Boracay Garden Resort

Oasis on the Long Beach




By Nico Erle Ciriaco






In the northwestern part of Panay Island in Western Visayas lies Aklan province, a destination that has a diverse array of attractions to live and experience with the allure of its pristine beaches and emerald waters. And at the northern tip of the province is Boracay, an island paradise with a four-kilometer stretch of white, powder-fine sand beachfront and crystal clear sea waters ideal for swimming, underwater adventure and water sports activities. Voted by some quarters as the world’s best beach, Boracay offers a wide range of dining options featuring delectable international cuisine, vibrant bars and nightly entertainment as well as world-class luxurious accommodations. Should you prefer to stay on Station 2, aka ‘The Long Beach,’ check out the only property with open spaces and garden areas – the Boracay Garden Resort. Its trade name says it all. Boracay Garden Resort has 209 spacious rooms featuring modern aesthetics and amenities. Its breezy, tree-lined surroundings offer a calm ambiance to guests. Currently undergoing major renovations, the spruced-up wing with 54 more new rooms will open early next year. “We are halfway through construction of our new wing which will feature rooms with modern design and fixtures. Rooms at the ground level will have direct access to the pool,” shared Henry O. Chusuey, chairman of the Henann Resorts Group. In 2009, Chusuey chanced upon Hotel Seraph, a Korean-owned property located at the heart of Station 2. “I got the resort by accident. I was not really looking for any new project to develop in the island at that time. I was surprised when the owner came to see me and offered to sell. We are the first property to put swimming pools on the island. These came useful whenever there are weather disturbances and strong Habagat winds. We have the most number of swimming pools in a single property. Boracay Gardens has four. ” That multimillion peso acquisition gave nascence to Boracay Garden Resort, a sprawling two-hectare resort with more than 200 rooms. It immediately underwent renovations to keep it at par with the other resorts in the island, especially those operated by the Henann Group. “We named this new acquisition as Boracay Garden because this is the only property on the Long Beach with a lot of open spaces. Lots are expensive so everything’s maximized. We continue to invest on the improvement of Boracay Garden’s facilities and its services. To date, we have already constructed two more swimming pools, put up new fitness and business centers, refurbished and re-upholstered existing rooms and opened our al fresco restaurant, Garden Café. Proudly, the designs are mine and the architectural team helps me execute my plans. The building moratorium is for the regulation of edifices less than 20-million in value, the dormitory types, and it excludes the big ones. Violators of the 20-meter zone restrictions were all given 3-month notices by the DENR to comply. It’s best to follow regulations always.” Boracay Garden enhances Henann Resorts Group’s ability to respond to all kinds of tourists; from backpackers to luxury travelers and all else in between. Moreover, the group recently purchased an adjacent 3,000-sq. m. lot where a hundred additional rooms will be put up on top of the current construction, bringing its total number of rooms to 363 by the end of 2013. This puts Henann Resorts Group in an un-paralleled position all over the island as it now offers the most number of rooms (a total of 768 by the end of 2013) while maintaining its high standard of customer service and value-for-money rates. “When construction’s over, Boracay Garden will become bigger than its sister hotel Boracay Regency. The Regency Lagoon, on the other hand, will expand with 75 more rooms. Our acquisition of the Chalet property will add 200 more rooms to our rising inventory. We have also earmarked 14-billion each for our 100-room villa in Coron and our 400-room development project in Panglao, Bohol. Also, we are developing a property in Station 1 for guests who like a quieter milieu. We are doing all these expansions because when the airport is completely done, tourist influx will increase. “Reasonable rates, excellent food, quality service from caring employees, a prime location, and satisfied guests make a successful hotel business. Our company has been operating in Boracay for almost 15 years now using this tried and tested formula. We prioritize local manpower to be part of our service staff. “We need trees to build but we also have to re-plant right after. Minimize the use of plastic. From our end, we sell it to factories for recycling. There’s nothing wrong with using plastic. What’s bad is when people throw it just anywhere, especially in bodies of water and sewerage systems.” Skal International, one of the most distinguished organizations of global tourism professionals and leaders, recognized Chusuey with the Tourism Personality of the Year award for the Resort Category. This is the first Skal award for the Henann Group chief executive but earlier this year, he also received the same honor from the Rotary Club of Manila. “We are farther than Thailand and more expensive. We have no runway lights in Caticlan so there are no flights after 6 pm. This creates a hassle for foreigners who have to stay overnight in Manila instead of being flown directly to the island. You see, travelers prefer hassle-free trips from destination to destination because it cuts unnecessary costs. Sadly, island traveling around the country is still not world-class. But we are getting there, albeit slowly.” The Henann Resorts Group manages the Boracay Regency Spa Resort, the Regency Lagoon, theHenann Resort in Alona Beach, Bohol and the Boracay Garden Resort. The company has acquired more new properties in Boracay as well as in Coron, Palawan. “Travelers from Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea and China outnumber Filipinos in our guest registries. We actively promote our properties abroad in travel exhibitions like Las Vegas and Dubai among many others. Surprisingly, a lot from Europe don’t know about Boracay.Bali and Phuket are more popular because of government support. “Renovations must be undergone every five years or so. You need to catch up with technology. But what’s really important is that every tourist checks out happy. There must be value for their money. If they feel robbed, they’ll never come back. There are resorts that you go visit only once and that’s it. Here, tourists keep coming back,” revealed Henann’s chief executive. Whether you are just lazing around under the sun on the beach or poolside, or enjoying a lavish wellness pampering at the Kai Spa, Boracay Garden is one enclave of endless possibilities. For hotel reservations, visit www.henann.com or simply call their Manila office through tel. nos. 353-1111 and/or email manila@boracaygarden.com.ph. Cebu Pacific flies to and from Boracay 12 times daily via the Caticlan route and four times daily via the Kalibo route. For more information, simply log-on to their Web site www.cebupacificair.com.