MANILA, Philippines – A handmade tarsier sculpture on the bedside table. A vibrant rug woven from recycled textiles on the bedroom floor. A rattan lampshade casts a soft, warm glow. A Tamaraw rocking chair is tucked in the corner.

At Panglao’s first 5-star international luxury resort, South Palms Resort and Spa, every room is a gallery of Boholano culture, and every artisanally made piece is a symbol of Bohol’s expertise in craftsmanship.

Locally owned and set along a private stretch of Panglao Beach, the resort is part of Accor’s prestigious MGallery Collection — a curated roster of boutique hotels worldwide — that carries global hotelier standards but is firmly anchored by Filipino hospitality and Bohol’s cultural heritage.

And it isn’t just found within the four walls of one’s villa: art can be found in every corner — from the wooden tabo for washing sandy feet, lounge ottomans made from discarded denim, a mosaic wall made by a community worker they just met at the beach, tables built from reclaimed timber, and an arch of century-old beams greeting guests upon check-in. Tactility meets sustainability, and sensibility meets beauty.

“Everything you see here is material you can touch,” said one of the project’s designers. “It’s adaptive reuse — global standards of manufacturing but using plant-based and reclaimed materials from the environment.”

The resort is the vision of a powerhouse creative team: interior designer Patricia Ho Douven of White Jacket, F&B and detailing specialist Phillip Pond of Atelier Pond, public space designer Patrick Keane of Enter Projects Asia, and master planners Chris Singer and Prasasti Chenchin of SCSY Studio.

“We brought international sensibilities and experiences but always with a heart full of love for Bohol,” the team shared. “The [Filipino] owners’ commitment guided us to create design elements inspired by local stories. Everywhere you turn here, there’s a story — that’s what makes it special.”

Best of Bohol through the hands of its artisans

Just 15 minutes from Tagbilaran Airport, South Palms hosts over 180 rooms and suites situated between the Bohol Sea’s turquoise waters and coconut groves. Located in Barangay Tawala, Panglao Island, the resort was built with — and around — the community it belongs to.

The property also draws inspiration from Sirenna, the mythical sea guardian said to watch over Bohol’s seas. Her presence is woven into coral-like forms in the lobby, nightly rituals by the oceanfront, and the ancient banyan tree that anchors the grounds.

“The beach and the water inspired us most,” the design team shared. “The pavilion patterns came from coral, fish scales, and the swirls of the tide. The architecture was never meant to be rigid — it had to feel liquid, organic, alive.”

They noted that in a humid, coastal environment, wood weathers and changes, and that was part of giving it another life. In building the sprawling estate since 2018, the team layered their approach: structural steel for stability, reclaimed wood for finishes, and heavier new timber for solid structures. Using reclaimed timber for cladding — like in South Palms’ spa that is soon to open — gives each space a sense of warmth and familiarity, “like coming into your auntie’s home.”

The owner, the Uy Family, collected wood for six years. It was a treasure trove when construction began, so the team used it for furniture, walls, and finishes. “The idea was to make guests feel like they’re coming into a home in Bohol, but in a modern, clean setting.”

Plastics from local festivals are upcycled into furniture, lighting, and service pieces, giving “second lives” to colorful materials that symbolize the life of Boholanos.

Where each room tells a story

Each room is patterned and designed with intention and purpose, depending on the theme. Fish murals outside the villas symbolize Harvest; Baybayin symbols hand-painted on the room’s walls express Culture; and the iconic Chocolate Hills appear in murals that honor Nature.

Inside, the details carry the same thoughtfulness; handmade decor gives every room a piece of Bohol. Even the slippers — instead of the usual plain, white hotel pair — are handwoven with vibrant textile patterns that guests can take home. A simple yet sturdy banig tote bag placed in every room adds local character to your beach outfit. And from paintings to woven throws and pillows, the patterns are all crafted by Bohol’s weavers, giving each room its own personality.

The villas themselves are “old-house inspired,” with art drawn from daily Boholano life. “Everything is bespoke, nothing is imported,” the interior designer shared. From the room sofas to balcony lounge chairs, down to the wooden chandeliers — all are crafted by local hands, using local materials.

“What’s important is deeply connecting with where you build [the resort],” the developer added. “It’s that childlike simplicity. Children want to touch and feel things. They want to have that experience. And that’s what we want with this project.” One playful feature is the Wall of Hung-Hung in every room: a panel of wooden planks and pegs that lets guests rearrange patterns, hang bags, or simply interact with the material.

South Palms’ rooms are made from salvaged Boholano wood sourced from abandoned island homes, complemented by banig headboards, coconut wood furnishings, and other textured and tactile additions.

Rooms come in a variety of options depending on budget and preference: nature views, balcony views, private pool suites, oceanfront villas, or direct beach access — with rates starting at P15,000 and until P40,000+.

Sustainability is a culture

The resort is powered by sustainability: rainwater is converted for sewage, and much of the food cycle is sustained by the property’s own nine-hectare farm just 10 minutes away, complete with animals, fish, herbs, and produce.

Nothing goes to waste: the same freshly picked lemongrass served in the resort’s tea will also be infused into the spa’s oils, blended with the resort’s own virgin coconut oil. Even the traditional asin tibuok or “dinosaur egg” salt will find its way into future spa treatments as part of body and salt scrubs.

The team also shared that 1,017 solar panels generate around 526 kilowatts of power — enough to keep the resort running for six to seven hours daily — while 14 free water refill stations across the property are available to use for all guests. “Water should be free!” the owner said.

“We built this with Panglao’s future in mind,” the team added, emphasizing that the resort’s vision has always been about nurturing the land and supporting the Filipino community behind it.

Instead of imposing a generic “luxury” look, they “listened carefully to the destination” and borrowed its spirit into the details. Even the function and ballroom names add a personal touch, carrying the names of the Uy family’s relatives, such as Marcela, after the grandmother.

Nature and community at their finest

A key feature of the master plan is its focus on landscape design, with special care given to protecting and preserving mature and native plant species. Buildings were carefully designed around these trees — like the rubber tree just outside restaurant Tia’s House and the tree in front of the outdoor bar. They wanted to create natural outdoor spaces that invite guests to experience the site’s original environment.

“We wanted to make sure every family, every individual coming into the resort has memorable experiences — from arrival to check-out. For example, our first guest this morning arrived by kalesa. How many hotels can say that?”

From the lobby, you’ll see raffia weaving, a tradition well known in Bohol, which kids can also try at the Ayas Jungle Kids Club. Families can spend time together at the wide-open pasture, the largest in the resort.

Visitors can explore the nine-hectare South Farm, feed the animals, and soon experience beekeeping. Around 20 to 35 farmers were sent to the mountains to study the science of beekeeping in order to harvest the resort’s own honey for its restaurants in the coming years.

The resort is also working on a marine sanctuary with its in-house marine biologist.

From sea to table

Asin tibuok is the star of South Palms’ bustling kitchen, proudly displayed under its own warming light, a highlight of the region and a coveted artisanal salt still made by only a few families in Bohol. With its smokiness and slight sweetness, it finds its way everywhere: sprinkled on cocktails at the bar, worked into dishes, or as a garnish to desserts.

Uma, the resort’s flagship restaurant, sources all of its ingredients locally, especially the freshest catch of the day from partner farmers and fisherfolk.

Chef Bettina Arguelles, with her French fine dining training, applies her techniques to make regional staples stand out — turning ginamos (the fermented shrimp paste of Visayas and Mindanao) into a sambal-like sauce for grilled blue marlin, pairing fresh talaba (oyster) with grilled bone marrow, or reimagining Negros’ burrata with calcag shrimp, dulong, and salted fish, and a sweet cherry tomato marmalade.

Dishes like raw tanigue with house-made coconut vinegar or Bohol mud crabs and sea urchin turned into an elegant capellini bring local flavors to finer heights. The menu celebrates Bohol’s sea bounty, too: grouper, South Farm prawns, tuway clams, and ikura with lato (seagrapes) bring the sea to one’s plate. Mocktails made with guava and fresh-pressed juices add to the tropical touch.

Even the afternoon treats left in the room, like dried mango with asin tibuok yema with kasuy; pinyato; and ube halaya leave more to be discovered about Bohol’s traditions.

Heart and soul for its people

The team spent years immersing themselves in Bohol, some making more than 30 trips. What began as quick meetings often turned into karaoke nights in the village or weeklong visits to Cebu to meet with local fabricators. They learned by being present — eating, listening, and joining in the daily rhythm of Boholaon life. One designer recalled visiting a shrimp farm tied to the owner’s family story.

“We turned a corner and there was Hope’s dad, sitting with one of the workers, drinking coconut wine mixed with Pepsi and eating shrimp. At first, we were nervous — this was the big boss. But he invited us over, and we spent the afternoon just talking, experiencing everyday life. That’s how we learned.”

The resort also gives back by supporting two local orphanages — Bohol Sunshine Home and Trinity Angels Care Home— through regular donations, play-based visits, and shared meals.

Admittedly, it was a project of high design ambitions, the team shared. A local resort on a remote island with a global name; add in sourcing, importing, and fabricating, and everything becomes more complex.

“But the goal was always: it must look like the Philippines, not Bali, not Thailand, not Malaysia. That was our mission.”

The vision was never to “escape” the province but to return to it — with dignity. To honor craftspeople, traditions, and local customs. “That feeling will resonate with Filipinos and with foreigners as well,” one designer added. “It’s completely storytelling — and that, today, is the new luxury.”

The M in MGallery stands for “memorable and meaningful.” Each property is unique, connected to its community, and design-led. “It’s easy to find a luxury resort in the Philippines, but it’s harder to find the Philippines in a luxury resort,” they said.

If there’s one word the team hopes guests take home, it isn’t “luxury” — though that is a given, with price tags that reflect it. Rather, it’s generosity: the generosity of nature, of the Boholano community, and of Filipino service. As a team of mostly foreign designers, they speak often of the warmth they themselves experienced — a welcome they wish to pay forward to both local and international guests.

“Authenticity is the new luxury. People don’t fly 18 hours to see the same designer brands they could see in any big city. They come for something unique, something rooted in culture.”

It’s also about storytelling. Every detail is meant to make guests pause, nod, and ask questions. In doing so, they form a relationship — another word the team highlights. “The friendships we formed here — with the owners, with the community — are unique.”

Other buzzwords include abundance, hospitality, and warmth; that is the soul of Bohol, after all, and the team tried to express that in their community-rooted design.

This is why South Palms prioritized local craft: timber, weaving, furniture-making — areas where Filipinos excel. “We wanted to showcase what local hands can do. That tactile, handcrafted quality — that’s real luxury.”

And even during construction, every Boholano worker greeted them with a smile. “That’s not something you can design,” one designer shared. “That’s the spirit of Bohol.” – Rappler.com