Monaco Suites De Boracay — Hotel in Malay

Let me start by saying I am on a Travel/Review journey through the Indo Pacific (Maldives, Kuala Lumpur, Bali, Boracay(PH), and South Korea) so have stayed at multiple locations on my month long trek with a lot to compare for locations. I will start with the bad but that does not mean it was all bad so read to the end.||||BAD:||1) Because I travel often I utilize a different credit card to check in than I would use for shopping. So this card is never used anywhere but for hotel check in and each hotel has their own card (to prevent fraud and track expenses). Within 24 hours of check in to the resort my card was attempted to be used to make large purchases twice at the hotel as well as $150+ on ticktock shop online. Since this card is only for check in; only the hotel had this card info..Bank locked down the card. I made the front desk aware and asked for a manager and was told “tomorrow” and even after check out, still zero management engagement. If I were a normal traveler this could have ruined my trip since the bank had to cancel the card and reissue due to the potential fraud, potentially leaving a normal traveler without funds. It should have been a red flag when the Hotel map was printed on someone’s 2019 Tax paperwork. Extremely unacceptable and a deal breaker for future stays!!||||2) Zero front desk or Admin support. They expect if you have a question you message via Viber or WhatsApp and they “may” respond when they have time. Often messages are not replied to at all, annoying when is your significant other but terrible when paying for a service.||3) Shuttle downtown is a good and a bad. Good that they get you there but bad because they may or may not come get you. Due to issue #2 they do not respond when you request pick up so it leaves you waiting for a ride that may or may not show. (Happened to me twice)||4) Zero towels at pool area, no outside drinks allowed but the pool bar is also closed.||5) Hotel did not have hot tub as specified on Expedia. Bit of a let down since is even in the photos.||6) STAIRS, STAIRS, STAIRS…pool and club house are no closer than 100 stairs away. So if it is warm out that’s 100 stairs to go eat (sweaty) and then 100 stairs back towards the walkway to your room(Sweaty). Not ideal for elderly, disabled or small children.||7) Apathy is how I would describe the staff. With the exception of Lowegie and Emily, I do not think I was helped by even one other person the entire visit. He ran drinks, completed check in, waiter at restaurant and ran room service.||||GOOD:||1) The view from the property is amazing. Literally 1 in a million view!||2) Quiet on a secluded hilltop.||3) Rooms are adequately furnished.||4) Airport shuttle pickup/ drop off removes stress from your trip, costly but I 100% recommend.||5) Downtown shuttle. Gets you there||||OVERALL:||I may be over cynical after the attempted theft but it is impossible to recommend a Resort or establishment after you pay to stay and something like a credit card theft/compromise occurs. Top it off that management was either not notified or didn’t care and it becomes a scary situation for any traveler. ||||Do not stay here if this is your first trip to Boracay, stay closer to Station 2 near D’Mall so everything is at your fingertips. The location of this Hotel is more for those who want to stay in and not be disturbed (or have hotel support). 100% NOT for those looking for a traditional resort experience. I actually think this is occupied by year round residents...

During the booking time, a few months ago, me and my partner were reluctant to book this resort as we couldn’t find any recent reviews about it. But we took the risk hoping that we would get a good surprise.|So we arrived in the evening, although the place was well lit we couldn’t really appreciate anything as we were tired and hungry from the long days travel.|The guard that welcomed us was very accommodating and polite, he sent us to the reception down the hill. Miss Arla, the receptionist was very sweet and polite, although she was experiencing a little problem with our reservation she handled us well without panicking. She called the manager on duty for assistance and Mr Ulysis came to welcome us pleasantly and solved the problem in no time, then sent us to our room in villa 1. We did not expect to be in a beautiful suite. Having a very spacious living room to welcome us was already a surprise, not to mention finding a spacious balcony overlooking the sea and some parts of the islands… “this is executive” the ensuite king bedroom makes you feel like royalty.|The place was spotless, well organised and really spacious. House keeping serviced the villa everyday, so when they say clean, it is spotless.||Now let’s go to the restaurant. ||Breakfast - the breakfast was good, they have 3 options to choose from, The serving was decent (but for a hungry person that loves food, buffet would be best to go for) although they will give you more if you ask.||Room service meals - limited but was delicious, we had their monaco burger, again a decent portion, enough for most people, but my partner wants more like double up side dishes. (He is not fat, he just works out hard 1 to 2 hours a day. He’s a burpee addict)||Dinner - boodle fight menu is a must try..pictures of before and after meal is attached. Of course their a la carte menu couldn’t be beaten either. The steak and beef salpicao was super delicious, this time the two of us wished to have more side dishes as the food makes you want to eat more 🤤|Our clean plates attached as a proof…no single grain is left on it 🤭||Beach - “THIS BEACH IS A PARADISE” peaceful, so naturally beautiful. The green stuff is seaweed and comes from the natural habitat, most people see it unpleasant. |In the morning, the tide is low, so you can go for a walk and explore the shoreline and observe some rock formations. In the afternoon the tide is high, then you can enjoy a dip as the beach is not really suitable for swimming unless the water is high enough for you. We spent our morning and afternoon here in peace, no crowds, just me and my partner relaxing, enjoying the tranquility. Yes, not everyone’s cup of tea, most prefer to go to the most crowded areas like station 2 or D’mall. ||Transport - they offer a free shuttle service from the hotel daily and hourly from 7am to 5pm to D’mall or station 2 and return also hourly from 7:15am to 5:15pm. Pick up area is at Jolibee(the driver will point it out as reminder when you get there) Or you can book privately anytime to go anywhere from 300php.||Staff - every single member of staff we encountered here were all smiling, very polite and accommodating. Thank you all. ||We will definitely come back and hope to be served by the same members of staff with 5 star service....

I recently stayed at this hotel, and while there were some great aspects, there were also a few drawbacks worth considering before booking.

First off, the location wasn’t ideal. It’s quite far from the town center, where most of the shopping, restaurants, and bars are located. This means you’ll need to plan transportation in advance since there’s not much within walking distance aside from a few local convenience huts (sari-sari stores). That being said, if you’re looking for a peaceful retreat away from the crowds, this might be a great option. The property is quiet, mostly attracting retirees, national tourists, and couples.

One of the best parts of the stay was waking up to the incredible ocean views. The scenery was breathtaking and made for some truly relaxing moments. The room itself was also a highlight. It wasn’t anything upscale, but it felt homey and authentic. We had two separate bedrooms, a spacious living area, a full kitchen, and a balcony overlooking the ocean. The only downside? The mattress. It was so firm that it felt like sleeping on cardboard. I ended up piling pillows underneath me just to get some comfort.

The hotel runs on a very lean staff, so don’t be surprised if you see the same employee working the front desk and the onsite restaurant. Despite this, the property is well maintained—I actually saw more landscaping staff than hotel wait staff. The employees were very responsive over WhatsApp, which made communication easy and convenient.

One thing that really stood out was the transportation service to and from the island. The door-to-door service was excellent, though slightly pricey. But the personal airport liaison made the whole experience seamless. They stayed with us from start to finish, handling all ticketing for the boat transfer, carrying luggage, and even riding along during both the ground and boat transport. Plus, the boat transfer was completely private, which was a nice touch.

Unfortunately, the onsite dining was underwhelming. Some a la carte menu options weren’t available, and breakfast was only offered buffet-style if enough guests were staying at the hotel. Otherwise, you had to order from the menu. While the staff was attentive, I would have loved the chance to explore more dining options outside the hotel, but with the remote location, that wasn’t really an option.

Overall, I’m glad I stayed here. The peaceful atmosphere and stunning ocean views were definitely memorable. But at times, I found myself wishing for a livelier setting with more modern amenities. If you’re looking for a quiet escape with beautiful views and don’t mind limited dining and entertainment, this could be a great choice. But if you prefer easy access to restaurants and nightlife, you might want to consider staying somewhere...