Living the luxe island life
BY JEFFREY O. VALISNO

It is the small details that make one’s stay at Discovery Shores Boracay truly memorable. Whether it is the warm, welcoming smiles of the staff or the personalized note signed by no less than the general manager, the poems and the lavender-scented pouches that you find on the bed before you go to sleep or the bubbles that fly in the pool area as you take a refreshing dip, the resort goes beyond the usual to make you feel important.
At a time when new resorts sprout one after the other along the famed Boracay beach strip, Discovery Shores set itself apart by staying true to what matters most -- excellent service that instantly puts busy travelers at ease.

And while the rates of Discovery Shores are about 10% higher than what other resorts might charge, it is all worth it, if that means you get luxurious pampering.Although formidable hotel resorts have opened in recent years, Discovery Shores was recently declared by the Department of Tourism (DoT) as the best in the entire Western Visayas region.

Annabella S. Wisniewski, head of HSAI Raintree Hospitality Management, said the resort’s greatest asset has always been its staff, which provides excellent service to guests.

"All around the world, Filipinos excel in the service industry because of their distinct hospitality. It is this same brand of hospitality that we offer here at Discovery Shores," Ms. Wisniewski told reporters on Tuesday.

HSAI Raintee operates Discovery Shores in Boracay, as well as Discovery Suites in Ortigas and Discovery Country Suites in Tagaytay.As soon as you get off the plane at the Godofredo P. Ramos airport in Caticlan, the resort’s staff will assist you until you get to the port for the boat transfers. While most major resorts have their own open boats to ferry passengers to and from Boracay Island, Discovery Shores employs an enclosed, air-conditioned boat that ensures that guests and their luggage will stay dry despite strong winds and waves.

Boasting 88 lavishly furnished guest rooms, the resort offers a choice between junior suites, one-bedroom suites or two-bedroom suites. Each suite has a 32-inch LCD TV with cable, DVD player, component system, hair dryer and iPod dock, among other amenities.

Guests are led to rooms where the air-conditioning system has already been switched on. Their luggage is also there and a table filled with sweet mangoes, cookies, nuts and other treats are there for the nibbling.But the most endearing detail inside the room is the banner welcoming you "home."

It is not a store-bought banner, but a personalized one creatively made by the staff just for the guest.The star of each room is the oversized bed, which seems to float in the middle of the suite. Decked in immaculate sheets, the great beds invite guests to lie on them forever.

Coupled with six down pillows and a fluffy duvet, getting up to leave the room in order to enjoy the sights of Boracay would be a definite challenge.

At the middle of the resort is the very inviting swimming pool with a sunken bar where guests can order their favorite drinks. But as you lounge by the pool, do not be surprised if staff members offer complimentary ice cones, Filipino treats like turon (fried bananas wrapped in eggroll wrappers) or sliced fruits. Cantilevered out over a slope, the clusters of vertical lines emphasize endless space, and could be at home in an upscale urban community development."The property was a piece of land that covered a hilly slope stretching all the way to the beachfront. I fell in love with it immediately because its location... offered some of the most magnificent views of the island," Ms. Wisniewski explained.

Aside from swimming either in the resort’s pool, or in the pristine waters of Boracay, other recreational activities available to the guests are parasailing, water skiing, scuba diving and boating. Water toys and activities are available for children while sauna and steam rooms are ready for the guests to relax, unwind and detoxify.

Spa services and treatments are provided by the Mandala Spa at the resort’s second and third floors. The spa has won numerous awards for its excellent service in its main outlet on the island. It brings the same level of service in its outlet located at the resort.

All these might sound unbelievable but once you experience the Discovery Shores way of attention to detail, it is likely that you book your next stay even before you leave. In fact, resort officials say that one of every two guests does so.

The resort has an ongoing Summer Fling package where guests can spend a relaxing three day, two night vacation inclusive of roundtrip airfare via SEAir for as low as P19,888 net per person for a junior suite. The package also includes daily breakfast, shuttle service along the long beach, and boat and land transfers.

The promo package is available from April 6 to June 15 (excluding April 30 to May 3). Limited suites are available so advanced reservations are required. For more information, call the resort’s Manila sales and reservations office at 719-8888, 719-6692 to 95 or visit www.discoveryshoresboracay.com