"We have been in the Department of Tourism’s triple A hotel category since we upgraded in 2002. Only a handful of Boracay’s hotels belong to this category, which is equivalent to a five-star hotel," said Bellarmine International president Charles Uy.
Based on DoT’s 2004 data, there are 200 hotels and resorts in Boracay, offering a total of 3,000 rooms. Last year, 500,000 tourists, both local and foreign, visited the island and spent an average of P12,000 per person, including transportation, for a three-day stay.
"Eventually, friends asked to use the house. It came to a point where friends offered to pay. Since they would ask for a receipt, I used the receipt booklets of the restaurant," said Uy.
From the 400 square meter property just 90 steps away from the beach, Bellarmine International purchased the adjacent property in 1992 and put up 10 more rooms. The company eventually purchased the property across and added 25 more rooms.
Today, the hotel has 63 rooms and a workforce of 58, all from the area.
"We are among the five largest in Boracay, in terms of rooms. We are the only one with a gym comparable to those in Manila. We are the only one in the island with a 45-foot wall for climbing," said Uy.
"We make up for our location with better amenities and quality service. All our rooms are air-conditioned. All our beds have springs, not foam, and are covered with bed pads. We remain competitive because of innovation. We try to offer something new every year to delight our customers," said Uy.
One such innovation is a state-of-the-art machine called the "Alpha Capsule", which is shaped like a dolphin and opens like the hood of a car. The customer lies down, with his or her head outside the capsule. The machine provides dry heat sauna and massage for the body while ionized air works on the face.
Peak periods are Christmas, Holy Week, and Chinese New Year. The regular season is from December to May. To stretch out the current season until Independence Day, the hotel has come up with a package rate for three days and two nights that could go as low as P4,715 per person for a triple-sharing room.
"In this business, it’s important to join travel shows to market the hotel. Because our non-Filipino guests are mostly Chinese and Europeans, I went to China last month and I will be going to Germany sometime this year," said Uy. "But more than earning money, I like to see people enjoy what I have created from nothing."