AS recreational activities in Boracay get louder, larger and hotter with each passing year, there stands on Aklan province’s world-famous island-resort a peaceful haven surrounded by flour-ishing greenery: Boracay Tropics Resort Hotel.
Boracay Tropics’s ambience, which can be described as a mixture of the Asian and the Mediterranean, is complemented by an abundance of gardens and trees. It is a place where one can get a true taste of the island—sweet and calming, one that can never be found in Metro Manila.
A “Triple A”-rated resort in Boracay’s Station 2, Boracay Tropics offers guests the luxury of enjoying tranquil surroundings that are far from the ruckus on the beachfront (particularly in the evenings, during peak season), and the convenience of going to the island’s popular White Beach. Moreover, it is a sanctuary for great food and relaxation that would make any trip to the island truly worth it.
SINCE Boracay is obviously very popular with residents and tourists, many dining establishments have sprouted along the White Beach. Still, undaunted by the competition, Boracay Tropics offers its guests some of the island’s best-kept dishes.
The resort’s TropiCafé gives guests a wide array of delectable Eastern and Western dishes, as well as home-grown specialties. The restaurant is famous for its versions of hinubarang manok, nilasing na hipon and garlic alimango. It’s also famous for having the island’s best pata tim; its meat is so tender, it could melt in one’s mouth. To complement these dishes, the restaurant has a long list of beverages and cocktails, the most popular of which is the Mango Cucumber.
Guests will be treated like royalty once they avail themselves of the wellness treatments offered by Boracay Tropics. Its Oasis Spa could easily provide the same services as other specialized massage boutiques on the island. If guests opt to have a massage in their room, the resort could easily send a masseur to them.
EACH room in Boracay Tropics is simple, but elegant. Guests can relax in any of the resort’s 64 rooms—Premiere Suites, Cabana, Superior, Family, Dorm and Deluxe. All rooms are inspired by Mediterranean and Asian architecture, and are equipped with an air-conditioning unit; a mini bar; private rain shower, with hot and cold water; cable television and a safety-deposit vault. There is also 24-hour security with closed-circuit TV, a back-up power generator, wireless-fidelity Internet connection, and laundry and medical services.
Guests are also entitled to enjoy the resort’s other facilities, including those for banquets and meetings, a bean-shaped swimming pool, an events venue, a business center, games and activity rooms, and a karaoke-TV room. Parents may leave their children in the fully functional playroom, which is equipped with a Nintendo Wii game console.
For a fuss-free stay, the resort also offers laundry services; assistance in planning for fun activities around Boracay, such as island-hopping and various water sports; and medical assistance.
The Sarabias and sustainability
THE Sarabia family, Boracay Tropics’s owners, has always been active in promoting sustainability on the island, which is why there are a lot of environment-friendly technologies that help in the operations of the resort. In 2005, when the use of solar panels was gaining popularity, Boracay Tropics was already using them for its water heaters.
The pool also uses tiles that absorb heat during the day, so that its water remains warm, even at night. The resort is also active in segregating and recycling waste, and is in the process of turning all its lights into light-emitting diode ones to save on electricity.
The Sarabias say that, even if Boracay will have more developments and undergo further transformation, Boracay Tropics is going to maintain its island vibe and its being environment-friendly.
All these facilities and services have earned Boracay Tropics many positive reviews, two Certificates of Excellence from travel website TripAdvisor in 2012 and 2013, and, most important, loyal guests.