South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection has opened Bohol's first luxury wellness spa, aiming to attract both local and international tourists seeking traditional Filipino wellness practices.
The spa, named Lola Sanctuary, blends heritage-inspired treatments with modern design and uses botanicals grown on the farm in its wellness offerings. This follows the August opening of the 188-room luxury resort, developed by the tourism arm of the UE-led Alturas Group of Companies and managed by French hospitality chain Accor.
“The new space draws on the region's deeply rooted healing traditions to create an experience that is restorative and culturally resonant,” the resort said in a statement Wednesday.
One of the key treatments, Hilod Delise, is a 90-minute ancestral body-purification ritual. Asin TibukTraditional sea salt from Bohol combined with lemongrass and virgin coconut oil.
“We wanted to preserve Bohol's ancestral healing traditions while presenting them through a sophisticated, contemporary lens,” said Danish Khan, general manager of South Palms Resort & Spa Panglao – MGallery Collection.
The spa features an open-air reception surrounded by PandanLemongrass, and fruit trees, where guests can enjoy detox juices and herbal teas.
According to the resort, “Each treatment reflects the knowledge passed down from generations of Filipino healers, blending botanicals grown at South Farms with techniques that balance authenticity and refinement.”
The spa complements the resort's other luxury offerings, including beachside yoga sessions and a fitness studio. Guests can also learn about Bohol's traditional salt-making practices through the resort's cultural immersion activities, called “M Moments.”
South Palms MGallery Panglao is Accor's second luxury MGallery property in the Philippines. It is located within the 50-hectare Panglao Shores Estate, which is slated for future residential and commercial development.
In the Philippines, Accor operates hotels in Metro Manila and Visayas under brands such as Fairmont, Raffles, Pullman, Mercure and ibis Styles. , Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
