, Bohol. Rates start at P4,000 (subject to change, best available rate).