Hobbit Tavern

It's a obvious take-off from the Hobbit House in Malate.  I was hungry by mid-afternoon, and the Hobbit Tavern seemed like a good place to reminisce.  Beer wasn't an option (too early in the day), but a big cheeseburger became the target of my affection.  It wasn't cheap, a tad under P500, but absolutely mouth-watering.  Giant slabs of potatoes.  Several bacon slices.  Angus patty.  It took me a while to finish my plate.

The place is set-up as an open-air beach pub.  Singers come in to perform on a daily basis, and the crowd starts to build up by nightfall.  It's easy to find, right at the center of D' Mall.

Aria Gelato

The afternoon sun was scorching my skin.  The cool bursts of sea wind would only provide momentary relief, and I was on the verge of coming down with heat stroke.  The good news was Aria Gelato.  Soothing.  Delicious.  Two scoops and I was ready to take on the waves of the main beach!

The Tides

My hotel hopping tour wouldn't be complete without looking for a place where Vicky, Monique and Andie would agree to stay for a 3 night vacation.  The hotel would have to be at the center of the commercial places, yet near enough to the beach.  A friend of mine recommended The Tides, and I took some time to inspect the facilities.

Simple elegance, not bad at all.  Prices are a bit on the high side, but understandable given that it's right at the center of D' Mall.  The swimming pool, however, is located at the rooftop, which made me feel that I was checked in at a city hotel.  That was the big letdown--the kids will be there for a well-deserved summer vacation; they want to enjoy the view and they look forward to drinking cold coconut juice at a spacious outdoor pool.  I've gotta scout around for other viable spots!

D' Mall

Boracay has indeed changed so much.  Ultra-commercialized, I think.  I remember that it was sparsely populated and pristine in early nineties.  Going around what seemed to be the retail nerve center of the island, a cluster of shops called D' Mall in Station 2, was a very illuminating experience for me.  It was supposed to be the low season, but the place was teeming with tourists from all over the world.   I understand that at night, the whole place turns into one giant party zone.

Patio Pacific

I remembered that one of the resorts that opened in the early nineties was Pink Patio resort, and since my last visit to Boracay was more than twenty years ago, I decided to take a look at the place out of curiosity.  Now renamed Patio Pacific, the resort has blossomed and seems to be a popular lodge at the Station 2 area.

The hotel occupies property on both sides of the main street, and is very accessible via tricycle.  However, the White beach itself is some 50 meters from the hotel gate, so you have to walk a bit to get to enjoy the sea.  The interiors are clean and pleasing, nothing fancy or luxurious but definitely well-maintained.

Diniwid Beach

While the main attraction of Boracay is its 5 km long White beach, sometimes, one just looks for a certain amount of privacy--some alone time to reflect and recharge.  We went to look at a property on Diniwid beach, and I thought that the semi-private cove was perfect for a laid-back vacation.  Beachfront asking prices are now reportedly hovering at around P100,000 per m2, which is pretty much in the stratosphere!

Nigi Nigi Too

Hotel hopping is a favorite pastime.  The clear skies made it such a lovely beach day, and my host took me around to see Nigi Nigi Too along the Station 1 area.     The decor is very southeast Asian, and the rooms are quite reasonably priced.  With only around 20 rooms, the hotel is quiet, perfect for lazy sun-bathing afternoons with a cold glass of beer in hand.

You can easily find this hotel because it's right in front of the mini-island grotto, a favorite spot for visitor photographs.   The hotel has one of the best swimming areas along the long beach.

Grand Vista Resort

I stayed at the Grand Vista Hotel, where my meetings were held.  The hotel lives up to its name, and you do have a grand view of the Boracay long beach.  The drawback is that the hotel is located up in the mountains, some 3 km from the center of where the beachfront action is.  One has to ride the hourly shuttle to get to and from the long beach.  Still, business is good--I understand that the hotel caters to a lot of Korean and Taiwanese honeymoon couples, and we all know that honeymooners just love to stay in secluded locations with great views!

The rooms are quite spacious and adequately equipped.  The best feature of the hotel?  Each room comes with a private plunge pool, all with splendid sea views.  See, it's perfect for honeymooners!