La Carmela De Boracay Resort Hotel

My room was clean, the air conditioning was cold, and the bed was comfortable after a long day in the sun. I also liked having the pool as a place to relax away from the salt water. La Carmela de Boracay is right on the Station 2 beachfront and a short walk from D'Mall, which made the location hard to beat. The staff were especially welcoming. They even showed me around the different rooms and facilities and made me feel at home. I had an excellent stay and will definitely return.

The room had a sour, odd smell when we arrived, so we sprayed deodorizer on the walls to deal with it. Wi-Fi was completely inaccessible, either because too many people were connected or because it was barely functioning at all. My Globe signal was very poor despite being on postpaid. At night, the bass from the bars nearby came through the walls. We could also hear guests talking in the corridor all the time. They didn’t provide beach towels or mats, so we had to rent them and pay upfront. Utensils weren’t in the room either, and had to be requested for a fee. Other hotels include these as standard. I booked because of recommendations for the buffet breakfast. There were a few choices, like rice, eggs, pancakes, cereal, and assorted viands, but nothing stood out. You can decide for yourself, but I didn’t think it was worth it.

The staff were courteous and accommodating, and many seemed to be trainees or OJTs doing their best. They deserve recognition. The service and facilities, though, had several gaps that need attention. I chose La Carmela de Boracay, Room A14, for its budget price and convenient Station 2 location within walking distance of D’Mall. This was my second trip to Boracay. I’d stayed at Fairways Hotel on my first visit, which naturally shaped my expectations. Since La Carmela is a longtime name in Boracay hospitality, I expected higher standards and a more relaxed, accessible stay. Housekeeping wasn’t done daily and was only available on request, despite there being plenty of staff. The linens were very thin and worn, and the towels were discolored. The bathroom had no soap dish by the sink or proper shelf or holder for shower toiletries. The room also felt outdated and had a persistent old smell. Wi-Fi was unreliable and practically unusable, so I relied on mobile data. Noise from the hallway carried clearly into the room. When the neighboring room checked out, furniture moving and cleaning were especially disruptive. The massage advertisement said “350 per hour,” but the masseuse told me that rate was only for a soft massage. A regular massage cost 500 per hour. That felt misleading, and the promotion should say “rates start at 350 per hour.” Breakfast was a letdown too. I wasn’t expecting a five-star spread, but the buffet was repetitive, and having servers control food portions went against the idea of a buffet. My stay was mediocre at best. The location is a real advantage, but improvements to room upkeep, housekeeping, internet, food service, and clear promotion rates are needed for the hotel to stay competitive.

The front desk team was humble and very helpful, and the staff were always friendly and smiling. The location is near the beach, though I believe a beach-view room costs over 6K pesos a night. At that price, I’d choose Bonvoy or Accor Group instead. The room itself was old and a bit shabby. There was no phone signal inside, and the Wi-Fi was very slow and disconnected every five seconds. An IT guy came to help, but the problem kept happening. I asked for room cleaning, but housekeeping never cleaned it. There was only a DO NOT DISTURB sign, no sign to request cleaning. The food was terrible, about 3 out of 10. The egg was hard, the fish too salty, the chicken didn’t seem fresh and tasted weird, while the vegetables were okay. The air conditioner was extremely loud. The pillow wasn’t comfortable, though still okay, and the bed was only moderate. The toilet was a bit dirty.