Blue Coral Critique.

Nice website, alot of misleading advertising though. Oh yeah don't believe what they say on those "beach" blogs, your better getting the deal from a customer than someone who had something to gain from saying something about it (we found a recomendation from a blog).

1st thing you feel is the P950 buffet and snack. P100 (alegedly*) for a snack of ham and cheese sandwich with juice, P350 (alegedly*) x3 for a buffet of rice, 2-3 carenderia viands, instant soup, and something for desdert (a banana or a can of mixed fruits with cream). Its accep[table to charge 350 for a buffet but to charge it to carenderia buffet which should cost arond P100 in manila is highly.

Tip. Don't get the meal, talk your way around it. Just get viands or bring some rations that would last you the overnight stay. Your better off getting their P100 ala carte meals. If you look at their ala cart meals closely spending up to what you would pay on a buffet would leave you more satisfied.

After all that there is no reciept. BIR employees or officials, would have a field day with this. They deal with High cash volume, overcharge for their meal and have no paper trail.

One redeeming quality is the quality of the structures: they all look nice and are spacious. Working though is another different thing: doors don't close that well and is a security risk, plumbing is faulty and poor water pressure, and the walls are too thin for the blaring Karaoke that goes on at night while some people would be trying to sleep. As we kayak-ed across the coastline we noticed that the few developed resorts were Laluz, 2 other resorts and blue coral being the most visible because it was white. We couldn't what they were called but It would be nice to find someone to compare notes with. Blue Coral is along the Laiya coast, so if you are looking to compare blog about it.

*since its website, brochure, and the person on the phone have conflicting prices.

TIPS to enjoy Blue Coral

• If you are planning a trip to the province make sure that you do not fall in any of their feast days to avoid traffic. Take not that a long weekend tends to have a lot of traffic going to and from the province. It is 4+ hours going to and 5+ hours back on a Sunday leaving after checkout.
• Each Poolside Room can comfortably fit 6 if two people share the double beds, otherwise 4.
• Hard liquor has no corkage, so I strongly suggest you bring them, it will certainly make the stay more pleasant.
• Bring 2 towels, one for outside and one for baths.
• Bring your own Snorkeling Equipment, Frisbee or Balls, and your own inflatable crafts.
• Buy those P200 ($4) beach shoes in the department store (like Landmark or SM).
• Don't Get the Buffet, just get a their P100 ($2) meals, to minimize them screwing you over. If you can't get your way out of the buffet, you can wait a couple of months for La Luz to have available slots.
• Bring your own food which is not in the Corkage List, like Delicatessens and Cold Cuts you can keep in the mini Bar Fridge. We had sandwiches which could have kept for the overnight. Given the dimensions of the fridge, keep the cold cut ingredients in, the bread and drinks out, and some ice trays of water, if there is a lot of you.
• Bring Iced Tee and Minar Water (which is not in the Corkage List,last I checked).
• When taking the "Banka" or Boat for a snorkeling trip, bring your own bread, earplugs (for the very loud engine), binoculars (for the strange jumping large fish we all saw), towels, snorkeling or diving gear, a lot of water (to wash take out the salty taste) and water-proof lights (if it is late in the afternoon or cloudy). It is a 40min trip to the diving spot so find some way to kill time. Don't expect any service here, they will just drive you there and tell you there are no jelly fishes.

Overall given the rain and the conditions, it wasnt bad but It could have been better and for the experience it is an "ok" investment. When the next time comes along, booking a weekend jaunt in off-peak season and a better researched resort.

One thing I took away from the trip was "How could I make Blue Coral Work with a dismal budget after the drainage from the recent renovations?"
1st: Local contact and networks. Use local produce and ingredients to bring down the cost of food. Find all the skilled services for the maintenance and repair of the resort and make a deal to have them on retainer for a more efficient service.
2nd: Cut the Fat. Get rid of all redundant and non essential personnel. Just because you can hire labor in the province for cheap doesn't mean more = quality.
3rd: Personnel Training. Pay your employees well and train them well. Have them assist in the repairs of the specialist, give them opportunity to earn TIPs.
4th: More activities. Trained personnel can help entertain guests with places to go and things to do. Treat the resort as not a place to stay but a gateway... etc. etc.

blah blah blah....

Here is a thought: a Beach resort Franchise across the Philippines. Like the Starbucks of beach resorts.