HOW VILLA CAEMILLA MAKES IT MORE FUN IN STATION 3
by: Villa Caemilla
Philippines. No wonder there are around 10,000- 15,000 hotel rooms on this island today. Who in their right minds would not want a walk on fine white sand or enjoy mild to extreme water sports, anyway?
Many years after Boracay started making a buzz worldwide, it is still one of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines. No wonder there are around 10,000- 15,000 hotel rooms on this island today. Who in their right minds would not want a walk on fine white sand or enjoy mild to extreme water sports, anyway?
The problem is, where is the perfect location to base your adventure in this paradise?
I have made a plan for a quick visit with my father, but our accommodation was still uncertain. So, what do I do? Of course, I scoured for ideas on the internet. White Beach is inarguably the most famous beach in the island so staying there even just for one night was obligatory. But apparently, this beach is divided into three stations prompting me with another dilemma about where exactly we should stay. Would Station 1 be perfect? I read that it is where the luxury resorts and shallow waters are. Station 2 boasts its very active nightlife while Station 3 seems to be left behind because it is the most quiet side of White Beach.
But guess what? I based our White Beach escapade in Station 3, and I regret nothing. Villa Caemilla is right- It’s More Fun in Station 3.
We were lucky because reaching Villa Caemilla did not require a lot of walking with our luggage. Tricycles are not allowed to drive up to the beach front so booking a hotel near the alleys is encouraged if you have a lot of stuff to carry.
When we got there, we were greeted by the friendly front desk officers. They welcomed us with lovely little shell necklaces which were cool!
And another awesome thing? We had the liberty to choose what we wanted to have for our welcome drinks. It is not everywhere you get to have an ice-cold beer upon checking in, right? So, five minutes in and my father was already enjoying his stay.
Check-in was a breeze even though they had a lot of guests during our stay. It is nice to know that even though the island is already approaching its low season, they still have enough staff to cater the needs of all the guests. Imagine calling the reception to request for a condiment and the staff would arrive less than 2 minutes later, who would not want that kind of service?
It is one of the main reasons why I love boutique hotels. There is intimacy. It is not crowded, and the staff will always be there to attend to your needs as soon as you need them. Villa Caemilla takes advantage of that. So, I was not shocked when I learned that his little hotel in Station 3 has many awards under its belt. From now on, I will no longer listen when someone tells me that I cannot experience luxurious accommodation and high- end service in Stations 3 just because it is where cheap accommodations are usually found.
Another thing that caught my attention in this place is their mini floating library. Seriously, I have been looking everywhere to find this rack because I want it for my new room. Wesley, if you are reading this, please let me know where your team got it!
Another thing I admire about resorts is that they have board games and books readily available for those who just want to chill and hang out in the lounge the whole day. Villa Caemilla needs to up their game by adding more titles on their floating library because it will be all kinds of awesome when they do! After all, the best way to kill time while waiting for sundown is to read books by the shore, right?
We got the privilege to stay in their spacious Superior Deluxe Room. The closet is big, so we had more than enough space to leave our luggage. The clean queen bed comes with a towel art (which should not confuse you in any way, okay? Villa Caemilla wants to spread the love regardless of the reason guests stay in Boracay. Hence the heart shape of the bath towels.)
Since we reserved having lobsters on our second day, we had a taste of their restaurant menu on our first evening in the island. We had Salmon, Baby Back Ribs and Chicken Binakol Soup for dinner and they were all good. The soup stood out the most for my father and me. But I have to commend the serving size of their dishes. While I cannot say that the prices level fast food, you will definitely get what you pay for with the right taste and amount of food they serve. And have I mentioned that they have Live Acoustic Session during the evening? It is just right to set the mood for a fun-filled night if you are headed to Station 2 after dinner or to slow down before getting a massage and going straight to bed to rejuvenate after a long day.
A pleasant surprise greeted us in the room when we came back after dinner to call it a night. I have known a lot of hotels offering turndown service, but they do not do anything about it even until checkout. But Villa Caemilla stays faithful to its words. Although I must admit, I made a mistake about it. I did not eat the raisin cookies while I was there, so I was not able to ask for its recipe! Seriously, I do not even like raisins, but their homemade ones are delicious! I think it is fair enough to say that I would come back for them cookies, yeah?
And remember what I said about their serving? Well, they are incredibly generous in serving their food. Real value for money, right there, fellas. And yes, I put cheese and bacon on my DIY pancakes because why not?
Now, it may be an embarrassing confession, but I have only started exploring a bit more of the Philippines this year, and I apologize for not doing it sooner. I have always commended foreign hotel staff members for being polite and hospitable, but nothing beats the smiles of the Filipinos. They would greet us anywhere we are in the hotel, and they made sure that we were having the best time there.
The front desk officers and nearly every staff I have come across during our whole stay were attentive, too. My father and I went helmet diving on the day of our check- out, and we could not get the souvenir CD in the afternoon. But being service- oriented Villa Caemilla truly is, they brought the CD to the next property we stayed at without charge! Honestly, if you can find a hotel that serves their current and former guests beyond what is expected of them, consider yourself lucky.
Now, do you still look down on Station 3? Really? When you have this Luxury Boutique Hotel (mind you, it is beach front) waiting for you? I understand Station 2 promises hosting the lives of parties. But if you are going on a real vacation, would you not want to sleep somewhere quiet without having to walk a mile just to get to your bed? That is what we did, and we are not afraid to do it again. If I were to choose from any beach front hotels in White Beach again, I would not have any problem. There would be no other option, to begin with. Villa Caemilla has everything I need and the kind of service their staff provide is going to be hard to beat.
