Balesin Island

Oh Balesin…you are one heck of an Island Resort! I love how separated you are from everyone else. this is the perfect place if you want to unplug and detach from everything else, a true introvert’s paradise. The rooms are very spacious; Service team is very courteous and the whole facility is clean. Shuttles are available for moving around and it is very easy to call for one. One thing I would improve on is the food. Our entire four day stay, we only loved the Bali Village restaurant. Food was delicious and service was great. I Highly recommend having your meals here. The incense as a bit too much at the beginning but it subsided later on. The German restaurant ran out of imported beers when we were there and the choices for food was not really what you’d imagine for a German inspired restaurant. The Curry Wurst was dry and doesn’t really taste that much of a German curry wurst. The Schnitzel was alright though. The Greek restaurant was so-so. We ordered the Octopus salad and it came out with octopus that freezer burnt and was cooked some more to oblivion. The kitchen said it as how it was supposed to be, but at least they offered to replace it with a different salad which we gladly accepted. Everything was alright, nothing like spanakopitas or the fresh delightful Greek dishes. Breakfast at the cafeteria was delicious. Good sized portions and fresh hot pandesals, can’t go wrong with that. Overall, I would definitely come back to Balesin for the serenity and the seclusion of an island resort. Hopefully by then food has improved. PS: It was crazy loud in the boarding lounge at the Clark airport, the other guests don’t seem to care about other people. Oh and please, fix the washrooms. It was all dark, stinky and non-functioning toilets, sinks and dispensers

5* prices for a 3* island. The oddest part about the entire experience is that every village felt desolate, abandoned, and unserviced - like a ghost town. I stayed in Bali village and spent 30 minutes looping the place 4-5 times before getting off the buggy to go on foot to find my villa. The villas aren’t numbered along the road so you literally have to walk up to each door. Oh and there is no village map - only a general island map. The villa itself is quite large with 2 daybeds and 1 king size bed. Bathroom is standard with 2 sinks. However, I wouldn’t ever “relax” in the room because it’s so dim and yellow. The room itself, due to the design of the hut, lets in very little sunlight. It feels like nighttime even during the day. As for bugs, you can’t avoid them inside or outside. Mosquitos and fruit flies somehow always get inside the room. I killed a minimum of 8-9 every day. Breakfast and lunch seem to only be served at the Balesin Clubhouse - hence the reason why all the other villages feel desolate during the day. Food is decent but the prices are on par with any big city in the US.

Love the island. Quiet not crowded. They have different themed restaurant to choose from. Shuttles are available for the guest to go around the island for free.

If what you're after is to unplug, get away from it all, and just relax, this is where you go. That privacy and luxury does have a price... 😉

Short Version: 5-star prices for 1-star experience. Cherry on top - Faulty wiring on outdoor lamps electrocuted me. Long Version: Good: Balesin is a beautiful island destination. The varying themes in each village, and its proximity from Manila were great. Food was decent tasting with good variety across the island. It's a nice place for rest and relaxation. Bad: A call-out to poor management Worst: After going for a swim along the beach, I got an electric shock on both feet reaching up to my knees as I approached one of the rinsing stations. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I will not disclose where because I want management to inspect all stations to ensure this does not ever happen again. Senior citizen discounts are not granted in restaurants - isn't this against the law??? Flight: They do not share your flight schedule upon booking your trip. Instead, they inform you 12-24 hours prior to departure. That's for both entering and leaving the island. Not knowing when you fly does not foster the relaxing environment that you're paying for. Also, the staff is not strictly implementing rules on mandatory masks in waiting areas because they are too shy to approach violating patrons. Bedrooms: Balcony doors without latch bolt and locks (so it's not closing at all) - strong winds causing the door to keep shaking. Select fans, lights and window blinds were not operating properly. No room service. The rate at the time (Dec 2021) was USD $700/night for a max 3 occupancy. We booked 2 rooms and both had the same problem. Service: Very slow service in restaurants - an order takes a minimum 30 minutes even if you're the only customer. Servers are not trained enough, as I discovered that a large number started as recent as 1-2 days ago. What I mean by training is the bare minimum like understanding the menu, not the 5-star level that they should be providing. One simple example - our group ordered 2 beers, and only 1 came. It took at least 4 follow ups and a conversation with the manager before completing the order. If you're in a hurry, order take out ahead of time. Restaurants: They implemented a reserved seating time slot that guests can book ahead of time. Two timeslots per service. A few tables are often unclaimed even after 1 hour into the timeslot. That's loss of revenue for them as they do not allow for drop-in guests to take the table. Another issue I have with the restaurants is their service hours. They only serve guests during normal breakfast, lunch and dinner times. I can't have a meal/snack/drink at other times even for take out. Alcoholic drink selections could use some improvement. Others - A few outdoor damages needing reparation to preserve the image of the themed village. Again - this is a beautiful island that charges 5-star rates for a 1-star experience. Bonus if you got electrocuted like I did. Never coming back. If you ever plan to visit, keep in mind that you are paying a premium for the island and the privacy, and not the quality of management.

Attended a wedding such a nice nature chapel , under the sky reception with live music n dancing till we drop.. So love each of its village theme. ❤️

This private island is amazing I've been to this island for 10 yrs already so beautiful!

Its not paradise.but a gift from Divine.. MD 2022