Discovery Shores - Boracay, Philippines: Discovery Shores resort is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It is a beachfront property with a modern minimalist and sleek design contrasting with the lush tropical setting of Boracay, an island in the Philippines famous for its white sands, crystal blue waters, and international party scene. It is located on a quieter part of the island’s beach affording guests some peace and privacy.

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First Impression/Lobby: When we got to the island, they dropped us off at the back entrance to Discovery Shores. It was a barren entrance and I began to worry and wonder what we had gotten ourselves into. It surely wasn’t the chic and trendy resort I was expecting.

Without wasting any time, they showed us directly to our One Bedroom Premier Suite.

Reception: The registration was completed in our suite quickly and without a fuss. Right after, they offered complimentary foot massages as part of our welcome.

In addition, there was a small plate of sweets, a bowl of fruit, jars of cookies, nuts and dried fruit, and fresh juice waiting for us. We were we impressed? Yes!

It was the perfect start to what would be a perfect stay at Discovery Shores Boracay. Later in the evening the staff brought us a complimentary cheese plate and bottle of red wine. Now this is what I call making us feel welcomed!

The Suite: I was immediately pleased with the size of our One Bedroom Premier Suite. It consisted of two levels: the living room on the lower level and the bedroom and roof top patio on the upper level.

The living room had an L-shaped couch and side chairs facing the flat screen TV. The interiors were minimalist, almost bleak, with a few colors on a backdrop of mostly black and white. The large windows looked towards the sea and gave a spacious and airy feeling. There was a full bathroom on the lower level as well as the upper level, which was a great convenience.

Upstairs, the suite was just as chic and trendy in design, mostly dark furniture, with more splashes of colors, fully stocked with modern amenities, plus free Wi-Fi.

One downfall, our suite was located at the back of the U-shaped resort so other rooms and their balconies obstructed our sea view. This setup did not allow for much privacy or utmost relaxation.

The upstairs patio was quite large, and had a large Jacuzzi, double-sized lounge and two chairs. There were three views from the patio: the resort (and all the rooms) and the sea in one direction, the mountains in another direction and a local home (complete with crowing roosters) directly behind us. It was only after a while (a long while) that we were able to drown out the constant crowing of the roosters.

Room Service: Their room service menu had a good selection of dishes to choose from including the usual American and European fare of pizzas, burgers, salads, pasta, steaks and sandwiches. We ordered a cheese pizza, which was delivered on time. While the selection and service was good, the food was only so-so and only memorable in a bad way.

Housekeeping: Housekeeping did a fabulous job in tidying our room and arranging little details. We were only there one night, but the evening turndown service was as complete as the normal daytime service. They also brought us the aforementioned bottle of wine, plate of cheese and when we turned in for the night, we saw that they had fashioned an ultra cute “dog” out of the folded towels and placed it on our bed. It’s the little things that make a property stand out from the others.

Restaurant: We dined at the Discovery Shores’ restaurant, Sands, which was casual and laid-back in design and had great views of the water. They offered a good selection of seafood, international and local dishes.

For lunch we had them make a special dish of lobster spaghetti for us and for “throwing together” our special request they proved their culinary skills. The food was fresh and had perfect flavor, but the service was unbelievably slow. Still, I would easily recommend it to others. I don’t know if you could find many better restaurants in Boracay.

Pool/Spa/Activities: The velvety white sand beach in front of the hotel was simply prefect for relaxing. It was a beautiful and quiet stretch of the island. My only complaint was that by midday the water was so far out the shore due to the low tide and it was not any good for swimming.

The pool was on the small side for a resort of this size, but with the gorgeous beach (even sans the water in the afternoon), ample number of lounge chairs and attentive service, it was the perfect place to spend an afternoon.

Check-Out: At our request, the check-out took place in our suite. Otherwise we would have to walk to the front of the resort to get to the reception desk, which was located on the beachside, and then go back to the back of the hotel, located on the road side, to leave. We were short on time so they graciously accommodated our request and checked us out in our room. The process was quick and easy, as it should be at a luxury resort like this.

Overall Impression: Aside from our disappointment with the location of our suite, the crowing roosters behind us and the less than spectacular food delivered by room service, we loved Discovery Shores and are happy to give it a rating of Bombastic.

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