Panglao Island in Bohol has always been a popular tourist destination. In recent years it has seen a boom in development thanks to the opening of the Panglao International Airport.
The easier access to the island and the capability to accept direct international flights have led to the development of upscale resorts that aim to provide a luxurious island experience.
The latest addition into the mix is the South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao–MGallery Collection. A new development under the management of Accor under its MGallery portfolio, the resort brings together a world-class creative team and a storytelling approach that listens to the land, the community, and the island’s cultural memory.
The 188-room-and-suite beachfront resort reimagines tropical luxury through the lens of Boholano myth, artisanal design, and natural wellness. Just 10 minutes from the Bohol-Panglao International Airport and near the famed Chocolate Hills, world-renowned dive sites, and forests home to the Philippine tarsier, the resort offers front-row access to the island’s rich and tranquil beauty.
The resort is the vision of a globally renowned 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.
Together, they have created a property defined by tactility, sustainability, and a deep respect for local culture, emphasized by the concept of Sirenna. She is the mythical sea guardian said to protect the surrounding waters. Her spirit is expressed throughout the resort in coral-inspired lobby forms, nightly oceanfront rituals, and the sacred banyan tree anchoring the landscape.
“Sirenna emerged from a rare alchemy where global design met the soul of Bohol. By listening to local voices and weaving in cultural memory, we shaped a hotel that feels both discovered and dreamed,” said Bill Barnett, managing director of C9 Hotelworks and lead consultant for the project.
Che
Ho Douven led the interiors with reclaimed Boholano wood panels and banig headboards, turning every room into a tactile homage to memory and craftsmanship. Pond layered the dining spaces with mosaic murals and native iconography, while Keane sculpted fluid forms in natural rattan across pavilions and ceilings. The architecture, shaped by Singer and Chenchin, respects Bohol’s topography with low-rise, bioclimatic structures that blend into land and sea. Together, their work tells a story through thoughtful materiality and place-based design.
Each guest room features a wall of salvaged Boholano wood, sourced from abandoned island homes and reassembled to invite touch and discovery. Handwoven banig headboards, coconut wood furnishings, and artisan-made rugs create a sense of cultural intimacy. These rooms are designed as serene sanctuaries: elegant, textured and grounded.
For those seeking deeper immersion, eight spacious beachfront villas offer private sunset picnics and curated turn-down rituals Artisanal keepsakes are thoughtfully placed throughout, allowing guests to carry the spirit of Bohol home with them.
The resort’s culinary philosophy also celebrates local ingredients and traditional techniques. At UMA, a relaxed beachfront seafood concept, market-style stalls feature tropical fruit tastings, and alfresco dining under the stars. As the sun sets, the Sirenna Bar serves cocktails infused with lambanog and storytelling flair. Across all venues, the design language created by Phillip Pond adds rhythm, color, and a hyperlocal sensibility to the dining experience.
The resort’s signature M Moment honors Asin Tibuok, a rare sea salt crafted by filtering seawater through coconut husks. With the guidance of a local artisan, guests discover the art of making Asin Tibuok and develop a deeper appreciation for each step of this centuries-old tradition. It is a time to pause, reflect, and let heritage come to life.
“South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection is redefining what lifestyle hotels mean in the Philippines. Every guest experience tells the authentic story of our island through traditional craftsmanship and time-honored traditions woven into our design and programing. We have created a place where Boholano culture comes alive, where nature and luxury exist in harmony, and where every guest forge meaningful connections that transform their stay into a personal story,” said Danish Khan, general manager at South Palms.
“The amount of recreational activities, the programing for food and beverage, the experience from being picked up at the airport to going around Bohol’s destinations, It’s the first property that has come up with the entire package for families and kids,” he added.
South Palms joins the Admiral Hotel Manila – MGallery Collection as the brand’s second property in the Philippines and its first resort experience in the Visayas. Both properties reflect MGallery’s global commitment to meaningful design, cultural immersion, and storytelling through place.
With its textured materials, layered storytelling, and locally anchored vision, South Palms Resort and Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection is more than a new beachfront retreat. It is a quiet reimagining and a reminder of what hospitality can look like when design listens first.
