If you need a vacation, how about a stay in one of Boracay’s fabulous resorts? There are so many resorts to choose from all over the island, but CITIC HOTEL BORACAY might just tick all of your boxes. Location at Station 1? Check. Premier rooms with direct connection to the pool? Check. Massive outdoor pools complete with inflatable floats? Check. Delicious food and cocktails? Check.
Citic Hotel, sitting along Boracay’s quiet Station 1 with 339 spacious and creative rooms, features 4 spacious dining facilities that serve both local and international cuisines. The hotel is accessible from the main road and less than a 3-minute walk to the famed white-sand beaches that have constantly won Boracay the title of the world’s best island.
Here’s a photo essay of our staycation at Citic Hotel Boracay…
Boracay is consistently ranked as the world’s best island. Its powdery white sand beaches are like no other on the face of the earth.
We arrived in Boracay just in time before Bagyong Tisoy’s landfall and were lucky enough to catch a ferry before the Coast Guard suspended all boats going out of Caticlan. After we docked, the Citic Hotel van brought us directly to the main entrance where the main lobby was, and we checked-in.
Each guest was greeted with a welcome drink to help beat the tropical heat. We couldn’t stop raving about their freshly squeezed pineapple mint mocktail!
Though the resort does not have a beach frontage, we didn’t mind the short 3-minute walk to the Station 1 beach. This part of Boracay is known for its secluded location and its well-kept beaches perfect for those vacation goers who want to experience Boracay from the more laid back atmosphere of Station 1.
The storm didn’t bother us anyway! Who knew swimming on the beach on a rainy day could be so fun? The beach here is wider and the water is still shallow many meters from the shore. It is a relatively quiet place compared to the beaches fronting other stations. I actually preferred this weather since I could swim at any given time of day without worrying if it was gonna be too hot or if I were going to get so dark.
The island also boasts of the world’s best sunsets. Too bad we missed them since there was a typhoon during our stay. But alas! The sun finally came out on the last day of our staycation! Look at that gorgeous golden glow.
Citic Hotel Boracay’s design is contemporary, trendy and modern. It has 339 rooms, ranging from a cozy 35-square meter room to a spacious room of 55 square meters. All of them are equally beautiful and brand new.
The best rooms, in our opinion, are the premier rooms with direct pool access. This pool has to be one of the best places to enjoy a cool refreshing cocktail on a hot sunny day.
We loved hanging around the massive pools complete with inflatable toys that served as perfect props for that complete summer ootd look.
A kiddie pool for children below 2 ft tall.
During our stay, we stayed in the deluxe room with an exciting view of the pools and the outdoors. The modern and elegant room was spacious and equipped with two double beds, a TV, hairdryer, toiletries, writing desk, local and international direct dialing telephone, in-room safe and in-room mini bar.
The rainy weather was a perfect excuse to catch up on emails and Netflix series, thanks to the fast complimentary wifi available in the hotel.
Conference rooms for business meetings or exclusive celebrations are available.
We were certainly impressed by the consistent food quality at Citic. The highlight for me would be their Filipino, Chinese and Tapas menus.
They serve the daily breakfast buffet at the Main Restaurant.
CLAM AND WATERMELON TAMARIND SOUP
Clam, lemongrass, mushroom and bean in watermelon and tamarind broth.
The soup was jam-packed with enough clams. I loved that sweetish tart flavor and the watermelon just made it even more refreshing.
PEPPERED BEEF
Beef Tenderloin sauteed in black and Scezhuan pepper sauce.
The beef was a perfect marriage of savory and sweet, with a tingly sensation due to the Szechuan peppercorn.
OYSTER OMELET
A trip to Boracay would not be complete without sampling the earthy sweetness of Aklan oysters, best dipped in their chili coriander sauce.
They also serve baked oysters. We preferred the oyster omelet though.
CHILI PRAWN
We also liked the stir-fried semi-thick sweet and savory tomato chili sauce.
STEAMED PAMPANO FISH
Steamed pompano fish with ginger, leek and light superior sauce.
BAGUIO BROCCOLI
A simple dish that I enjoyed was the crisp Baguio broccoli and cauliflower stir-fried in garlic butter.
TUNA TARTARE
For starters in the tapas menu, we liked the freshly prepared tuna tartare in crispy wonton cups.
TREZ QUEZOS CROQUETAS
A crispy shell of mashed potatoes filled with three kinds of gooey melty cheese.
AL PILPIL GAMBAS
The shrimps were seared to tender perfection in a sticky-sweet, spicy and garlicky sauce. We also liked the pesto version of the dish.
TSOKOLATE BATIROL AND KAKANIN
For something sweet, I highly recommend the budbud paired with Guimaras mango and super thick local hot chocolate.
WATERMELON WITH ROSEMARY (Mocktail)
The mocktails of Citic are the best! And we couldn’t stop raving about them!
Cooling sweet watermelon with hints of floral rosemary.
CUCUMBER WITH LEMONGRASS AND STAR ANISE (Mocktail)
Lemongrass cucumber cocktails are perfect refreshing drinks made better with the semi-sweet, spiced anise flavor.
MANGO LABUYO (Mocktail)
The mango juice recipe is a great balance of sweet and spicy. This was my least favorite of the mocktail series, but my friends said this was their favorite.
The juices are also available in the breakfast buffet.
P.S. If you prefer your drinks spiked with alcohol, that can also be arranged. 😉
Overall, we enjoyed our stay at Citic Hotel Boracay. Whether your visit is for business or leisure, the hotel offers a wide range of accommodation options that come with warm Pinoy hospitality for a diverse range of guests.
Live an Awesome Life,
ABI of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We were media guests of Citic Hotel. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions and insights.
