It was a little hard to find and needed assistance from several locals until we were able to know where to go. It would be good if they had the option to have someone meet you at the boat drop-off.

A lovely small resort about a 3-minute walk from the beach. The staff were friendly, the bed comfortable and the aroma's in the room smelled amazing. We had a couples spa treatment which was lovely.

Stayed in February 2025

You have to keep in mind that this is a small hotel on a very small island in the Philippines. You cannot expect the same level of comfort you would receive in a similar hotel in a different country or even a bigger island of the Philippines. There are a few flaws but all things considered if you decide to visit Malapascua this is still the best choice for accommodation. Keep in mind that the tap water is salt water! During our stay the water was salty, slightly smelly and had a light yellow colour. We did not feel unsafe showering but it does feel strange. The breakfast, which is served at Ocean Vida, did unfortunately not meet our expectations. There were a lot of options we would not choose to eat in a setting like this (lots of uncooled dairy, fresh products and sauces out in the heat). The overall cleanliness is very good but there are little bits and pieces that could be improved. Like the glasses in our bathroom, which were definitely only wiped with a cloth after being used last and not washed properly. There are also things like the plastic shampoo and body wash containers which feel cheap and look dirty from being refilled many times. Our hand soap was an almost empty litre bottle of soap that had been watered down. It‘s absolutely no big deal and perfectly usable but replacing these with better containers and refilling the soap would cost the hotel almost nothing and vastly improve the overall vibe that the room gives off.

I‘m giving the Buena Vida a rating of 10 on here considering it is definitely the best hotel on Malapascua. It seemed to be constantly fully booked and rightfully so. All in all it is a nice hotel that is well taken care of. Sheets and towels were very clean. The staff is very friendly and eager to help. The massage we had here was very good. The garden in between the rooms and the outdoor gym looked amazing. We did not take part in the yoga classes but the space looked very nice and exactly like in the provided photos! Having visited the island and having seen the other hotels I am confident in saying that Buena Vida and Ocean Vida are the best hotels on Malapascua, factoring in location, standard of hygiene and design!

Stayed in February 2025

One of the best places to stay on Malapascua Island. Very friendly, helpful hotel staff, ready to help in every situation or answer all questions. Very comfortable, large bed. The spa met all expectations. Yes, it is more expensive than the massage offered by the beach (by the way, we also tried it there, beware of the large common area and the fact that the masseuse sometimes manages to use the phone during the massage), but the massage was worth every peso. I think it was the best massage during our 5-week trip to the Philippines. Yes, you have to go to another hotel for breakfast, just a few minutes walk, but it is not a problem at all. The breakfast was delicious! By the way, if you want white Italian wine, which you can enjoy in a glass on the balcony of your room - no problem, the hotel staff will take care of it.

Stayed in February 2025

The rooms are located around a garden and very quiet and private. We enjoyed the yoga class with Lorenza a lot =) Also, the spa treatment (diver package) was really nice - just keep in mind to not get a massage the day you're diving ;)

Stayed in December 2024

Breakfast Cons: 1. From meat is presented salted ham and corned beef. 2. Omelette with cheese and ham is always burnt. Room Cons: 1. The fan did not work 2. No TV 3. The cushions on the balcony should be washed. 4.there's a smell in the bathroom, but you close the door and it's gone. :) 5. A puddle After the rain in front of the room

General: Dates of stay end of December 2024 Hotel is located 3' to the beach Behind the hotel is the local market The whole courtyard is covered in greenery (we have not seen this in other hotels). Yoga every morning Service Welcoming reception, always answer all questions and come to help. There is a shuttle service for an additional fee (you will be met in Cebu and taken to the hotel) Every evening offered two small cupcakes with good wishes for the evening Beach towels are available at the front desk. Meals Pros: 1. Varied breakfast, but monotypical. 2. Buffet table Room (Double room with 1 bed; garden view) Pros: 1. Good wi-fi. 2. Presence of a balcony with a hammock 3. Comfortable and large bed 5. Mosquito repellent provided 6. Large room 7. Different levels of light 8. Shower gel and shampoo provided 9. 4 pillows provided 10. Hair dryer, safe, fridge, kettle and carafe of water was refreshed daily Cons: 1. The fan did not work 2. No TV 3. The cushions on the balcony should be washed. 4.there's a smell in the bathroom, but you close the door and it's gone. :) 5. A puddle After the rain in front of the room.

Stayed in December 2024

Breakfast Cons: 1. From meat is presented salted ham and corned beef. 2. Omelette with cheese and ham is always burnt. Room Cons: 1. The fan did not work 2. No TV 3. The cushions on the balcony should be washed. 4.there's a smell in the bathroom, but you close the door and it's gone. :) 5. A puddle After the rain in front of the room

Dates of stay end of December 2024 Hotel is located 3' to the beach Behind the hotel is the local market The whole courtyard is covered in greenery (we have not seen this in other hotels). Yoga every morning Service Welcoming reception, always answer all questions and come to help. There is a shuttle service for an additional fee (you will be met in Cebu and taken to the hotel) Every evening offered two small cupcakes with good wishes for the evening Beach towels are available at the front desk. Meals Pros: 1. Varied breakfast, but monotypical. 2. Buffet table Room (Double room with 1 bed; garden view) Pros: 1. Good wi-fi. 2. Presence of a balcony with a hammock 3. Comfortable and large bed 5. Mosquito repellent provided 6. Large room 7. Different levels of light 8. Shower gel and shampoo provided 9. 4 pillows provided 10. Hair dryer, safe, fridge, kettle and carafe of water was refreshed daily .

Stayed in December 2024

path to room not paved, water a bit salty

very nice hotel

Stayed in November 2024

A swimming pool would be the perfect upgrade for the resort since it's not directly at the beach.

Great service and accommodation, wonderful and sweet staff. Trying to help with everything possible for them. Cute gesture of good night cakes everyday.

Stayed in November 2024

The style of the accommodation was fantastic The beds are really comfortable and the room was cleaned very well If I were to return to Malapascua I would definitely come back here

Stayed in November 2024

You have to walk to the breakfast which is in a different hotel but it's not too far, a few minutes. The shower water is very salty which I assume is the same for the other places on the island, water pressure is not great but not terrible either.

Breakfast was really nice, in Ocean Vida hotel on the beach, with a nice selection and fresh pastries every day. Rooms and beds were nice, good AC, garden was beautiful and so was the entrance to the hotel. The shower is spacious and there is plenty of soap and shampoo. The staff was very friendly and helpful, they even gave us some surprise sweets a few nights.

Stayed in September 2024

The only small thing (that the resort can not really do anything about) is that the island water is brackish, so slightly salty coming from the taps. The did provide us with an urn of fresh water to rinse with after our showers so it really wasn't a nuisance, just something to be aware of.

The resort(s) we amazing. Ocean Vida and Buena Vida are owned by the same hotelier. If you stay at Buena Vida (which we did) you get to use the private beach and bar at Ocean Vida and breakfast is also served at Ocean Vida. The view from the restaurant is gorgeous as is the bar and private beach with it's eating areas and lounges. We added an extra day to our stay because we loved the place so much. Buena Vida is a two minute walk down a little laneway. It's tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the main beach part of the island which we preferred. The decor of the resort and rooms are gorgeous and thoughtfully decorated. The staff give very personalized service, even down to the cute little personal notes before bed with some complimentary sweets. We felt very special because of the treatment of the staff at both resorts. Elmie at the bar at Ocean Vida is a superstar. Nothing was ever too much trouble and she was just lovely. The scuba diving that Sea Explorers (the onsite dive shop) provide is outstanding. The shop is organised, well run, our guide Rex was so amazing and we really appreciated having our own guide for the time we were there. The diveshop is a well oiled machine, good, well maintained equipment and boats and the corals and sharks in the area were wonderful. No bleached coral and so many colours and textures. We would 100% come here and dive here again and have plans to go again in the near future.

Stayed in August 2024

The staff were accommodating. Breakfast was sumptuous. The resort really gives off that zen feel. We had a lovely short stay, and we would totally be back.

Stayed in August 2024

Nothing :) Maybe if the spa prices were cheaper you rather go for a massage here instead of going somewhere else where you pay half of the price.

We really liked to stay at Buena Vida. It is a calm place to stay at Malapascua off the busy beach tracks. The hotel is clean and so nice decorated which gives a really nice atmosphere. The room was clean and with everything you want. Bathrobe, mini fridge, water, hairdryer etc. Also we had a big terrace with a hammock and sofas which was very cozy. The room gets cleaned every day if you want. The breakfast is served at their neighbour resort Ocean Vida, which is directly situated at the beach and around 5 minutes walk. The breakfast variety is nice and you will find something for your taste for sure. I also appreciated that they even prepared us a take away breakfast when we asked for it because we could not go to the breakfast. Even though it’s not directly on the beach we liked the atmosphere here and you even have a jacuzzi and gym included.

Stayed in April 2024

We spent four nights at Buena Vida and would definitely choose this hotel again! Nice room with a big terrace perfect for relaxing, just a 3 minute walk from the beach, diveshops and the market. Also the massage was great! The breakfast is served at their sister hotel Ocean Vida, which also offers packed breakfast and lunch sandwiches if you're going on an early dive or for day trips. Free water is available at the reception. Highly recommended!

Stayed in February 2024

The shower!!!!! The place is so beautiful, the room too, the bathroom is also nice and then they put up this very cheap shower head. Not even possible to stand under it, you need to take it from the holder. This really ruined the complete picture of this nice (but also expensive) spa resort. It costs maybe 7000peso to install a proper rain shower set up. We paid 5200 per night. Hope they will change this soon. I mentioned it in the reception, but the manager just let the shower head changed to a new one, but still the same set up. See photo.

Great beds and beautiful hotel. Looks really like a spa with the set up, the Buddha and the jacuzzi. Breakfast is in Ocean Vida resort, what is a 3min walk, but with Seaview and the best Breakfast in ages I had. Really nice and you can also have lunch or dinner there and put it on your room number and pay at check out. Definitely a nice place to stay. Also the beds were comfy and a big balcony...

Stayed in February 2024

We truly enjoyed our stay at Buena Vida Hotel! The rooms and terrace are very spacious and clean. We also appreciated the little extra good night sweet treat every night and the very friendly staff. It made us feel very comfortable throughout our stay!

Stayed in November 2023

a bit of a bad smell out of the bathroom facilities. we had room number 4 which i think considering the noice is the worst of the rooms - it‘s the one on the end and there is a storage or something like that next to the window so privacy is also not too good. the staff making their break directly in front of the window, had a dark room because you have to keep the curtians closed, woke up to someone of the staff sitting in front of my window watching instagram reels really loud and sounded like he/she was in my room. also when doing yoga they were walking by every minute which was a bit disturbing being observed during exercising. i think the other rooms are better just avoid #4

Really stylish and clean, nice big rooms!! The staff was super friendly! also the partner hotel where they serve breakfast is nice and directly on the beach!

Stayed in January 2024

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Stayed in May 2024

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Stayed in February 2024

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Stayed in December 2023

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Stayed in October 2023