Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
54 Clemente Street, Donsol, Luzon 4715 Philippines
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#3 of 3 hotels in Donsol
Location
3.6
Cleanliness
4.0
Service
4.2
Value
3.7
Giddy's Place is the only PADI Center in Donsol. The resort feature's Donsol's only Scuba training pool as well the best room amenities, a SPA, WIFI access, Bar and restaurant. Giddy's can provide everything you need to have fun in Donsol.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Free breakfast
Airport transportation
Spa
Concierge
Non-smoking hotel
Wifi
Outdoor pool
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Room service
Refrigerator
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
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HOTEL STYLE
Mid-range
Location
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Contact
54 Clemente Street, Donsol, Luzon 4715 Philippines
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I can't recommend this place enough. They really care about their guests. Making sure we had the best experience was a priority. Communication with the host was great and responses were quick. My girlfriend and I booked a 3 tank dive and had the best time, amazing reef full of life. Edward our dive master was friendly and accommodating. The host Raymond took care of organizing our transfers to legazpi and airport pickups, as well as our tours and must see activities. Everything was effortless and it was nice to have someone take care of us so we could just relax and enjoy. They have massages in house which was so relaxing I passed out, great after a day of riding ATVs to Mount Mayon. Our driver Boie was really knowledgeable about the town and showed us around legazpi, we saw historical sights and ate delicious food. Here your not treated as a customer but more so like friends. I'd give them ten stars if I could!…
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Date of stay: October 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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William was a very professional dive instructor taking me on my first deep dives. We went to Manta Bowl where i was lucky enough to encounter both a manta rays and whale sharks. During our manta encounter our dive master spotted fishing wire wrapped around the ray and calmly approached it and removed the wire. It was as if the ray trusted him and floated there until he had finished freeing him, an amazing encounter! Dive instructor William went above and beyond, taking lots of video footage of us as well as inviting us for dinner at Giddys that night where i was also surprised witha birthday cake. As someone travelling alone i couldn't have asked for a friendlier group to dive with. Would highly recommend the dive crew at Giddys! Plus Giddys is one of the few places i found with decent wifi in the Philippines!…
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Jun 20, 2018
Thanks Fiona. We are glad that you had a great time with us.
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My experience at Giddy's was pretty underwhelming. The room wasn't comfortable, the food wasn't good. Further, the dive instructor we went with wasn't knowledgeable about the dive sites and wasn't helpful. The water and power were pretty intermittent while we were there, so that was also very frustrating. However, they included a free massage with the reservation, and the spa there was GREAT. Also, make sure to book your transportation to the airport back in Legaspi, as Giddy's will overcharge for helping.
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Location
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Jun 20, 2018
Hi Kaitlyn.We are sorry that you did not enjoy your stay in Giddy's. We always strive to make your experience a good one.I do not know how to respond with the room wasn't comfortable as we have nice beds and nice bathrooms. We don't usually get this comment having an uncomfortable room. We are working on our menu and some options may not have been available and shall strive to be better next season. Power fluctuation is beyond our control and affects the whole donsol if it does fluctuate. Should the power go completely down, we are the only place in Donsol that has a generator big enough that can keep lights, AC and heaters on. We are happy you liked our SPA. Re the diving, for site familiarity, we have experienced dive masters who are familiar with the dive sites. Our instructor provided an extra assurance for the safety of our divers -- just as when you and Nathan drifted off from the group, the dive instructor was looking after both of you while you had the sighting of the whales shark and you also experienced a down current, Our instructor was there with you until you both surfaced safely. We are the only PADI facility in Donsol and we prioritize your safety. Your other dives were great. We do add a small charge for arranging your transfers just like what other hotels do worldwide. We charge on a per van basis and we always tell our guests about other options including public transport.
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We came by this dive shop by accident when looking for a bar and happy that we did! We were on a tight schedule and budget. Due to weather some dive schools canceled their trips, but William said he would still try to go out there. He was really understanding of our situation and helped us as much as possible. Definitely recommend this dive shop! Thanks again William!
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Jun 20, 2018
Thank you and we are happy you had a great time with the Dive team.
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Me and my friends had a fun dive at San Miguel, Ticao. Though we came late at Giddy’s place, we were still accommodated and immediately given gears. We were properly oriented before the dive. The food was included in the package too. Our dive instructor, Mr. Wilson Woo was very patient with me 😆 since it was just my 2nd time to dive. He’d give me space to learn on my own and shares his expertise for me to develop my skills. He also took awesome pictures of us and the creatures under the sea 😁😁😁 Thanks again sir wilson!!
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Jun 20, 2018
Go and Explore the underwater world and glad to be part of your experience.
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Everything is great about this place - accommodation, food, service, people! Even the spa service is superb ... they even offer hot stone and scrub! We stayed in a family room - HUGE and cozy. Menu is simple but everything in it is delicious. Staff is courteous and attends to your needs efficiently. We also met the DM Raymond and William the instructor and had a great time when we joined a dive trip to snorkel. Food was provided during that trip complete with brewed coffee served after snorkling. The pool is deep for training. So if you need a place to stay in Donsol, bookmark Giddy’s Place!
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Mar 30, 2018
Thank you and we are glad you enjoyed our place, service and spa.
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I feel bad writing this review because the staff is so nice there, but I think this is the only good thing about this place. We stayed one night because all the other places in Donsol where fully booked, we paid 2000php for a double room, very small and dark because the window face a common area so you don’t have privacy at all. The shower head wasn’t working neither the lightbulb, but was replaced quickly so not complain, how I said the staff is superb. They have a pool table and swimming pool which are good, although all the complex seems very old. Breakfast is included in the price but is just and egg, cold bread and butter and coffee and the breakfast price is value in 200php, in the next place I stayed I paid 100php for the same but better cooked and included jam too. We didn’t went to the restaurant for other meals so I don’t know if the food is good. Overall I think this place was good in other times but now is so overpriced, relation quality price is bad. Next day we moved to another place, double room for just 800php, good facilities with no swimming pool but you are right in the beach instead of in the town. I think they should reassess what they offer for the price they ask. …
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Date of stay: March 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from rryap, Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Mar 28, 2018
Hi. We are sorry that you feel that the room prices in Giddy’s is high compared to what you are used to. We are glad that the staff took care of your needs. We don’t know how your next resort priced their room or what amenities they have and what they put in the room but you must compare the prices to similar resorts that have a pool as well. Our prices are comparable and even lower for some in our category. We also have free fast WiFi over our property which the other resorts don’t have. Our bathrooms are nice and mattresses thick. We have free bottled water and tea and instant coffee in the rooms. We have a fridge in all rooms. Everything must be compared apples to apples. This is similar to comparing a sedan. They are 4 wheeled 5 seater vehicles but come in various prices and can’t be compared to each other properly without seeing all features. The others have separate paid breakfasts with the room and yours came with two breakfasts. The breakfast should have jam and I queried why yours was not given. We also serve good brewed coffee and not instant coffee like the others. Having said that, we thank you for your inputs and it will be looked at it. We also thank you for liking our service. Thank you for visiting Donsol and hope you had a great trip.
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+1
Location We spent 6 nights at Giddy's. It was pretty close to the bus stop in central Donsol. We'd booked this location instead of the dive resorts in Dancalan because we thought that being in town would provide more options for grocery shopping and eating (we're vegetarian). Upon arrival, we found that to have been the wrong call. There is a local wet market nearby and a fried chicken place next door, but practically every other eatery (besides Giddy's restaurant) is a 5-10 min tricycle ride away in Dancalan. Restaurant Giddy’s seems to be one of the only resorts in Donsol that provides free breakfast for those staying there. The meal is comprised of coffee, toast w/butter, and eggs (omelette, fried, or sunny-side up). We worked our way through all the egg options throughout our stay and found them all to be drowning in oil. Seriously. We would grab the napkin container from the bar, go through 10-15 napkins each to mop up the oil, then eat breakfast and cross our fingers. Some days required a quick post-breakfast bathroom trip before venturing out of the hotel, some didn’t. We ate dinner there twice. The first time, we had the aglio-olio pasta (120PHP), the spaghetti (160PHP), and the halo-halo dessert (120PHP -- Pilipino specialty – you’ve got to try it at least once while visiting the Philippines). The aglio-olio had undercooked pasta with burnt garlic. The spaghetti -- which I’d confirmed was vegetarian – definitely seemed to be full of ground beef. Halo-halo was tasty Friends that we ate with that night had the Pancit Bato and the Pancit Bihon. Neither was able to finish theirs, primarily because the texture of the meat was so chewy that it made them think of gristle or overcooked liver. The portion size for all of our dishes was small enough to require the dessert after as filler. The second time we had dinner there, we both had cheese panini (100PHP each), which is just a grilled cheese. It didn’t come with anything besides the bread and cheese, so it took two orders each to fill us up enough to go to bed. For all other meals (except our dive lunch – see below), we ate at resort restaurants in Dancalan. For similar or slightly higher prices, the food options are absolutely better and well worth the 40PHP each way on the tricycle. We recommend the food at Mama Nem’s next to the visitor center (veg curry and spring rolls – yum!), Vitton Resort’s restaurant (happy hour 2-for-1 drinks are during standard meal hours), and Elysia Resort’s restaurant (outstanding, atmosphere, staff, food, beach chairs…we essentially stayed at this resort during the day and went back to central Donsol only to sleep at Giddy’s) Staff The staff, when present, were pleasant. Oftentimes, both day and night, the only worker we saw at Giddy’s was the security guard. The massage therapists were on time for both of our massage appointments (3 of the 4 massages provided complimentary for us staying there and booking dives). If we came out for breakfast and we hadn’t schedule a breakfast time the previous night, the guard would call/locate the cook to come. Food is cooked to order, so if you’re going to be in a hurry, make sure you specify meal time before going to bed. Room We stayed in Room 16 on the far side of the building. This was nice because it was furthest from the main road and we didn’t hear any of that traffic. Our side of the building (2nd floor) looked out on a small side street with housing. The residents were very friendly and both children and adults would wave and shout “hello” as soon as we opened the door to come outside. Only downside of the neighborhood was a dog that lived across the street, would sit in the street during the night, and bark – not at anyone, just to be heard. It was loud enough to wake us up even though we had the AC on and earplugs in. Don’t be afraid to shout at the dog or toss small rocks into the street near it. Once, the security guard on duty woke up and yelled at the dog too. The beds were comfortable and the sheet provided was sufficient except…there were a couple nights where the AC got a mind of its own and refused to go warmer than 21 C. We didn’t sleep well those nights. In addition, while there was a TV and a cable wire, there was no reception. A word of warning for those in Room 16: it’s easy to get locked inside the bathroom. If you push firmly on the top left corner while pulling the handle, you can sometimes get it open. Otherwise, either don’t latch it fully or make sure someone is waiting to let you out. Diving We (2 certified divers) paid 13,000PHP for three boat dives, lunch on the boat (snacks and cheese panini), and gear rental. Also on the boat was a diver who joined our group and 5 snorkelers. Overall, we were on the water about 9 hours. We did one dive at San Miguel Island and two drift dives at Manta Bowl. There were a couple sightings of whale sharks from the surface and a brief distant view of one while diving. No luck with the Mantas that day. Divemaster was good about telling us the plan before each dive. Sadly, my wife got an ear squeeze immediately on the first descent and spent all three dives on the boat. Communication Raymond, the manager was out of town (I believe in Manila), so we communicated by email. He was quick to respond upon booking and we used the phone of one of the staff members to speak with him regarding booking the dive trip. ***Credit cards are not accepted by Giddy’s*** so either plan on bringing a lot of cash if you’re diving, set up a PayPal account (he charges 5% more if paying this way), or test your luck with the one ATM in town (at the municipal building). Bonus points for the worker who drove me in his car to the ATM so I could get cash out to pay for the dive trip. Unfortunately, that’s where the communication stopped. We sent him a message regarding the AC (asking for an extra set of sheets), the stuck bathroom door, and asking about a possible partial refund on the diving, but never heard back. We only had two nights left in our stay at that point, so I didn’t press the matter.…
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Location
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Service
Room Tip: Rooms on back side don't have road noise or wifi signal, but might have a dog barking at night.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from rryap, General Manager at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Mar 10, 2018
Hi Greg. First I do apologize on behalf of the resort. I never knew you had problems as the staff did not tell me and you did not mention it to me too. We have new staff and will talk to them now re your comments as I just found out now in this review. I would have fixed your food cooking issues even if I was in Manila had I known about it. Rest assured we will fix the way the food is prepared. All of our staff are new but it’s not an excuse to not have your food cooked to your liking. We also do have vegetarian options. Regarding your request for a partial refund for diving, I never got that email. As you said I respond to your email and calls if needed so the reason I did not respond is because I did not receive it. Nevertheless, the rate given was for 3 divers and gear rental and we normally do not give partial refunds for those caused by diver related issues as everything has been prepared already for the dive. Having said that, if I had received your email or gotten a follow up I’m sure I could have done something like maybe making your spa service complimentary. Diving is really by chance to see Mantas and other fishes and you guys spotted Whalesharks. These are wild animals and are never guaranteed. The divers the next days spotted a Manta and more Whalesharks. Had the staff known of your AC problem we would have moved you to another room. There was no need to endure it for two nights and if I had received your email I would have acted on it and spoken to you. There were other rooms available for the type you booked. We immediately act on requests when we get it. I was the one who told the staff to help you and drive you to the ATM. As discussed as well, we charge 5% on PayPal Payments for activities as the pricing is exact and PayPal removes 5% and we pay for external services for these activities like permits and fees that PayPal will also deduct 5% from. For rooms, meals and spa, we do not charge additional 5%. Again, I wished I had known about your issues or have properly been relayed to us at that time so we could fix it. We have other reviews during the same time as you dove and they were very happy with our service. Again, on behalf of the company we apologize for the your bad experience during your stay.
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We had the most fantastic experience with Giddy's. Raymond, the owner is very responsive, very customer focused and makes sure you're well looked after. The 2 dive masters, Ed and Almar are very friendly, approachable people who are very experienced, very safe and you feel looked after in the water with these guys. The boat crew are very helpful, prepping the equipment and expertly spotting whale sharks. All the kit and equipment is brand new. There's towels, coffee, snacks and a superb lunch provided. One really good thing about Giddy's is that it's a dedicated dive boat as oppose to other companies that ram snorkellers, divers and sightseers on to their boats. We felt Giddy's went above and beyond to deliver a great experience. You could probably find cheaper companies, but you won't get the service or quality of equipment Giddy's provides, plus if you book multiple days they offer discounts. We met lots of people who come to Donsol for one day of diving then leave. We urge you to spend more time here, nature and the weather is never guaranteed and once you've seen one whale shark you'll want to see more. We planned for 2 days of diving and ended up doing 4 days with our best interactions and weather on days 3 and 4…
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from rryap, Owner at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Mar 3, 2018
Thank you Chris and Sophie. Likewise we enjoyed having you guys dive with us and are glad that you had great days of diving. We always try to do better and have our guests dive safely with us. As an official PADI resort we maintain their standards. Glad that you guys appreciated the small details that we do. Most guests rave about the brewed coffee as we are the only one who does that in Donsol. Cheers, happy diving and hope to see you guys again in the future. Raymond
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We dived here last week and are very glad we did. Great communication from Raymond, the owner from the beginning. We took a walk down to the shop to discuss dive sites and gear after previously discussing prices via email. Diving in Donsol is more expensive than other places we’ve been in the Philippines so bare that in mind, but it’s also highly likely you will get to see mantas and whale sharks so I’d say it is definitely worth it. There were only 5 of us diving, with Edward our guide. My weight was completely off on the first dive somehow so Edward was quick to pass me a couple more kilos before we descended. He was great at pointing out the macro life at the San Miguel dive site and was quick to point out a manta over at manta bowl! He regularly checked with us our air consumption and on our drift dives with hooks I felt very safe and confident with hi there telling us when to hook in etc, he is a great guy. The crew were really helpful with getting gear on and off, and a small issue with a leaking alternate they were quick to fix it and swap it over, no other issues at all. On a surface interval they spotted a whale shark and moved the bot closer so we near able to jump in and snorkel near it. Edward was quick to tell somebody from another boat to back away as he was harassing the whale shark slightly. I appreciated that he cared and didn’t want people getting stupidly close to it, they are wild animals after all not to be petted or harassed. Over all I really enjoyed myself, lunch, snacks, coffee, water and even a towel were all provided too. I would recommend Giddys to anyone :)…
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Date of stay: February 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from rryap, Owner at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
Responded Feb 22, 2018
Hi Charlotte. We are glad that you enjoyed your dives and were able to see the gentle giants during your visit. Will show Edward your kind comments. Thanks so much for trusting your dive with Donsol’s only PADI-accredited facility.
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ALSO KNOWN AS
giddy`s place padi dive hotel donsol
LOCATION
PhilippinesLuzonBicol RegionSorsogon ProvinceDonsol
NUMBER OF ROOMS
19
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort
What are some of the property amenities at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and a pool.
What food & drink options are available at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Is parking available at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort?
Conveniently located restaurants include BARacuda, Elysia restaurant, and Roberto's Restobar.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort have airport transportation?
Yes, Giddy's Place PADI Dive Resort offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.