Willy's Beach Club Hotel: Revisited

We're back again in Boracay last July 2016 with my husband and we've decided to stay again in Willy's Beach Club Hotel.  I've posted in my previous blog about affordable beach front hotels in station 1 which become very useful to me since my husband and I always prefers to stay in station 1, beach front, near Willy's Rock.  From the list, we've already stayed in Blue Lilly Villa.  You can read my reviews of this hotel here. We were supposed to try Boracay Plaza Resort but my husband would like to stay again in Willy's Beach Club Hotel.

Willy's Beach Club Hotel is also quite an affordable hotel.  It's not listed in my affordable beach front hotels in station 1 as this post was more of affordable hotels below Php 3,000 per night price.  Depending on the season, you can book Willy's Beach Club Hotel for a little over Php 3,000 per night.  During my first visit in this hotel last 2013 (see my blog post about it here), the accommodation rates then was below Php 3,000 for a deluxe room on an off peak season.  Since our trip was July 2016, considered as an off peak season, we were able to still get an affordable room rate.  We booked the Super Deluxe Room that has a bath tub and location is nearer to the beach.  For 3 nights stay, the price we got was Php 9,531 through My Boracay Guide website.  I also used My Boracay Guide when we booked our first stay at Willy's Beach Club Hotel last 2013.  Our booking comes with free airport pick up for 2, which saves us about Php 800.  You can read my review on their free transport service here.

The Super Deluxe Room is quite smaller than the Deluxe Room we booked before.  The room we had is still located at the 2nd floor.  View from the veranda is facing the restaurant but view of the beach is nearer (right side view) than our previous room. Other differences are super deluxe room have bath tub, mini ref, facial tissue, and own veranda.  Having our own veranda is perfect since my husband smokes.  Our previous room also has veranda but it seemed shared to the other room perpendicular from us.

Super Deluxe Room

Mini Ref

Another view of the room with small vanity dresser

Veranda and view

Welcome fruits were also provided in our room.  However, some fruits tasted old already that's why we didn't consume it all.

Welcome Fruits

Again welcome drinks were provided upon arrival in the hotel.  There's no more seashell necklaces given to us upon arrival unlike before.

The room is quite old but does not smell one.  I say old as we had a little difficulty in opening and closing/locking our door.  Linens and pillows are clean and smells nice. Bathroom is clean with ample water supply, hot and cold shower, towels and toiletries.

Bath tub beside the Toilet

Toiletries with facial tissue and hair dryer

The bath tub

Our stay still comes with free buffet breakfast.  Again, they served combination of Filipino and American dishes.  The choices were sufficient with breads, drinks and dessert.  They are also offering grilled buffet dinner.  I can't recall how much it cost but I think its not that expensive.  We tried it one time since it was rainy the whole day on our 1st day.  The choices were mostly meat and a few cuts of fish, shrimp and squid with pasta, rice and soup.  For us, its quite enough already but for some, it may not be as inviting since the cut or the portions of the food were quite small.  But anyway, it's buffet, you can get another one without a limit.  What's also good about this buffet dinner is that you can have a freshly grilled meat as there is a standby griller who can grill for you at the corner of the buffet.  Their food still tastes good.  Some servings of their ala carte foods were quite a lot.

Beef with mushroom

Similar to our last stay at Willy's Beach Club last 2012, we did not experience any problems during our stay.  Willy's Beach Club Hotel may not be a fancy and luxurious hotel but it is one of the affordable hotels in station 1 worth staying as it can be relaxing and enjoyable since it is beach front and away from the crowd.  If I'll be visiting Boracay again next time, I wouldn't have second thoughts of staying in here.

White Beach, Boracay: Ranked #7 in the Best Beaches of the World

Once again, the beautiful White Beach in Boracay Island is included and ranked number 7 in the 25 most beautiful beaches of the world according to the 2015 Travelers' Choice from Tripadvisor.

It's no doubt that many people was still smitten by the powdery white sand and clear blue waters of the White Beach in Boracay Island.  I've been here a lot of times and at different seasons and I can say that I still want to go back here even if it has been too commercialized.  The sands are still fine, the sunset still lovely and the water is still clear.  Boracay is still one of the beaches here in the Philippines that I never get tired of coming back.

You may see all the top 25 best beaches in the world here.

Haven't been to Boracay?  You're already missing a lot!  Here's a budget friendly accommodation in station 1, the more quiet but still more fun location in the whole White Beach of Boracay.

Enjoy Boracay!

Review: Blue Lilly Villa Resort Boracay

Going back to Boracay, we always prefer beachfront stay in station 1. After some research on various budget accommodations in Station 1 of Boracay, we finally decided to book at Blue Lilly Villa. We even got the room at a discounted price through my boracay guide website.  It is my second time to book hotels/resorts in MyBoracayGuide.  The first one was when we stayed in Willy's Beach Club in 2012 and now here in Blue Lilly Villa.

We booked for a standard room, which is just behind the reception area. The room was quite small but very clean and with strong a/c. The room has its own hot and cold shower, LCD TV, mini ref, extra mattress, queen size bed and desk fan. Wifi is also strong in our room. Each room is equipped with room service button where you can ask for anything from their friendly staff, to be delivered in your room.  I noticed in our room that it lacks clothes hanger.  Outside our room was a bamboo hanger but i'm not sure if its for everyone's use especially for the 2 rooms behind the reception area which is perpendicular to our room.  I wasn't able to ask about it.

The bed with extra mattress underneath

Room service button beside the bed

Mini ref and electric fan

Small LCD TV with small table and chair

Given that its only 3 stars, only mini soaps and towels were provided. The toilet/shower area was quite small. While inside, you need to stay away from the door for you to be able to close it and use the toilet. The faucet was quite at the edge of the water bin which makes it difficult to use.  Nevertheless, water flow was strong and everything was functioning well.

The bathroom.  See the door?  That's already full open.

Need to close the door to access the toilet

The free breakfast was just so so.  There were times when the viand seems reheated several times as it was somehow hardened already.  Nothing spectacular on their food but somehow edible.  You can also ask their friendly staff to buy food for you from outside stores.

Service was great. They allowed and delivered our breakfast in our room when it was raining one morning. They will also be the one to offer to clean your room if you like. We requested for that even with our valuables still in our room and nothing got lost.  The staff also helped my fiance in preparing a surprised proposal for me.  You may read the story here.

The room rate was cheap for a standard room. But for me, the discounted rate we got should be the right price for their room considering it was quite small. We stayed in other beachfront resorts in station 1 at the same rate as their regular rate but the room was bigger.

Overall, we enjoyed our stay and most probably I will recommend this to my budget conscious friends.  Besides, it is a memorable stay for me and my now fiance as they help in the preparation of the proposal.

An Unexpected Event During My Boracay Trip

My boyfriend and I visited Boracay again last weekend.  This time, the inclusive dates falls on our 27th monthsary.  Though we no longer celebrate our monthsary, this time was different because we decided to celebrate it by dining in a good restaurant in Boracay with sunset view.  That's what I thought on how will our monthsary day go, I was wrong.  My boyfriend has something else on his mind.

During our stay in Boracay, its somehow cloudy but the sun was still appearing from time to time.  For 2 days, we were able to see sunsets though on the 2nd day, it wasn't full sunset view as it is still cloudy.  On our (3rd) day, the sun didn't even peek all throughout the day.  Since we plan to dine with sunset view, I asked my boyfriend if he still wants to push through with having dinner in a good restaurant even without the sunset and he still persists.

We had our dinner at Friday's Boracay.  It was the usual dinner but my boyfriend kept on informing me to go back at our resort at a specific time.  He reasoned out that he might experienced upset stomach from eating a lot which equates to visit to the restroom.  I agreed so I just finished my dinner.  During dinner, I can't recall how our conversation went to the topic of trust.  He said, he read that one test to prove that a person trust you if you blind folded him/her and he/she will entrust you to lead the way to wherever your destination is.  While we're heading back to our resort, he insisted that we try that blind folding thing so he would know if I trust him.  I declined since its already dark, being blind folded will even make me feel so dark. I even joked that if he likewise trust me, he let me just close my eyes without any handkerchief on my eyes.  After some convincing, I agreed.  Besides, we will start from Willy's Rock all the way to our resort.  That's just quite a few steps away.

And so I was blind folded.  When we were stepping up, I knew we were already at our resort.  I asked why I still can't remove my blind folds.  My boyfriend just keep on telling me to wait.  He held both my hands firmly and started saying stuff about our relationship.  In my mind, I don't have the slightest idea that he will propose.  Maybe he's just professing his love.  I even teased him that he's too sure that I'd say yes, without me really knowing that he was already proposing.  He said that he already asked God for signs if I'm already the one and He showed smooth sailing in our relationship.  He even joked that he also asked help from Batman with our relationship (from "bahala na si Batman" expression of most Pinoys).  From there, he asked me to remove my blind folds.  I turned and saw sand "castle" with my name and the words, "Will you marry me".  I was surprised.  He knelt down and asked my hand for marriage.  Of course I said yes.

Now that explains why he kept on asking me the time of our dinner as well as the time we will be back at our resort, to give ample time to the resort's staff in building the sand "castle".  For your information, bulding sand castles in Boracay is already forbidden as it makes the sands dark when lit with candles.  I found out that my boyfriend's initial plan (well he's now my fiance) was to rent the paraw withe words "will you marry me" on each paraw.  It was quite expensive according to him so he resorted to building sand castles with my name and he will propose while the sun is setting.  But unfortunately, the sun didn't show up that day.  Besides, after talking to barangay officials and asking for permission in building sand castles, they still didn't permit it.  They will permit it with a fee of Php 2,000 but it is still not yet guaranteed.  So he asked for the help of the resort's staff.  Even if building sand castles is still not permitted, the resort staff build it right in front of their resort.

I do not have even the slightest idea that he will propose.  I was really surprised.  And he even had an engagement ring for me!  He often tells me that he can't afford the ring yet as it is expensive and he have other obligations and plans to fulfill personally which disables him to save up for the ring.  But all of these were just a bluff.  He bought the ring 2 months before and he really planned to propose during our trip to Boracay, and during sunset!  He knows I love sunset.

It was indeed an unexpected event to what I thought would simply be a vacation.  It has become a very memorable vacation, to a place I love, the beach. 

Thank you for your time in reading this far.  I hope you got "kilig" with my proposal story.  I am now engaged. :)

Budget Accommodations in Boracay Station 1 Beachfront

The whole stretch of White Beach in Boracay Island is divided into three (3) locations, namely: Station 1, 2, 3. All these locations offer various accommodations from budget inns to high end and luxurious hotels.

Station 1 is always perceived to be having posh and high end accommodations especially if you prefer staying in beachfront resorts.  But this blog post will prove it wrong.  Being a budget traveler, I will list down a few beachfront accommodations that I have recently researched in Boracay Station 1 that cost at most Php 3,000 per night, good for 2 pax.  By the way, the rates are off peak.  Price changes during peak season.

1. Blue Lilly Villa
- Php 2,900 Standard room with breakfast
- www.bluelillyvilla.com
- 09179178540; boracaybluelillyvillaresort@yahoo.com.ph
- quick response through text

2. True Home Hotel
- Php 3,000 Superior room with breakfast
- www.truehomehotel.net
- contacted through contact form from their website
- no response; inquired room availability through other sites like agoda

3. Little Prairie Inn
- Php 3,000 Standard room w/o breakfast
- FB page: Little Prairie Inn Boracay Beach Resort
- inquired through FB messenger
- 036-2886100/09487896447

4. Watercolors Dive Resort
- Php 3,000 Deluxe room with breakfast
- www.watercolors.ph or book here
- 09985541675

5. Boracay Plaza Resort
- Php 3,000 Standard room with brealfast
- www.boracayplaza.com
- 036-2883702

6. Blue Waves Beach House
- Php 2,000 Standard room with breakfast
- www.bluewavesboracay.com or book here

7. Las Brisas de Boracay
- Php 3,000 Deluxe room with breakfast
- www.boracaytrinidadresorts.com/abtlasbrisas.htm

8. Sun Villa Resort and Spa
- Php 2,620 Standard room
- Check their FB page or book here

9. Boracay Coco Huts
- Php 2,824 Standard room w/o breakfast
- book here

The first 5 resorts are very near to each other.  Going to station 1, you will first pass by True Hotel, then Blue Lilly, Watercolors, Little Prairie and lastly Boracay Plaza Resort.  They are just beside each other.

Blue Waves is located at northern part of Station 1, nearing Fridays.  Las Brisas is also at northern part but nearer to Two Seasons.

Sun Villa and Boracay Coco Huts are near to each other, also near Astoria Hotel.

It's also helpful to check agoda, travelbook and tripadvisor websites for promo rates and reviews on these resorts.  From those posted above, I've only inquired from the first 3 resorts.  I have considered Nigi Nigi Too as they have an ongoing promo rate at about Php 3,100 per night.  Other beachfront resorts that is a little more than Php 3,000 per night are Residencia de Boracay and Royal Park Hotel.  The last time I was in Boracay, we stayed at Willy's Beach Club for less than Php 3k per night on a peak season.  That was a promo deal from My Boracay Guide.  Well, that was year 2012.

We've decided to stay in Blue Lilly Villa.  Check my review on this hotel here.

Enjoy Boracay!