After thirty years running restaurants in London, our cofounder Stephen Phillips found himself in a very different kind of service industry, building a coworking space on a remote island in the Philippines.
The Coworking Values Podcast invited Stephen to talk about that jump, what happens when hospitality knowhow meets island infrastructure, power cuts, and the challenge of creating genuine community in a place best known for sunsets and snorkels.
Meet Steve, one of our founders and Chief Visionary Officer at Neighbors & Nomads Coworking Space ElNido
Building confidence before community
Before you can talk about collaboration or creativity, you need the lights to stay on.
In El Nido, reliable power and fibre internet are not luxuries, they are survival tools. Dual fibre connections, backup systems, and working air conditioning became our first priority. Only once people trusted that their video calls would survive a storm could the rest of the vision begin.
As Stephen says in the episode:
“You’ve got to give them confidence that you’ve worked that out.”
Real reviews, real people
Since opening, strangers knock on our door offering to sell us Google reviews. We say no every time.
Instead, we ask in person, usually on someone’s last day, when the experience is fresh and the relationship is real. If they say yes, we buy them a coffee as a thank you. It is small, human, and honest.
That approach has brought us something far more meaningful than numbers: over 100 five star reviews in six months, each written by someone who actually worked, ate, or laughed with us.
At Neighbors and Nomads Coworking Space in El Nido, we paid attention to every detail to ensure that you can focus on your work.
From table turns to long term trust
In restaurants you have ninety minutes to make an impression. In coworking, you might have ninety days. That time gives you space to build rapport, to make things right when they go wrong, and to surprise people with gestures they do not expect.
“We recredited a half day pass and sent a note,” Stephen recalls. “They did not ask for it, it just felt like the right thing to do.”
It is hospitality with more time and more heart.
The balancing act of island coworking
Running first world infrastructure in a developing economy is expensive. The café and rooftop bar are not extras, they are what keep the lights on.
Our goal has always been to make the space inclusive. Locals drop in for lunch or a beer, Manila professionals relocate for the season, and visiting remote workers find a community waiting for them.
Neighbors & Nomads sits somewhere between a social club, a coworking space, and a family kitchen. Each part sustains the others.
Why words matter
In the Philippines, “digital nomad” still carries its older meaning, drifter or wanderer. We prefer “remote worker.” It is a small change, but it helps locals see our guests as contributors, not tourists. The name Neighbors & Nomads asks a question we try to answer daily: can people passing through become part of the neighbourhood, even briefly?
We think they can.
What’s next
As high season approaches, we will see how our systems hold up under full capacity, the real stress test of any hospitality business. Whatever breaks, we will fix it with the same mindset that built it: ownership, empathy, and never stopping growing.
Listen to the full episode
🎧 “Do Restaurant Skills Work in Coworking?” on the Coworking Values Podcast with Bernie J Mitchell. Listen on Substack →
Bernie J Mitchell coworking Community Builder – Most coworking spaces are expensive libraries. He helps owner-managed spaces ৸150 build communities via email. = Citizens, not customers
Where is Neighbors & Nomads located? We’re based in El Nido, Palawan. Our Town Square site is open and our Lio site is planned. Both locations are designed for reliable work, good food, and a welcoming community.
Is the internet reliable for remote work? Yes. We use dual fibre connections with backup systems so you can trust that your calls, uploads, and deadlines won’t be interrupted.
Do you have backup power during outages? Yes. We plan around local power conditions and have backup solutions to keep the workspace running smoothly even during interruptions.
Do I need a membership or can I get a day pass? You can choose what suits you best. We offer day passes, weekly, monthly, and annual options. The café and rooftop bar are also open to everyone, even if you’re not coworking that day.
How do you handle Google reviews? We never buy reviews. We ask guests in person at the right moment, usually near the end of their stay, and we always let honest feedback speak for itself. We reached over 100 genuine five-star reviews in just six months.
Do you host community events? Yes. We run talks, workshops, rooftop socials, and cultural evenings to help locals and remote workers meet, share skills, and collaborate.
Do you use the term “digital nomad”? We prefer “remote worker” in the Philippines. The word “nomad” still has older connotations here, and we want our language to reflect respect for local understanding and modern work culture.
Where can I hear the podcast episode? You can listen to “Do Restaurant Skills Work in Coworking?” on the Coworking Values Podcast via Substack.
Thinking about remote work in the Philippines or planning time in El Nido? Neighbors & Nomads is designed to make island coworking simple, reliable, and inspiring. Here are some of the most common questions we get about our spaces, memberships, Wi-Fi, and community — plus a few about our recent podcast feature.
About Neighbors & Nomads
Where is Neighbors & Nomads located? We’re based in El Nido, Palawan. Our Town Square site is open and our Lio site is planned. Both are designed for reliable work, good food, and a friendly, community-driven atmosphere.
Is the internet reliable for remote work? Yes. We use dual fibre connections with backup systems so you can trust that your calls, uploads, and deadlines won’t be interrupted.
Do you have backup power during outages? Yes. We plan around local power conditions and have backup systems to keep the workspace running smoothly even during interruptions.
Do I need a membership or can I get a day pass? You can choose what suits you best. We offer day passes, weekly, monthly, and annual options. The café and rooftop bar are open to everyone, even if you’re not coworking that day.
How do you handle Google reviews? We never buy reviews. We ask guests in person at the right moment, usually near the end of their stay, and we always let honest feedback speak for itself. We reached over 100 genuine five-star reviews in just six months.
Do you host community events? Yes. We run talks, workshops, rooftop socials, and cultural evenings that help locals and remote workers meet, share skills, and collaborate.
Do you use the term “digital nomad”? We prefer “remote worker” in the Philippines. The word “nomad” still has older connotations here, and we want our language to reflect respect for local understanding and modern work culture.
