The service and location were the standout parts of the stay. Bernardo went above and beyond to curate experiences for us during our stay at no additional expense, and the driver he connected us with couldn't have been better. (To be clear, experiences with other locations cost money. The hotel did not charge us at all for organizing these itineraries) The scenery is beautiful, including a quick hike to what's essentially a privately managed chocolate hill with a nice trail to the top. Breakfast and dinner were excellent. Best watermelon I had during my time in the Philippines. I was worried about being bored out in the countryside for a few days, but we couldn't have been more pleased with our stay.

The mattress and pillows are very firm. A flat sheet on the bed would have been great. A ceiling fan instead of the chandelier would have also been welcome, although the A/C was sufficient. And the water pressure wasn't stellar, but that's part of being in a rural area.

Casa Aguelo exceeded our expectations in all aspects. Its location is literally minutes from the main official tourist Chocolate Hills viewing complex, and in a quiet jungle setting. The owners and staff were extremely friendly and helpful, without being intrusive. The room was comfortable with all basic amenities. We were particularly taken with the outdoor covered deck/balcony which was nicely designed and furnished, as is the whole house! By choice we had all our meals (excellent food) served on the deck, which is very relaxing by day or by night, when the mood lighting is turned on. Casa Aguelo ticks all the boxes!

Signage to locate the property could have been better, as the access track is a little obscure.

We originally booked this hotel just to be close to the Chocolate Hills, without any real expectations — especially since the photos were quite basic and the reviews just average. But what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be! The reality far exceeded what we saw online: the room was spacious, clean, and beautifully arranged, and the staff was incredibly kind, welcoming, and attentive throughout our stay. It ended up being a truly lovely stopover — everything was great from start to finish. Thank you again, and congratulations to the team for this hidden gem that definitely deserves more recognition!

Very nice family that make you feel very welcome in their home. The location is a close walk to the Chocolate Hills which means you can beat the crowds if you go there in the early morning. We reached the viewing platform at 7:30am and had the place to ourselves. The food is amazing, which is great because the location is relatively remote, but that's what we liked about it most. I think you can rent a motorbike if you like to venture out on your own. We had Bernard show us around the island for a very reasonable price. I highly recommend this. He showed us some hidden gems of Bohol that you won't see with a regular tour guide. Cheers to you, Bernie! And to your lovely family. See you next time.

The hosts are really friendly and help with recommendations and even took us to the bus stop in Carmen so we could continue our journey. There is a „private“ chocolate hill in 20-30 min walking distance. We watched the sunset there and it was absolutely stunning.

Because of the open second floor (the hallway continues on to the balcony) there were some ants, moskitos and once a spider in the hallway and ground floor. The room also doesn’t shut sealed. We didn’t have a problem with that but if you are afraid of insects maybe this isn’t for you.

An excellent choice for those visiting the Chocolate Hills. A 15 minute walk from one of the main viewing platforms. A nicely laid out property. The general areas were kept spotless. The bedroom was very clean and a good size. Bed was comfortable with a nice, firm mattress, but the frame was a little squeaky! Free coffee on request. The staff were lovely, always smiling and friendly. Breakfast was tasty. Would happily recommend to others.

Perhaps they could have a mini-fridge in the bedroom to keep drinks cold. It is a B&B so no evening food available. Perhaps they could provide a small evening menu. There are a few small restaurants a 10 min walk away. At night you have to walk back along an unlit road and my superstitious Filipina girlfriend was scared of mumus! So, perhaps they could offer a tuk tuk service.

Staying at this place in the middle of nature was such a peaceful break — surrounded by forest, it felt like a little jungle hideaway. The hosts were absolutely lovely, super welcoming and always ready to help. Bernardo’s tips made the whole experience even more unique — we got to explore places we wouldn’t have found on our own. You can also rent a motorbike or arrange taxis directly with them, which made everything so easy. Bonus: the food on site was delicious. If you’re looking for something quiet and authentic on Bohol, this is the spot!

This is a Genuine review as other places have offered money to leave a good one. We arrived at Casa Aguelo and were taken back by the scenery, nestled quietly in the middle of the chocolate hills and only 5 minutes to the main view point. The building itself was the cleanest and well built property we’ve stayed in whilst travelling the Philippines and the food was fantastic (The Host went out to buy fresh produce for every meal). The staff were very accommodating and helpful, a small family run business definitely worth visiting. The Host offered to take us on a private tour of the island visiting local sites away from all the tourism. He did so in his own state of the art pick up truck offering to let us take a ride in the back (open air) where we were given a panoramic view as we drove. He spoke to us about the many things Bohol had to offer and let us create our own itinerary. He spent the day from 08:00am until 18:00 showing us the beautiful wildlife, private waterfalls and introducing us the locals and showing us the true bohol. After all this he drove us all the way down to Panglao island over two hours away to our next destination. He was the best company and explained everything and anything he could about the culture and places we’d visited along the way. What we paid was better than reasonable compared to the price of the more commercial tours scattered all over Bohol. We are a family of three backpacking and staying in hostels, beach huts etc and only visited here on a recommendation (so glad we did). I’ve kept in touch with Bernard and will be bringing along other family members next time. Experience the Real Bohol at Casa Aguelo giving a 5* all day long. Sad to leave and wish we’d had more time with the family, two days just wasn’t enough. Thank you Bernard x

The fact we weren’t there long enough

Me and my boyfriend stayed here for only one night, but we had the best night so fare and we’re been traveling for 3 months now.!!! The area around the house were so beautiful and the people there were just amazing. They were so sweet, they invented us to have dinner with them at their family’s house and afterwards to a local party. Best experience in entire Philippines!!! This stay is a must! You’re going to have a 10/10 experience. 12/10 starts. Literally you can’t find a more perfect place to stay in bohol.

The location of the house indeed is just near the hills, though limestone hills are actually scattered around the island. There are several hangout places in the house such as the living room, dining room and even the terrace which are very suitable for a group of, say, seven people or so. Solo and group travellers can take advantage of the other services offered by the host. A tip: you may ask the host for suggestions on the 'hidden gems' of the island as the host can also be hired as a local guide. You can also rent a motorcycle from them or even ask them to go on a trip using their pick-up truck, for a fee.

I was not able to try this, but if you prefer to eat food other than what's on their menu, I think you can always ask the host to acquire the ingredients and cook it for you, just in case you want to try something else.