Paradise Bay

The garden is the real highlight: it’s well kept, with a pool and plenty of places to sit and relax. A resident parrot greets you with a friendly hello, and the staff were exceptionally attentive, trying to anticipate what guests needed. We stayed five nights and mostly enjoyed it, though the location would suit someone seeking a quiet spot away from the busy tourist areas. Our room was comfortable, basic, and well maintained, with a mini-fridge, LCD TV, kettle, A/C, and a lovely sea view. The restaurant has a broad menu and a few decent takes on international food. Wiener schnitzel was okay, but the garlic or goulash soup wasn’t much like what I grew up eating. Pets wander around the dining area, including several cute dogs and a couple of cats. I didn’t mind as an animal lover, but some guests might. Getting around was a mixed bag. Station 3 is about a 15-minute walk through narrow streets with constant traffic, and the walk back from D-mall takes around 25 minutes. We used tricycles several times. The nearby beach isn’t suitable for swimming, so the resort pool came in handy. There were some real drawbacks. The narrow access road beside the resort stays busy and noisy day and night, and fumes from two-stroke engines got into our room. We also had flies, mosquitoes, and small ants in the room. It seemed to be frog mating season, too, and the noise from the nearby wetland was deafening at night. The Wi-Fi advertised for the rooms never worked for us. I used up my mobile data within days. The only dependable connection was in reception or the restaurant, and it was very slow. The router for guest access locked up within an hour of being reset, so there was basically no internet in the rooms. That was especially frustrating with constant rain during our stay, since even checking email was difficult. If I return to Boracay, I’d choose accommodation on Station 1-3 instead.