The Orient Beach Boracay Hotel — Hotel in Malay

I loved my stay at this hotel! I booked a couple of months in advance for just $22 per night—an incredible deal for Boracay, especially considering all the amenities.

The hotel features a nice pool, an on-site restaurant, and a rooftop terrace. They also offer a free shuttle service to the center multiple times a day, which is super convenient. If you’re a scooter renter like me, know that here prices are 4 times higher than anywhere in the Philippines due to one company having a monopoly and rights to rent scooters. There’s a hop on/off bus which goes further than the hotel shuttle.

Right outside my room (221), there was a water dispenser with both hot and cold water. The room itself was well-equipped with two glasses, two cups, complimentary drinks, and coffee. If you want more options, the shuttle takes you to a supermarket where you can buy a variety of instant coffee, hot chocolate, or tea to enjoy anytime.

The shower was great—no issues at all. The bathroom also has built-in nooks for storage, and there’s a spacious closet with shelves, a fridge (very useful!), and a balcony where you can dry your swimwear. The WiFi was reliable, and I had no trouble working remotely from my room.

Cons: The air conditioner is a bit loud, and at night, you might hear neighboring units as well. If you’re a light sleeper, bringing earplugs could help, though the noise isn’t too bad. Aside from that, the bed was comfortable, and overall, I had a great experience.

Would...

The staff was awesome and the pool area was great but it wasn't advertised properly, in my opinion. The rooms were small and damp and there was a pretty bad sewage smell in the rooms when it rained (not their fault, it's the nature of the island I guess). There was also construction going on right in front of our door so anytime we walked out we would be face to face with workers. The room was advertised as a villa - so I guess we were assuming it would be a little house beside the pool (which we also thought was only shared by another villa) but it was an apartment above the restaurant (romantic music like Celine Dion would start at 7 am and would be blasting loud enough to hear it in the rooms) and the pool was shared by the entire hotel (we booked through airbnb so I guess we thought it would be someone's house but on Boracay I think every hotel is advertised on Airbnb). It is also not super close to the beach - a 25 minute walk to Puka (which was advertised as 10) or a 5 minute shuttle. Aside from our own misguided expectations, the roof was a cool spot to relax, the pool was awesome, and you could buy your own cheap drinks at the store across the street and hang out by the pool or on the roof. If they lowered the music volume in the morning and advertised an apartment instead of a private villa and maybe provided some incense for the rooms, it would be great as you would know what to expect. The...

Overall rating would be 2/5. Booked 4 rooms for 4 days.

Positive review: Staff were welcoming and very attentive to our concerns. Management should thank them for having to face customers’ concerns regarding their not-so-good facilities. They have a shuttle service (with schedule).

There are a lot that needs improvement in this hotel.

Flush in room 101 was BARELY working. Imagine having to stay for 3 nights with a flush that’s barely working - hell. :( Had a problem checking in for executive room, ended up getting a superior room (smaller one). No access cards/keys for most rooms we booked. Each time you enter your room, you would have to be assisted by their reception. Location from main beach is far (at least 10 minutes ride) - not convenient No toiletries provided (e.g. toothbrush, soap, small toothpaste). They have scented body wash though. No pool/beach towels which other hotels in Boracay offer. Entry way to hotel is not pleasing. Air-conditioning in room 209 should be maintained/cleaned. Please replace your the light bulb in room 101’s comfort room. CR looks like it’s from a horror movie. Balcony in room 101 was closed, glass door was broken.

Overall frustrating stay. But to reiterate - I’d rate their staff 5/5. The management 1/5 for not looking into the state of their hotel and...