Best Luxury Hotels and Resorts in Siargao for a Truly Elevated Stay
Words by
Maria Santos
I have spent the better part of three years splitting my time between Manila and Siargao, and if there is one thing I have learned, it is that the best luxury hotels in Siargao are not trying to replicate what you find in Boracay or Palawan. They lean into the island's raw, unhurried energy. The luxury here is quieter, more intentional, and deeply tied to the landscape of coconut palms, turquoise water, and that famous Cloud 9 swell rolling in from the Pacific. When friends ask me where to stay, I never recommend the same place twice because it depends entirely on what kind of elevated experience they are after. Some want to wake up steps from the surf. Others want a private villa where the only sound at night is the tide. What follows is my honest, on-the-ground guide to the places that actually deliver on the promise of luxury stays in Siargao, written from someone who has slept in every single one of them.
1. Nay Palad Island Resort and Restaurant, General Luna
Nay Palad sits along the main road in General Luna, just a short tricycle ride from Cloud 9, and it occupies a sweet spot between accessibility and seclusion that most 5 star hotels in Siargao struggle to achieve. The property is compact, which is part of its appeal. You are never more than a minute's walk from the pool, the restaurant, or the beachfront. I stayed here for four nights in late September, during the tail end of the surfing season, and the staff remembered my coffee order by day two. That kind of attentiveness is not something you can manufacture. The rooms are clean-lined and modern, with air conditioning that actually works at full blast, which matters more than you think when the humidity climbs past 85 percent in the afternoon.
What sets Nay Palad apart is the restaurant, which serves some of the best Filipino comfort food on the island. The sinigang na baboy here uses a tamarind broth that is sour without being aggressive, and the grilled bangus is always fresh, usually sourced from the morning catch at the Catagnuan fish port. I ate there three evenings in a row and never felt like I was repeating myself. The beachfront area is small but well maintained, and in the early morning before 7 AM, you will often have it entirely to yourself. Most tourists do not realize that the resort offers complimentary use of paddleboards and kayaks, which is a detail buried in the welcome packet that the front desk rarely volunteers unless you ask.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask for a room on the second floor facing the garden rather than the pool. The pool-facing rooms get noise from families until around 10 PM, but the garden side is dead silent and catches the evening breeze perfectly."
One thing I will say honestly: the Wi-Fi in the beachfront cabanas drops out almost completely during peak hours, from around 6 to 9 PM, because the signal router is located near the front desk and the thick concrete walls block it. If you need to take a video call, do it from the main restaurant area or your room. This is a minor frustration, but worth knowing if you are working remotely, which half of General Luna seems to be doing these days.
2. Siargao Island Villas, Catangnan
Siargao Island Villas is located in Catangnan, the barangay that sits between General Luna proper and the more residential stretch heading toward Consuelo. It is not the flashiest property on this list, but it is one of the best resorts Siargao has for travelers who want space, privacy, and a sense of being embedded in the local community rather than sealed inside a resort bubble. The villas are spread across a generous plot of land shaded by mature coconut trees, and each unit has its own outdoor sitting area where I spent most of my mornings drinking kapeng barako that the staff prepared without being asked.
The property has a small but well-kept pool, and the restaurant serves a solid breakfast spread that includes fresh tropical fruit, garlic rice, and a surprisingly good longganisa that I later learned comes from a supplier in Dapa, the municipal capital up north. What I appreciated most was the staff's willingness to arrange things off the beaten path. On my second day, they connected me with a local fisherman named Jun who took me to a tiny islet off the coast of Pilar for a few hundred pesos, a trip that no tour operator in General Luna would have bothered to organize. That kind of personal touch is what elevates a stay from comfortable to memorable.
Local Insider Tip: "If you are here on a Wednesday, ask the front desk to call the Saturday market vendor who sometimes sets up a small stall near the Catangnan bridge. She sells homemade peanut brittle and dried mangoes at half the price of the tourist shops on Tourism Road."
The one complaint I have is that the hot water in the villas can be inconsistent, especially during the late afternoon when multiple units are drawing at the same time. It is not a dealbreaker, but if you are particular about your shower temperature, take one in the morning or after 10 PM when demand drops. This is a common issue across Siargao because most properties rely on solar-heated systems that struggle on overcast days.
3. Dedon Island Resort, General Luna
Dedon Island Resort is the kind of place that makes you rethink what luxury stays in Siargao can mean. Located along the coastal stretch of General Luna, it is not a massive compound. Instead, it is a curated collection of villas and suites designed with a level of architectural intention that you rarely see outside of Bali or Tulum. The owner, Ingo Dedon, is a German designer who fell in love with Siargao years ago and built this property as a personal project, and it shows in every detail, from the hand-selected furniture to the open-air bathrooms with rain showers that look out onto private garden courtyards.
I visited Dedon for a long weekend in March, and the first thing that struck me was how quiet it was. The property is set back from the main road, buffered by a wall of tropical vegetation, and the only sounds at night were the crickets and the distant rumble of surf. The restaurant, which is open to non-guests by reservation, serves a fusion menu that draws heavily on local ingredients. I had a kinilaw made with fresh tanigue that was dressed in coconut vinegar and ginger, and it was one of the best versions of the dish I have had anywhere in the Philippines. The resort also has a small spa offering traditional hilot massages, which I highly recommend after a day of surfing or island hopping.
Local Insider Tip: "Book the villa with the outdoor bathtub if it is available. It costs a modest upgrade, and soaking under the stars after a full day on the island is one of those experiences you will remember long after you leave."
A fair warning: Dedon Island Resort is priced at the higher end of the spectrum, and it is not the kind of place where you can walk in off the street for a casual lunch. Reservations are required for the restaurant, and the property maintains a strict guest-only policy for the pool and common areas. This is by design, and it is part of what keeps the atmosphere so serene, but it is worth knowing if you are the type of traveler who likes to drop into different spots spontaneously.
4. Kalipay Resort, Catangnan
Kalipay Resort sits along the road in Catangnan, not far from the junction that leads to the famous Sugba Lagoon. The name "Kalipay" means joy or happiness in Visayan, and the property lives up to it in a way that feels genuine rather than performative. It is a mid-sized resort with a mix of rooms and glamping-style tents, and it has become a favorite among digital nomads and couples who want something more affordable than the top-tier luxury properties but still want a polished, comfortable experience.
I stayed at Kalipay for a week in January, and what kept me there was the community atmosphere. There is a communal kitchen area where guests cook together in the evenings, and the staff organizes occasional group outings to nearby spots like the Maasin River rope swing and the Taktak Falls in Santa Monica. The rooms are simple but well appointed, with strong air conditioning and clean bathrooms. The pool area is the social heart of the property, and I met more interesting people here during that single week than I did during an entire month at a larger, more impersonal resort down the road.
Local Insider Tip: "If you are staying in one of the glamping tents, bring a small portable fan as backup. The tents have natural ventilation, but on still, windless nights in April and May, the heat inside can feel oppressive even with the mesh windows open."
The downside is that Kalipay is not directly on the beach. You are about a five-minute walk from the nearest shoreline, and the path is along a narrow road with occasional motorcycle traffic. It is not dangerous, but it is not the kind of resort where you can step out of your room and onto the sand. If beachfront access is a priority for you, this is not the right fit. But if you value community, affordability, and a staff that treats you like a neighbor rather than a transaction, Kalipay delivers.
5. Loreta's Resort and Restaurant, General Luna
Loreta's is one of those places that has been around long enough to have become part of the fabric of General Luna. Located along the main Tourism Road, it is not trying to compete with the newer, design-forward properties that have opened in the last few years. Instead, it offers something that is increasingly rare in Siargao: straightforward, no-nonsense hospitality at a fair price. The rooms are clean, the beds are comfortable, and the restaurant serves generous portions of Filipino and Western dishes that hit the spot after a long day.
I have eaten at Loreta's restaurant more times than I can count, and the dish I always come back to is the chicken inasal, which is marinated in a calamansi and vinegar mixture and grilled over charcoal until the skin is crispy and caramelized. It comes with a mound of garlic rice and a side of atchara that cuts through the richness perfectly. The restaurant is open to the public, and it fills up quickly around 7 PM, so if you want a table on the covered terrace, arrive by 6:30. The staff is friendly in that unpretentious way that makes you feel like you are eating at a relative's house rather than a commercial establishment.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask the restaurant staff if they can prepare a packed lunch for your island-hopping day. They will assemble a meal of rice, grilled fish, and fruit in a reusable container for a fraction of what the tour operators charge for their boxed lunches."
The rooms at Loreta's are functional rather than luxurious, and the walls between units are thin enough that you can hear your neighbors' conversations if they are speaking above a whisper. I am a light sleeper, so I always bring earplugs, and I would recommend the same to anyone who is sensitive to noise. The property also does not have a pool, which is a notable omission if you are comparing it to other options on this list. But for travelers who plan to spend most of their time exploring the island and just need a clean, comfortable place to crash at night, Loreta's is hard to beat for the price.
6. Kermit Siargao, General Luna
Kermit Siargao is located in General Luna, near the Poblacion area, and it has earned a reputation as one of the best resorts Siargao has for travelers who care about food as much as they care about where they sleep. The property is home to an Italian restaurant that is widely considered the best on the island, and it is run by a team that sources ingredients with an almost obsessive level of care. The pasta is made in-house daily, the wood-fired pizza oven was imported from Italy, and the olive oil is the real thing, not the cheap substitute you find at most restaurants in the province.
I had dinner at Kermit on a Tuesday evening in August, and the truffle pasta alone was worth the trip. It was rich without being heavy, and the truffle shavings were generous. The margherita pizza had a crust that was blistered and chewy in all the right ways, and the burrata salad used tomatoes that tasted like they had been picked that morning, which, as it turns out, they had, from a small farm in the interior of the island. The restaurant is open to non-guests, but reservations are essential, especially on weekends when the wait for a table can stretch past an hour.
Local Insider Tip: "If you are not staying at the resort but want to eat at the restaurant, try walking in around 5:30 PM on a weekday. The dinner service officially starts at 6, but they will often seat early arrivals, and you will beat the crowd entirely."
The rooms at Kermit are comfortable and stylish, with a rustic-chic aesthetic that incorporates local materials like bamboo and rattan. The property also has a surf school on site, which is convenient if you are a beginner looking to catch your first wave at nearby Jacking Horse or Quicksilver. My one honest critique is that the resort's location, while central, means you are close enough to the main road to hear tricycle engines and the occasional karaoke session from a neighboring house late on Saturday nights. It is not constant, but it breaks the illusion of tropical seclusion if that is what you are after.
7. Paglaom House, Dapa
Paglaom House is not a hotel in the traditional sense. It is a private guesthouse located in Dapa, the northern municipality of Siargao that most tourists never visit because they are focused entirely on General Luna and the surf breaks to the south. I found Paglaom House almost by accident during a road trip up the island's circumferential highway, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable stays of my entire time in Siargao. The property is run by a local family, and it consists of a handful of rooms in a house that sits on a quiet street just a few blocks from the Dapa port.
What makes Paglaom House special is the access it gives you to the northern half of the island, which is dramatically different from the tourist-heavy south. From Dapa, you can take a short boat ride to Bucas Grande Island and visit the Sohoton Cove National Park, with its jellyfish sanctuaries and limestone cliffs, without dealing with the crowds that gather at the General Luna departure points. The family who runs the guesthouse can arrange this for you directly, and the price is significantly lower than what the tour operators in the south charge. I spent a full day exploring Bucas Grande from Dapa, and I encountered maybe five other tourists the entire time.
Local Insider Tip: "Ask the family to introduce you to their neighbor who runs a small carinderia near the Dapa public market. She serves a seafood soup called linarang that is made with whatever was caught that morning, and it is the best version of the dish on the entire island. Cash only, and it sells out by noon."
The rooms at Paglaom House are basic. There is air conditioning, a private bathroom, and a bed with a mosquito net, but do not expect the polished finishes or resort amenities you would find in General Luna. The Wi-Fi is slow and unreliable, and the water pressure in the shower is weak. But if you are the kind of traveler who values authenticity and access to the parts of Siargao that most visitors never see, this place is extraordinary. It connects you to the island's history as a fishing and farming community, long before the surfers and Instagram influencers arrived.
8. The Surf Resort Siargao, General Luna
The Surf Resort Siargao is located in General Luna, within walking distance of the Cloud 9 boardwalk, and it is designed specifically for travelers who want to combine serious surf time with a comfortable place to recover afterward. The property has a compact but well-designed layout, with rooms that face a central garden area and a small pool that is more for cooling off than for lap swimming. The surf breaks are the main draw here, and the resort offers board rental and lesson packages that are competitively priced compared to the independent surf schools along Tourism Road.
I stayed at The Surf Resort for five nights in October, during the transition between the southwest monsoon and the calmer northeast season, and the waves at Cloud 9 were consistent and manageable, perfect for an intermediate surfer like myself. The resort's in-house surf guide, a local named Bong, took me to spots I would never have found on my own, including a reef break near Daku Island that only works on certain tide conditions. After surfing, I would return to the resort, shower, and eat at the on-site restaurant, which serves a solid menu of Filipino dishes and a few Western options. The adobo here is braised low and slow, and the meat falls apart with almost no effort from your fork.
Local Insider Tip: "If you are an intermediate surfer, ask Bong to take you to Stimpy's early in the morning before the crowds arrive. It is a right-hand reef break that is less famous than Cloud 9 but just as fun, and on a good day, you will have it nearly to yourself for the first hour."
The resort's location near Cloud 9 is both its greatest strength and its biggest drawback. The boardwalk area gets extremely crowded during peak surf season, from August through November, and the noise from the nearby bars and restaurants can carry late into the night. If you are a light sleeper, request a room at the back of the property, away from the main road. The walls are also not as thick as they could be, and I could occasionally hear the television from the adjacent room. These are minor issues in the grand scheme, but they are worth mentioning for travelers who are comparing this property to the more secluded options further down the coast.
When to Go and What to Know About Luxury Stays in Siargao
The best time to visit Siargao for a luxury stay depends on what you are after. If surfing is your priority, August through November brings the biggest swells and the most electric atmosphere around Cloud 9. This is also the busiest season, and the best resorts Siargao has will be booked months in advance, so plan accordingly. If you prefer calmer weather and fewer crowds, the months of March through June offer warm temperatures, minimal rain, and a more relaxed pace across the island. December through February can bring occasional rain from the northeast monsoon, but the storms are usually short and the sun returns quickly.
Getting around Siargao is primarily done by motorcycle or tricycle. Most luxury hotels in Siargao can arrange airport pickup from Sayak Airport, which is located in Del Carmen, about 30 to 45 minutes from General Luna depending on traffic. Once you are settled, renting a motorcycle for around 350 to 500 pesos per day gives you the most freedom to explore, but be warned that the roads in some areas are unpaved and can be challenging after heavy rain. Tricycles are available everywhere and cost between 20 and 100 pesos for short trips within General Luna.
Cash is still king in Siargao. While some of the larger resorts and restaurants accept credit cards, many smaller establishments, tour operators, and transport services operate on a cash-only basis. There are a few ATMs in General Luna, but they occasionally run out of cash during peak season, so it is wise to bring enough Philippine pesos with you or withdraw a large amount upon arrival. The exchange rate at the airport is less favorable than in town, so if you can wait until you reach General Luna, you will get a slightly better deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days are needed to see the major tourist attractions in Siargao without feeling rushed?
A minimum of five to seven days is recommended to cover the major attractions, which include Cloud 9, Sugba Lagoon, Magpupungko Rock Pools, Sohoton Cove on Bucas Grande, Maasin River, and the island-hopping circuit of Daku, Naked, and Guyam Islands. Three days is possible but will feel rushed, especially if you want to include a full day trip to Bucas Grande, which requires a two-hour boat ride each way.
What is the standard tipping etiquette or service charge policy at restaurants in Siargao?
Most mid-range and upscale restaurants in Siargao add a 10 percent service charge to the bill. Tipping beyond that is appreciated but not expected. For tricycle drivers and tour guides, rounding up the fare or adding 50 to 100 pesos is a common and welcome gesture. At smaller local eateries, tipping is not customary.
Are credit cards widely accepted across Siargao, or is it necessary to carry cash for daily expenses?
Credit cards are accepted at a limited number of upscale resorts, restaurants, and shops in General Luna. The majority of local businesses, including tricycle operators, market vendors, small eateries, and tour services, operate on a cash-only basis. Carrying sufficient Philippine pesos for daily expenses is essential, and ATMs in General Luna can run out of cash during peak tourist months.
What is the average cost of a specialty coffee or local tea in Siargao?
A specialty coffee, such as a cappuccino or pour-over, at a cafe in General Luna typically costs between 120 and 200 pesos. Local options like kapeng barako or instant coffee at smaller eateries range from 30 to 80 pesos. Fresh buko juice and calamansi juice are usually priced between 50 and 100 pesos.
Is Siargao expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid-tier travelers.
A mid-tier traveler can expect to spend between 4,000 and 7,000 Philippine pesos per day, covering accommodation at a comfortable resort or guesthouse (2,000 to 4,000 pesos), three meals at local and mid-range restaurants (800 to 1,500 pesos), motorcycle rental (350 to 500 pesos), and incidental expenses like snacks, drinks, and small tours (500 to 1,000 pesos). This budget does not include surf lessons, multi-day island-hopping tours, or flights to and from the island.
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