Welcome to Checking In, a review series in which our editors and contributors rate the best luxury hotels based on a rigorous—and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—10-point system: Each question answered “yes” gets one point. Will room service bring you caviar? Does your suite have its own butler? Does the bathroom have a bidet? Find out below.

Describe the hotel in three words: Holiday your way.

What’s the deal?

Bobby Dekeyser might be better known as a former professional footballer who played in the German Bundesliga in the 1980s and for founding luxe outdoor furniture company Dedon, but these days, he’s got his hands full with raising alpacas in Ibiza and overseeing his boutique hospitality projects. One of his hotelier efforts is Nay Palad Hideaway, a barefoot luxury resort on the island of Siargao in the Philippines, renowned as a surfer’s paradise and home to Cloud 9, a world-famous surfing spot that hosts international championships.

Nay Palad Hideaway, developed by Dekeyser and his daughter Carolin, is not a new concept—the resort has existed since 2012, when it was called Dedon Island. As the Nay Palad team prepared to reopen post-pandemic, disaster struck in the form of Super Typhoon Odette, devasting not only the resort, but also the majority of Siargao as it made its first landfall. Little of Nay Palad Hideaway remained after the storm swept through; over 85 per cent of the island was destroyed, leaving behind a blank canvas for the Dekeysers as they went back to the drawing board to restore the beloved sustainability-conscious getaway.

And like a phoenix, it rose from the ashes—now, in its place, is Nay Palad Hideaway 2.0, built bigger, better, and more beautiful than ever. Award-winning architect Daniel Pouzet, who had worked on the first iteration of the resort, was recruited to tackle the redesign, with the goal of creating an intimate collection of villas and shared spaces that carry on local traditions—something he had also done with aplomb for Nay Palad Bird Nest, another quirky and artistic Dekeyser hospitality project in Kenya. Pouzet’s answer was to create open-air structures using local materials and traditional craftsmanship that blend into the surrounding tropical jungle, all while minimising the impact on the environment and emphasising the property’s natural landscape. Unique architectural features like the Dansuli Lounge and the Tree Lounge, fitted with seating areas, a giant swinging bed, and a treetop terrace, are made for slow, unfussy days, inviting guests to make themselves at home across the resort. Meandering pathways weave through Nay Palad Hideaway’s leafy gardens, revealing even more hidden nooks and facilities that one can escape to for a space that’s all your own.

Fringed by ancient mangroves and a white-sand beach, Nay Palad Hideaway is just a short distance from the natural attractions of Siargao, including winding rivers, pristine rock pools, forests of coconut and palm trees, thriving coral reefs, and clusters of uninhabited islands. Best of all, the resort is part of the Long Run Initiative, and supports the well-being of the local community and ecosystem through conservation and opportunity programmes.

The best room?

All of the villas—10 of them in total—are spectacular, but the Perlah Villa stands out just slightly above the rest for its sheer size and location, set within its own secluded section of the property. Encircled by a forest of swaying palms, the 270-square-metre Perlah Villa consists of organic, interconnected structures with pointed thatched roofs, designed to encourage the sense of a continuous, flowing space. Four bedrooms can sleep up to nine guests, with three bathrooms available. Interiors are kept simple and elegant, elevated through natural fibres and textured details such as carved headboards with motifs of marine animals and underwater life. Soaring ceilings add to the sense of grandeur, and the Perlah Villa has its own private pool, cabana, beach, dining pavilion, firepit, and treehouse.

Does the hotel have a standout perk?

Nay Palad Hideaway has subtly perfected the art of offering a true home away from home, where holidays can be had exactly the way you like them. What this means is that a stay at the resort is based on an all-inclusive model, in the truest sense of the term; general manager Mart Trinidad and sales director Carla David emphasise that “we want you to leave your wallets at home”—and boy, do they mean it. Have five spa treatments a day. Go stand-up paddle-boarding through the mangrove forest with a guide. Climb aboard the resort’s fleet of overwater vessels and overland vehicles—including a souped-up jeepney—and embark on a full day of sightseeing around Siargao or water-based activities like snorkelling, surfing, sailing, caving, wakeboarding, island-hopping, and kayaking. (Deep-sea fishing and scuba-diving adventures are led by experienced third-party contractors and do cost extra, so take note if that’s your area of interest.)

On property, engage in padel, beach sports, tabletop sports and board games in the games room, cultural and art activities like batik painting, and more. Sit down for full meals four times daily if that’s what your appetite demands, request an assorted snack platter to be enjoyed on the oversized daybed on the beach when the sky overhead turns a picturesque pinkish-orange during sunset hour, and help yourself to the open bar by the pool from sunup till sundown, or even in the middle of the night, if you wish for a nightcap. Fill your days at Nay Palad Hideaway with as much or as little as you would like to do—you can tailor your holiday to your own pace and rhythm.

Did they greet you by name at check-in?

Yes. From pick-up at the airport to arrival at the resort for “check-in”—there is no formal check-in process, as guest information and details are conveniently processed pre-arrival to ensure a seamless journey—the team greeted me by name throughout.

Was a welcome drink ready and waiting when you arrived?

Yes. A calamansi-flavoured juice and a cold towel were promptly offered to me upon pick-up at the airport, and a freshly pressed watermelon beverage was waiting at the resort.

Private butler for every room?

Nay Palad Hideaway does not assign one specific private butler to each villa in the way that travellers might be used to with traditional private butler services. Instead, all staff members that roam the grounds—and they really are everywhere all the time taking care of the property and guests, and easy to find while remaining unobtrusive—can be approached at any time for whatever it is that you desire, from personalised meal requests to arranging activities and more, so it’s like having an armada of switched-on private butlers to address your needs.

Each villa also comes with a handy tablet with a messaging app installed so you can get in touch directly with the team if you don’t feel like venturing out of your cosy abode to organise a fitness class, wellness treatment, tomorrow’s excursions, what you want for dinner, et cetera. During my stay, the Nay Palad Hideaway team members were superb, adaptable, and paid attention to the small things—they quickly picked up on my preferences and tailored their service style accordingly to elevate my personal experience at the resort.

Is the sheet thread count higher than 300?

You bet; we are told the sheet thread count at Nay Palad Hideaway is a sumptuous 1,000, and sure enough, climbing into bed feels like sinking into a cocoon of softness that makes getting up in the morning a Herculean task. What’s more, the resort maintains this standard across all villas, sourcing its bed linens from a local company to support Filipino craftsmanship.

Is there a heated floor in the bathroom? What about a bidet?

No heated floor—we’re in the tropics here, it’s far too hot for that—but there is a bidet, and the bathroom itself is remarkably spacious, so that is a big bonus. For me, the highlight had to be the freestanding rain shower, a bathroom centrepiece set into a sunken platform in the centre of the room—talk about feeling fancy and free in your own space. Using it is a novel experience that has you questioning whether showers need walls at all. (Another fun feature is the outdoor shower on the terrace, which collects water in a circular wicker vessel above your head and dispenses it with the pull of a chain, allowing the water to trickle down.)

Are the toiletries full-sized?

Yes indeed, and presented in tidy glass bottles. Meanwhile, much of the bathroom amenities are packaged in paper or made from bamboo to align with the resort’s sustainable ethos.

Is there a private pool for the room’s exclusive use? How are the spa and gym?

Private pools are available in the Perlah Villa and Coral Villa, while guests staying in the Ocean View Villa and Garden View Villa can avail themselves of the large infinity pool that looks out over the lawn and beach, replete with poolside lounge sofas—great spot for a nap.

Nay Palad has its own spa, a constellation of high-ceilinged, conical huts surrounded by lush vegetation. A small village of treatment rooms ensures that there’s no need to do battle with other guests over availability—just inform the Nay Palad team members when you would like to be pampered and they will arrange for wellness practitioners specialised in the traditional hilot massage, known for its healing properties and ability to improve blood flow and ease pain. One thing that impressed us in particular is the compact selection of homemade organic massage oils, crafted using local ingredients, some even sourced from plants growing on resort grounds. Manicures, pedicures, and other beauty treatments are also on the cards, as is a romantic and relaxing couple’s bath experience. Post-massage, climb up to the treetop nest within the spa complex to take your tea and snacks.

An expansive yoga pavilion with stunning views over the white-sand beach serves as the heart of the fitness space, so you’ll probably be more enticed to practice your sun salutations than bicep curls while you’re here, though the gym is fully equipped for general workouts and cardio, too. For something entirely different, hop on a boat and head to the stilted sea pagoda for an unmatched meditation or yoga experience surrounded by the ocean—the remote setting above the water is so tranquil, it might just bring about enlightenment.

Is the restaurant worth its salt?

Yes, though there is no one “restaurant” here because meals can be taken anywhere you like, anytime you like. Breakfast in the afternoon on the covered outdoor deck of your villa, private, serene, and unhurried. Have dinner in a different location every night—on the beach among candlelit wicker lamps, in the cabana by the main pool while watching a film projected onto an inflatable screen, or on the topmost floor of the treehouse, to name a few.

Menus for each meal are crafted by resident chef Père Massana and his culinary team; the food draws inspiration from Massana’s Spanish roots, melded with international and Filipino flavours. Nay Palad Hideaway also keeps an organic farm for herbs and seasonal vegetables, which are harvested and incorporated into meals, alongside local produce sourced from farmers and fishing communities in the area. Guests are, of course, welcome to make requests, with dietary preferences and restrictions kept in mind.

A sample menu—changed daily based on available ingredients and fresh catches—might include dishes such as duck breast risotto, grilled octopus, seared fish, lasagne, croquetas, molten chocolate lava cake, roasted spiced vegetables… the list goes on. For breakfast, the selection includes Filipino-influenced dishes such as silog garlic rice with fried eggs, homemade corned beef, and pork tocino; hinit toasted sourdough with a vegetable omelette, bacon, lettuce, and spicy mayonnaise; and himsog mango smoothie bowl with muesli, coconut flakes, raisins, and cacao nibs. Plus, all the fresh fruits your heart desires.

Do you want to spend Friday night in the lobby bar?

Yes; in this case, the “lobby bar” is a 24-hour “help-yourself” pool bar that’s stocked to the teeth with wines, spirits, soft drinks, and juices. During the day and night, if a Nay Palad staff member is not manning the counter and shaking up a mean cocktail, you can simply walk up and mix your own beverages and help yourself to the liquor cabinet—just like at home.

Would you buy the hotel if you could?

Absolutely, though if the Dekeysers are interested in parting ways with the place after sinking significant time and resources into rebuilding the property into Nay Palad Hideaway 2.0 is another question. In terms of a holiday destination, Nay Palad Hideaway ticks all the boxes. What this resort does so well is provide freedom—the freedom of space, the freedom to disconnect from the world, and the freedom to live outside of a schedule, to do what you want, when you want. And is that not what it means to truly get away and be on vacation?

Score: 10

What Our Score Means:

1–3: Fire your travel agent if they suggest you stay here.

4–6: Solid if you’re in a pinch—but only if you’re in a pinch.

7–8: Very good. We’d stay here again and recommend it without qualms.

9–10: Forget booking a week. When can we move in permanently?

All images courtesy of Nay Palad Hideaway.