Bi-Coast-al
For the more seasoned travelers to Boracay, the prevailing dichotomy of the island is either a godsend or an inconvenience. This dichotomy would basically state that if you want the tranquil, serene beauty of the island, you head to Station 1 (and, the newly-tagged, Station Zero), where most of the upscale and wide beach frontage resorts are to be found. Station 2 is the party place, where the action is non-stop and where development has been so rapid and random that one finds the old charm right beside some concrete travesty — where a revered institution like Real Coffee and its calamansi muffins is just a few steps away from the newest Manila-based fast-food franchise that has set up shop on the island. If Station 1 is white-sand beach as far as the eye can see, come sunset time; Station 2 at 5 p.m. is so many people thronged on the beach, you’d be lucky to still see the sand they stand on!
Trying to bridge that gap between the two extremes, and creating a Bi-Coast-al vibe, would be Coast. Managed by the Raintree Hospitality Group, and located in Station 2, Coast opened just a little over a year ago. Conceding that they can’t have the expansive beach front a la Station 1; what Coast set out to achieve was to offer the kind of quality service, amenities, and attention to detail, that the Station 1 resorts offer; but to do so at a location where proximity to the party side of Bora is a given — in the heart of Station 2. And just a few weekends ago, Coast held its first Travel Appreciation Night, when the travel agents and tour groups who have given Coast their support over its maiden year, were feted to a night of great food and music.
Coast offers Deluxe or Premier one-bedroom accommodations, and it also has Loft-type rooms for families — and there are 71 rooms in all. There’s a pristine minimalist yet modern look to the hotel’s facade; with the popular Cha-Cha’s Beach Cafe on one side, and the boutique shop, The General Store, at the other end. There are three pools, a pool bar, and a landscaped waterfall “wall” that leads to the newly installed massage room — ideal for couples. The rooms all have a uniformly-sized bathroom that is one of the biggest to be found in the Station 2 area, equipped with a rain shower, and a toilet spray. You’ll have to forgive me mentioning all this, as bathrooms are one of my pet peeves when deciding on accommodations — I hate those crowded ones, or the ones not equipped with the proper amenities and strong exhaust fans. So for the price one pays at Coast, I was really happy that such comfort was the standard.
And when it comes to the F&B, Coast carries the Raintree stamp of food excellence — it runs the Chelsea, Museum Cafe, Saboten, Stella & Rocket Room establishments here in Manila. The Tuna & Salmon Poke Bowl was my go-to lunch dish; and I loved its sinful Ilocos bagnet, which I paired with the Tinapa Gising-Gising. The dessert item I really took to during my stay was the
Halo-Halo Crumble Pie. Topped with ube ice cream and leche flan, within the Crumble were all the ingredients of your favorite Filipino dessert. The Tres Leches is another favorite that those who have stayed at Coast rave about. And I had to ask, but unfortunately, the Halo-Halo Crumble is only available at Coast — calling Mrs. W to please make this a Museum Cafe regular.
While you’ll be staying at Station 2, Coast pulls out all the stops from the moment you leave the Caticlan airport terminal, with its own vans and boats — a feature that’s more what you’d expect if you were staying at a Station 1 luxury resort. The rooms also boast of Smart TV’s that carry Netflix — just in case you’re all “partied” out or have had enough of the sun. The pineapple motif on the walls and table decor is part of the attention Coast gives to unique branding and detail. For those traveling with children, there’s free soft-serve ice cream and popcorn that’s served at the lobby throughout the day! Its turn-down service includes a plate of home-made dessert — brownies or cookies.
The very amiable, personal and friendly service also sets Coast apart from the other establishments. GM Randy Salvador, Sarah Cepe, the guest relations manager, and marketing head Mela Sison, have really made it a point to ensure the staff is ever efficient and perpetually smiling and attentive. My first breakfast saw them serving me a pancake that had ‘Hi Philip’ with a smile written out in ube atop the pancake — more personal than that would be hard to find.
It’s always good to find a new hotel that recognizes its equity and takes its branding seriously. It would be far too easy to get lost in the proliferation of resorts situated in Boracay’s Station 2, so to have conjured up a solid reputation in just over a year and sustain that level of service is an achievement Coast can be very proud of. Talking to some of the guests, I know the travel agents and tour groups assembled that night for the Appreciation Night, felt that the happy reports from the clients they had sent to stay at Coast, was proof positive of the bright future the Coast can look forward to.