Rene's Resort

Rene’s Resort: A Small Family-Run Stay on Pangangan Island

Rene’s Resort sits in Barangay Lomboy on Pangangan Island, part of Calape municipality on Bohol’s northwestern coast — the same barangay and island as Isla Hayahay Beach Resort a short distance away, making this stretch of Pangangan’s shoreline home to more than one small resort despite Calape’s generally modest accommodation footprint. Until a rebrand before April 2026, the property operated under the name Rene’s Diverslounge Resort, a name that more directly signaled its original focus on dive travelers heading out to Cabilao Island.

The Accommodation

Rene’s is a small, 2-star property built around a garden and a private beach area rather than a large-scale resort complex. Rooms include free WiFi and free private parking, with some rooms offering a balcony and an electric tea pot — modest but useful touches for a budget-to-mid-range property. Breakfast is included daily, with a la carte, continental, or American options, giving guests some choice beyond a single set menu.

Ownership and Hospitality

Reviewers consistently single out the owners, Rene and Jelou, for the quality of the hosting — a level of personal attention typical of a small, owner-operated resort rather than a managed chain property. That owner-run model is common across Bohol’s smaller coastal accommodations, and it tends to produce exactly the kind of guest feedback Rene’s receives: fewer amenities than a larger resort, but more direct, personal service.

Dining

The on-site restaurant and grill serve straightforward Filipino and grilled fare, in keeping with the property’s modest scale; specific menu items beyond the standard breakfast options are not documented in available sources.

Diving and the Reef

The resort’s original name pointed to its core draw: proximity to Cabilao Island, a well-regarded dive destination a boat ride from this stretch of coast, known for coral cover and a high abundance and diversity of reef fish. Guests base themselves at Rene’s specifically to dive Cabilao’s sites rather than to dive directly off Pangangan, and the property arranges car rental for guests wanting to explore the mainland between dives. Snorkeling directly off Pangangan is also popular, drawing on the same conservation-designated waters — the island carries marine-conservation status, and the waters off Barangay Lomboy specifically hold a documented fish sanctuary — that support Isla Hayahay’s snorkeling offering nearby.

Reviews and Standing

On Booking.com, Rene’s Resort carries a Wonderful score of 9.3 from 36 reviews — a strong rating, though the comparatively small review count reflects the resort’s modest size and lower profile relative to larger Bohol properties. Its published starting rate in this site’s pricing data is an estimate of roughly ₱7,400 a night, built from a small set of comparable coastal Bohol beach-town properties with a similar guest rating rather than a confirmed live figure for Rene’s itself — worth checking against a live quote on Stay22 or Booking.com before booking, since destination-specific pricing data for Calape properties is thinner than for busier parts of Bohol.

Economic Context

Rene’s operates in a segment of Calape’s economy that has almost nothing in common with the municipality’s fishing, coconut farming, and highway-commerce base: a family-owned, dive-oriented resort catering to a niche of divers and snorkelers drawn specifically to Cabilao Island and Pangangan’s protected waters, rather than to Calape’s church, port, or craft-industry visitors. That niche is a small but real slice of Bohol’s dive-tourism economy, distinct from the larger, more developed Panglao dive scene and dependent on a much smaller volume of specialist travelers who already know to look past Panglao for a quieter dive base.

ESG Note

The resort’s draw depends directly on the health of Cabilao’s reef and Pangangan’s protected waters, which places its long-term interests in line with the conservation status already covering the area — a fish sanctuary off Lomboy and marine-conservation designation for the island as a whole. This profile did not locate any specific published sustainability practices, waste-management systems, or conservation partnerships for Rene’s Resort itself; guests interested in the property’s environmental practices should ask directly.

Who This Suits

Rene’s fits divers heading to Cabilao Island who want a small, personally run base rather than a large resort, and travelers who value direct owner hospitality over amenity count. It’s a weaker fit for guests wanting a wide restaurant menu, resort-scale facilities, or a short transfer from the airport, given the roughly 37-mile road distance to Bohol–Panglao International Airport.

Getting There & Booking

From Tagbilaran City, Calape is roughly 30–40 minutes by bus or van via the coastal highway northwest, with buses from Dao Terminal bound for Tubigon or Clarin passing through town. Bohol–Panglao International Airport is roughly 37 miles (about 60 km) away by road. From Calape proper, Pangangan Island and Barangay Lomboy are reached by road across the Pangangan Causeway — no boat crossing required — with habal-habal covering the final stretch to the resort. Book through Stay22 or Booking.com for real-time availability and confirmed rates.