Nay Palad Hideaway
Review
Character and identity
Nay Palad Hideaway is a nine-villa retreat tucked into the palm groves of Siargao, where sandy paths wind past frangipani and thatched, pointy-roofed pavilions designed by Daniel Pouzet in a swirling, organic vocabulary that owes more to Alice in Wonderland than to the straight-lined beach resorts of Southeast Asia. The villas sit under soaring nipa thatch, with wicker cabanas, treehouse lounges and a floating conversation pit scattered through the gardens. A glass-walled kitchen turns out Spanish-Filipino-Mediterranean tasting menus, and a Hobbit-village spa hides in the jungle. Service is barefoot-attentive, all-inclusive, and unmistakably Siargaoan.
Who's it for
Best for:
Couples, design literates and small multi-generational groups who want a properly secluded, all-inclusive beach escape with imaginative architecture, ambitious cooking and surf access. Families are genuinely catered for, with trampolines, a shallow pool, beach bonfires and a pop-up cinema. Surfers using Cloud 9 as a base will appreciate the pro instructor network.
Should look elsewhere:
Anyone with mobility needs: the property is not wheelchair-friendly. Travellers who want a menu to order from, dressy fine-dining theatre, or a resort with multiple restaurants and bars to roam between will find the single-kitchen, no-menu format limiting. Hardcore nightlife seekers should base themselves nearer General Luna.
Bottom line
What defines a stay here is the total commitment to the barefoot, anything-goes register: no bills, no menus, no shoes, and meals served wherever you fancy. Book a sea-view villa for the Naked Island horizon, bring a group into Perlah Villa if you can fill its nine beds, and aim for the dry months either side of peak surf season.