Ralph's Place — Hotel in Malay

Ralph's Place is not just an eco-friendly accommodation run by a caring family that values quality service, immaculate cleanliness. It's a soulful, healing retreat.

Set on the top of a cliff with gorgeous gardens, it commands a stunning view of Bolabog Beach on East Boracay. The better side of Boracay!

We originally stayed on West side, but had to change hotels. Blessing in disguise!

East Boracay is the true island getaway. So blissful and still so easy to get to the busy side (7 min walk to West side, 10 min walk to DMall). And there are great restaurants on East side too.

Ralph's place has all the modern amenities and they are even better than the big corporate hotels! Air conditioning, cable TV, internet/free Wi-fi, laundry service, on site dining.

And all the cable tv channels, wi-fi & HOT water shower worked BETTER than previous luxury hotel! And it was cheaper so it's better value for money, too. We originally booked for 2 nights but extended within the first hour of being there. We stayed for 6 nights. It's bliss.

The Grasse family who runs this place are lovely and professional and live on-site. Husband and wife team:Ralph, Girlie and their two daughters, Ann and Karen, manage the place with care and love. They have lived in the island since the 80's, and Ralph built this gem of a place. They share their local knowledge and love of the island generously with the guests. And because they're on site you can be sure they care about everything.

Highlights:

They respond so quickly via Facebook Messenger - fastest action from any front desk reception I've encountered!

Everything spotlessly clean! Cleaner than the other big hotels we've stayed in. ( Kudos to staff Ellen and Elna. Thank you so much!). (Respect to Johnny the gardener and his other staff for helping with our luggage. Thank you so much!).

Furnishings, amenities and linens - all quality. Bungalow design is so organic, grounding and authentic. Thanks to Ralph for the build!

The kitchen is well stocked. Love it's eco-friendly: refillable containers for body wash, shampoo, detergent. Bin for dry waste was lined with cloth which is such a genius idea I'm starting it at home too! Beautiful gardens are by Girlie, too. (Thank you, Girlie you are an eco-friendly Queen!)

Filtered water is free. Daily room cleaning. Laundry service much cheaper than hotels.

Breakfast was delicious and staff (Thank you Angel and Chef!) were always so friendly and helpful. Ann who manages the restaurant (By Da Way) always greeted us with a smile. She &sister Karen always had suggestions to help.

5-star service with more care than a regular hotel because owners are on-site.

The best part is their adorable dogs, Kara, Lulu and Kovu. All so well-behaved, gentle and to me, the best therapy is getting woken up from an arvo nap by puppy cuddles!

Notes: Accessed by steep stairs, but it is worth every step! (Luggage carried for you).

Reason for 5 stars: Been to Fiji, Bali. This place has that intangible quality of paradise that makes you never want to leave.

The whole reason I took a flight and then another flight, a bus, then a ferry and then a trike was to get a peaceful retreat. Not White Beach crowds.

Some days, all we wanted to do was stay in our bungalows and stare at the stunning view of Bolabog Beach. The full moon & starlight shine brighter on the East side. Our pulse rates slowed, our breathing deepened, we felt more present with each other and ourselves. I woke for dawn yoga, tea and meditation and it flowed. It felt natural because we were surrounded by calming nature.

Wake to the sound of bird song, roosters and sea breezes. Swim at Bolabog (locals clean the beach daily). Sleep to the sound of soothing waves. If you truly want a serene island getaway that offers you true relaxation, this place is perfection. Thank you, Ralph, Girlie, Ann and Karen and the rest of the Grasse family for creating this sanctuary. May you continue to have many more years of success with...

I absolutely loved my stay at Ralph’s Place, so much that I ended up staying six months! This beautiful little resort is the perfect island escape, set in a peaceful tropical garden on a hillside overlooking Bulabog. It is literally set right on the beach – some apartments/rooms have sea views, and epic views of sun and moonrise!

It’s the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for an authentic ‘island experience’ as all the unique rooms and apartments are thoughtfully designed, with traditional isIand-style decor, nipa, driftwood and nice artwork.

I stayed in Studio 5 and it had everything I needed; upstairs airy kitchen and large comfortable living space overlooking the garden and jacuzzi, WiFi access, cable TV; then downstairs a nice bathroom with power shower and huge double bedroom.

There are sun loungers overlooking the ocean and it really is heaven, a wonderful escape from the busier side of the island, yet it's a short walk to White Beach and all the main bars and restaurants.

The on-site resto, By Da Way serves fantastic home-cooked food (I highly recommend the chicken curry, panini and the BBQ chicken) and the drinks are a really good price – it’s a really popular hangout for locals and expats as well.

I also love the fact that they are eco-conscious, cutting out single-use plastic, and offering guests water bottles and beach bags.

Lastly, the family who built and own the resort are just the nicest people, so kind and always there with a friendly smile, you can tell they truly care about their staff (who are fantastic) and guests.

Highly recommend a stay here, I can’t wait to go back when I next visit the...

I absolutely loved my stay at Ralph’s Place, so much that I ended up staying six months! ||||This beautiful little resort is the perfect island escape, set in a peaceful tropical garden on a hillside overlooking Bulabog. It is literally set right on the beach – some apartments/rooms have sea views, and epic views of sun and moonrise! ||||It’s the perfect place to stay if you’re looking for an authentic ‘island experience’ as all the unique rooms and apartments are thoughtfully designed, with traditional isIand-style decor, nipa, driftwood and nice artwork. ||||I stayed in Studio 5 and it had everything I needed; upstairs airy kitchen and large comfortable living space overlooking the garden and jacuzzi, WiFi access, cable TV; then downstairs a nice bathroom with power shower and huge double bedroom. ||||There are sun loungers overlooking the ocean and it really is heaven, a wonderful escape from the busier side of the island. ||||The on-site resto, By Da Way serves fantastic home-cooked food (I highly recommend the chicken curry, panini and the BBQ chicken) and the drinks are a really good price – it’s a really popular hangout for locals and expats as well. ||||I also love the fact that they are eco-conscious, cutting out single-use plastic, and offering guests water bottles and beach bags. ||||Lastly, the family who built and own the resort are just the nicest people, so kind and always there with a friendly smile, you can tell they truly care about their staff (who are fantastic) and guests. ||||Highly recommend a stay here, I can’t wait to go back when I next visit the...