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.

Willy's Beach Club Hotel: A Review

My friends and I wanted to have a very relaxing Boracay vacation: no water activities, just enjoying the sun, sand and sea.  As mentioned in my previous blog, this is my friends and I's first time in Boracay as a group.  We've been to other beaches all over the Philippines but never in one of the famous beach destination in the Philippines, Boracay.  I've also mentioned in my previous blog why this was a special trip.  One of which is our accommodation in station 1.

For many times I've been to Boracay, I've always stayed in station 2, where you can find budget but safe accommodation.  I've stayed in La Carmela, Tan's Guesthouse and Island Nook.  It doesn't matter to me before whether the resort is beach front or not.  My belief then was, who needs a fancy accommodation when most of the time you will stay outdoors in the powdery white sands of Boracay beach?  But my belief changed when I experience staying in station 1.

My friends' choice for an accommodation in station 1 was Two Seasons Resort.  A family room good for 7 pax cost about Php 5,000+ per person for 3 days, 2 nights stay.  This is quite expensive for me and my boyfriend that's why we backed out.  So my friends got the Two Seasons package good for 5 at Php 6,000 per person for 3 days and 2 nights care of Traveldotcom.  This includes buffet breakfast and transfers.

My budget for station 1 accommodation is Php 3k-4k per pax for 3 days and 2 nights stay.  I was eying for White House Boracay since it is beach front and with pool.  And I'm hoping to get a discount from my sister (if she'll be the one to book in my behalf) since she frequents in White House whenever her family stays in Boracay.  I inquired from Travel Online since I've searched that they are offering packages to Boracay inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner at an affordable rate.  Then I came across My Boracay Guide website where hotels are arranged per station and according to price.  That's where I checked Willy's Beach Club which can fit our budget.  My boyfriend told me that it doesn't matter whether our hotel have pool or not since there is the beach where we can swim even at night.

I've searched both My Boracay Guide and Willy's Beach Club Hotel website to check on their rates.  My travel period of Nov. 29 is considered as peak season in Willy's Beach website while it is still off peak season at My Boracay Guide website.  So I chose the latter to book for our accommodation.  Although it is my first time to book from My Boracay Guide and haven't read any feedback on their booking capability, I didn't feel any hesitations as their site has been existent for quite a while.  Besides, My Boracay Guide only requires 15% downpayment from the total amount due.  So it's quite cheap.  Full payment will be done in the hotel.  Also, their online chat facility makes it easy to communicate with them and you'll get instant answers to your queries.

I got the Deluxe Room at Php 2,850 per night from My Boracay Guide.  In Willy's Beach Club website, the rate on my travel date would be Php 5,010 per night.  Great savings!  I just wonder why their description of peak and non-peak are different.

Willy's Beach Club Hotel - Deluxe Room

Willy's Beach Club Hotel - Deluxe Room

The Deluxe Room in Willly's Beach Club Hotel can accommodate up to 3 people.  But upon our arrival to our room, I was surprised that the room is very spacious.  It can even accommodate up to 5 pax, I think, but the hotel only allows up to 3 pax in this room.  The bed is queen size and the spacious room can add 2 single extra beds but again, only 1 extra bed is allowed.  The room has veranda although ours is perpendicular to another room which results to "sharing" of veranda.  The veranda have seats and tables good for two where you can lounge.  It also have clothes line where you can hang your clothes to dry.  But since our veranda seems to be "shared" with the other room, the clothes line available is only 1. 

Veranda at Willy's Beach Club Hotel

As described in both websites, our room have an ample air conditioning unit, mini bar, vanity dresser, cabinet, safe, cable TV, hot and cold shower and telephone.  Their shower/bathroom area is very clean and complete with toiletries, towels and glasses.  The queen size bed is clean and pleasant with decorative mini pillows.  The overall room is clean.  Wifi is available in the hotel however the signal gets weak once we entered our room. 

Sink and Toilet for Deluxe Room

Shower area for Deluxe Room

I forgot to mention that when we arrived at Willy's Beach Club, we were greeted with seashells necklace and a cool, refreshing drink.  The staff were friendly and accommodating during our whole stay.  We had minor problems with our TV when we got there as it won't open and the response from their staff is quick.  Their room key is attached to a beaded bracelet, a great idea so you won't loose your key.

Our welcome souvenirs from Willy's Beach Club Hotel

 Our accommodation includes buffet breakfast.  During 2 breakfast stay, the food served were different on both days.  It may not be a lot but sufficient to anyone's consumption.  They served a mix of Filipino and American dishes with fried rice, breads, jams, dried fish, bacon, eggs and many others.  The taste of the food is just normal, nothing extravagant but edible.  Again, the staff were very friendly.  We also tried eating at their restaurant during snack time where we tried their pasta and burger.  The pasta tastes good and the big burger was truly big enough good to be shared.

Fronting the hotel are monobloc loungers.  Free towels can also be acquired before you stay at the lounge.  Their staff can also assist you in setting up umbrellas once you decided to lounge.  We left some of our things in the loungers for quite some time while we swim and visit our friends in Two Seasons.  Luckily, our stuff didn't get lost.

The Loungers fronting the hotel

 

with Willy's Rock in my background

Overall, I enjoyed my stay with Willy's Beach Club Hotel.  The famous and picturesque Willy's Rock is just in front of this hotel so camwhore-ing is at its finest!  I would want to go back here the next time I visit Boracay again.  And oh, I'll change my belief.  I would want to stay always in station 1 because of its relaxing ambiance and beach front accommodations.  Though staying in station 1 will definitely need a good amount of money (in case you do not want to walk going to station 2 just to eat) since most of the restaurants here are quite expensive too, it doesn't matter as you will definitely enjoy the quiet, intimate ambiance offered by station 1 accommodations.

You may check this blog for my expenses on this Boracay trip.

Boracay: My Last Beach Trip for 2012

I can no longer count the times I've been to Boracay.  But this Boracay trip is extra special for the following reasons: 1) My first plane trip with my boyfriend, 2) I'll be staying in station 1, 3) I'm traveling together with  my kaladkarin friends.  Let me explain further the reasons I've mentioned.

First Plane Trip with Boyfriend
I booked this Boracay Trip as early as February.  That time, my kaladkarin friends wants us to have an R and R vacation in Boracay.  When Cebu Pacific had its seat sale, we grabbed the opportunity and booked our trip one way to Boracay.  By July, Cebu Pacific held its sale again.  So we checked if Boracay to Manila is on sale and fortunately it was.  I already had a boyfriend that time although our relationship is still new.  Without hesitation (and even without his consent), I booked his flight as well, same time as mine.  My friends were teasing me that I should maintain my relationship with my boyfriend until November so as not to make my booked flight gone to waste.  Well, fortunately, our relationship is still strong as of this writing.

Surprisingly, both my boyfriend and I treat this Boracay trip as a first timer trip with someone special.  Yes, I have been traveling without any boyfriend ever even if I had one before.  Same with him.  Most of our travels are with friends.

Accommodation in Station 1
Station 1 is known for having expensive accommodations.  Since my friends initially decided to have this as an R and R vacation, we were determined to stay in station 1 with nice accommodation that will truly make you feel relaxed.  Of course, our priority also is a beach front accommodation in a nice and quiet area.  My friends decided to stay in Two Seasons.  It is quite expensive so my boyfriend and I decided to stay in a bit cheaper accommodation, so we stayed in Willy's Beach Club Hotel.

This is my first time to stay in station 1.  Eversince and everytime I am in Boracay, I always stay in a cheap but safe accommodation like in La Carmela, Tan's Guesthouse and Island Nook.  My belief before is that, you'll be spending most of the time at the beach so why spend much for an accommodation?  Well, I was wrong about that.  It's a different experience staying in station 1.  I'll relate that in my next blog.

Boracay with Kaladkarins
My kaladkarin friends and I traveled to many parts of the Philippines already.  But the one famous beach destination we've never been to was in Boracay.  We've plans of traveling here countless times but it won't always push through.  Well, its quite true when they say unplanned trips are those pushing through.  That's what happened with this Boracay trip.  As I've mentioned before, when Cebu Pacific held its seat sale, we just decided then and there to book our next trip in Boracay.  And so here we go.  Next stop - Boracay!

If you could recall in my previous blog about my Boracay trip earlier in 2012, I've mentioned that that was one of my best Boracay trip.  Well, this Boracay trip is another best experience for me.  It is truly a wonderful experience traveling with someone you love.  The beach in Boracay never fails to make me fall in love over and over again with it and this time I shared it with someone close to my heart.

Check out my next blog relating to my experience in staying at an accommodation in station 1.  Also, check this blog for my Boracay expenses.