Mangolay is exactly what it says, a Garden of Eden. Located in lush jungle, minutes from the ocean, it is a work of love, art and extreme sense of beauty and design. Paul is the host that makes you feel like you are a family, not a traveler passing through. As much as we all know perfection does not exist, Mangolay has proved me wrong. It left both my daughter and I speechless and in awe wondering through the water garden, with every scented flower I am familiar with and many more I've never heard of, with water fountains, benches, pieces of art... Every single thing in Mangolay is a product of love and careful consideration, nothing is by accident placed there and everything works to perfection together, harmonious, peaceful and gracious, just like our hosts.
The room is a place it is hard to leave, welcoming us with a fruit basket, delicious Kona coffee and the grinder, so we can have the freshest brew possible, box of chocolates, however unlike Forest Gump we knew they were delicious macademia nuts in dark chocolate, filtered water and then comes the bathroom with both indoor and outdoor shower decorated with the orchid !! Needless to say there are eco-friendly shampoos, soaps and anything else "just in case" we forgot.
Everything is sparkling clean and tastefully decorated with absolutely everything a tired traveler may hope to be pampered with.
Lulled to sleep with the scents of flowers Paul picked for us giving us the tour of the place, from gardenias, ylang ylang, orchids and many more, as well as the sounds of the jungle where the scariest creature is a gold fish in a pond.
The pool is there to be shared with the our gracious host, as well as the beach towels, snorkelling gear and the glass of wine, kindly offered upon our arrival. Paul shared all the "cool" places to visit, unknown to the public, which should remain so, but we are beyond grateful for all the tips we got.
All I can say is Paul has created a slice of heaven that he is sharing with the lucky ones that come to stay at Mangolay, but his quiet, knowledgeable, kind personality just completes the experience and makes it perfect!
Thank you, Paul ! xx