Manami Resort: Sipalay's First and Only Luxury Resort

Discovery Hospitality is one of the top brands when it comes to hotel and resort management. I remember having a wonderful time at Discovery Shores back in 2019. So I was thrilled when I learned about Manami Resort in Sipalay and Discovery Samal in Samal Island, Davao. Without hesitation, we booked a room for a few nights in both resorts to get the signature "Welcome Home" experience. The first resort we visited was Manami Resort. 

Hello, Manami Resort.

Tagged as a luxury resort in Sipalay, this eco-friendly accommodation makes you feel at home right after stepping out of your car.

Manami is a three-hour drive from Bacolod or Dumaguete. So it can be a bit tiring especially if you came all the way from Manila. 

Weary from the long road travel, we were happy to be welcomed with some cold towels, souvenir shell bracelets, and refreshing sugarcane drinks. 

Our check-in was not as smooth as expected as a bug got stuck in one of the electrical wirings of our suite balcony. It caused a short circuit twice! Staff had to come in and out of our room, leaving the door open and more bugs coming in. Thankfully, it got fixed after an hour, and things went smoothly afterward.

Our oceanview suite was spacious! 

The 50 sqm suite is equipped with two double beds, a day bed, an ensuite bathroom, a minibar and chiller, a Bluetooth soundbar, a smart TV, a Nespresso machine, and the other basic niceties like bathrobes, slippers, and hairdryer. 

The balcony has a nice view. It is a lovely nook to enjoy coffee or snacks.

The welcome kit (bag on the bed with disinfectant and wipes) is also very adorable! I still use the eco bag as a lunch bag. 

There are two pools in Manami. The one in front of Lingaw Restaurant is available for all guests. The more private pool, which is on the pool suites level, is exclusive for pool suite guests. Both pools are small and can get cramped if a lot of guests decide to swim at the same time. 

We were unlucky during our visit as the pool in front of Lingaw had a filtration issue and was unavailable for more than a day. 

Manami management had to ask the pool suite guests if they'd let other guests use their pool while maintenance work on the main pool. In exchange, the poolside guests got a complimentary meal by the beach. 

The beach is also a bit small. But I loved that it was clean, a far cry from the public beaches nearby. There is also a lot of life on the beach. There are a lot of starfish, shellfish, giant clams, and fruit bats! 

Love snorkeling? You don't have to worry about carrying snorkel gear. Manami has a complete set of snorkel masks, fins, and water shoes for guests. You might have to swim far from the shore to get to the deeper part and enjoy snorkeling. 

Manami also has a good set of sand toys for the little ones!

If you like a little action and do something more adventurous, try Manami's spelunking activity in its in-property cave. It is also a complimentary activity you can do during your stay. The resort also offers island hopping for a fee or complimentary if you book all four poolside suites!

Food was what made our stay memorable. 

Everything we tried was good. Try its cansi and pizza! The restaurant crew are very nice too! They can also keep your leftovers for you in the kitchen and have it heated up the next day. 

The breakfast spread was a bit limited. It would have been nice if there were food cover for all dishes as there were too many flies (of all sizes) in Lingaw restaurant during breakfast and lunch. I was also discouraged from ordering drinks as the bar was another favorite place for the unwelcome pestering bugs. And they love to land on the nozzles of drink syrups and sauces.

Manami also has turndown service and Sam loved the towel crab. 

We only got a turndown treat once unlike at Discovery Shores Boracay which gives treats every night. The cookies they gave were awesome though!  

We availed of the complimentary head, neck, and shoulder massage before checking out. It was a nice and relaxing 10-minute treat.

A two-day stay here would be enough to have the full Manami experience. It might get a little boring if you stay a bit longer as there are not a lot of activities to do here.

Special mention to Chris (beach staff)! He was the very definition of proactive. He noticed that we were not wearing beach shoes and asked for our sizes. We assumed that he'd wait for us at the beach while we kayak around. But he followed us instead with the shoes! He even gave us a tour around the bat cave and the nearby island with fruit bats. 

Manami Resort is located in Sipalay, Negros Occidental, Philippines. The resort offers airport transfers via land or air.