Golden Phoenix Hotel Boracay — Hotel in Malay

In our recent visits or whenever we visit Boracay, our go-to place has always been Astoria Current. It’s a favorite for its charm and comfort. But this time, we were a bit late snagging the best deal there. So, we turned to Agoda to explore other options. After narrowing down to three choices, we finally decided to book at Golden Phoenix Hotel—mainly because it’s just right beside Astoria Current.

Booking was a breeze. A quick phone call and everything was set. We arrived on June 16, but honestly, the welcome at the front desk felt pretty routine—business as usual, if you will. They accommodated us, but the warm, “extra mile” customer service we hoped for was missing.

We got there around 10 a.m., tired and a bit hungry, so we headed straight to their beachfront restaurant. The place was bustling with staff, but one particular team member stood out—he made us feel genuinely welcome. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch his name, but if it weren’t for his kindness, this review might have been much less positive.

After breakfast, we returned to the lobby around 11:30 a.m. to wait for our check-in. It seemed the management had a strict policy on early check-ins, charging a hefty Php 3,500 if you wanted to check in before the official time—almost like paying for a full extra day! So, we decided to wait until 1:30 p.m.

While waiting, we witnessed an unpleasant scene—a customer was complaining about the hotel’s service because something they paid for wasn’t delivered. The front desk’s response was dismissive, offering poor excuses rather than solutions. It was tough to listen to, and I really felt for the guest whose concerns went unresolved.

Thankfully, when we finally checked in, everything we booked on Agoda matched what we received. The room was comfortable, though the air-conditioning unit definitely needed a good cleaning. We reported it to the staff but never heard back, which was disappointing and added to my growing impression that their customer service had some issues.

Breakfast was another letdown. Aside from my kids, I noticed other guests seemed unimpressed with the menu. Perhaps it’s because we booked the most affordable deal, but it did leave something to be desired.

All in all, despite the hiccups with customer service, the air-con, and breakfast, our stay was peaceful and restful. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make a big difference, and hopefully, Golden Phoenix Boracay will take note and improve for...

February 18, 2025

Reference ID 271-3982920

Booking ID 824819142

Hotel Manager Boracay Golden Phoenix Hotel Boracay Island, Philippines

Subject: The Mysterious Case of the Missing Second Room

Booking ID: 824819142 February 18, 2025 - February 21, 2025

Dear Hotel Manager,

I hope this letter finds you well and with a sufficient number of keys at your disposal. Unfortunately, during my stay at Boracay Golden Phoenix Hotel (Booking ID: 824819142, February 18–21, 2025), I was informed that my companion and I would have to share a single room key because the hotel was “fully booked.” Now, I may not be an expert in hotel operations, but I fail to see the direct correlation between a full hotel and the apparent extinction of key cards. Was there a sudden key shortage I wasn’t informed about? A global key crisis, perhaps?

As much as I appreciate the unplanned team-building exercise of synchronizing our movements to avoid locking one another out, I must say that this policy—or oversight—has added a level of inconvenience that is less "golden phoenix" and more "puzzling dilemma." Surely, in the grand history of hotel management, someone must have considered that two people staying in a room might, on occasion, want to leave and return separately?

I would love to hear a logical explanation for this policy because, quite frankly, the one given doesn’t quite hold up. If this is indeed a permanent feature of your hotel's services, may I suggest including it in your booking confirmation? Something like: “Warning: Guests must travel in pairs at all times. Solo activities are discouraged unless one is willing to nap in the hallway.”

That being said, I would appreciate a reconsideration of this practice and a more accommodating approach in the future. Please let me know how you plan to address this matter, as I would love to visit Boracay again—but with the revolutionary convenience of my own room key.

Looking forward to your response and, hopefully, some enlightenment on the Great Key Shortage of 2025.

Best regards,

Rachelle Raquino

Rodelyn Caldito...

Pros: located in Sta.3 that iS calmer/quieter, Front beach Visited during n October wherein the beach iS so clean and calm weather One of the cheapest hotel that iS front beach, with long Pool(not heated but its fine) and buffet simple Filipino breakfast. Room small 2 Bottled water but I hope they have water dispenser for refill. If not mistaken it only takes 10-15 minutes walk in the front beach if you want to Go to Dmall. Pillows are so fluffy. Bathroom CR are so bright that is great for girls to DO their make up. Strong hot/cold water pressure in rooms Ref and heater are also available Many restau and convenience stores nearby Staffs are helpful and they always wear a smile🙂

Cons: 1.Hallways are dark, most hallway lights are turned off maybe they are cost cutting as many rooms are vacant. Many rooms are vacant and we requested for double bed instead of 2 single beds but they refuse (couple here) Beach towel are Very limited they always run out🤨 Beds are so hard, i had back pain after our first night. Hotel itself is quite old and you can notice with their Very hard old beds. NO SMART NETWORK SIGNAL INSIDE ROOMS but they have a little weak wifi(you need to ASk to the lobby for wifi Log in codes Daily that is additional hassle) Breakfast are too salty/msg. They have na area that is dark, with comfy sits however the water is stagnant in their improvise canal type pond. This area is dangerous as there are so many mosquitos and might have some dengue. They should have clean and put some more lights and koi fish to avoid dengue.

I still recommend this hotel if you’re on a budget but you want a front beach hotel. We booked through Agoda around 2400php. 3.8/5 star for you!

P.S the bridge in their Pool is quite obstructive. Removing that would give a better Pool photos to your guest and it look your Pool much longer

This hotel can bring back his glory if they put enough budget fixing some of its parts....