Million-peso views are everywhere you look. If beachfront isn't the be-all and end-all, this is one of the top places to stay in El Nido. Up a steep hill and steps, four villas feature terracotta floors, high ceilings, teak decks with hammocks, and flat-screen TVs. It also has a small pool and lounge area, but no bar or restaurant.
If you just have to be on the ocean, the French owner also runs Mahogany Beach (www.elnido-mahogany.com) resort down on Corong Corong Beach, with eight villas in a similarly tasteful style.