Wednesday, March 9, 2011

La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel Review

Beat and worn out from our long journey from Kalibo (where our plane landed), it was with great anticipation and relief when we were finally able to reach our home away from home for the next 4 days – La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel.


Located in the populous Boracay Station 2, La Carmela de Boracay offers standard accommodations at budget friendly prices for the average Boracay visitor.  We were actually quite lucky enough to score a PAL package which includes air and land transfers plus accomodations for 4 people for around Php6,000+ only.  (FYI, that was during the slow, off-peak season.  Not sure for now, though.  A complete list of the hotel's packages and accomodations, are included in their website.)

However, don’t expect any 5-star hotel experience here.  If you are the type who goes to Boracay to lay around the sand the whole day long; and just need a place to park your stuff and sleep at night, then La Carmela de Boracay is an ok place to stay.

Upon checking in, you are greeted by their friendly, accommodating staff.


From what I can tell, this hotel has two different types of accomodations - the budget-friendly one and the more expensive area.  But isn't having 2 different reception areas for each section a bit too much?  Since our tickets were part of a package, we were, of course, housed in budget. 

Welcome drinks are so-so, obviously powdered juice mix, but cold enough to combat the warm Boracay weather.
Eight o'clock, anyone?

Rooms are basic enough, consisting of 2 twin-sized beds; the usual TV, safe and vanity tables; and a very bare functional bath.



I do have a bone to pick about the room for a number of reasons:

1. Our shower head was broken, which they said they could not replace immediately.

2. Shampoos are not refilled during your entire stay. Pity for me as I tend to drown my hair in shampoo and conditioner after bathing in the ocean (I hate sticky dry hair! So sue me!) Good thing I always bring my gigantic stash of Palmolive shampoo and conditioner (selfless plug! =D.)

3. There are water dispensers along the hallways, but surprisingly, the hotel does not provide you with drinking glasses. What we did, instead, was we bought bottles of mineral water from an outside store and used those as our personal containers after.

4. The view was horrific! We had our own balcony, but would you believe it was facing the wall?! Apparently, Boracay is starting to become so overdeveloped that accommodations keep on popping up everywhere, leaving very little space in between establishments, hence the need to put up concrete walls. Hay!


Breakfast was standard ala-carte fare as well. No buffet breakfast, as our La Carmela de Boracay accommodations came bundled with our PAL tickets.

Yum?

Of couse, the ever present powdered juice drink is duly present

You could choose to eat in their buffet area for an additional fee (I believe it was around Php250 that time.) We did try it for a few breakfasts and dinners.  Fare was basic, consisting of around 2 to 3 viands, but it was a nice welcome change from the set ala-carte meal we endured for the first few days.

Other than those mentioned, in my opinion, this hotel’s saving grace would be their ever efficient and friendly staff.  It was also nice that they have a small pool where you can do laps (yes. As weird as it sounds, I do not swim much in the beach and prefer to do my swimming in pools. Hehehe!)


La Carmela de Boracay is very average in my book. But as I’ve said, if you’re only looking for basic accommodations, then this place is sufficient enough.

***

La Carmela de Boracay
Beachfront, Station 2, Balabag
Boracay Island, Malay
Aklan, Philippines
(036) 2885423 / 2884376

For inquiries, please visit their website at http://www.lacarmeladeboracay.com/ or e-mail them at info@lacarmeladeboracay.com.

5 comments:

  1. Oh is it carmela de boracay? I never stayed there, how much per night there?

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  2. @Boracay Resorts: I can't remember exactly but I think it was around $K or 6K per night. You can also check out their website at http://www.lacarmeladeboracay.com/ =)

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  3. Carmela de boracay is nice! I like the pool it's very clean. Thank you so much for sharing and posting some photos and significant information. Well done keep it up.

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  4. It's actually one of the most luxurious hotels in boracay. Very nice and clean. Worth staying indeed.

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    Replies
    1. As mentioned in the post, we stayed in the budget side of the hotel. If it is luxurious, then I guess we would have to take your word for it since you apparently deal in this business and would have better access to all other hotels in the area. =)

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