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The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Shangri-La Boracay is a beautiful tropical paradise atop a cliff on the Boracay Island in the Philippines. Take in the luscious greenery that surrounds the resort and white sands beaches and crystal clear blue seas. (I warn you, this will be a picture heavy post!! Boracay a photogenic place!)

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The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Arrival/First Impressions –

The arrival process to the Shangri-La Boracay can be a long one or a short one depending on which airport you land at. We landed at Kalibo international airport, where we were picked up at the airport by the hotel van and driven an hour and a half to Caticlan where we were dropped off at the Welcome Lounge aka Mabuhay Centre, we had a quick refreshing drink and jumped into the hotel speed hotel which took 10-15mins to get to the hotel on the Boracay island (Hot tip: make sure to have your camera handy and sit on the right hand side).

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

When you arrive at the hotels jetty you are greeted by hotel staff and helped onto a buggy where you are driven through the resort, through the lush greenery, past the beautiful beach and the 2 pools, all the way to the reception.

We were welcomed to the reception with a philippino performance and then lead straight to our room where our wonderful host checked us in and explained the features of the room as well as of the hotel.

Room –

We booked the Deluxe Seaview room, situated on the upper floors of the main building, made getting around very easy. We were walking distance to the restaurant, pool and beach.

On the left as you enter the room is the large bathroom with a rainfall shower, bath tub and double sinks, the bathroom has 2 doorways as well as blinds so you can watch TV in the bath (from the bedroom) or close this for privacy.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

The room comes complete with a large King bed, large LCD TV with international channels, a work desk, 2 seater couch to relax on and a private balcony with day bed and the most gorgeous views of the beach, It provides a handy spot to watch Boracay amazing sunsets each night, keep an eye out for the “cloud” of bats flying past at sunset.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Pool/Gym –

Shangri-La Boracay is all about relaxation and getting the most out of your holiday.
They have an outdoor lap pool which is open from 6am til 8pm and the main swimming pool which is the country’s largest free-form swimming pools, set amidst lush landscaped gardens and water fountains, it is open from 6am til 10pm.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay


The hotel also has 2 secluded beaches; the main beach is a shared/public beach, while the second, smaller beach which is a private beach for Shangri-La Boracay guests. There is plenty of seating and the hotel makes it easy to order something yummy to eat and drink while relaxing in the Pilipino sun. When you arrive you are provided with 1-2 towels and an icy bottle of water.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Dining Options –

Shangri-La Boracay has 3 bars/lounges and 4 restaurants

Solana Bar – Gather for drinks around the fire pit, or lounge in a cabana and watch the world famous sunsets, with an amazing range of fun and refreshing cocktails along with a tapas-inspired menu, or just sit back in one of the comfortable cabanas and enjoy the view with a cocktail in hand.

Alon Bar – Enjoy refreshing tropical drinks and tasty snacks as you run your feet through the sand. Alon is located between the resort’s freeform swimming pool and the secluded beachfront, it is the perfect place to enjoy a happy hour cocktail and the amazing sunset. Another special feature of the bar, is a “magical” fire dance display each night after sunset as well as a live bar during happy hour.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Lobby Lounge – Offering panoramic views of the resort, Lobby Lounge is the perfect place for a moment of quiet repose. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon tea with friends, or savour a hand-rolled cigar and an international selection of premium spirits and liqueurs in the evening.

Cielo Restaurant – Bask in the warmth of the sun while dining by the scenic poolside. You can dine in the restaurant or enjoy the fabulous food poolside.

Rima Restaurant – (My favourite!) Rima is hidden amongst the tree-tops overlooking the resort. We enjoyed a very nice, romantic meal together; Jenz our waitress was very knowledgeable about wines and helped us through the menu. There is something smoothing and very romantic about dining in the trees, it makes you feel very connected to nature.

Sirena Restaurant – Enjoy a cocktail at Solana while watching the sunset then head up the stairs to Sirena, which is perched on a cliff top above crystal-blue waters, it’s the resort’s signature seafood restaurant, which provides a casual, carefree dining experience. Sirena serves culinary creations fresh from the market and a wonderful selection of wines from around the world, we were lucky enough to sample some of the chef’s favourites.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Vintana Resturant – Breathe in the scent of the sea while dining al fresco with a sweeping view of the ocean. Sample a variety of world cuisines at the buffet (breakfast) and satisfy your palate with the tempting delights of the pastry section. A la carte menu items are also available.

Uniquely Private Dining Experience and Barbecues – One of the main highlights of our stay was having private dining experience on the beach. We choose the buffet barbecue which was very good value at only PHP 3000++ per person, for a private dinner experiences on the beach with your own personal chef and waiter. The food was very well cooked and the portions were fairly large, we were stuffed full by the end of it!

Spa –

The CHI Spa is the 5,714 sqm, which is located on a rocky peninsula looking out over a private bay, the detached spa village complex is designed to be a sanctuary within the resort.

We took advantage of a welcome offer which was for 2 treatments. We caught the buggy from the lobby to the spa, where we were greeted with a cold towel and a refreshing beverage. Our therapists came out to greet us and asked us to follow them to the Jampa villa, where we enjoyed a Sand and sea salt scrub. The whole experience was heavenly, we were well very looked after.

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay
The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Location –

Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort and Spa is located on a hillside overlooking the ocean at the northern tip of Boracay Island. From Manila, it is just a short 45-minute flight to the island’s Caticlan Airport and a further 15-minute combined sea and land transfer (at cost).

Staff Worth Special mention –

Our massage therapists Fe and Elaine were very very good, we felt a million dollars better when we left.

Dobie and Land who droving us to and from the international airport and took very good care of us.

Melvin was very chatty and friendly when driving us into D-Mall. He became best of friends with Pete.

Pearl at the pool/bar was FANTASTIC!!! She remembered our names and always remembers my order (strawberry daiquiri), when I asked if it could be put in a coconut, she didn’t bat an eye, make an excuse or complain, she just went along, cut up the coconut and had the bar tender make a daiquiri in the coconut for me, it was fabulous!!!

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

I don’t know the name of the staff but during a slightly rough day, a local fishermen’s boat started sinking and the Shangri-La crew were very quick to assist him and his crew and took them to safety while also being able to tow the boat so that it didn’t completely sink.

Did the hotel fulfil our requests? –

We requested a room on a high floor with a good view of the beach and that is exactly what we got!

Did we have any issues during our stay or do we have any suggestions? –

We had a bit of an issue with the TV, when we first arrived and when calling reception we were told this was what TV was like in Boracay however when speaking to other staff members we were told this was not correct (a little but annoying issue).

The only other issue we had was we ordered drinks and a pizza while on the beach and after waiting an hour and a half we were told that because there was a storm coming, that we should move to the restaurant near the pool however when we got there no one knew anything about it, which was frustrating. However the following day the gentleman who mixed things up came over to apologise which was very nice.

Suggestion: it would be good to have the pool open a little later, people are on holiday and want to enjoy the pool.

Would we stay here again? –

Definitely, I’m counting the days until I can go back again. The beach is peaceful and relaxing (keep in mid we did travel during low season), the 2 for 1 strawberry daiquiris were heavenly, the food was consistently amazing and the sunset were magnificent!

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

General Summary –

The Shangri-La Boracay is most definitely THE place to stay when visiting Boracay, you can enjoy the peacefully serenity on one of the 2 secluded beaches or catch the hourly shuttle to D-Mall to get your loud party on. Trust the well-established brand of the Shangri-La, they know exactly what they are doing and know how to provide you with 5 star luxury.

The staff have proven that they will happily go out of their way to ensure your stay is the best it can be and more!

The BEST Luxury Hotel in Boracay the Shangri-La Boracay

Shangri-La Boracay
Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island,
Malay, Aklan, 5608, Philippines
T:(63 36) 288 4988
F:(63 36) 288 5088
http://www.shangri-la.com/boracay/boracayresort/

Disclaimer: Thank you to The Shangri-La Boracay who kindly provided us with a media rate for our stay . All opinions expressed are my own and have not been influenced in any way.

Author

  • Samantha King

    Sam, a seasoned traveler across four continents and 49 countries, is a leading authority in travel planning. Her website, Travelling King, offers tailored itineraries and expert guides for seamless trips. Sam's expertise in luxury travel, fast travel, and destination guides keeps her at the forefront of the travel community.

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