Family Adventures
Our Maayo San Remigio Family Villa Experience: Review, Room Rates, Food Menu, and Tips
Our 2-night stay at a family villa in Maayo San Remigio, including an in-depth description of the family villa amenities, health and safety protocols, food prices, and compilation videos of all the resort areas.
Contents:
- Traveling in the time of coronavirus
- Video of Maayo San Remigio accommodations, beach, pool, and public areas
- Health and safety protocols at Maayo San Remigio
- In-depth description of the Family Villa
- Food menu and prices
- Directions to Maayo San Remigio
- Room rates, including the 2-night weekend and weekday promos
- Our Maayo San Remigio review
- Anapog public beach video
- Answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Raise your hand (!) if it’s been ages, too, since you and your family have been able to go for a vacation because of the coronavirus pandemic.
With two hypertensive 70-year-olds and an asthmatic kid in the household, our family has been very careful about going out since early 2020. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been 100 meters away from home and though I honestly don’t mind — I would not trade any of our lives for temporary fun, nor would I want to be instrumental in transmitting the virus to others — it had come to the point where we were just primed to take the first opportunity to go on even just a short vacation away from home once it was reasonably safe and responsible to do so.
After months and months of staying home, we were finally able to go on a mini-vacation to San Remigio last week. We stayed for two nights at a family villa in Maayo San Remigio — and we’re already thinking of going back! Watch this short compilation video of our Maayo San Remigio experience and check out all the information we’ve compiled below (plus our review and tips) to help you plan your own San Rem getaway.
Health and Safety Protocols at Maayo San Remigio
First things first!
The coronavirus threat isn’t over, and we made sure our seniors at home were fully vaccinated before we dared to go on this adventure. We continued to keep our distance from other people and wore our masks whenever we were in the presence of others.
They take health and safety seriously at Maayo San Remigio too. It’s a wide open area so it’s easy enough to maintain social distancing. Staff, including pool attendants, wore masks. Ordering food was done via an online menu and you could pick up your food and eat at your room. Transactions were cashless — they advised us of this during booking — either by credit card, GCash, or PayMaya.
The only real problem was at the pool when there were a lot of people. We just about managed to keep a distance of at least 2 meters during peak hours on a weekday, but I could see it potentially becoming a problem when the weekend brings in the crowds.
Maayo San Remigio Family Villa: Location, Beds, and Amenities
The family villas are the accommodations located nearest to the pool, just a few meters away, which makes it perfect for those with kids. You could easily just peer out your door to check if the pool is already open. (It usually opens at 7 AM.) The family villas are also right next to the building housing the reception area, around 50 meters from the parking lot, and just a short walk away from the restaurant.
Inside the room, there are two queen-size beds and one single bed. The pillows are the thick type with a material that sort of crackles when you move and seems plasticky — I figure it’s a water-resistant material, which perhaps makes sense for a resort that has a beach and pool and would rather not have to keep replacing moisture-damaged pillows — but if you’re particular about pillow comfort, perhaps it would be best to bring your own pillow. (I think I’ll do that next time.)
There’s a table and two chairs inside the room, as well as a table and six chairs outside the room. We had most of our meals in the latter. Also outside the room, there’s a three-bar rack where you can hang your wet swimwear.
Back to the room: there’s a remote-controlled air conditioner, a phone, and a mini-bar with 4 complimentary bottles of water. There’s an electric kettle, complimentary sachets of coffee, creamer and sugar, mugs, and glasses.
There’s a television set but no local or cable channels, which I actually like, because I’m not a fan of TV. They tell you this when you book (in the email confirmation) and they advise you that you can bring your own TV box or USB drive if you really want to, but that “otherwise, we would encourage you to enjoy the scenery, our services and relax the Maayo way.” (And, honestly, I couldn’t agree more.)
In the bathroom, the toiletries tray includes dental kits (consisting of a toothbrush and a tiny tube of toothpaste), lotion, solid soap for hand washing, and a shower cap. There’s a hair dryer attached to the wall. There’s a bidet. In the shower area, there are two wall-mounted dispensers, one containing shower gel, the other with shampoo and conditioner. There’s hot and cold water. They provide towels for use inside the room, while for the pool, they give you a card upon check-in that you can leave with the pool attendant in exchange for pool towels. (When you return the pool towels, they give you back the card, which you have to return upon check-out.)
There’s strong WiFi in the room and elsewhere in the resort. My Globe and Sun phones had no signal inside the room though.
Can you bring food from outside to Maayo San Remigio?
Their rule of thumb is — according to the lady at reception — if they don’t sell it at their restaurant, they won’t charge corkage for it.
So you can bring in:
- chips
- cookies
- crackers
- cake
You can’t bring in:
- rice
- any sud-an (because they have a variety of savoury dishes on their menu)
Speaking of which…
Maayo San Remigio Food Menu
One cool thing about Maayo San Remigio is that they’ve set up an online ordering system for their restaurant. (There’s free WiFi all over the resort so the system is easy to access.) The menu gets updated for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with all the available dishes you can order. You can set the time you want the food to be ready and you can choose between dining in at the restaurant, picking up the food yourself for eating elsewhere, or having the food delivered to your room (with a charge of P100 for room service).
Here’s a list of the food usually available at Maayo San Remigio and their respective prices (as of June 2021):
- Specials
- Maayo crispy pata – Php 550
- Pochero – Php 290
- Garlice butter shrimp – Php 200
- Sizzling pochero – Php 300
- Sizzling bangus – Php 280
- Sizzling stuffed squid – Php 295
- Catch of the day – Php 350
- Utan bisaya with buwad – Php 160
- Vegetable of the day, stir fried – Php 120
- Sinigang na bangus – Php 290
- Shrimp sinigang – Php 250
- Pork
- Onion glazed pork – Php 210
- Sweet and sour pork – Php 210
- Pork sisig – Php 210
- Lechon kawali – Php 210
- Patatim – Php 210
- Pork humba – Php 210
- Beef
- Beef with onions – Php 230
- Chicken
- Lemon chicken – Php 190
- Garlic chicken – Php 190
- Battered chicken – Php 190
- Fish
- Baked Bangus – Php 180
- Sandwiches and Fries
- Victoria’s Clubhouse – Php 295
- Bacon and Egg Sandwich – Php 250
- Maayo Ultimate Burger – Php 350
- Fries – Php 60
- Rice and Noodles
- Garlic rice – Php 30
- Plain rice – Php 30
- Pancit canton – Php 130
- Bam-i – Php 130
- Bihon – Php 130
- Group Meals
- Hab-hab 1 – Php320 – one main course* good for 1-2 persons, plus rice and side dish
- Hab-hab 2 – Php750 – two main courses good for 3-4 pax, plus rice and side dish
- Hab-hab 3 – Php1400 – three main courses good for 4-8 pax, plus rice and side dish
* The main courses are any of the dishes under Pork, Beef, Chicken, and Fish.
Drinks
- Soda
- Sprite – Php 70
- Royal – Php 70
- Coke Light – Php 70
- Coke Zero – Php 70
- Fruit juices
- Watermelon – Php 50
- Mango – Php 50
- Pineapple – Php 50
- Lemonade (jug) – Php 220
- Cucumber lemonade (jug) – Php 220
- Shakes
- Watermelon – Php 100
- Pineapple – Php 100
- Mango – Php 100
- Coffee and tea
- Brewed coffee – Php 80
- Espresso – Php 80
- Cappuccino – Php 100
- Latte – Php 100
- Vietnamese iced coffee – Php 100
- Dilmah teas – Php 100
- Water
- Perrier – Php 130
- Maayo Water – Php 35
They also serve wine, beer, cocktails, and other alcoholic drinks but it would take too much space to list them all here.
Directions to Maayo San Remigio
Maayo San Remigio is on Google Maps, so if you’re driving there, the easiest thing to do would be to pull it up on Google Maps and press the Directions button.
Be aware that Maayo San Remigio is already near the border with Tabuelan, in the southern part of San Remigio, around 20 km from the San Remigio Municipal Hall.
Maayo San Remigio Beach Resort Room Rates
These are the room rates at Maayo San Remigio as of June 2021.
Accommodation Type | No. of Pax | Regular Room Rates | 2-Night Weekend Stay | 2-Night Weekday Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Family Room Villa | 4 adults & 2 kids | Php 7,500/night | Php 11,200 for 2 nights | Php 8,300 for 2 nights |
Barkada Villa | 5 adults & 2 kids | Php 6,900/night | Php 10,400 for 2 nights | Php 7,700 for 2 nights |
Deluxe Plus Villa | 2 adults & 2 kids | Php 5,900/night | Php 8,800 for 2 nights | Php 6,500 for 2 nights |
Deluxe Villa | 2 adults & 2 kids | Php 4,700/night | Php 6,800 for 2 nights | Php 5,100 for 2 nights |
Family Modular Room | 4 adults & 2 kids | Php 5,400/night | Php 8,200 for 2 nights | Php 6,000 for 2 nights |
Deluxe Modular Room | 2 adults & 2 kids | Php 2,800/night | Php 4,100 for 2 nights | Php 3,100 for 2 nights |
The modular rooms are cheaper because they’re farther away from the pool, beach, and restaurant, and they’re housed in buildings that — while colorful and have a very tropical, summery vibe — could get crowded especially on weekends and holidays.
Our Maayo San Remigio Review
Our family decided to have a mini-vacation in San Remigio because we had an errand to do at the municipal hall and we figured we might as well make the most of the long-ish drive and stay overnight at a resort in town. Initially, we looked at staying in Siri Yangu but the cost seemed impractical, given there were only 5 of us. We decided on Maayo San Remigio because they had:
- a wide open area, which meant social distancing was possible
- family rooms and villas, so we could stay together
- both a pool and a beach
- a weekday promo where you get a big discount on room rates if you stay for at least 2 nights
- good reviews both online and from friends who had stayed there and in other Maayo properties
Having now completed a two-night stay at Maayo San Remigio, I have to say that I’m really satisfied with our stay there. I feel that we got great value for our money and I’m hoping we can return in a few months. (In fact, if it were nearer and I had the budget, I would go there even more often.)
We stayed in their family villa, which can accommodate 4 adults and 2 kids, and because we checked in on a Wednesday, we were able to avail of their weekday promo of Php 8,300 net for two nights. (To be clear, Php 8,300 was the total for both nights already!) That’s a great price for resorts here in the Philippines, where prices can border on extortionate.
Before we stayed at Maayo San Remigio, we saw some reviews where people weren’t happy with their food, and we prepared ourselves to be disappointed — but instead we were pleasantly surprised when the food we ordered for our first night there actually turned out to be pretty good. It wasn’t OMG-what-sorcery-is-this exceptional, and of course when you’re talking about food, you’re always dealing with different tastes and different standards, but the food was definitely better than we thought it would be. Here’s a more specific breakdown:
- Dishes that we were satisfied with and actually ordered again the next meal: baked bangus, breaded chicken, bam-i (the taste wasn’t consistent though)
- Dishes that we didn’t have the opportunity to reorder but wouldn’t mind having again on our next stay: baconsilog breakfast, stir fried vegetables, utan bisaya, pancit canton
- Dishes that we tried once and weren’t absolutely horrible but we weren’t inspired to order again:
- sweet and sour pork – because a big percentage of it was fat, which we don’t like but maybe others won’t mind
- tapa breakfast – because some of the meat was tough
- hotdog breakfast – because the hotdog was the type that you get in sidewalk grills and suspect is mostly fillers
- lechon kawali – then again not a lot of places get lechon kawali right
Their pool was pretty good too; nothing to complain about. The beach wasn’t that great — the sea bottom was sandy near the shore but got squelchy farther out — but it was okay. I would, however, recommend taking a short trip to the Anapog white beach (also in San Remigio) if you want a great beach experience.
What I really loved about Maayo San Remigio was the wooded area overlooking the sea that had a picnic grove and lots of benches. It was particularly beautiful in the early morning, when the grove was bathed in the soft light of the rising sun, but even at other times of the day, the benches and the trees overlooking the San Remigio coast provided an open-air atmosphere that was both relaxing and refreshing and conducive for social distancing.
To conclude, I would stay again at Maayo San Remigio. I would pop over to Anapog for the white sand beach but stay in Maayo for sleeping, lounging by the pool, taking in the views of the coast from the overlooking benches, watching the sunrise and the sunset, and going on early morning walks.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is San Remigio from Cebu City?
Using Ayala Center Cebu as the starting point in Cebu City, the San Remigio Municipal Hall is 106 km away by car, driving northwards. From Talamban, it takes roughly 2.5 hours to get to the munisipyo by car on a very early weekday morning. Maayo San Remigio is near the southern border of San Remigio though, so if you’re driving straight there, it should take even less time.
Is parking offered on site at Maayo San Remigio?
Yes! They have a pretty spacious parking lot within short walking distance from the reception area, as well as from both the villas section and the buildings housing the modular rooms.
What is the best room at Maayo San Remigio?
If you’re a family with only two adults and two kids, the deluxe villas are the best option because they’re priced affordably and they have the best location in the resort. However, if you’re a family with 3 or more adults, or a group of friends, the family villa and the barkada villa are great options as well.
Does the Maayo San Remigio weekday promo include breakfast?
No, it doesn’t include breakfast. However, the food items in the breakfast menu at Maayo San Remigio are pretty affordable.
What is the best beach in San Remigio?
The beach in Anapog, San Remigio has white sand, clear waters, and a long coast. There are beach resorts in the area but Anapog Public Beach — you can find it in Google Maps — is 100% free.
What are the beach resorts in Anapog, San Remigio?
Orongan Beach Resort and Elegant Beach Resort are two of the resorts fronting the Anapog coast in San Remigio.
What are the room rates of Orongan Beach Resort in Anapog, San Remigio?
According to their Facebook page, Orongan Beach Resort has six rooms ranging from P2,500/night (for 3 adults and 2 kids) to P6,000/night (12 pax).
What are the room rates of Elegant Beach Resort in Anapog, San Remigio?
According to their Facebook page, Elegant Beach Resort has several types of rooms ranging from P2,500/night (double room for 2 pax) to P6,000/night (dorm room for 10 pax).
How do you get to Anapog Public Beach, San Remigio?
The public beach in Anapog is in Google Maps. Just type in “Anapog Public Beach” and then press the Directions button.