Bamboo Bungalow Resthouse

We had a great time, with beach fun, a party scene, and provincial vibes all in one. The hotel is right in Station 2, but even though our room was beside the beach and hotel bar, we weren’t bothered by noise from the beach area. When we first entered the room, it smelled as if someone had just been smoking, even though it was supposed to be smoke-free. The staff quickly moved us to another room. Breakfast was simple, but it hit the spot. The staff were wonderful and made us feel right at home.

The location would have been great, and the service was okay. Email response times were average. But I couldn’t book the family room for four adults and my 11-month-old, because the hotel counts an infant as an additional person. I don’t review places often, but that experience meant they wouldn’t accommodate our infant.

The only real positive was the beachfront location. There are other hotels in the same price range nearby that offer room amenities, clean rooms and a safe environment, so I’d stay elsewhere, especially on vacation. We visited in July during the rainy season, and this was our second accommodation in Boracay. The property was in such poor condition that we moved to another hotel. It was hard to find because there was no visible sign, and the public restrooms were filthy and seemed neglected. The path to the apartments was flooded. At the entrance to our room there was a foul, feces-like smell. Outside, bottles and styrofoam containers filled with stagnant water were scattered around, an obvious mosquito breeding ground and safety hazard. The apartment had several problems: the advertised hammock wasn’t there, the towels had blood stains, and sand was still on the beds, so the room clearly hadn’t been cleaned before we arrived. The ceiling leaked and one of the room locks was broken. Staff were dismissive when we asked about the missing hammock, showing little concern about the false advertising. When we found the stained towels, no staff were around. Eventually the person who had helped with our luggage came by, and we asked for replacements. There seemed to be no one properly managing the property.

It’s only a few steps from the beach, though our room didn’t have a beach view. Breakfast is included, and there’s a bar at the front. Our room was away from the bar, so it wasn’t very noisy. The location is great, but the room didn’t feel worth the price. There wasn’t a water heater, which other hotels offer, and there weren’t enough chairs for working. It also felt creepy at night. Some staff brought up personal issues and discussed them loudly during breakfast, which put us off our food. I do want to commend Ms. Beng, who was approachable and soft-spoken, unlike the cook.