The Almont Beach Resort is located adjacent to the ferry port and on a hillside overlooking the Surigao Straits. It was just recently purchased in the summer of 2009 by the Almont Resort chain with its previous identity being the Maharlika Training Center and Beach Resort. The resort features both hillside luxury rooms and luxury appointed beach bungalows. Unfortunately, due to the massive upgrades and repairs being done during our last visit, we were unable to get any photos of the appointments of the beach bungalows considering they were still in the process of being renovated inside and out. I am sure, however, that they will be impressive and these bungalows are where we will be staying pending availability.

True to the cuisine at the Almont Inland Resort in Butuan, the food here is equally impressive and the dining area is split between inside air conditioned seating and open air terrace tables, all of which overlook the Surigao Straits where the American warships entered the Philippines during Gen. McArthur's infamous return in WWII. WiFi access is available and free at the restaurant. Meals are also offered in the same manner as in Butuan being available as a menu item or as a buffet at breakfast, lunch and dinner times. Room service is also free and I encourage you to utilize this amenity especially at breakfast..

Also true to form is the swimming pool which, in my opinion, outdoes the lagoon theme at the Almont Inland Resort in Butuan. The placement of this pool is perfect and very relaxing, not being too close to the noise and activity of the restaurant but within easy access to the rooms.

The hillside luxury rooms are all newly renovated with a modern decor and have the standard Almont amenities of mini-bar, refrigerator, cable TV, NDD & IDD telephones, hot & cold water showers, wakeup call, company doctor on call, massage service and we found that the WiFi signal from the restaurant was still strong enough to be accessed from the verandas adjacent to the rooms, a definite improvement over the Almont Inland Resort in Butuan where the WiFi was only available at the restaurant area.

The sand beach area is sufficient to allow easy access to swimming and snorkeling but beware that the current in the Surigao Straights created by the outgoing and incoming tides is very powerful and will have you exhausted just trying to stay in one place. If you want to swim or go snorkeling, I suggest you keep these activities limited to a timeframe starting 1 hour before to 1 hour after the high and low tides.

I was very excited to hear the news that Almont had opened a new resort in Surigao since the previous lodging of choice here, the Gateway Hotel in Surigao, was situated inland, had only 4 luxury rooms, the cable was often out-of-order, the restaurant and room service staff were often missing in action and the Gateway's amenities are no where near as nice as the standards set by the Almont Resort Chain, although they do have a decent pool. All things being said, our tour itinerary improved when Almont opened their resort in Surigao.

The resort offers the same services as in Butuan of safety deposit boxes, laundry/pressing, currency exchange, 24 hour room service, babysitting and others.