It was a pleasant stay!!!…read more First, remember that even though Kalibo is the biggest town in the area - - it's still the province. That being said - - we had an enjoyable stay. The hotel does have 5 floors with the 5th being the restaurant & banquet area - - and yes, there is an elevator. The hotel is in good shape. We had a king-sized room, which was nice & roomy. WiFi is good, but a little slow (but you're in the province). There was no safe in the room, but I do believe the front desk has a safety deposit box (ask to verify). There are CCTV security cameras around & we always felt safe. Our room came with breakfast, lunch, & dinner - - which we took advantage of & enjoyed. Mostly it was some sort of buffet which was tasty. We were there for the famous Ati Atihan Festival. We probably paid more than during the rest of the year, but really, it maybe our only time visiting the Festival. The location is pretty good. Really about a 5 minute tricycle ride to the boundary of the festival area. The staff was super friendly & helpful - - especially considering we knew nothing about the events of Ati Atihan. They got us a bag breakfast the morning we left & set-up our ride to the airport. FYI - they have a little spa on the ground level that does massages. Take advantage of this after walking all day around Kalibo. All in all, it looked like one of the best hotels in town & we would not hesitate booking here again. Enjoy.

Please do not try to order their Paella. The paella here is ridiculously tasteless. Not only that…read moredoesn't deserve the almost $20 price for its taste, texture and food presentation. The seafood on their paella is only 1 piece of shrimp and 2 small pieces of mussel. I almost collapse when I taste it and can't take that I paid for it.Actually of their food is pricey. The only good thing about this place is the beach. Will Never go back again.

Great atmosphere. Amazing beach ! Must stay hotel in Boracay !!! I love this place and the people…read moreare here to make sure you are taken care of.

One of the highlights of my Philippines vacation was our trip to Boracay. I was really pleased that…read moreI booked and stay at Mandala Spa and Villas, the place looked exactly the same as in the pictures. This place is a great place for relaxation and to be free from negative vibes outside the "real" world, even for a few days. Both the staff and location's serenity is very contagious. You will find yourself a 5 minute walk from boat station 3 at the quieter end of white beach. The Garden Villa that we booked is very spacious with a private garden at the back. The bathroom and toilet are a treat on its own with a rainforest shower and a very spacious bath area. They also served complimentary healthy buffet breakfast during our stay. There are also many spa treatments available but at additional cost, although they may throw one in for free if you are celebrating a special occasion! This is definitely a place that I can recommend to family and friends.

Philippines Review #3…read more During my first visit to Boracay with my ex and all the family, the oldest brother (and our tour guide) suggested we all go to Mandala Spa to take a look at this stunning property. We piled into a few different tricycles (a small motorcycle with a 2 (or maybe 3) person covered sidecar attached (the only transportation on Boracay). Once we reached the location, we were greeted by this impressive entry. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=xquwckI23ciwDT2oK3_ZUg We went to the main office, asked for a tour of the property and after about 10 minutes, one of the staff was showing us around. Wow, what a beautiful and serene property! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=3j9B-KSmAgHPBZNbnglfMw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=yAxkbYA26SfFwHTJWmqciQ During our tour we were shown the around the entire property, therapy pools, relaxation areas and massage rooms in addition to one of the beautiful luxury villas. Incredible! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=v3K3coDIBpTsa-tTF93_8w http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=KhPtEzmlvvmNrOl7wb-jig After our tour my ex and I decided to take advantage of being here and decided to get massages. While my ex was willing to have a massage in a room where others were also getting massages, I wanted the full luxury treatment and have my massage in a private villa. Sure it cost a little more, but at the time I really wanted to be pampered! After changing into a sarong in the... (locker room sounds too "high school" for this spa), my masseuse escorted me about 300 feet away to a private villa where my massage was to take place. At first I was instructed to sit in the chair out on the small patio while soaking my feel in the bowl and enjoying some relaxing warm tea. After 10 minutes she dried my feet and I moved to the massage table. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mandala-spa-and-resort-villas-malay?select=ys2pKMz0_nU0sy-fPkMruA For this massage I chose the 2 HOUR(!!) hot & cold stone massage. She used medium/large size black river rocks, that at first were hot, then chilled, between her hands and my skin as she worked the tension from my muscles. Long story short, this massage was absolutely sublime! OVERALL: Mandala Spa & Resort Villas offers numerous options for relaxation, healing, detox, diet and health spa treatments, as well as some incredible villas if you want the full get-away-from-it-all spa treatments. I highly recommend Mandala Spa to pamper yourself when on Boracay!

After an exhausting journey from the airport in Coron to Manila, then from Manila to Boracay…read moreAirport, followed by a shuttle to the boat, and finally another shuttle to our lovely hotel, we arrived. Whew! Just like in Coron, we were 15 sharing six rooms at the hotel. By the time we arrived, it was too late for us to enjoy the complimentary drinks. Unfortunately, my daughter and I never got the chance to return during our 4-day stay. My daughter and I stayed in a clean comfortable room that featured a queen bed and a twin bed, similar to the Zuri Hotel in Coron. However, the living area and bathroom were smaller, and our view of the old buildings wasn't as impressive. Despite this, we enjoyed our stay. The hotel was conveniently located close to the beach, restaurants, and shops. Each morning, breakfast was included at the Sapphire restaurant downstairs. The buffet offered a variety of selections, with some items changing daily while others remained the same. My family and I would sit on the patio overlooking the beach. Occasionally, we would hear someone shout "taho," one of my favorite Filipino desserts, and we would buy a few cups from him. The staff gave us a plate with a nice message with two small desserts every morning. Very sweet and thoughtful! What I liked most about this hotel was the Sky Pool. It offered a stunning view of the beach, and we enjoyed going up there during sunset--absolutely beautiful! The bar had friendly bartenders and an intriguing drink menu featuring items like Ube Colada, Blow Job, and Orgasm. They also offered a variety of food options, including nachos, calamari, BBQ chicken, and several main dishes. One of the best features of the pool was its consistent 4-foot depth, making it perfect for those of us who don't know how to swim. I could easily walk to the edge to take in the beach view and watch people on the sand.

Everything about our stay at the Henann Crystal Sands Resort was amazing. We used their transfer…read moreservice (from the airport to the hotel via speedboat and van) and it made everything much less stressful. A quick note that they charge ~$36 USD or ~$50 CAD for the round trip transfer which is considered a very luxurious price on the island. You can transfer from the airport to the hotel from much cheaper using other services, but if you have a little extra to splurge, this service, albeit on the very expensive side, can be worth it after a ~21 hour travel day. They will carry your suitcases and load the van, the boat, and then the van again before bringing it into the hotel for you. The check in process was smooth. We arrived around 11 AM and the room wasn't ready until 2:30 PM. In the meantime, we were given a complimentary drink voucher at their restaurant. We had time to explore the surrounding area before getting into our room. We were assigned a room on the first floor and couldn't open the balcony/window since the area was covered by plants for privacy. Everything about the property was clean. The morning breakfast buffet was amazing. They had a rotation going for the buffet items so we wouldn't be eating the exact same items daily. The selection was vast and it really helped us try some Filipino foods and delicacies without having to commit to an entire order at a restaurant. Our favourite dishes were the pork adobo and fresh cut papaya our Saturday morning breakfast. Other notable items were the pork belly, carbonara pasta, peach macaroni salad, and coconut fish. For drink selections, they offered apple/orange/mango juice, iced coffee, hot coffee, and cucumber lemonade. In addition to their buffet, their a la carte/room service menu offered some delicious food. We ordered a fresh mango and a Seafood Binakol at their swim-up sky pool bar. Delicious. Memorable. Everything was phenomenal. They gave us two beach towel cards that were redeemable at various pool towel stands on the property. The towels were very useful for when we decided to swim on the property, and participating in water activities. The greatest benefit was that all Henann resorts had the same green and blue striped pattern so we could exchange it at any of their properties (beneficial if we were exploring far away from our resort). The workers were very welcoming and polite. They would give Japan a run for their money in terms of hospitality. I would be open to staying here again or another one of their properties to see if it is as amazing as Crystal Sands.

We were supposed to stay with family but their room was full of stuff so that was fine, because the…read moretwo (2) choices were either The Marriott Courtyard, Richmonde Hotel (Malaysian based), or Seda (which is close to SM mall). I think Seda is a three (3) star hotel and it was a bit farther from our family member's house, so it was between Marriott and Richmonde. (Both 4 star hotels). Although the Richmonde is about 10 years old now, the recent pics looked like things were being maintained and the rooms were generally bigger than The Courtyard's. Moreover, the Richmonde was closer to our relative's home and it was slightly less expensive per night. Plus, plus, the restaurant downstairs (Granary) has an awesome breakfast buffet, which you have to gladly pay for and that was no biggie. So the die was cast and we booked it for eight (8) nights. Wow, this better be good, I thought, because we had a ton of pasalubong (that's gifts) and I wasn't in the mood for changing rooms or hotel. We requested the usual - a higher floor, mini-fridge, extra pillows, extra towels, hair dryer, etc., check, check, check!! We were promptly greeted and the porter brought our stuff upstairs and check-in was relatively easy. On the eight (8) floor, we had a view of the external space and pool, which is on the 7th floor. Yes, there were social media influencers doing their thing by the pool, making video clips and exercising. I should have brought my swim trunks and shame on me for forgetting that because the archipelago is compromised of 7,000 islands - duh!! Anyway, I really, truly enjoyed the buffet breakfast which had all my childhood memory triggering favorites such as - Tocino, Tapa, Longanisa, champorado, omelettes, cereal, yogurt, fruits, an assortment of bread and jams, cakes, brownies (Ube!!), and mediocre coffee - but the hot chocolate was decent. Not quite Carette (Trocadero) or Angelina (Jardin de Tuileres) but it was acceptable. The hotel was packed and they're making good money, there is a bahr area and that served as the overflow room for breakfast. And this was nice because it was like the Business Class section. As for the room, it was very spacious and I got to watch CNN and Fox News practically everyday. The AC was super cold, the water pressure was super strong and the water was very hot. The bed was just right (I felt like Goldilocks) and it was very quiet as the walls are really thick. The staff was very kind with the hand over their heart as they would say, "good morning," "good evening," etc. My negatives are not too brutal but here they are: - it's a tropical country so they need to have the AC on in the halls and inside the elevators. This is something to think about as they remodel the hotel for a refresh. - the coffee, just go to Starbuck's which is 20 yards away. Looking back, I had come here about seven (7) years earlier and had drinks with family and that was cool too, please see my pics. Maraming Salamat Guid Richmonde! (Thank you very much!)

During my six-day stay at Richomonde Hotel, I was consistently impressed by the staff's commitment…read moreto guest comfort. Their warm, hospitable nature was evident in their signature greeting, a respectful hand on the chest accompanied by a cheerful "good morning, good afternoon, or good evening." My stay was in a deluxe room with two single beds, buffet breakfast, wireless internet, and complimentary gym use (24 hours) and pool (7 am-8 pm). The bathroom was spacious, and I was delighted by the fancy metal button that flushed the toilet. On days when we were weary, we enjoyed the excellent room service. The infinity pool was phenomenal and clean, with fresh water, no chlorine smell, and a stunning view. They have parties at the poolside. I was privileged to experience the venue during a celebration. After waking up, I would go to the 7th floor and work out in their gym while my son did his 3-mile run on the treadmill to prepare for his first cross-country run when we returned to Southern California. They had free weights, machine weights, and two stationary bikes ( one did not work). They also had a beautiful garden to look at while we worked out. After working out, we headed to brunch. The Granary is the hotel's all-day dining restaurant. It serves various salads, bread, protein, rice, and desserts. The food is delicious, and my favorites are chicken inasal and the huge original ensaymada. I would pass on the carrot cake, though. For laundry service, I used Quelinis Laundromat. They picked up my laundry, and I paid a reasonable 200 pesos for two loads of laundry(color and white) and detergent, for a total of 415.00 pesos Monday through Sunday, 7:00 am to 6:00 pm. I also had two massage bookings. One was on the 7th floor; unfortunately, I booked one when they had an event on a Saturday night. Instead of relaxing, I heard the dance music as the music vibrated in my mind. But the 2nd massage was in my room. They set a wooden table in my room, where I enjoyed my massage. My only gripe in the Philippines is that they need disinfection wipes in the gym and massage area because they are not wiped down adequately. My stay at Richomonde Hotel was truly delightful, and I'm already planning my return next year! This hotel has become my new favorite spot in Iloilo, and I can't wait to experience its hospitality again.

I actually really enjoyed the San Antonio Resort... Yes, it's true that they do have one of their…read morepool under renovation but after hearing the full story, it all makes sense. Unfortunately, the contractor did a terrible job in the repair and it will be worked out ASAP with replacement of the tiles and the water... by the way their other swimming pool is spectacular, I like the way it has two different heights so the deeper pool is a cooler temperature and the shallow pool for when you want to just sit and lounge in some warm water is perfect.... nice variety of different loungers and different chairs for different seating options... They have some stone fish sculptures that turn into fountains... Enjoying the pool at night time is the best because they have neon lighting, fabulous music and a very festive atmosphere with much more happy vibes and happy customers....... The pool has a view of the lagoon in the backyard on the left side is the villas which is where we stayed with a direct view onto the Lagoon and on the right side evidently are all properties owned by the San Antonio . Some of them are privately Purchased and some of them are for rent rent mostly to Expats so we are going to consider that in future as well for the next visit... In the meantime, the staff honestly I don't think we've had such amazing customer service anywhere else and we've done in the Philippines for almost a month...... the free breakfasts are great and there's a variety every day which is nice because sometimes it's the same thing every day... Yesterday I had a nice noodle soup along with scrambled eggs and fried egg and rice and fish and today they had so much more exotic and interesting things as well as congee and pancit and different fish... The pool service staff the restaurant staff there are unbelievably attentive and friendly and helpful and they always go above and beyond the call of duty. We hung by the pool yesterday pretty much all day and the staff were always there when we wanted them and gave us privacy when we didn't need them.....the entire day, including all the drinks - 2 beers and 2 mojitos- and the delicious food we had homemade varieties of Chicharron, which we thought was just an appetizer size, but it turned out It was enough food for the two of us for a massive very filling lunch and it included pork knuckle which we've never had before.YUM!!!! When we got the bill It came to the equivalent of Canadian $25. For you Americans out there that's about $15. Unfortunately, I don't know why but in the Philippines when you pay with a credit card or just sign to your room there's never a place to add a tip, which is frustrating when you don't have any cash on you. So we said I apologize to the staff who totally seemed to not mind somehow I don't even know if you were in Canada you didn't Tip they'd be cursing and spitting on you... and then the next day we were checking out, but I left a nice personal note and a healthy tip to thank them for their service because they were amazing...

This resort seems to be on a downturn in its fortunes. Well built backing onto a little lake and…read morefronted by the sea on the devastated beach side across the Arnaldo Boulevard. The room we got was full of unnecessary small glitches: as usual in this country, little or no maintenance on services, and so the handyman had to come over several times to solve TV, shower pressure, etc. Too bad that a recent typhoon messed with their barkada huts, and that Covid-19 has been plaguing them just like the rest of us for 6 months now, as it's hard to get a good read on what their usual services are like... Their complimentary breakfast from the main hotel kitchen was only average and barely okay, but palatable. The spacious but smaller room was quite expensive at 2500 pesos, but better than most. Trying for 3-star hotel status is cool, but doesn't reach it: the grounds are weed-infested, and rust along the eaves tell the story of neglect for a long time. But we enjoyed our stay enough. The pool backing onto the little lake is very good. Clean and designed for families, it has 3 depth levels, and is pleasant enough. But the surrounding facilities - banquet hall, small convention area, playground with slides - all show more signs of long-term neglect. Cafe Felisa, a nice restaurant attached to the resort's motel-like wing is facing the highway, and is quite good. Their baby-back ribs with mashed potatoes and pasta were good, and the young man making the lattes and shakes is as good as any barista anywhere. Lucked out. As for other food venues, a few very good fresh seafood line the boulevard up the street: El Maria's has great fish, sea pod salad, oysters and angel-wing clams. The Indian and Korean restos were disappointing for different reasons, but you might like them. It seems that it's foreign-owned, as it's just too well built for most pinoy, but whomever the owner is, it's not looking good. Overall a good place to stay but next time we will try another beach strip hotel to see what is best for us... Check it out?

I LOVE BORACAY, PI. AND I LOVE THE DISTRICT BORACAY !!! They were the cherry on top with our stay…read more First off, flying to the PI from the US is long and on top of that taking another flight to Caticlan AND then a 15 min drive AND then a speed boat AND then another drive to the hotel!!! It's overwhelming just when you land in Manila. However, once we got to Caticlan the District takes care of everything else. At the arrival of meeting a District staff member at the airport I just felt so relieved knowing we can relax and be worry free. Staff reassured us we were going to be taken care of. All of the staff on the boat and cars were so welcoming and took photos of our landing. When we got to the hotel, we were welcomed with cold eucalyptus towels (which you're gonna want bc of the humidity) & a refreshing cucumber cooler drink ! Check in was an ease and we got to our room without much of a wait. Room is probably the better of the ones in station 2 with AC & tv with all streaming services. We get a cute balcony. They have night time getting ready turn around and fully daily room service. All inclusive breakfast buffet which changes daily and beach access chairs with umbrellas. My BF and I every day would walk the beach, get our seats, & the. swim/relax for the day. No need to claim as there is always plenty. They have a spa and it is fantastic ! We got 3 massages on our 5 day stay and shout out to Grace - hands of an angel! Best massages ever, with a variety to choose. They were well needed after our flight. They have a pool, but we avoided bc the beautiful beach is right outside the hotel. We did however sit by the poolside to escape the sun during peak hours. They have a very small basic gym, which had everything we needed. It was great to get our workouts in cause that's a part of our lifestyle. There's also three other restaurants in the hotel which was delicious. Higher prices compared to restaurants on the station, they deliver to the beach if you're sitting there. Try their Japanese restaurant, very fresh high quality fish. I will say the hospitality in the PI is 10/10 & the hospitality at The District was 100/10. They were on top of everything and always greeting with the smiles. Please make sure to tip them for all their excellent work (including transportation and staff assisting with luggage) !!! Boracay is a tourist destination, & the beautiful staff assist us with over the top service and they deserve so much for what they are actually paid!!! If you can afford to travel to Boracay, you can afford to tip the amazing service. If you're looking for a nice stay, celebrating a birthday, anniversary, honeymoon, etc stay here!!!

Staying at The District made my husband and I's Boracay trip extremely enjoyable from the minute we…read morelanded at the airport to checking out and leaving. They made our transportation experience from landing at the airport, taking a boat to the island, and transport to the hotel very seamless. All of the staff is friendly and welcoming and the overall hotel is clean. We enjoyed their spa and really took advantage of it and went twice during our stay and enjoyed each session. It was definitely a soothing and relaxing massage especially from all the walking and being out in the hot sun. The beach is literally footsteps from the hotel making it super convenient and the hotel is located at station 2 making it a great location that is near Dmall and various other restaurants, stores, and more. If I were to ever return to Boracay, I'd definitely stay here again!

Rooms are smaller than average but clean. If you're alone or with someone, i think the space is…read moresufficient but there's not a lot room left for stuff. Not ideal if you have kids, if you ask me. The breakfast buffet is great since there are plenty of options. Both American and Filipino dishes are readily available. Location is ideal as well. Lots of restos nearby if you want to explore other cuisines.

I believe this is also owned by the same hotel we stayed at in Manila. Great staff as I mentioned…read moreand are very helpful. Housekeeping is average but are attentive to our requests as far as amenities. Laundry service is also available but kind of pricey even in thinking dollars. The best part though is the breakfast buffet and they change it up every day. It starts from six in the morning until 10am. This place is still new and pretty popular to tourists or visitors in this city. The downside and you thought I was finished-nope! Restroom does not have a fan that circulates the air after showers. Nothing airs out bcs there are no windows. Moisture will not clear out or keeps everything in it kind of wet. The solution for this is to keep the shower door open and the main bathroom door open to air out. It helps-trust me. Beds are full beds and very comfortable too. I had a pleasant stay here as well. If you don't have a driver, GRAB is familiar with this hotel for pickup and drop off. Make sure you have enough load in your GRAB account. Overall, this hotel is pretty amazing. The only comment I have is that, they use too much freshener. It's very strong especially for people who are sensitive too smile. I think they can tone it down to halfway and milder scent. Otherwise, this place is perfect for a more pleasurable, comfy experience. It's Pretty close to SM shopping mall to and walking distance to other restaurants and shopping areas. I would stay here again. Book in advance for best rates.