South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection marks its first anniversary, capping off a debut year that has established the resort as one of Bohol’s leading hospitality destinations.
Photo: South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection
As the island’s only international luxury hotel, South Palms continues to build a strong reputation across major travel platforms, a reflection of its commitment to meaningful, memorable guest experiences.
A year of world-class recognition
Since its opening on August 8, 2025, the property became the highest-rated hotel on the island according to TripAdvisor and across major travel platforms. At the AHEAD Awards 2026, which recognizes hotel design and hospitality projects across Asia, the resort was shortlisted in four categories, namely Resort, Spa and Wellness, Sustainability, and Event Spaces, more than any other Philippine property entered this year.
It was also named a finalist for the Bernache Legacy Award, Accor’s highest distinction for sustainability performance across the group. This recognition confirms what the team set out to prove from day one, that South Palms belongs with the best resorts in the region on design, service and sustainable operations.
The infrastructure behind the storytelling
A year in, South Palms still runs on 1,017 solar power, treats its own wastewater on site and holds to a zero single-use-plastics policy, alongside sourcing a share of its kitchens’ produce from its own farm. This operating model was cited in both the resort’s AHEAD Awards Sustainability shortlist and its Bernache Legacy Award nomination, recognition that speaks to a promise South Palms has sustained through a full year of operation.
What comes next
South Palms will refresh the menus at its three restaurants, UMA, MANJA and Sirenna, in the coming months under Culinary Consultant Chef Bettina Arguelles.
The move continues the resort’s push to raise the bar for dining on the island, giving Bohol a food and beverage scene that can stand alongside the region’s best. Each outlet keeps its existing concept. UMA remains focused on progressive Filipino cuisine built around the resort’s own farm and local seafood. MANJA continues serving globally inspired comfort food for its poolside and beachfront setting, and Sirenna keeps its cocktail programme rooted in Boholano mythology.
The first anniversary celebration
“A year ago, we opened our doors and made a promise to Bohol, to our owners, and to each other that authentic luxury and genuine local character could thrive together,” said Danish Khan, General Manager of South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao MGallery Collection. “That is a promise that this past year has already shown, one guest and one story at a time.”
Throughout the event, guests moved through a beachside street food trail at Tiya’s House and enjoyed a regional cuisine spread prepared by Chef Bettina Arguelles and the South Palms Culinary team. The highlight of the evening was a musical staging of Sirenna and Other Deities, the Boholano legend of sea and sky gods that inspired the resort’s concept, performed entirely by South Palms Heartists.
“This is only the beginning,” Khan said. “As South Palms moves into its second year, we carry forward the same intention that brought us here, to elevate Bohol’s culture, craft and hospitality onto the world stage.”
