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Over Christmas and New Year Joanna’s family had a great trip to various parts of Asia and, along the way, stopped off at Atmosphere Resort in the Philippines for a bit of well deserved R&R – this is their account (with a bit of editing from me) of one of the more popular beach and diving resorts in the Philippines.
Atmosphere Resort – Location & Background
Atmosphere Resort is in the Dauin region of the Philippines, on the island of Negros, towards the South of the country:
Dumaguete is an hour and ten minutes flight from Manila and we were met by the resort’s driver and people carrier. Atmosphere is a further 45 minutes’ drive south.
The boutique resort, opened in 2008, is owner operated. The British owners and their two young children live on site and are welcoming and approachable.
The seven acre, former coconut plantation, is now a tropical garden in which the apartments are set well apart.
Atmosphere Resort – Apartments
We were in Apartment 30 and the rest of the family above in Penthouse 40.
Both units were spacious and well-appointed.
Atmosphere Resort – Apartment External View
Atmosphere Resort – Bedroom
Atmosphere Resort – Apartment Living Area
Atmosphere Resort – Activities
The resort is renowned for diving and among the staff are several master divers. The spacious PADI Dive Centre offers a full range of PADI courses in multiple languages. There is also a resident marine biologist who was happy to talk about all that happens under the sea around Duain. Up to four boats each day took groups of divers to a number of dive sites and there was also diving and snorkelling along the house reef off the beach.
Atmosphere Resort – Snorkelling With Turtles
While staying at the resort members of our party joined a tour to the Valencia Hot Springs and the Pulang Bato waterfall, walked trails in the hills and enjoyed snorkelling with turtles off the nearby island of Apo, followed by a barbecue on the beach. Other activities are also available – swimming with whale sharks and dolphin and whale watching or a visit to a local market.
Atmosphere sponsors a soup kitchen programme that provides 80 children with a balanced lunch, 5 days a week all year round. The children are from one of the most impoverished areas in Dumaguete, 30 minutes away from the resort and this can be visited together with members of Atmosphere staff.
Atmosphere Resort – Amenities, Grounds & Pool
The infinity swimming pool with loungers and settees gives on to the bar area and nearby open air dining.
Atmosphere Resort – Pool
As well as the infinity pool, which has a very deep end for PADI instruction, there is a collection of shallower pools for children where the younger members of our party had fun.
One of our party enjoyed a spa treatment. The Sanctuary Spa offers a wide range of massage and skin and facial treatments including those specially adapted for young people from 8 – 15 years.
Next to the beach, high in the trees is an elevated, covered platform where yoga classes are guided by the in-house yoga teacher. Shorter sessions for either 3 – 5 year olds or 6 – 11year olds take children on an imaginary journey which incorporates yoga postures and relaxation.
We did not use it as the younger members of our party were happy to play in the grounds, enjoy the swimming pools or go beachcombing but there is a Kids Club offering morning and afternoon activities and a Kids Cove with games and play equipment. Babysitting is also available.
There is also an on-site Boutique where clothing and local crafts are for sale.
Atmosphere Resort – Grounds
Atmosphere Resort – Grounds
Atmosphere Resort – Grounds
Atmosphere Resort – Dining
The resort offers a breakfast bar of fruit, cheeses, cold meats and pastries is complemented by cooked to order dishes. Lunch offers a choice of tasty rice and noodle dishes or a “healthy living menu” of salads. The dinner choice includes an “a la carte” menu as well as those dishes offered at lunch and a children’s menu with favourites such as pizza, pasta or fish fingers.
The staff are all well trained and attentive without being “pushy”. The only negative is the breakfast tea and coffee – tea needs to be made with boiling water and coffee does not need to be allowed to stew! There is also a separate bakery serving a selection of delicious cakes and good espresso coffee. The bar staff will prepare any cocktail you can name and both the lunch time and evening “Happy Hour” are well attended.
Our stay over Christmas was made extra special with a visit on Christmas Eve from a choir of children from a local residential care centre. This was followed by a beach barbecue. On Christmas Day there was a barbecue and champagne lunch on the beach on Apo Island and in the evening a five course gala evening meal.
Bottom Line
The accommodations were just what a party of our size needed and the activities allowed us to do as much or as little as we wanted. The staff were attentive without being overbearing and the food and drink selection was good (although a bit more attention to their tea and coffee wouldn’t go amiss!).
All of our party from septuagarians to those still at primary school rated this one of the ten best holidays resorts we had visited and hope it will not be long before we can return.
