Enjoying the finer things in lifeBY RAOUL J. CHEE KEE
It’s crowded, it’s noisy, it’s "Greenbelt with sand."
Say what you want about Boracay but I won’t think twice about taking a few days off to "recharge my batteries" in this island paradise.
There was even one year when I experienced Boracay during the rainy season. The makeshift wind barriers made of bamboo grids and industrial strength plastic were already up by the time we arrived in August, and the residents shared this collective look, like they were determined to ride out the stormy days ahead.
The guestrooms at Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa are decked out in rich earth tones and vibrant pops of color; guests are brought to the resort on one of four speedboats and the infinity edge pool with a built-in Jacuzzi located near Banyugan Beach is perfect for hour-long soaks.
Most of that weekend was spent indoors, where we snacked, napped or booked a massage. During the few times the sun managed to break through the clouds, however, there would be a mad rush to the beach where it seemed like everyone — pets included — was frolicking in the surf.
On my last trip, however, we stayed at the newly opened Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa. From the moment we got off our plane at Caticlan, we knew we were in for a treat.
Instead of boarding one of those small but serviceable motorized boats, we were led to a private beach where one of the resort’s four spanking new speedboats waited.
Even if the waters were choppy that late afternoon, we practically glided to our destination, the beach at Fairways & Bluewater. Usually, guests are dropped off at resort’s own boat jetty but the yearly habagat made that impossible. From there, we hopped on a van that took us to Shangri-La.
There was nothing much to do that evening except lounge around in our beautifully appointed room and check out the views from the Lobby Lounge. After an early dinner at Vintana, the resort’s coffee shop, we headed back to our room at the newly-opened Timog wing.
The wing was built flush against the side of a cliff so guests who are billeted there have a view of the Punta Bunga beach. Situated higher above Timog are the Tanawin Villas that are still undergoing finishing touches.
Sprawling design
Unlike Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa that follows a more or less compact design, the Boracay property, with 12 hectares of grounds that are home to a number of wildlife species including bats and monkeys, is sprawling. The Timog and Hilaga wings consist of guestrooms while Kanluran, Palmera and Tanawin are made up of villas, some with their own lap pools.
When enjoying the views of the reception area from the Lobby Lounge, steer clear of the reflecting pools.
Once everything is finished, the resort designed by the Hawaii-based architecture firm WATG will have a total of 219 rooms and 36 villas and suites. The interiors that combine a stunning variety of earth toned textures with pops of brilliant color are by Singapore-based LTW Design Works.
The following morning, we slathered on our sunscreen and were at the poolside by 8 a.m. The resort has several to choose from located but we were drawn to the infinity edged pool that "spills over" the beach and spent over an hour there, emerging only because we knew that the breakfast buffet at Vintana would close at 11 a.m.
The resort has several other dining options including the poolside restaurant Cielo that serves salads, sandwiches and pizzas; Sirena with its selection of seafood preparations; and the two bars, Solana and Alon.
Guests in the mood for some world-class pampering can book a treatment or three at Chi, the spa at Shangri-La that occupies 6,000 square meters.
The great thing about going on vacation is the fact that there isn’t any fixed itinerary. After brunch, we headed back to the room and promptly had a nap.
Now, my friends and I have come up with a checklist of things to do when we’re on Boracay. Aside from strolling at sunset down the stretch of sand that is White Beach, we make it a point, at least once during our stay, to order a fruit shake at Jonah’s or calamansi muffins at Real Coffee.
We were able to accomplish all these later that afternoon but somehow, we found ourselves rushing to get back to the resort. I guess exposure to the finer things does that to a person.
Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa is at Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan. For inquiries, call (6336) 288-4988 or visit www.shangri-la.com.
Say what you want about Boracay but I won’t think twice about taking a few days off to "recharge my batteries" in this island paradise.
There was even one year when I experienced Boracay during the rainy season. The makeshift wind barriers made of bamboo grids and industrial strength plastic were already up by the time we arrived in August, and the residents shared this collective look, like they were determined to ride out the stormy days ahead.
The guestrooms at Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa are decked out in rich earth tones and vibrant pops of color; guests are brought to the resort on one of four speedboats and the infinity edge pool with a built-in Jacuzzi located near Banyugan Beach is perfect for hour-long soaks.
Most of that weekend was spent indoors, where we snacked, napped or booked a massage. During the few times the sun managed to break through the clouds, however, there would be a mad rush to the beach where it seemed like everyone — pets included — was frolicking in the surf.
On my last trip, however, we stayed at the newly opened Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa. From the moment we got off our plane at Caticlan, we knew we were in for a treat.
Instead of boarding one of those small but serviceable motorized boats, we were led to a private beach where one of the resort’s four spanking new speedboats waited.
Even if the waters were choppy that late afternoon, we practically glided to our destination, the beach at Fairways & Bluewater. Usually, guests are dropped off at resort’s own boat jetty but the yearly habagat made that impossible. From there, we hopped on a van that took us to Shangri-La.
There was nothing much to do that evening except lounge around in our beautifully appointed room and check out the views from the Lobby Lounge. After an early dinner at Vintana, the resort’s coffee shop, we headed back to our room at the newly-opened Timog wing.
The wing was built flush against the side of a cliff so guests who are billeted there have a view of the Punta Bunga beach. Situated higher above Timog are the Tanawin Villas that are still undergoing finishing touches.
Sprawling design
Unlike Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa that follows a more or less compact design, the Boracay property, with 12 hectares of grounds that are home to a number of wildlife species including bats and monkeys, is sprawling. The Timog and Hilaga wings consist of guestrooms while Kanluran, Palmera and Tanawin are made up of villas, some with their own lap pools.
When enjoying the views of the reception area from the Lobby Lounge, steer clear of the reflecting pools.
Once everything is finished, the resort designed by the Hawaii-based architecture firm WATG will have a total of 219 rooms and 36 villas and suites. The interiors that combine a stunning variety of earth toned textures with pops of brilliant color are by Singapore-based LTW Design Works.
The following morning, we slathered on our sunscreen and were at the poolside by 8 a.m. The resort has several to choose from located but we were drawn to the infinity edged pool that "spills over" the beach and spent over an hour there, emerging only because we knew that the breakfast buffet at Vintana would close at 11 a.m.
The resort has several other dining options including the poolside restaurant Cielo that serves salads, sandwiches and pizzas; Sirena with its selection of seafood preparations; and the two bars, Solana and Alon.
Guests in the mood for some world-class pampering can book a treatment or three at Chi, the spa at Shangri-La that occupies 6,000 square meters.
The great thing about going on vacation is the fact that there isn’t any fixed itinerary. After brunch, we headed back to the room and promptly had a nap.
Now, my friends and I have come up with a checklist of things to do when we’re on Boracay. Aside from strolling at sunset down the stretch of sand that is White Beach, we make it a point, at least once during our stay, to order a fruit shake at Jonah’s or calamansi muffins at Real Coffee.
We were able to accomplish all these later that afternoon but somehow, we found ourselves rushing to get back to the resort. I guess exposure to the finer things does that to a person.
Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & Spa is at Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan. For inquiries, call (6336) 288-4988 or visit www.shangri-la.com.
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