Banana Grove Backpackers Inn

Where to start with the legends that are Tom (English) and Annie (Filipino). It’s the perfect combo to make sure all your needs are met - whether you need a drinking buddy, a trip to an undisturbed island (without any other folk), great food (chicken and coconut curry + homemade coconut ice cream gets 5*), or personal delivery of your forgotten phone charger to the bus station without request! El Nido town has been something of a concrete tourist jungle for some time and will leave you with little sense of the beauty of the island past the usual tours or of the people themselves. This is where Banana Grove excels - straightforward jungle style accommodation in a natural setting in a genuine filipino town. Be prepared for the local children to greet you each and every time you make a journey out! An authentic experience that must not be missed.

We had a wonderful stay with Tom and Annie, they really do everything they can to look after you and make your stay memorable. The facilities are very basic and there's not much within walking distance but if you enjoy camping/glamping and rent a moped you'll have a fantastic time. Annie's cooking is the best in El Nido anyway so you don't need to venture far after dark!

Simple and basic accomodation with amazing hosts. Tom and Annie will are extremely helpful with organising trips, scooter hire and recommendations for things to see and do, along with having a friendly chat. The food is also epic!! Do yourself a favour and try the curry with some home made ice cream for dessert They managed to secure us a spot on a tour at last minute request, facilitated an early breakfast so we could eat before catching a flight and organised a lift to the airport for us. Fare from El nido in a trike ranged between 200-250 peso, so we hired a bike for our stay to get around. Lio beach is only a 5min ride away. I'd stay here again!

Great family-owned and operated native hut-style accommodations run by the friendly and attentive duo of Tom and Annie. They also have a restaurant and bar on-site with delicious food cooked to order. From organic pesto spaghetti (basil grown on-site!) to freshly brewed coffee and cold beer to local specialties like pancit (noodles) and vegetable spring rolls, everything we tried was delicious and generous portions. Annie even whipped up garlic toast made with olive oil that has effectively ruined other garlic toast for us. Rooms are simple and cozy, but stay surprisingly cool with just a fan due to their native design that lets the hot air out. This place is expanding, so some parts are still being built-up (had 3 'kubo' huts when we were there, with plans to build more). Stayed for nearly 2-weeks in Sept 2019 and would definitely stay again the next time I'm in the area. Close to the fantastic Lio Beach - definitely check it out if you stay here.

You feel right at home. Very nice hosts. The food was also the best we have eaten in the Philippines so far. We can only highly recommend it if you want to be a little away from the hustle and bustle in El Nido. We enjoyed it. If you wish, you can still dive into the bustle in El Nido Town.