Infinity Resort

Infinity Resort is a four-star resort in Talipanan, Puerto Galera, built for days that can move from the water to the pool, the spa, or the restaurant without much ceremony. It suits divers who want more around them than a bed and a breakfast room, with a private beach, swimming pool, wellness facilities and several ways to fill an evening without leaving the property.

The tone is easy-going rather than precious. There is a bar for the sunset, karaoke when the evening takes that turn, and a garden and terrace for doing very little at all. English is spoken by the hotel team, so arranging the practical parts of your stay does not require a mime routine at reception.

Families and groups have plenty of room categories to work with, including family rooms, suites and villas. Couples can keep things simpler with a double room, while larger parties can look at villas sleeping up to six guests.

The resort is in Puerto Galera, at Talipanan on the Philippine island of Mindoro. It sits 7 km from the town centre, so this is a resort base rather than a town-centre address. You get a private beach on site, with sun loungers, parasols and beach equipment close at hand.

That distance from the centre matters in practical terms. The resort gives you its own restaurant, bar, café, pool, spa and activity options, while the concierge and excursion service can help arrange trips beyond the grounds. There is also on-site parking and vehicle hire for making your own way around.

The setting works best if you like returning to one base after a day out, rather than stepping straight into a busy town street. The private beach is there when you want salt water without making another plan, and the pool gives you a second option when the sea is not on the agenda.

The room range runs from straightforward standard accommodation to deluxe, executive and premium categories, then on to suites, cottages and villas. That gives you a useful choice of scale rather than one standard room dressed up in several names. A double room with a proper double bed suits a couple; twin-bed options make more sense when two divers are sharing without wanting to negotiate sleeping arrangements at midnight.

For families or groups, the family categories, quadruple rooms and villas are the practical end of the range. Villas are available for up to six guests, and some have three bedrooms. A Premier suite with a dining area gives you more space to spread out, while sea-view and balcony options put the view or fresh air into the room choice rather than leaving it to luck.

The useful recovery kit is strongest in the better-equipped categories: air conditioning, a fridge, safe, television, Wi-Fi, tea or coffee facilities and a private bathroom appear across several room types. Some also add a minibar, bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer and balcony. The exact equipment changes by category, so the room card deserves a proper look before booking; the label alone does not tell the whole story. Family rooms, bridal suites and room service are also part of the accommodation offer.

The Brae Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a menu drawing on Continental, Asian and Filipino cooking. That gives you a reasonably broad landing place after a day outside: familiar dishes if you want something uncomplicated, and local flavours when you are in the mood to eat where you are rather than pretending to be somewhere else.

Breakfast is included in the room rate. The restaurant covers the main meals, while the café handles the shorter stop when a full plate is more commitment than you can manage. Picnic lunches are also available, which can be useful for an excursion day when the schedule is set by boats, roads and tides rather than by your appetite.

There is one named bar: the Estuary Pool Bar. It specialises in cocktails and is positioned for the classic sundowner, with the pool doing the heavy lifting while you decide whether dinner can wait another ten minutes. A bar, a café and a restaurant make the food and drink setup fairly self-contained.

The Malasimbo Spa is the main reason to put the room key down and stay put. At 300 square metres, it offers massages, facials, a hammam, sauna, jacuzzi, mud baths, body wraps and a fish spa. Its treatment menu draws on local culture, which is more distinctive than the usual anonymous list of rub, steam and repeat.

There is also a fitness room and an outdoor pool, plus a private beach with loungers and parasols. Beach and pool towels are available, so the post-swim logistics remain mercifully simple. Snorkelling and water-sports equipment are part of the resort's leisure offer, while the terrace and garden cover the quieter end of the afternoon.

When you want something more active without turning the day into another expedition, the resort has billiards, darts, hiking and fishing. Excursions can include boat trips, islands, waterfalls, markets and snorkelling. Karaoke is available for the evening, because apparently a day in the tropics does not always end with an early night and a sensible glass of water.

The hotel offers airport transfers, other transfer services and vehicle hire, all arranged through the resort. The concierge and tour desk can help with excursions, while private check-in and check-out, express procedures and a wake-up service cover the less glamorous but genuinely useful parts of travelling. Check-out is at 11:00; early arrival and late departure can be requested.

Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, and air conditioning is part of the general facilities. An elevator and accessibility facilities make moving around easier, while laundry, ironing, luggage-safe arrangements and concierge services are available. Parking is on site, and an infirmary is available for basic medical needs.

The resort accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and Diners Club, with PayPal and bank transfer also available through its services. Power is 220 volts with Type A, B and C sockets. The front desk closes at 09:00, so keep that in mind if your arrival or return is late; the resort's transfer arrangements are best organised before you travel.