The Most Awarded Resorts in the Philippines

BORACAY- Discovery Shores

Awards: 5th Best Hotel in the World, World’s Best Awards 2012, Travel + Leisure, Top Hotel Spa in Asia, World’s Best Awards 2012, Travel + Leisure If you’re going to the world’s best island, you might as well stay at the island’s most recognized resort. This chic resort beat elite global brands like the Bangkok Peninsula and the Four Seasons Hualalai, Hawaii.

PALAWAN - Amanpulo

Award: 2nd Best Leisure Resort Worldwide, The 2010 Gallivanter’s Awards for Excellence, Gallivanter’s Guide. You can’t go more exclusive and private than this. On this beautiful island is the lone resort with 40 native-inspired casitas (cottages) designed by no less than Philippine National Artist for Architecture, Bobby Mañosa.

El Nido Resorts

Awards: Gold Award for Environmental Education Programme, PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Awards 2011; 20 Favorite Green Resorts, Travel + Leisure, 2007; 12th Annual Green List, Condé Nast Traveler, 2006. Set amidst a Natural Park and Reserve, eco-friendliness is a mantra they try to share with their guests. A seasoned travel writer once described her stay here as “heaven on earth.”

CEBU Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa

Awards: Top 10 Overseas Hotel, Travel + Leisure China; ASEAN Green Hotel Award 2010. “Sprawling” is the word for this tropical resort. It has guestrooms with balconies, affording you sweeping views of well-manicured grounds, pools, al fresco dining nooks, a health spa, private beach, and of course, the sea.

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa

Award: One of the world’s top resorts, 2008 Readers’ Choice Awards, Condé Nast Traveler. You’re in Mactan Island even though you’ll feel as if you’re in a vast plantation. A huge man-made swimming lagoon (one of the largest in the world) is lined with handsome, plantation-type guest cottages that seem to come straight from the Caribbean.

Abacá Boutique Resort

Award: Hot List 2009, Condé Nast Traveler. Small is beautiful. It started its success as a low-key restaurant and expanded to a tastefully rendered boutique resort with Filipino accents.

BATANGAS - The Farm at San Benito

Award: Best Medical Spa Worldwide, SENSES Awards 2012. When you’re done with hedonistic traveling, best you head out here and detoxify in style. Their treatments and holistic retreats are done so artistically that you’ll forget you’re here to flush out all the bad stuff from your body.