Shangri-La Boracay is the gold standard for a luxurious romantic escape in the island. I must admit this was the first time Rache and I had a staycation and the first time I got to speak at the Potatoes USA Menu Ideation Camp held at the resort. Technically, it was a perfect workcation where you get to enjoy the place with your wife, get to meet the awesome people behind Potatoes USA, and get to bond with the chefs outside the restaurant.
This is one of the best experiences I had in Boracay specially after the post pandemic era. And here’s why.
Seaside Suite
We stayed at the beautiful seaside suite along the Punta Bunga Beach, also known as Station Zero, which has its own jetty port.
We stayed on the middle 3rd floor where you just literally go down and walk to the white beach and you can easily go up to get the buggy on the 6th floor or go to the 4th floor for the connecting walk-way to the lobby.
Shangri-La Boracay
📍Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608 Philippines
📞 +(63 36) 288 4988
✉️ boracay@shangri-la.com
🌐 https://www.shangri-la.com/boracay/boracayresort
The Shangri-La beds are so comfortable to sleep in specially after sexy time, and you really enjoy every minute of relaxing in them. The room is equipped with double curtains to completely black out the morning sun so as not to wake you up.
Sunset jacuzzi is the best when you enjoy it with your wife with all the bubbles amid stories about life and the blessings that come alongside it. You would want to stop the sun from setting in the horizon and live in the moment.
Every morning, the beach invites you to relax with this view and entices you to swim in its cold waters and pearly white sand.
The bathroom is so special, with a walk-in closet, separate toilet, bathtub, his/hers sink, and a shower room, that I will always remember it for years to come.
This is the swimmable side of the Shangri-La property where the beach slope is gradual and there’s no dangerous undercurrent—a place where the kiddos can enjoy.
Vintana Breakfast
We usually do intermittent fasting but the Vintana Breakfast buffet was hard to resist because it is the best breakfast buffet on the island for healthy eaters, foodies, and even chefs.
VINTANA ASIAN CAFE
📍 Level 2, Main Building,Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
✉️ restaurantreservations.slbo@shangri-la.com
📞 +(63 36) 288 4988
⏱ Breakfast: 6.30am – 10:30am
🌐 Hotel > Dining > Vintana Asian Cafe
There are a lot of stations in this sprawling breakfast buffet place with high ceilings. Wear your chic breakfast attire and spend time enjoying your breakfast. The mask-on policy applies when getting your food.
The Beef Pares was hands down the most raved about breakfast item in Shangri-La among the chefs and foodies. We loved it, and this is what makes their buffet unique versus the rest.
Start with their bread, salad, appetizers or Filipino Favorites station to kick-off your morning.
We loved their different honeys and their self-service granola station for a healthy breakfast.
They also have their signature soup stations and egg stations with everything done to your liking.
We loved the variety of options like the Egg Curry and the ending with good ice cream.
Potatoes USA
Chef Kalel Chan was the lead chef who gave a talk to inspire other chefs to think of ways to use US Potatoes creatively in their menu. It was an honor to talk back-to-back with him.
Did you know that potatoes are vegetables with high nutritional value that contain Iron, Vitamin B6, Protein, Dietary Fiber, Potassium, Vitamin C, and Carbohydrates?
I didn’t know that potatoes could be so versatile. Under the hands of the young creative chefs in the country, potatoes could be an expression of their creativity for us to enjoy.
We got to enjoy the grilled favorites at Sirena and the lechon during the menu ideation camp.
I got to do the fun part—provide a critique of the photo of their food creations during camp. It was a good thing that everyone was in a good mood and open for insights and feedback.
I gave a talk on “Your Food in the Eyes of an Influencer” to share with the chefs my insightful knowledge on how they can present their food better in social media in the POV of an influencer.
The first moment of truth for foodies is how they consume the food with their eyes on the mobile screen. The second moment of truth is when they consume it and it tastes better than it looks.
I must say the Food Banquet service of Shangri-La Boracay is the best, even the lunch buffets were good and the chefs agreed. Ang galing. 🙂
Cielo’s Sunset Experience
Cielo’s Sunset Bar experience is the best on the island of Boracay, with a day pool vibe, exclusive sunset cove, and really good food and cocktails to pair with the sunset experience.
Cielo Poolside Restaurant & Bar
📍 Poolside, Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
✉️ restaurantreservations.slbo@shangri-la.com
📞 +(63 36) 288 4988
⏱ Cielo Restaurant & Bar: 11:00am – 9:00pm
🌐 Hotel > Dining > Cielo Poolside Restaurant & Bar
Best to go as early as 4pm to enjoy the salt-water pool and conversations with your friends. The pool is photogenic from any angle, even when backlit with the sun setting in the background.
Cielo Poolside Restaurant & Bar Menu: Food, Wine, Cocktails, Rum Selection
The cocktails are good and will put you in the mood for sunsets and live acoustic music.
Four Cheese Calzone (₱885). Emmentaler • Gorgonzola • Mozzarella • Parmesan • Tomato
My wife still craves for this squid ink pasta and this four cheese pizza. Ang sarap!
Pictures are not enough to capture this sunset moment.
Best of all you get to enjoy it with chefs you admire and work with in the industry.
Sirena Clifftop Bar
You can also hang out in these clifftop sunset view points (ala Spiderhouse but way better).
Sirena Restaurant & Clifftop Bar
📍Adjacent to the Jetty Port,Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
✉️ restaurantreservations.slbo@shangri-la.com
📞 +(63 36) 288 4988
⏱ Open 5:00pm – 12:00 mn (Mon-Sun)
🌐 Hotel > Dining > Sirena Restaurant & Clifftop Bar
They have the best Gin & Tonic selection on the island and you get to enjoy your drink without the sugar and with just the right buzz for an awesome night cap.
Gin & Tonic Menu: page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4
Sirena is the perfect place for a night cap and awesome conversations with friends.
We usually went out to the main beach at 7pm for dinner drinks and went back to Sirena Clifftop Bar to create new memories and cement relationships.
Final Thoughts
Overall, when you stay at Shangri-La Boracay there will always be that feeling that you just want to stay in the resort to enjoy every minute of the beach, the food and facilities as opposed to going to the main beach where the action is.
I’ve been to Boracay a number of times over the past 17 years ever since I started Our Awesome Planet and I can confidently say that we love Shangri-La Boracay because:
☀️ Cielo’s Poolside Sunset Bar experience is the best on the island because of the day pool vibe, sunset mood with acoustic music, and most specially the food and cocktail experience.
🍸 Sirena Clifftop Bar is the best Gin & Tonic Bar on the island and the perfect nightcap place.
🏖 The resort has the best Seaside View Suite among all the hotels on the island for your romantic escape.
Thank you to Potatoes USA for the awesome menu ideation camp experience with the chefs and to Shangri-La Boracay for a memorable romantic escape with Rache.
Shangri-La Boracay
📍Barangay Yapak, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan 5608 Philippines
📞 +(63 36) 288 4988
✉️ boracay@shangri-la.com
🌐 https://www.shangri-la.com/boracay/boracayresort
Live an Awesome Life with Christ,
Founder & Digital Creator, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: Thank you to Potatoes USA and Shangri-La Boracay for an awesome workcation experience! I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. There is a regular van that goes to the main beach at the times listed below, but you can easily get an electric trike for ₱300 one way. We often took the 19:00 van after the sunset to get to the main beach to meet up with friends.
