Belmont Hotel Boracay — Hotel in Malay

We recently stayed at Belmont Hotel in Boracay, and overall, it was a mixed experience with both positive and negative aspects to consider.

Pros: • Comfy Rooms: The rooms at Belmont Hotel are spacious, offering plenty of room to relax and enjoy your stay. The interiors are modern and well-maintained, making it a comfortable retreat after a long day of exploring. • Lovely Staff: The staff members are friendly and accommodating, always ready to assist with any requests. Their hospitality made the stay more pleasant overall. • Hop and Drop Free Shuttle Service: The hotel offers a free shuttle service that runs to key areas in Boracay. It’s convenient for guests who want to explore without the hassle of taxis or walking long distances. • Convenient Location: While the hotel is a bit secluded, there are a few shops and restaurants within walking distance, making it easy to find basic necessities or enjoy a casual meal nearby.

Cons: • Breakfast: The breakfast spread was quite limited. There was only one egg station, which got busy during peak hours. Additionally, the only coffee available was filter coffee, and guests had to pay extra for a cappuccino or other specialty coffees. Even more surprising was that bacon was also an extra charge, which was disappointing for a hotel of this standard. • Secluded Location: While the location offers peace and quiet, it’s far from the popular stations and prime spots like White Beach. If you enjoy being in the heart of the action, this might not be the best place for you. The peacefulness can feel isolating at times. • Dirty Beach: Unfortunately, the beach near the hotel was not well-maintained. We took a walk to the famous Keyhole Cliff, and there was an alarming amount of plastic and rubbish floating in the sea and scattered on the sand. It was disappointing to see such a beautiful location tarnished by litter. • Restricted Beach Area for Muslims Only: One of the most off-putting aspects of my stay was the restricted area on the hotel’s private beach designated for Muslims only. This was not clearly communicated when booking, and it created unnecessary limitations on where guests could sit and enjoy the beach.

Regarding the beach seating, there were loungers set up behind a large windbreaker in the shaded area. However, this meant guests had to sit facing the windbreaker, which wasn’t ideal. In front of the windbreaker, there were loungers lined up very tightly together, like a tin of sardines, and they were also shaded. We tried to move our loungers further down the beach to catch some sunshine, but we were told to move them back because they weren’t in line with the flag marking the Muslims-only area. This situation was confusing and uncomfortable, as it wasn’t clear where we could and couldn’t sit. It detracted from our ability to relax and enjoy the space.

Overall Experience: While Belmont Hotel offers some conveniences, such as comfy rooms, lovely staff, and a good shuttle service, the issues with breakfast, the location being far from key areas, and the uncomfortable beach experience left much to be desired. If you’re looking for a quiet, less busy spot to stay, this might be suitable for you. However, if you’re looking for a more lively atmosphere and a more relaxed beach experience, I’d suggest exploring other options on the island.

TIP: The La Meza Romantic Dinner at Belmont Hotel offers a truly unforgettable dining experience, available at an additional cost. Set against the stunning backdrop of the beach or indoors in the event of bad weather, this intimate dinner is thoughtfully arranged to create a magical atmosphere. The setup is beautifully designed, with soft lighting, elegant table settings, and a serene environment that enhances the romance of the evening. The service is exceptional, with attentive staff ensuring that every detail is perfect, allowing you to fully enjoy this special,...

Belmont Hotel Boracay - a based on experience travel guide

Travel Period: May 12 - May 14, 2022 | Thursday to Saturday | 2 pax

Check-in Schedule - accepts early check-in if there are available rooms. Normal check-in is at 3:00 pm. We were able to check-in around 1:00pm since our room is available.

Safe space - If you are someone looking for space to breathe and rest this hotel is for you. There are security personnels in every area.

Convenient Store - they have 7/11 convenient store for budgetarian options. However, this branch does not serve rice meals such as sisig meals, giniling meals (yet, I just hope soon they will). Better yet bring your own lunch or just rice, canned goods are available.

Unscheduled Power interruption - there were 3-4 occurrences within our stay period, but don't panic. Haha! I really have to call their front desk because of this. It will be back quickly.

Requests - as someone new to a hotel booking. I did maximize requesting for the things we need, such as extra towel, door mat, spoon and forks accompanied by plate, and especially extra coffeee! They are provided by their house keeping team. Don't attempt to request for extra pillow. This one has extra charge of 70 pesos. If you can afford, why not? 😂

Bonus: We are entitled for four bottled water a day. You just have to request it. Upon arrival there are 2 mineral bottled water inside the mini fridge.

Breakfast - our package includes everyday breakfast but since we were late for breakfast for day 1, we only have the chance to avail it for 2 days. Eat early as early as 6:00am to avoid the crowd. (We had this one after our sunrise tour) We eat late during our last stay around 9:00am to save money. Since we are to check out at 12:00nn.

Sunrise Tour - be mindful of the sunrise time during your stay. Their standard time is at 6:00am. However, during our stay the sunrise is around 5:30am so we were advised to be at their lobby around 5:00am. This is I think one of the edge of booking at this hotel, your access to keyhole and great sunrise view.

Weather - I have been monitoring the weather in Caticlan before our travel, since the news said there will be a rainy weekend in Visayas. Suppeeeer, thankfully, the weather is all good.

Beach time schedule - we went to their beach around past 5:00pm but quarter to 6:00pm we are advised to leave already. We were like, "ay, bitin". Be there earlier to avoid inconvenience. We understand that it is a safety measures.

Activity - There will be a lot of walking around the area. If you are a cyclists you may rent their available bikes. In our package, this is included but due to time constraints, we were not able to use it. Also, kayaking is also included but we were not able to avail. You can try their gym as well and spa. Just check the availability.

Internet Connectivity - upon arrival the front desk will provide you with wifi credentials. You have to login. It just happened we disconnected our devices while charging and we are not able to connect it back. I'm trying to forget the network but it seems my device does not have an option. I used my data instead. Smart data connection is good and stable within the area.

Safety Protocols - the people are following safety protocols such as wearing of face masks, alcohols at their lobby and social distancing guides.

Savoy Hotel - you also have an access to Savoy hotel's pool area.

People - well, the chikka is legit! As I read lot of feedbacks, the service is outstanding. The people are super friendly! They will initiate to take a picture of you. As we drop off the hotel, (as in pagka lapag ko ng maleta, may sumalubong na agad para buhatin for you) I know it's part of their job, but you can see and feel that they are doing it as natural as they are) Every time they will see you along the way, they will greet you. As in!...

I have mixed feelings about our stay here. I opted for this newly developed "town" for a "quieter" and more relaxing stay in Boracay whereupon I discovered ClubAccess in the course of making a reservation. I used vouchers for a complimentary night stay, 50% off for the rest of our rooms and nights, and complimentary upgrade.

Reasons to stay here and go back are: (a) it has its own beach coves offering a quieter and less crowded beach experience; and (b) the bar by the beach and street food setup is chill.

Other nice reasons (but not compelling enough to bring me back) are: (c) access to facilities of "sister" hotel- Savoy. We were able to swim in their beautiful swimming pool and dine at their Cafe. I will review this separately; (d) vast expanse of the place waiting to be explored by running, biking, or just walking; (e) daily view and easy access to the sea and keyhole through the promenade; and (f) proximity to Puka Beach.

Given these great reasons, what would keep me away? I'd rethink about returning because throughout our stay, I felt that I had to be flexible and adjust my activities to avail of the hotel's services and avoid unnecessary expense.

(a) Shuttle service - This service is provided free of charge because Belmont is 15-minutes ride away from D-Mall and the White Beach. Despite having enlisted for time slots we wanted and arriving before the appointed time, we were unable to ride when unlisted guests took our seats. Belmont shuttled us but this set our activities back by 30 minutes. They made it up to us by waiving the late checkout fee.

Do I blame the guests - partly. But then on a fully booked hotel with 422 rooms, the Shuttle service of 3 vans seating 14 guests per van at 1-2 hour intervals is simply not enough. Guests wouldn't and shouldn't be competing for seats if there were enough Shuttle rides - either more frequent (every 30 minutes) or more than 3 vans! As guests are required to reserve, Belmont knows the number of guests requiring transportation. They could, in fact, open new time slots just to accommodate all guests. Instead, they make their guests wait or pay their way through etrike or private service. There is also a different scene at the pickup point which must be managed, too. I have more things to say about this but the point has been made. 1 star for this Shuttle service system. It sucks.

Despite this rating, I applaud the Shuttle service crew for the valiant effort in keeping to the list and avoiding unpleasant scenes with guests. It is Belmont's policy that needs to change, especially on high occupancy instances.

(b) room amenities -- despite the booking confirmation stating "complete room amenities", our rooms lacked vanity sets (earbuds and cotton) and hand lotions. We had to request for these items which is quite disappointing. For a 4-star hotel, these amenities should be complete and replenished daily without having to ask for it. We had room rubber slippers which we were not sure if they were sanitized at all. Am all for reusing but would at least like to know that the slippers were sanitized.

(c) breakfast buffet - I was disappointed that the main dishes only offered rice, pancit (with almost just noodles), a veggie dish, then 2 meat options. Being in an island, dried fish was sorely missing. The bread selection is good; but cheese was nowhere in sight. No bacon as well. Sad. Pickled carrots was delicious, though.

(d) sunrise tour - scheduled at 520am, and asked to be at the lobby by 510am. Actual sunrise on that day was 615am. Hmmm - some time adjustment, perhaps. We left the hotel at 530am.

So overall - 3 star rating. If they get the Shuttle service right, this would be an ideal place to stay in. Staff are generally courteous...