Another Belmont rises

Imagine waking up to a gorgeous sunrise or stunning sunset. How about taking a scenic walk towards a cove that opens to the azure waters of the Sibuyan Sea.

Belmont at night. PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGAWORLD PHILS.

Where can you find a hotel in Boracay strategically located and easily accessible via its own pontoon, located on a cove with an Instagrammable keyhole?

Traveling to the island paradise can be challenging if one goes through the usual way — getting off the Caticlan jetty port and then riding shuttle service or one of the many modes of transportation plying the route going to the famous White Beach station.

If one wishes for tranquility and ease of convenience, there’s a side to the island where a masterplanned township is beginning to shape up as a destination to beat in the coming years.

Newcoast Boracay has been open for quite a while. A 150-hectare masterplanned township from Megaworld Corp. and its subsidiary Global Estate Resorts Inc. (GERI), it is home to Savoy Hotel, a 542-room hotel catering to the young and hip market and which features a party pool, the only place in the island where parties are allowed.

Last week, it opened its doors to another homegrown hotel.

RELAXING spaces within include the courtyard (above) and Aqua Spa (right).

Imagine waking up to a gorgeous sunrise or stunning sunset. How about taking a scenic walk towards a cove that opens to the azure waters of the Sibuyan Sea?

The newest Belmont brand offers just these perks as it is strategically located on the sloping terrain of the Hotel District, one of the many districts in the township.

“The Belmont is classier and sophisticated. We’re targeting travelers who prefer a more laidback vacation,” Roland Galano, area general manager for Savoy Boracay and Belmont Boracay, said.

Belmont features 442 rooms with choices of Deluxe Twin or Queen, Premiere Deluxe and Executive Suites, with sizes ranging from 27 to 52 square meters. It also offers special rooms for Persons with Disability. Currently, the Island cluster, one of its three towers, is open.

If its environs are attractive, inside the hotel is equally inviting. Upon entering its fold, guests would surely be drawn to the jellyfish shaped lighting fixtures. Below it is a carpet that features corals and seaweed imageries. On the wall beside the spiral staircase are fish-shaped installations.

Guests who were there during its grand opening could not help but snap away for selfies or groufies.

IG-WORTHY lobby. Guests will surely want to feature the sea-themed installations and fixtures in their selfies or groufies. THIS PHOTO AND BELOW COURTESY OF MEGAWORLD PHILS.

The ground floor houses the all-day dining Belmont Café where Asian- and Mediterranean-inspired dishes are included on the menu. These dishes are used with locally sourced farm produce from Aklan and nearby provinces.

At the second level are the rooms and the bridgeway to the Promenade, one of the upcoming features of the Hotel District. It is envisioned to be a commercial strip that will feature curated retail and dining spaces.

At the other end of the same level is the Zabana Pool Bar, which is an ideal place to hang out while enjoying the view and drinking cocktails and munching on pica-pica.

Before the pool bar, one can drop by Aqua Spa, which offers relaxing standard and specialized massages within the facility or in-room.

REST those tired muscles in Belmont’s well-appointed rooms.

Belmont houses two spaces that invite its guests to relax and spend the day in. At the Trellis Garden, guests can bask in the lush greens that surround the township. It is the perfect place to unwind or have breakfast in with a view of the mountains.

Lounging at the courtyard is made more fun as it features two swing chairs with stand. On top of the courtyard is a glass-covered ceiling, allowing for natural light to come through. Catching up can be cozy in this particular area.

Apart from these, guests can still take care of their health with its fitness center with shower and changing rooms.

Guests who want to visit the famed White Beach can avail of complimentary shuttle services, with hourly intervals to and from the station.

Belmont Hotel is the second homegrown hotel brand introduced under Megaworld Hotels. The first Belmont Hotel opened in Newport City in 2015. Another Belmont Hotel is set to open in Iloilo Business Park by 2023.

To date, Megaworld Hotels has already unveiled five homegrown brands: Richmonde Hotels, Belmont Hotels, Savoy Hotels, Twin Lakes Hotel and Hotel Lucky Chinatown with close to 3,000 hotel rooms. In the next five years, the company will also open new homegrown hotel brands in Parañaque, Bacolod, Iloilo, Boracay and Laguna.