Sheridan Beach Resort, a disappointment in Palawan

I booked our stay in this hotel two months in advance. I was offered a 900/pax rate for the underground river tour. So, I said yes and gave them the names of the people in our party who would avail of the tour. I got a confirmation email from their staff, John Jay Sotero, and began to look forward to what would be one of the most disappointing vacations of all time.

Email confirmation from Sheridan's staff.

First of all, the real reason we were in Palawan was because we really wanted to see the subterranean river, which recently became one of the New7Wonders of Nature. We picked Sheridan Beach Resort because of its proximity to the underground river, even though it's around two hours away from the airport in Puerto Princesa. 

When we arrived for check-in, I immediately requested the front desk to schedule the underground river tour that afternoon. But the personnel said that he would have to ask for the copies of our IDs first and will get back to us in a short while. The short while turned to NEVER. We had to make several follow ups but only got vague replies about permits that they would still need to process. I asked them why they're only doing it now when we booked this tour two months in advance. The front desk personnel was clueless and when I asked to speak to Mr. John Jay Sotero (the staff who confirmed our underground river tour booking), I was told he was busy with another guest. When we approached their tour reservations desk, we were told by their staff, Cleo, that they are already processing our permits but that it would expedite things if we go to the underground river office at Sabang Port and make a personal appearance due to a visitor quota per resort being imposed by the local government.

I truly find this absurd for we booked this tour months in advance. But because we were desperate, we woke up early the next day and went to Sabang Port only to be told that our names were not in the passenger manifest and that they would be needing a certification from Sheridan that we had stayed there overnight, a copy of our IDs and a copy of our flight itinerary just so they can squeeze us in as walk-in passengers. 


It's becoming clearer and clearer that Sheridan failed to arrange the tour that they offered and confirmed. What's worse was that they wasted one day and did nothing. They were saying that they were already processing our permit, when in fact, the underground river office received nothing.


We spent our second day in Palawan, the day we were supposed to devote to our Puerto Princesa city tour, stressed out and trying to process our underground river tour permit on our own at the last minute. Turns out Sheridan couldn't or just "wouldn't" do anything about it. For when I was finally able to talk to John Jay Sotero about the matter, all I heard was more lies. Mr. Sotero said that he admits his failure to arrange our tour but when confronted why he didn't tell us sooner, he said that he didn't call us the day before our stay because he was worried about ruining our trip. A fact he's no longer worried about when our stay in the resort had already commenced which left us at their mercy. And when I asked him why they told us that our permit is already under way when nothing was being filed on our behalf, he tried to reason his way out of the mess. We never even got a single "sorry" or word of apology. This is the worst customer treatment ever!

After lunch, my husband queued for two hours and finally managed to secure our permits for the underground river tour scheduled on our third and last day. No thanks to Sheridan, we're finally going to see what we came to Palawan for. I seriously thought this will end the issue with this resort. But no, you have not heard the last of this sad review.

The Palawan Subterranean River Tour Office at Sabang Port.

Guests, in line, while applying for a permit for the tour. Some, if not most, are foreigners.

The dock where motorized boats to the underground river are waiting.

We were early the next day at Sabang Port because we were on the first trip. After paying 175/pax and 700 for the motorized boat, a guy wearing a Sheridan uniform with bold letters spelling TOUR GUIDE on his back and his name MARIO printed on his chest, helped us into the boat and snapped a couple of our pictures. He, then, boarded our boat. All the while, we thought that Sheridan puts a personnel at the dock to assist hotel guests as a courtesy. But as soon as the boatman stopped the engine, this MARIO guy told us that he would be asking for 900/pax which is Sheridan's underground river tour rate. We told him that we are guests at Sheridan but that we didn't avail of this tour via Sheridan and processed and paid for our own permits. He temporarily stopped bugging us when we arrived at the underground river. 

Early at the dock.

Just before MARIO suddenly appeared.

MARIO, in action.

Just before MARIO announced the reason he's riding our boat and ruined my day.

At the underground river entrance.

The picture that MARIO snapped for 500 bucks. Lucky guy didn't even have to print it. 

The ride that saved our vacation. If my husband did not pull out all the stops to make this tour happen, our Palawan trip would have been totally ruined.

But as soon as we finished the tour, Mario reappeared and handed us a hand-written receipt stating that we had to pay him 2300+, the remaining balance from Sheridan's 900/pax rate after he supposedly deducted what we paid the underground river office.


This, seriously, set me off. If I wasn't worried about ruining this experience for my parents-in-law, I would have really made a scene. The guy was trying to con us and even got a free ride on our boat. But my father-in-law, who is a kind man, decided to give this Mario 500 bucks just to get him out of our way. 

I didn't consider approaching the front desk anymore about this con man moonlighting as a tour guide for Sheridan resort. I spotted this guy while wearing the same uniform in orange the day before, having a conversation with the tour reservations personnel of the resort and then again, with a couple of guests at the pool. I also heard the people at the dock call him "tour guide ng mayayaman" (tour guide to the rich). Obviously, this Mario is really affiliated with the resort or he wouldn't be able to enter its premises while wearing the resort's personnel uniform and even talk to its staff and guests.

I really hope this post reaches the proper channels. It would make a world of difference if the management of Sheridan would do something about their incompetent and dishonest staff. I am not speaking about everyone as we had been treated in a friendly manner by most of their hotel and restaurant personnels. 

In retrospect, I can say that our hotel room was beautiful and has a great view of the pool.

Our Deluxe Pool View Room (PHP 8500/night). However, we booked ours using a voucher from a coupon site. My husband would have taken a better picture if not for the tiny human being throwing a tantrum on the floor.:)

The bathroom was spacious and neat.

The restaurant food was fairly priced and not bad, albeit the poor quality (fatty) meat they serve. I even heard a foreigner complaining during checkout about the Crispy Pata (Deep-Fried Pork Knuckles) that was "all bones and no meat". 

The South Sea Soup (PHP 140++) was flavorful and was the highlight of our first meal.

Stuffed Squid (PHP 228++).  Amazingly tender and delicious but not always available.  

Blackened Yellowfin Tuna in Pesto Pasta (PHP 328++) The Pesto Pasta was great but the fish could use a little more flavor. The plating, however, was impeccable.

Fish and Chips (PHP 268++) Their fries was one of the worst. Even my son, who's a french fry monster,  didn't have his usual fill. It lacked crispiness and tasted like starch.

Grilled Pork Belly (PHP 228++). More like pork fat in barbecue sauce. I got four strips of fat and one of meat.

Calamares (PHP 204++)  Not much for its worth. Looks like the chef ran out of squid again.

The Southsea Restaurant has a small air conditioned room for functions which they let us use for dinner. Notice the collection of wine in the background. Guests can just enter this room and take their pick of vintage.

The buffet breakfast was ample and comes with a great view of the beach. 

The omelette and pancake station.

The breakfast buffet was mostly of native dishes with salad, fruits and local pastries. The powdered juices were too sweet, though.

The view of the beach was so spectacular and made this breakfast, one great experience. Daily buffet breakfast is included in the room rate and so is the roundtrip airport transfers.

The huge pool was the best part of the deal and was a really nice place for the kids to play and families to converge. This is by far better than the Shangri-La Hotel pools I had been to.

The convenience of staying at a Deluxe Pool View Room was that the pool is just outside your sliding doors.  Easy access coupled with an attractive view. My little boy, when he's not busy with his puzzles, was always taking a peek of the endless  blue waters.

The best time we had at the resort.

The small playhouse was also a nice addition to keep the kids entertained. 

Puzzles, shape sorters and coloring stuff provide a wonderful diversion for the kids.

A little disappointed with my spa experience, though, My masseuse cut my massage short when I dozed off. I was surprised to find myself alone in the massage room. My therapist didn't even bother to wake me up. I realized why when I got back to our room and got a hold of my watch. I had only been gone for 40 minutes including the time I slept. Quite short for a "so-called" 1-hour massage.

The spa would benefit from using an aromatherapy scent dispenser to make guests feel more relaxed. I can still remember the remarkable scent of fabric softener which gave me the impression that I was entering a laundromat.

Sheridan, the resort, is not so bad. But an establishment can not live by its facilities alone. At the end of the day, what I remember is the agonizing experience and poor customer treatment that turned what could have been a beautiful vacation into such a DISAPPOINTMENT.

Still, we make do with what we have and appreciate the priceless time we got to spend with family.  But this trip could definitely have been better. Maybe...some other time, some other place, some other resort.

  

SHERIDAN BEACH RESORT & SPA

Sabang Beach, Puerto Princesa City

Palawan, Philippines

http://www.sheridanbeachresort.com/

Manila Sales Office

(63) 2.376.69.68

Palawan Sales Office

(63) 48.434.1449

Cebu Sales Office

(63) 32.345.1000

Related Articles:
Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour Permit
New7Wonders of Nature: Puerto Princesa Underground River

Braving the Fireworks, Greatness Starts @Home

When I was a kid, I was in bed with cotton balls inside my ears every New Year's Eve. I just hated the loud bang of fireworks so much that I would rather miss the festivities than subject myself to the stressful noise and smoke. And because of this intense fear of fireworks, I usually suffered from anxiety during the holiday season. My Mom had to bring me several times to the doctor due to a fever that would miraculously go away after New Year's Eve.

As an adult, I no longer fear fireworks so much. But I still refuse to watch it up close. I can bear the loud noise it brings but I just could not stand watching it explode in action. It still makes my toes cringe.

I just recently watched the 3rd Philippine International PyroMusical Competition and I'm proud to say that at the age of 33, I finally braved my fear of fireworks.

But this is not my story. This is the story of my two-year-old son and his greatest moment of achievement.

It all started at home. My son, Neo, had always been fascinated with candles. In fact, when he was one, he would refuse to eat a cupcake if we do not put a candle on top of it for him to blow.

And even though he's always unsuccessful with the task, it didn't impede him from trying harder and harder each time. He finally did it on his 2nd birthday. It took him several tries but after we coached him to blow the candle with more power, he finally put out the first of the many birthday candles in his lifetime.

I was so proud of my little boy that day. Especially, when my Mom told me that I wasn't able to blow my birthday candles until I was 4.

But that was not all. In a few weeks, he graduated from birthday candles to holding his very first Roman candle on New Year's Eve.

Amazing indeed! He made the two-year-old me look like a real underachiever.:)

That same night, I realized how much the fireworks truly amaze him. He saw color and energy where I saw smoke and fear. At 2, he was able to appreciate the beauty that I failed to see all these years.

Through his tiny sparkling eyes, I finally saw the magic that makes New Year's Eve alive. For the first time, I finally looked up in the sky and watched the bursting fireworks with a smile. Gone are the noise and anxiety and in its place was the realization of unfounded fears and every single New Year's Eve that I missed. 

I always value my bonding time at home with my son. It's where I find my greatest fulfillment as a mother. Educating him at home gives me the opportunity to show him the simple life, free from the complexities of the world outside. Who would have thought that my son, at his very young age, would be able to teach me a thing or two and maybe more in the years to come?:)

Neo gave me the courage to face my fears and freed me from a lifetime of gloomy New Year's Eve. And for that, I will always consider this, one of my little boy's greatest moments of achievement.:)

The Tale of a Mom and a Pizza

I always knew I would one day get old. And I am beginning to feel it today. It’s my 33^rd birthday and here I am at the mall, buying some food for a quiet celebration with my family. I bought a tray of spaghetti, which my mom insisted about. She somewhat believes that eating the long strands of noodles on your birthday will prolong your life. So even though I was a bit on the doubtful side, I complied. Better safe than sorry.:)

I, then, picked up my birthday cake. The kind with lots of candy flower decorations that left no space for candles to be placed. I’m just not in the mood for some candle blowing ceremony today.

And last but not the least, I went to Pizza Hut and ordered my favorite Tuscani pizza flavor, Supremo. I can still remember the first time I ordered the Tuscani pizza. My husband and I were at a Pizza Hut counter for almost 30 minutes just trying to decide which pizza flavor we would buy. He wanted the Supremo and I was insisting we order the 3 Cheese Bacon and Spinach. In the end, we had to buy both just to avoid a big fight.:) It’s funny though, that I ended up liking his choice, the Supremo. And he ended up devouring the entire box of 3 Cheese Bacon and Spinach. But he did leave me a slice, a very small one.:)

I fell in love with the Tuscani Supremo because it totally tickled my taste buds and brought my pizza experience to a whole new level. I liked the thinness and crispiness of its crust and I was dazzled by the perfect balance of its well focused flavors. Its distinctive Italian taste didn’t overwhelm the palate and allowed the great pizza flavor to emerge. And even though I wasn’t just eating but analyzing each and every bite, I got transported to Italy before finishing my first slice. After all, how often can one say that her pizza experience turned into a journey?

I got home to a lot of hugs, kisses and birthday well wishes. This somehow made me realize how lucky I am to have a dependable husband who loves me, a cute son whom I’m crazy about, a loving mom who would do anything for me and 6 wonderful siblings who have always been there for me.

This realization made me change my mind about not blowing my birthday candles. I may feel old but I would rather be old than go back to the time when I was young but had never met my husband, had never given birth to my son, and had never yet tasted my favorite Tuscani Supremo.:)  I wouldn’t ever trade what I have today for youth.

So, I placed with pride the big number 33 on top of my favorite pizza and whispered a silent thanks to God along with my wish to become a better mom to my son and to somehow win the Ipad 2 at the Pizza Hut Tuscani Flavor Your Life Blogging Contest. I, then, asked my son to blow the candles for me and welcomed my 33^rd year with open arms.

                               

Winning this Ipad 2 will give me the opportunity to educate my son even more. My two-year-old is currently learning his ABCs and numbers through the interactive videos I downloaded online. His doctor suggested a more stimulating medium because my son has a tendency to quickly lose his interest in books and drawings. However, we only have one desktop computer at home which I also share with my husband. With this Ipad 2, my son and I can enjoy more hours of learning together in and out of our home. I can just imagine how my baby’s eyes will light up on Christmas Eve when he sees his new animated “book”. 

My son is my life and making him happy will always add flavor to my existence. I always knew I would one day get old but becoming a mom had changed me into a better person and made me look into the future with much anticipation. The future is bright, how could I have missed that before?

“JOHNSON’s My Kid’s Growing Up So Fast Contest” Commenter Winner

Congratulations to JENNY SO! You just won a Johnson's Baby gift pack.Thanks to those who joined this promo.:) xoxo

“JOHNSON’s My Kid’s Growing Up So Fast Contest”

The first time I saw my Neo, I instantly knew that he's braver than me.  He endured the hardships of labor and bore the ordeal of getting stuck in my cervix for quite some time. But still, he came out kicking and very much alive. In fact, unlike other babies, he didn't sleep for the next four hours after birth. Instead, he didn't waste time and started bonding with me and his daddy right away.

Neo Sebastian Reyes, at birth.

The next day, I was with him when the nurse gave him his first shot of Hepatitis B vaccine. He just gave a short sigh and went back to sleep. The same thing goes on the third day when for the first time, I gave him his first bath. I was expecting him to resist a little. God knows how I used to run out of our apartment door naked when I was 5, just to avoid my mother and the hose she's about to douse me with. But I finished our first bathing session in a breeze. My baby was fully awake and just totally enjoying the moment, as if reminiscing his nine months of just floating inside my womb.

Neo's first bath.

A year passed and he still loves his bath time just as much. As a matter of fact, he would be cranky the whole day if he missed his daily soak. He is changing before my eyes but his skin is still like a baby’s. We still need the gentle care of JOHNSON’s Baby Milk Bath, with Vitamins A&E and 100% more milk proteins to nourish developing skin.

Johnson's Baby Milk Bath

Bath time is fun time.

One milestone after another only strengthened my belief that my little boy inherited the genes of a daredevil. His stunts and antics are the kind of stuff that the one-year-old "me" could only dream of. My mother said the same when she saw her grandson stand up while in a moving car ride inside the mall. She also felt pride when she saw an older child bully my son inside a play house. Instead of running away, my little boy looked the big bully in the eye until he scared him with his killer stare.:) Yet still, Grandma was a little surprised when she saw her grandson not only ride but run around inside the biggest ferris wheel in the world when we were in Singapore.

Our little daredevil at the wheel.

Braving the heights inside the Singapore Flyer.

And his first dip in the pool? He had so much fun, he even complained when we had to leave.

Neo's first dip in the pool.

But in our Boracay vacation a few months ago, the mother in me was finally put to the test. My kid was totally enthralled with this giant slide inside the hotel. When my husband went to the front desk to ask if a one year-old is allowed to ride, I was secretly hoping the lady would say NO.

I wasn't a brave kid when I was young. On top of many things, I have this fear of slides since I was 7. A kid pushed me and I fell off a slide with a bloody mouth. I never went near a slide since then. Not even my husband managed to convince me to do so in our 10 years of togetherness.

As luck would have it, the lady said YES. And so, my son rode the giant slide with his daddy. His squeals of delight echoed through the room. He went for it a few more times until we had to leave. But then, my little boy looked me in the eye and pointed to the slide, as if sensing my fear. It seemed like he was asking me why we haven't tried the slide together. I didn't know what happened next but something stirred my mother's heart that gave me the courage to join my son.

My favorite mommy and son moment to date. My kid's growing up so fast, he helped me face my greatest fear.

My kid's growing up so fast, who would have thought that he would get me to face my greatest fear after all these years? But then, Neo isn't just another one-year-old. He is my son for whom I would do anything. Just like all the mothers out there who happily endured the hardships of labor and the bigger responsibilities of becoming a mom.

Motherhood is a series of adventures that not even a roller coaster ride can describe. There were days when we were high with excitement, especially, when our babies had accomplished a new milestone. There were also those quiet moments when our kid was asleep and we're just perfectly content to cuddle him close and smell the baby scent we so love. Then, the low days...when all things just seem to go haywire and we begin to wish we can live the single life even just for a day. So, I wrote this essay to remind me and all the mommies out there how lucky we are to have been blessed with our kids. For daredevils or not, they will always be the apple of our eyes.

"Thank you, Neo, for inspiring me every minute of everyday!"

REFLECTIONS OF A MOTHER

I made this essay for my sake,

For sometimes I fail to appreciate,

These precious moments when I still can say,

That you depended on me in every way.

I now realize that I’m lucky this way,

That I have you all day in my embrace.

For someday this moment will be way past today,

When the world and your dreams will be yours to take.

Then you won’t have a choice but to forsake,

The mother who cared for you, so that you may,

Look for your destiny and make mistakes,

To learn to live and find your own way.

When that day comes, I will have to face,

Empty days without you when I wake.

But don’t you forget, I’ll be here to stay,

To guide you every single step of the way.

Looking back someday, I’d be able to say,

It’s a good thing I wrote my reflections today,

To remind me of my precious yesterday,

When once I was a mother to you all day.


***If you like this blog entry, you can leave a comment below and give your own title suggestion. Johnson's Baby Milk Bath will be giving away a gift pack to the commenter with the most creative and relevant title for this post. You can leave your comment from October 8-October 21, 2011. On or before November 20, 2011, I will announce the winner of the Johnson's Baby gift pack. To make your comment valid and be eligible to win, you must be a fan of Johnson's Baby World of Firsts Facebook Page. 

Obagi's Professional-C Serum

Ten years ago, I would have said no to facial treatments. I would have saved my precious bucks for a hot dress, an elegant bag or a pair of charming earrings. But some things change with time. I don’t know when it started. I just remember waking up one day and seeing a noticeably older reflection of myself in the mirror.

Did I grow the eye bags overnight? I didn’t think so. Were the lines running on my forehead just pillow marks? Not possible. I don’t sleep face down, ever! Was the tired skin just a product of the cold rainy weather?  Could be. But this was the first time I ever noticed these things.

At 32, I never thought I would be worried about aging. I always thought my youth would last ten more years before it expires. Clearly, I was wrong. Obviously, I was ignorant. Apparently, something must be done before it’s too late.

So, I googled about skin aging and came across the term “photo-aging”. It’s the damage done to the skin from prolonged exposure to UV radiation. The first signs of photo-aging appear in the mid-20’s, way earlier than we ever realized. That's why it’s vital for us to start protecting our skin as early as we can. After all, if there’s a better investment, more important than a beautiful wardrobe or a wonderful bling set, that would be our precious face.

The bad news is we can never stop aging. It’s simply the way nature works. The good news? Nature tilted the scales in our favor and gave us Vitamin C, its most powerful antioxidant. But the intake of Vitamin C supplements is not enough to give us the radiant glow of a healthy skin. What we need is L-Ascorbic Acid, the only form of Vitamin C that can be effectively absorbed by the skin.

House of Obagi's Professional-C Serum 15%

House of Obagi’s Professional-C Serum is stabilized ascorbic acid in a bottle. This skin care innovation offers maximum antioxidant protection you won’t find in other Vitamin C products. It’s clinically tested to be noncomedogenic with minimal side effects. It’s available in four concentrations to address all skin types:

20% Serum - has the highest concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid.

15% Serum – for all skin types.

10% Serum – for dry, sensitive or reactive skin

5% Serum – protection for the sensitive eye area

I had been using the 15% Serum for some time now and it really works. Before, the skin on my face was a bit rough and even had dry patches in certain spots. After just 3 days of using Obagi's Professional-C Serum, I noticed a big change. My skin became properly hydrated and the dryness evidently disappeared. My pores shrunk as well, which restored the youthful glow on my face. It’s like the tired skin of yesterday never really happened, sort of like a bad dream.:)

Who says 30 is old?:)

I now use Obagi’s Professional-C Serum  every single morning. I can even wear it under make-up. It comes with a bent tip glass dropper which makes it easy to apply. A few drops to your face, neck and chest every morning is all you need to give you the protection your skin requires.

Php 4800 at House of Obagi.

So when people ask me what I carry in my handbag for self defense, I always show them my pepper spray and...my House of Obagi's Professional-C Serum. What else do I need? Thanks to House of Obagi, I can now face the day without worries. I’m proud to be in my 30’s and counting.:)


House of Obagi Greenbelt 5 
Ground Flr. Greenbelt 5 
Ayala Center, Makati City
http://www.houseofobagi.com